L.J.Hooker-has anybody been pressured?

[OllyN]

I had a call last night from an extremely distressed widow who claimed that she was brow beaten and pressured into signing up to unconditionally to buy a new apartment in Auckland off the plans for "just a $1000 down" etc .

She claims that she was cold-called to attend a presentation by L.J.Hooker. She agreed to attend because she had been thinking about buying an investment property and was curious.

She then claims that she went to the presentation but then had to endure a four hour ordeal buy way of extreme pressure by two representatives of L.J.Hooker. Finally, in desperation she apparently signed up "just to escape".

She gave the presenters her visa card for the $1000 and only when she went home and read the paper work, did she understand the seriousness of her situation.

I advised her to immediately contact her lawyer and to also contact the credit card company and cancel her card- which she did (and saved $1000).

Her lawyer contacted me today and confirmed the facts as described above and will cancel the contract under the Credit Contracts Act.

So my question is this: Has any one else experienced something similar from L.J.Hooker - pressuring and taking advantage of the inexperienced etc or was this lady over reacting to a legitimate sales pitch by honest brokers ?

[tpr2]

Hi Olly
It does not seem to be LJ Hookers usual modus operandi.
Even the marketing arm stages the process to allow people the opportunity to "escape" if they so wish.
My understanding is that she would have gone to a seminar of theirs, then had an appointment at home then been invited into look at the properties they had for sale.
At the viewing stage I don't doubt she would have come under some serious salesmanship however as the agent I was with today said to me...."my job is to get the best price I can for my vendor and to do that as ruthlessly as I can".
I said great. "My job is to make you run home and cry to mummy"....just kidding.
I'm not surprised and I do have some clients who bought throught that process with LJ Hooker but they described it in the manner I outlined above.

cheers

Terry

[Xav]

Scary story Olly. Let us hope rest home presentations are not on the cards .

Her lawyer contacted me today and confirmed the facts as described above and will cancel the contract under the Credit Contracts Act.

I would have thought s225 of the RMA would be more appropriate, presuming it hasn't been approved as to survey. You may want to suggest that approach if they meet resistance taking the CCCFA approach (keep in mind that the RMA cancellation must be done within 14 days of signing the contract).

[robbyp.]

I had a call last night from an extremely distressed widow who claimed that she was brow beaten and pressured into signing up to unconditionally to buy a new apartment in Auckland off the plans for "just a $1000 down" etc .

She claims that she was cold-called to attend a presentation by L.J.Hooker. She agreed to attend because she had been thinking about buying an investment property and was curious.

She then claims that she went to the presentation but then had to endure a four hour ordeal buy way of extreme pressure by two representatives of L.J.Hooker. Finally, in desperation she apparently signed up "just to escape".

She gave the presenters her visa card for the $1000 and only when she went home and read the paper work, did she understand the seriousness of her situation.

I advised her to immediately contact her lawyer and to also contact the credit card company and cancel her card- which she did (and saved $1000).

Her lawyer contacted me today and confirmed the facts as described above and will cancel the contract under the Credit Contracts Act.

So my question is this: Has any one else experienced something similar from L.J.Hooker - pressuring and taking advantage of the inexperienced etc or was this lady over reacting to a legitimate sales pitch by honest brokers ?

LJ Hooker was on Fair Go earlier this year, although not about that sort of thing, and I think it was their Greytown office. They are just a marketing company, so the person who phoned may have just been a franchise owner of an LJ Hooker office, and not representing the actual LJhooker company. However the LJ Hooker should carrythe flack for any problems with their franchises.

[halfempty]

I got the LJhooker call the other night, I know the banter very well.

First thing I said was can I get you to call me back at 11pm becuase I'm busy right now.

Was told by the caller that they only work till 8.30pm.

(Me) No problem give me your home number and I will call you back.....


Umm no sorry I dont give out my home number...

(me) Why's that?

Because I don't want people I don'y know calling me at home!!!


(Me) Thats just how I feel about marketing calls too "SLAM"

...............

[k1w1]

Seinfeld was funnier, sorry mate.

[robbyp.]

I got the LJhooker call the other night, I know the banter very well.

First thing I said was can I get you to call me back at 11pm becuase I'm busy right now.

Was told by the caller that they only work till 8.30pm.

(Me) No problem give me your home number and I will call you back.....


Umm no sorry I dont give out my home number...

(me) Why's that?

Because I don't want people I don'y know calling me at home!!!


(Me) Thats just how I feel about marketing calls too "SLAM"

...............

I always ask for their phone number, before I proceed, as most will block their number from caller display, so it isn't tracable. If they refuse to provide a number, I tell them that unless it is provided, I can't proceed for secuirty reasons. You have no comeback if you don't even know how to contact the person back.

[kalovatt]

Or you can do this: After they ring and spout out the blurb, you say "Yes certainly, can you just hold the line a minute please". Then you put down the phone (don't hang up) and just wander off and do whatever you were doing, watching TV etc etc.

They soon get the message !!!!!!!

[roseneath_rat]

Of course you could just say you're not interested & hang up. But hey whatever lets you vent your frustration on the rest of the world.

Regarding the distressed widow, there are certainly some high pressure sales techniques out there. I've heard of people being driven around the city until 3am so that by the time the sales pitch comes people do not have their full wits about them.

[tpr2]

Or you can do this: After they ring and spout out the blurb, you say "Yes certainly, can you just hold the line a minute please". Then you put down the phone (don't hang up) and just wander off and do whatever you were doing, watching TV etc etc.

They soon get the message !!!!!!!

I like to ask them if we could get together so I can show them a great business opportunity that will allow them to never have to work for a telemarketing company again. All you need to do is tell two friends who will tell two friends and before you know it you will be flying helicopters and living in mansions around the world.

Not only do they go away but they don't ever ring back

[drelly]

One of my "Mates" seems to have given my number out to a hotel chain as I have had at least 8 or 9 calls from various hotel loyalty rewards companies in the past few weeks. If I find out who it is, they will definitely be getting calls about investing in Mona Vie!

[exnzpat]

I would love to attend a seminar like that. I would counter everything that came out of their mouths, and before the evening was out – they would pay me a thousand dollars just to be rid of me! It would be a fun evening – where do I sign up?

Seriously though, this is a sign of the times. A lot of people are going to lose their jobs in the real-estate industry. Extreme measures to maintain what once was -- desperate deeds for desperate and despicable people!

[Knott]

A lot of people are going to lose their jobs in the real-estate industry.

And the ones loosing thier jobs will not be the scum bags involved in the cold calling scam

[exnzpat]

And the ones loosing thier jobs will not be the scum bags involved in the cold calling scam

Very true.