MyHome Installations Ltd director Liam Walsh responds to exposure on BBC's Watchdog
Published: 18:00, 03 November 2016
The boss of a company exposed for pressure-selling to the elderly will carry out a full review into its sales techniques.
Consumer rights show Watchdog embedded an undercover reporter in Maidstone firm MyHome Installations Ltd, of the 20/20 Business Park, in September for its Rogue Traders section.
The result was broadcast last night on BBC One and was described by one customer's son as "sickening."
MyHome, previously Landmark Securities, and its director Liam Walsh were exposed by the show for similar practices in 2012.
Speaking to the Kent Messenger this evening Mr Walsh, 35, denied there was anything wrong with the costing, adding the way the BBC calculated quotes was erroneous.
Salesman Nathan Faulkes was recorded quoting a disabled 88-year-old £2,500 for electrical work which the broadcaster claimed should have only cost £1,500.
Mr Walsh said MyHome's cost contained an optional £1,100 five-year guarantee of all existing electricals, a point which he claimed was fully explained to the client.
He also denied any of the 36 faults detected were made up and insisted MyHome's quality of work had never been called in to question.
He said they received no complaints in October and fully complied with Trading Standards' policies.
However, Mr Walsh did admit a full review will take place in to the way customers were spoken about and into some of the sales techniques demonstrated.
At one point electrical manager Andrew 'Bill' Beale said an elderly lady: "******* loves it" and called her a: "dirty ****."
He also offered advice on salesmanship, saying: "Eventually they run out of objections, their pants are on the floor and they’re waiting.”
Mr Faulkes said of one disabled customer: “If they are disabled, as wrong as it is, I play on it.”
Mr Walsh said: "The comments about the customers are indefensible. I'm going to be conducting a full review of how well sell. We obviously got it wrong in 2012 and we've got it wrong again."
He added: "We will do better. There will not be a third time," although conceded the problems aren't something that can be changed over night.
Mr Faulkes and Mr Beale have been suspended pending the outcome of the review.
"It's a real shame the whole company has been tarred with the same brush because of the disgusting comments two people made," he added.
Mr Walsh concluded: "I'd absolutely like to apologise to the customers for the way they were spoken about. It's wrong."
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Ed McConnell