Interesting.

Bummer about no Badges. She said she'd join the Posse just the same.

There is NOTHING I like more than a sense of humor. I hope you and your wife enjoy every second of a thousand years here with us in Lower Paradise.

Dancing is NOT required, smiling is!:pepper2:

Welcome and hugs,

Gracie

Dealing with unwanted solicitors
 

We are closing in a few weeks on a pre-owned, but aren't moving for another month or so. On another thread, someone gave the advice to tell any solicitors, "Give me your card, after we are here 3 months, if I still need your service, I'll call you." A rather "southern way" of saying. . . get your #%$#@ off my porch! :evil6::pepper2:

A rather New York way is - "No, not interested."

I guess it depends upon what part of New York you are from. As a person from Manhattan, it would be nonproductive not to take the card for the file for when you have time to consider it.

Tried that several times, both at the door and the phone. Then they start trying to explain the advantages...and on, and on, and on. I then go to my Northeast Tennessee roots and say, "Look, I don't purchase anything at my front door (or unsolicited phone calls)". BTW, that includes high school kids selling magazines (got burned once to the tune of $50).

Remember the advice of my pappy, "Once burned, lesson learned!"

False pretenses come to mind. Perhaps a report to the local Law Enforcement would be in order.

My wife gets mad at me, but I always go to the door, don't say anything until they expose their pitch, hold my hands up and say "No Speak En-go-lish". They're gone before I can turn around and go back in. NEVER let them in your house.

Well I do know she is returning on Tuesday at 10...anyone want to initiate a lynch mob? If not, I will let you know what she does when I ask for her Village i.d. and I tell her there are an awful lot of people who are waiting for her. :)

Now, there you go!!! Your way wins the prize. :eclipsee_gold_cup:

Maybe she is a honest business woman trying to make a living.There are still some good people out there.Calling the police on her is just a little to much. Sometimes you have to walk in someone else shoes to know.

It isn't honest to say you represent The Villages Paul and Jean, if you do NOT. There are a lot of decent people who ring the doorbell when you move in and a lot of not so decent people. I agree with the poster who said he didn't do business with people unless he/she initiated the contact.

I took their cards and said thank you, we will get back to you if we decide to buy a water softener..or seventeen million palm trees or need blinds.

It's also great to add junk mail in the return envelope....make it heavy so they have to pay additional postage.

Back in the days when snail mail was all we had if I had the time I used to load each junk mail sender's return envelope with junk from another sender. That particular tactic reduced my junk mail considerably after a period of time.

As I understand it first class postage users supplement the cost of transporting and delivering junk mail with higher postage rates since junk mailers have lobbied for very low rates which do not support the actuall cost of their bulk mailngs.

These water treatment solicitors do not sound like upright and honest business people but rather financial predators to me since they hold themselves out to be part of The Villages team or at least affiliated or sanctioned by The Villages. They target newbies who are probably unfamiliar with the water quality. Has anyone checked with the BBB or obtained a particular solicitor's identity and checked them out? Could they be considered to be trespassers, especially if they were turned away after their first visit and instructed not to return?

Does the state of Florida, any or all of its counties or municipalities require registration, proper identification or a license for a door to door solicitor?

We all could do with a "do not solicit list" along with the "do not call list" we all finally enjoy!

My point there are a lot of decent people. Calling the police is a little to much. Whats wrong with saying "No Thank You." Lot of people bought palm trees on our street from guys knocking on their doors. Maybe they think they got a good deal.To me seems like when older people move here they take all these rumors to much to heart.

Mom and I closed on our new home on May 4th. We only stayed in TV for 7 days after the closing so I guess the water companies didn't have time to make it to our door.

However, The Villages Welcome Committee did show up with that huge wicker basket. Her timing was horrible because there was a lot of stuff for us to do in the few days we were there! But, we listened to her and there were some nice things in her basket. A few things come to mind; i.e, a coffee mug from the Golf Cart Store, a 12 foot tape measure that I was happy to get and some good coupons. Only two of the vendors contacted me and neither harrassed me. I told them I wasn't interested at this time and that was it.

It was not a bad experience other than her bad timing and the fact that she didn't leave that great basket!

Well then she should welcome any inquiries from the law. Then again maybe she prays on retirees.

Honestly, it is so chaotic moving in and to have people come knocking when they know you are in the midst is a bit of a push. But to say you are the welcoming committee and are there to help you check your water when essentially you are lying and are there to make a sale is just bad behavior. I was in the midst of so much going on that I really didn't think about it other than to say thank you for stopping by and can we meet next week. It wasn't until after she left that the coin dropped and I thought what the heck is The Village Welcome Committee coming to check on my water? I am not going to be nasty but I am going to ask her for her village id and when she does not present it, I will tell her that it is bad behavior to identify yourself as something other than what you are to gain confidence.

