I live on Manor Mount. Yesterday afternoon, I had a visit from a very jovial 'geezer' (white, short dark hair, specs, late 30's / early 40's) who greeted me cheerily (by my first name) and offered to clean my windows. He said he had a large, established round in FH and was "doing Manor Mount today".
I asked him WHEN he would clean my windows (God knows they need cleaning) and for HOW MUCH; the answers were 'later today' and '?20 for the first clean, then ?10 a month'. He then said he collected quarterly in advance and asked me for ?40. I said I'd pay when the windows had been cleaned; he replied that "my lads will doing the cleaning later; I don't let them collect cash so you have to pay me now".
Smelling a rat, I replied that I hadn't got ?40 on me so I'd pass; maybe see him next month. We left it at that but I had a walk up and down the Mount later on and saw no sign of any window-cleaning activity, which reinforced my suspicion that there is no window-cleaning round and that I'd had a visit from a con-man.
This morning, at around 9.00 am, the same guy pitched-up on my doorstep again, "to see if you've got the cash now" as his lads would be round later today. I told him I still hadn't got any cash and we had the same old conversation - me saying I'd pay when the windows had been cleaned, him saying I had to pay now as his 'lads' don't handle cash.
In the end, after giving me a long spiel about needing to spend the day at his office in Bromley, he 'gave in' saying that his lads would call at 2.00pm to clean my windows and that - as a special favour to me - he'd come back for the cash at 3.00pm. It's now 5.30pm and - surprise, surprise - no-one's called.
So there we have it. I didn't part with any cash so I don't think any offence has been committed but I'm pretty sure this guy's a con-man (if you know different, please correct me) and I strongly suggest that anyone who gets a visit from him either tells him to get lost or insists on paying AFTER their windows have been cleaned.