Double glazing companies lose trust of consumers

A Which? consumer survey has found that customers prefer to use independent, local double glazing companies. According to the survey, homeowners feel more comfortable and save money with double glazing when using local businesses.

The Which? report took into account 2,500 people who have had double glazing units installed over the last five years. And shockingly, only 7% say they trust double glazing companies.

The double glazing industry doesn’t have the best of reputations as it is, and these results just add more substance to the fact that homeowners don’t seem to trust double glazing companies.

The horror stories of botched jobs and cowboy traders seem to scare many people off, despite the majority of installations being carried out by reputable, trustworthy companies.

However, double glazing is still one of the best home improvements you can make, which will:

  • Help homeowners reduce their energy bills by as much as £300 a year
  • Ensure your property is warmer all year round and can even keep it cooler in the summer
  • Improve your home’s security, with the latest in modern locking systems and two panes of glass
  • Keep noise pollution out, with an energy efficient spacer to limit what enters the home
  • Reduce carbon emissions as you won’t need to turn up the heating to stay warm.

What to watch out for in the sales pitch

The same survey from Which? also found that 40% of those questioned find good advice for double glazing hard to come by.

And with dodgy sales tactics still rife in the industry, it’s no wonder that the percentage was so high. Many salesman are on commission-only salaries and try anything they can to secure an on-the-spot deal.

The Which? report says: “Double glazing salespeople frequently quote a higher price to begin with, which they drop over the course of their sales visit.

“The price you’re quoted could drop by 75%, or over £10,000, during a sales pitch. You should also avoid signing up to a double glazing contract on the spot.”

Receive multiple double glazing quotes

Whilst the report signalled more bad news for the double glazing industry, there are still honest companies out there with their integrity intact.

These reputable double glazing companies won’t pretend to ring their manager and try to get a better deal, but instead give a fair valuation, that will incorporate the quality of the double glazing work they provide.

The Which? survey also encourages homeowners to compare quotes from several double glazing companies, to get the best deal possible.

They say: “Get at least three quotes. While a third of Which? members got three quotes before deciding on the company they used, worryingly 31% only got one quote.”

This is a series of guest posts for Double Glazing Blogger written by Luke Kyte, copywriter for lead generation company Quotatis. Quotatis are Europe’s most popular consumer matching service for the home improvement market, they offer up to four free double glazing quotes.