Why in the world should she welcome inquiries from the law,that makes "No Sense"... "And she preys on retirees" Just say No.Stand up for yourselve.

In the 7 years we have been here we have been lucky not to have been scammed and we have hired contractors who have been fair. However, I have to say that when we moved in we did purchase a system from one of these people much to my regret later. What was interesting and should have been a red flag was when this women was in the house another water treatment company called me and I told them that I was purchasing from another company. Then he started to tell me that I should check with the police about the owner of this company's criminal record. This went on for a couple of phone calls. In any case I purchased this system and it was working fine until last year when it somehow broke and produced discolored water in all my faucets and my ice maker. I then called another plumber who was recommended on TOTV and he managed to clear out my lines and I purchased a system from Sears which he installed.

As an aside to all this when I purchased my original water system I did receive a lot of laundry soap and bath soaps as a "gift". We are still using them.

The wife of my cousin who lives here also worked for that "Welcome Wagon" company and they are legit. She no longer works for them.

John

We are moving into our new home in 2 weeks. Just great to hear that. Our friends came in December and while they were unloading their boxes somone appoached them. It sounds like they don't even give anyone a break. We will be on the lookout for these folks and say no thank you. Maybe they won't show up because it will too hot. Who knows but I doubt it.

Carm! Pat! Deep Breath you have friends to guide you.

I am not a homeowner in the Villages but want to say those of you who are talking about the scam being run by those selling water systems are correct. The truth is this: They sell you an over priced system simply because the more money they get from you the larger their profit. The system itself isn't a bad system but where they scam you worse is in not telling you about the services they want you to get every year that you may not need if you are not here all the time. They want you to buy their products at an over priced rate when you can get similar quality at retail stores. Then they want you to replace filters and other services months before they are due. If you buy from a local company PLEASE beware that they will try to scam you into services you do not currently need by lying and saying they are only in your area for that certain day and I can promise IT IS A LIE. You are best to buy from Sears or other stores than wasting a large amount of money on their commission

water test
 

We haven't moved in yet (July)

In our town here a permit must be gotten from the town to go door to door.

The village should do the same .

they do. A no solicitation policy is in place. If anyone bothers you, call community watch. Or, cut the dog loose.

If I remember correctly, the "welcome wagon" lady's name is Liz. She just came in while I was unpacking. Yes, I thought she was a legitimate representative of The Villages. The water guy's name was Robert.

I just tell the rep that my home up North had well water and was hard and skunky. The water here to me is great, no complaints at all! Always works......

When she came back for her appointment after I told her I was too busy on the moving day, I asked for her card (with The Villages Welcome Wagon). She said, "I never said I was with the Villages" "I'm with the Chamber of Commerce". I asked for that card. "Well, I am not with the Chamber of Commerce, my company is". Then that company wasn't the company she is really with. At the end of the day, she is not with anyone but her company and she is using more credble names to "sell" her product.

When you push the red button, they take a picture of you and your vehicle. Although anyone can get in, they have a record of the people who don't have a pass.

i like letting the dogs out may scare a few of the walk ups of course ours would look up and then go back to sleep

We were also an almost victim of this scam, the woman repsents herself as a Villages welcomer to new residents and touts the water filtration system she also gives you a bunch of cheap usless gifts. The next day a water filtration salesman arrives and puts on a great "magic show" along with showing pictures of clogged water pipes and a completely clogged up water heater, and claims that the pipes are only three years old totaly phony. Then after his 30 min presentation he tries to get you to buy a $5,000 system, NOW not later. In my opinion these people should be arrested.

I'm sorry that you folks had to go through all of that, but I'm also happy that you have shared with us ... so we can politely show them the door from minute one!
Don & Kaz

Thanks for the follow up post. That certainly has the elements of a scam. Maybe you should post her name and company name or photograph of her card if she finally produced one.

A phrase that I use for which there is no comeback is: "I don't buy from solicitors." Repeat as often as necessary! :laugh:

I like this idea of adding junk mail to the return! I've been sending them back empty but will try this. I go to the trouble of shredding my name and address from them as you never know who goes through your trash these days.

An honest person doing quality work at a fair price and properly licensed has nothing to fear from being checked up on. They should welcome it to help get rid of scammers. It's all in having the right attitude.

Saying 'no' doesn't always work. Many won't take no for an answer and become quite annoying by continuing on.
There is a saying in sales that the sale is made on the 10th 'no'.

"Saying NO always works".........

Its "MY" house times up......Do not "wimp out" stand up for youself.Do not want to hearmthey will not take N0 for a answer.

It makes sense to call the law if you think someone is running a scam. Looking out for some poor souls that may get taken. What's wrong with that?