Rogue Traders

WITH THE DIGITAL AGE BEING FORCED UPON US, ITS NO SURPRISE THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE ARE NOW PLENTY OF AERIAL COMPANIES TO CHOOSE FROM.

UNFORTUNATELY FOR YOU, THE CONSUMER, PLENTY OF CHOICE MEANS PLENTY OF CHANCES TO PICK ONE OF THE ROGUE TRADERS OR COWBOYS, WHICH ARE BEING RUN BY INEXPERIENCED, UN-QUALIFIED PEOPLE JUST OUT TO RIP YOU OFF AND MAKE A QUICK BUCK BEFORE GOING OFF TO THEIR NEXT SCAM ONCE DIGITAL IS HERE FOR GOOD, LEAVING YOU WITH BAD PICTURES, AN AERIALTHAT MIGHT LAST 5 YEARS IF YOU ARE LUCKY, A PHONE NUMBER THAT NEVER GETS ANSWERED AND FINALLY A VERY BIG HOLE IN YOUR WALLET!

THE SIGNS TO WATCH OUT FOR CAN BE AS FOLLOWS:

1) CHEAP PRICES QUOTED ON THE PHONE - THIS CAN MEAN ONE OF 2 THINGS, EITHER THEY USE THE CHEAPEST, INFERIOR EQUIPMENT THEY CAN GET THERE HANDS ON OR THEY PLAN TO INCREASE THE PRICE QUITE SUBSTANTIALLY ONCE THEY HAVE ‘GOT THEIR FOOT THROUGH THE DOOR’.
2) GIVING FIXED “ALL INCLUSIVE” PRICES OVER THE PHONE - NO ONE CAN FIX A PRICE OF A JOB UNTIL THEY HAVE BEEN THERE AND HAD A LOOK A WHAT IS REQUIRED AND TAKEN SIGNAL READINGS. THIS IS ANOTHER TRICK TO GET MORE MONEY ONCE THEY ARE IN YOUR HOUSE!
3) SAME DAY RESPONSE!! THIS USUALLY MEANS THEY ARE PROBABLY SAT AT HOME DOING NOTHING. ANY REPUTABLE COMPANY WOULD MOST LIKELY BE BOOKED UP AND YOU WOULD EXPECT TO WAIT 2-3 DAYS AT A MINIMUM FOR A QUALIFIED ENGINEER TO COME ROUND. THIS ISN’T A STRICT RULE OF THUMB AS EVERY COMPANY HAS ITS QUIET PERIODS BUT IT SHOULD MAKE YOU THINK TWICE BEFORE COMMITTING TO A CALL-OUT.
4) PUSHY SALES ON THE PHONE. WHEN YOU RING A COMPANY THEY SHOULD BE INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT EXACTLY WHAT YOU REQUIRE OR WHAT THE PROBLEM WITH YOU CURRENT SYSTEM IS, AND NOT JUST TRY AND BOOK IT IN FOR A HOUSE VISIT STRAIGHT AWAY! THIS IS BECAUSE SOME PROBLEMS ARE SIMPLE AND CAN BE SOLVED OVER THE PHONE AND OTHERS CANT BE SOLVED AT ALL, BUT MAINLY, THE COMPANY YOU ARE RINGING SHOULD BE INTERESTED IN WHAT SERVICES YOU REQUIRE AND BE TELLING YOU ABOUT THE SERVICES THEY CAN OFFER YOU.
5) ONCE THEY ARE IN YOUR HOUSE ONE THE TRICKS THEY CAN USE ARE:
a) REMOVING YOUR OLD AERIAL BEFORE TAKING READINGS OR GIVING YOU A PRICE, THIS WAY IT LEAVES YOU WITH LITTLE CHOICE BUT TO PAY THEM WHAT THEY WANT OTHERWISE THEY WILL
JUST LEAVE YOU WITH NO TELEVISION SIGNALS.
b) JUST DOING THE JOB WITHOUT DISCUSSING WITH YOU ANY OF YOUR REQUIREMENTS OR WHAT OPTIONS
YOU HAVE AVAILABLE, OR FAILING TO GIVE A PRICE BEFORE COMMENCING WITH THE WORK.

SO ALWAYS LOOK FOR A REGISTERED DIGITAL INSTALLER FIRST, AS YOU ARE GUARANTEED
A GOOD QUALITY INSTALLATION, PERFORMED BY AN EXPERIENCED, QUALIFIED AND INSURED ENGINEER,
WHO HAS ALSO HAD TO PROVE ON A YEARLY BASIS THAT THEY HAVE A CLEAN CRIMINAL RECORD!
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!