# 'Hearing at Home' cold called and paid cheque?



## pebbledash (28 Mar 2012)

My mother has just told me that she has paid this company with a cheque at the door 'Hearing at Home'? I can't find any information on the internet about them. Does anyone know anything about them?

She paid by cheque. Can I get the bank to cancel it?
Feeling very worried about it.


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## Brendan Burgess (28 Mar 2012)

Hi

Did she not get any documentation?  

I would imagine that it is this company [broken link removed] company number 508826  set up in January last. 


Did they come into the house and do a hearing test?  

Is there a cooling off period? 

What has she paid for? Did she get something? 

You can tell the bank to stop the cheque although they might want a reason. 

In law, there is no defence to a bounced cheque so Hearing at Home could sue your mother. It's unlikely that they would do so, however.

Brendan


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## pebbledash (28 Mar 2012)

Thanks for the reply. 

She paid them on the spot with a cheque for a hearing aid that she hasn't received yet. They just took a mould of her ear. Even if they are legitimate I don't think think they should be cold calling at the door of old people.

I have their company number and they are registered, does that mean anything?


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## pebbledash (28 Mar 2012)

Brendan Burgess said:


> Hi
> 
> Did she not get any documentation?
> 
> I would imagine that it is this company [broken link removed] company number 508826 set up in January last.


 
This is the company alright. They might be legitimate, but I just want to check so that they she is not ripped off.


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## Brendan Burgess (28 Mar 2012)

Do you have a contract? 

Do you have an invoice? 

If not, then I think you should cancel the cheque.

Check with the National Consumer Agency or the CAI if there is anything illegal about this. I don't think that there is. Isn't there a campaign group for the elderly as well?

Brendan


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## emeralds (28 Mar 2012)

Brendan Burgess said:


> Do you have a contract?
> 
> Do you have an invoice?
> 
> ...



Contact Age Action asap. They will be able to advise.


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## pebbledash (28 Mar 2012)

Basically she paid €1200 deposit for two hearing aids. Total cost will be €3900. It was sold to her as having a €500 discount. 30 day money back policy.

The company are registered but don't have an Irish website. I have spoken to them on the phone explaining that she wouldn't know if that is value for money etc and that I have advised her to cancel the order and the cheque. She is doing this.

Specsavers hearing aids range from €750 - €2700 for a pair. My mum can get this half price with prsi, so it would be €1,350 instead of €3,900 bought at the door.

I think older people are very vulnerable to door to door sales because they will go for convenience without weighing up the pros and cons.


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## Pedro_ (4 May 2012)

Just adding to this my mother received a phonecall from this crowd this morning about a hearing test, also got a letter addressed to my father who died over 15yrs ago 

I work for specsavers and 3900 is a ridiculous amount to pay for hearing aids! praying on the old hope you got the cheque cancelled!


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## joanmul (8 May 2012)

My sister did a trawl of hearing aid companies and one of them was Hidden Hearing. They were impressive with their spiel but the most expensive. She went with Specsavers and is delighted with herself. Would your Hearing at Home crowd have anything to do with Hidden Hearing?


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## stix108 (26 Oct 2012)

*Hearing at Home do not call door to door*



pebbledash said:


> My mother has just told me that she has paid this company with a cheque at the door 'Hearing at Home'? I can't find any information on the internet about them. Does anyone know anything about them?
> 
> She paid by cheque. Can I get the bank to cancel it?
> Feeling very worried about it.



Hearing at Home Ltd. is not a company that calls door to door.  They make their appoinments in a very Professional  manor.  They make telephone calls to do a survey regarding hearing.  Then a letter is sent to that person confirming that conversation.  Another telephone call is made to arrange an appointment and another letter is sent as a form of written confirmation.  These letters contain all information about the company.  When the hearing test professional calls to the house they will carry out a free full hearing test with no obligation.  If at that stage the person would like to buy hearing aids all of the paperwork is filled out and a mould of that persons ears are taken.  They do pay a small deposit, but on the paperwork there is a cancellation section as per the law.


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## AlbacoreA (26 Oct 2012)

I think people would be well advised to refuse all cold calls to door or phone.


