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'Green deal' telesales pests

Anteaus
Grafter
Posts: 64
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎02-08-2007

'Green deal' telesales pests

Not a Plusnet issue specifically, but telesales calls from 'Green deal' sellers of solar panels, gas boilers, insulation, kitchens, double glazing etc. are a massive pest.  Most of the calls are robot recordings played down the phone, which I understand is against the Law. Being on the TPS list makes no odds.
Just wondered how many other PN subscribers are getting these calls, and with what frequency. 
I know I could ask for anonymous call rejection but that costs quite a bit extra. It also doesn't stop all of them.
To me, the offical tolerance of these illegal telesales campaigns is one of the most visible indicators that something is amiss with the whole climate change and renewable energy bandwagon. Responsible people concerned with the wellbeing of the planet don't act like this. Corrupt individuals do, though.
It is certainly damaging the business interests of landline providers. I tend to give out my (largely pest-caller free) mobile number these days and ignore calls on the landline. In fact if the landline wasn't necessary for ADSL I'd just do away  with it.
Wondered if PN, or maybe a group of users would be interested in compiling some stats on the extent of the problem, to try and persuade Ofcom to crack down hard on this. Better still would be if the government could be persuaded to withdraw Green Deal licences from firms engaged in illegal telesales.
11 REPLIES 11
picbits
Rising Star
Posts: 3,432
Thanks: 23
Registered: ‎18-01-2013

Re: 'Green deal' telesales pests

Caller ID for £1 a month + Call blocker from either BT or Amazon for around £30
Only way around it unfortunately Sad
SpendLessTime
Hero
Posts: 3,000
Thanks: 928
Fixes: 86
Registered: ‎21-09-2009

Re: 'Green deal' telesales pests

As DomS said, Call Blocker and Caller ID. I have an ex-directory number , registered with TPS but that didn't stop the callers which got worse thanks to Plusnet publishing the ex-directory number when I joined them! So I had to buy a Call Blocker.
It is annoying to have to pay for Caller ID though, should  be free.
Ex - Plusnet Customer (2009 - 2023) now with BT
MrT
Grafter
Posts: 379
Registered: ‎30-06-2010

Re: 'Green deal' telesales pests

Quote from: Anteaus
In fact if the landline wasn't necessary for ADSL I'd just do away  with it.

If you do not use your landline for calls, why not just unplug the telephone as this is not required for Broadband. Just a thought.
picbits
Rising Star
Posts: 3,432
Thanks: 23
Registered: ‎18-01-2013

Re: 'Green deal' telesales pests

Good idea - even better, turn the phone ringer off then you still have it for outgoing calls.
KevinG
Rising Star
Posts: 998
Thanks: 7
Fixes: 1
Registered: ‎05-11-2008

Re: 'Green deal' telesales pests

I have never had such a call as far as I can remember. I am ex-directory and on TPS but it's odd that some people get them and others don't.
kmilburn
Grafter
Posts: 911
Thanks: 6
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: 'Green deal' telesales pests

I've been getting lots of these recently, usually 1 a day, but have had three in 3 hours, and they leave the canned statement on voicemail every time, for some reason voicemail never presses 2 to speak to anyone!
The calls are either from International, Withheld, or an 0208 number (mentioned in Chit Chat).
BTW,  being ex-directory is irrelivant, there's a finite list of numbers for each STD code, and it doesn't take much for an automated dialler to go through the entire list.
TORPC
Grafter
Posts: 5,163
Registered: ‎08-12-2013

Re: 'Green deal' telesales pests

STD ====> Stalking Telephone Disease
kmilburn
Grafter
Posts: 911
Thanks: 6
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: 'Green deal' telesales pests

These people are getting really annoying now,  received 10 calls in the past two days,  each one leaving a message on voicemail, which apart from a slight timing difference at the start appear identical.  Between them  'international', 'withheld' and numerous numbers (at least 6 different ones) are used.
One has to wonder how they expect to get business from the repeat calls, once or twice you might miss someone and still have a chance,  after at least 100 calls over the past few months there's no chance on this earth they'll get any business from me,  abuse maybe, if they ever actually manage to call when I'm in.
While there's a certain appeal to the expectation of them being charged for every failed message they leave, I'm getting so bored/annoyed with it, I think I need to cancel voicemail.
TORPC
Grafter
Posts: 5,163
Registered: ‎08-12-2013

Re: 'Green deal' telesales pests

It may be a case of them trying to wear people down until they cave in ?Huh
kmilburn
Grafter
Posts: 911
Thanks: 6
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: 'Green deal' telesales pests

Hopefully,   we won't get bugged by these people again  (until they find their next reason to pester us!)
[quote=http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2357202/breaking-government-closes-green-deal-home-improvement-fund-following-surge-in-demand]The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund has been closed with effect from today (25th July) because an increase in demand has quickly exhausted the fund
Edit:  must use the correct they're, their, and or there!!!    Cheesy Smiley
TORPC
Grafter
Posts: 5,163
Registered: ‎08-12-2013

Re: 'Green deal' telesales pests

Thats good news
However I feel that the funds were wasted on telecommunications