Double glazing adverts

Double glazing adverts are written to get a salesperson into your home, and the wording of the offer often matters more than the offer. Be wary of anything that sounds like something for nothing. What follows is what I have seen, and what the advertising rules say.

How double glazing adverts get a salesperson through the door

The advert is rarely the sale. It is a way of collecting a name and address, so that a salesperson can visit. In my experience a canvasser may be paid a small amount for each lead, which is why the offer is made to sound as attractive as possible.

A window “prize”

A customer of mine once won a set of windows in a draw. The salesperson who called ran the windows down so thoroughly that she told me she would not have them in her house even if they were free. When she said so, his reply was that if she wanted quality, she would want the “premier” range, and he would quote for that. Of course it would cost a good deal more. That is one story, but it shows how the “free” offer can lead to the expensive product.

The canvasser outside the shop

I was leaving a DIY store once when a woman in front of me stopped at a canvasser’s stand. She asked whether the firm would fit just one window, which was all she wanted. The canvasser said yes, no problem. After taking her details, he added that he thought the minimum was two windows, and there was a special offer on at the moment. She had been told yes to one thing and then given another. It shows how much depends on how an offer is phrased, and on what is left out.

What the advertising rules say

Adverts in the UK are covered by the CAP Code, which the Advertising Standards Authority enforces. The rules on “free” say that:

• a marketer must not describe a product as free if you have to pay anything beyond the unavoidable cost of responding;
• an advert must make clear how much you have to commit to in order to take up a free offer;
• an element of a package must not be called free if it is included in the package price.

The ASA’s guidance adds that the word “free” must not be used where the price of the item you have to buy has been raised above its normal cost. In other words, a “free” window shouldn’t be paid for in the price of the others.

Offers that end tonight

The same section of the code says that adverts must not falsely claim that an offer will be available only for a limited time, to deprive you of the chance to make an informed choice. If the offer ends every week, that may be worth reporting. The sections on discounts and “was” prices are covered in our guide to the double glazing salesman.

I am not a lawyer, and what counts as misleading in a particular case is for the ASA or Trading Standards to decide.

How to choose who quotes

Be realistic, and don’t expect something for nothing, because you almost certainly won’t get it. At the top of my own list would be a local firm with a good name, ideally recommended by someone I know and trust, who can vouch for the product, the service and the value. Your cash was easier to spend than it was to save.

• Ask friends, neighbours and family who they used, and whether they got a FENSA certificate and a guarantee.
• Get several quotes and compare like for like.
• Check the firm’s registration, as our guide to buyer beware explains.
• Use our quote checker to see if the price is in line.

What to ask when the advert has done its job

1. What exactly is free, and what do I have to buy to get it?
2. What is the price of the same windows without the offer?
3. When does the offer end, and has it been available before?
4. Is the minimum order in writing?

For the other ways you can pay, and what each protects, see ways to pay for double glazing.