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## stix108 (27 Oct 2012)

AlbacoreA said:


> I think people would be well advised to refuse all cold calls to door or phone.



Well that would put a lot of companies out of business and put a lot more people out of work....What about them?


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## AlbacoreA (27 Oct 2012)

I'd prefer that to ripping old people off. Its a lazy way to promote yourself, aimed primarily to catch people out. If you're offering value and service, there better ways to get this message across.


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## stix108 (27 Oct 2012)

AlbacoreA said:


> I'd prefer that to ripping old people off. Its a lazy way to promote yourself, aimed primarily to catch people out. If you're offering value and service, there better ways to get this message across.



I do not know who you think you are.  There is no ripping anybody off and to think that all companies are only out there to catch people out you are sadly mistaken.  Maybe that is the type of people that you work for, but the rest of us offer a great service for the better good.


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## AlbacoreA (27 Oct 2012)

I'm not talking about "all companies". I'm talking about cold calling in general. If you are defending the company mentioned earlier, you'd stated it doesn't do it. So why so defensive? Cold calling has a low conversion rate vs referrals and leads, so relies on going through large number of people/calls, the vast majority who will be left with a negative impression. Its so wasteful of everyone's time.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/victory-man-took-cold-caller-court-110315588.html


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## pebbledash (28 Oct 2012)

Just to followup on the original post...

I contacted Hearing at Home and got a full refund for my mum. They were understanding and there was no hassle with the refund. 

My mum has since got a FREE digital hearing aid via the HSE and she is very happy with it. Followup care has been great too. She thought she would never be able to keep up with conversations and now she is sorted  

Even though Hearing at Home were good in refunding, I was still annoyed that my elderly mother was targeted by direct sales at home. She was so desperate that she would have parted with thousands because someone gave her a good sales pitch. Very unlike my mother to part with a lot of money.

Moral of the story for me is be on top of my elderly parents needs so they don't feel desperate enough about anything to accept the first convenient offer on the doorstep!

Can't praise the HSE service for hearing aids enough. Very kind and efficient. Pity about the long waiting list.


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## Complainer (29 Oct 2012)

stix108 said:


> Hearing at Home Ltd. is not a company that calls door to door.  They make their appoinments in a very Professional  manor.  They make telephone calls to do a survey regarding hearing.  Then a letter is sent to that person confirming that conversation.  Another telephone call is made to arrange an appointment and another letter is sent as a form of written confirmation.  These letters contain all information about the company.  When the hearing test professional calls to the house they will carry out a free full hearing test with no obligation.  If at that stage the person would like to buy hearing aids all of the paperwork is filled out and a mould of that persons ears are taken.  They do pay a small deposit, but on the paperwork there is a cancellation section as per the law.



Have you a connection to Hearing at Home Ltd?


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## ajapale (29 Oct 2012)

stix108 said:


> Hearing at Home Ltd. is not a company that calls door to door.  They make their appoinments in a very Professional  manor.  They make telephone calls to do a survey regarding hearing.



Making a random telephone call claiming to be a "survey" is a cold call.

My advice: have nothing to do with people who conduct so called "surveys" as part of an unsolicited phone call.


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## Lughnasadh (27 Nov 2012)

joanmul said:


> My sister did a trawl of hearing aid companies and one of them was Hidden Hearing. They were impressive with their spiel but the most expensive. She went with Specsavers and is delighted with herself. Would your Hearing at Home crowd have anything to do with Hidden Hearing?


 
Hearing at Home and Hidden Hearing are two different companies. Hidden Hearing do not use a cold calling system, only advertising and referrals from either your GP or another customer.


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## DellBoyNM (6 Mar 2013)

I'm trying to contact Hearing At Home Limited on 01-6121421 but without success. Do you know if this company is still operating at 6-9 Trinity Street? Do you have a contact number for them?


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## kgallake (18 Apr 2013)

*hearing at home !*

They have gone out of business I have been trying to e mail them and received a reply that they where no longer trading you cannot get through by phone as they are gone their only reply on e mail is automated and the info is very poor only that they are not trading anymore and if you have a problem you can try and contact the UK manufacturer, they do not offer a link you have to look it up yourself if faulty mail  OTICON in UK as they make the hearing aids.


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