Porch installers say sorry to Gosport couple after fitters failed to do the work

But the entire episode soon turned into a nightmare after the firm’s installation team repeatedly let them down and they struggled to get an administration charge refunded when the order was cancelled.

Medically retired engineer Ken said that last November, when he examined the bungalow’s storm porch prior to the onset of winter, it proved to be a little bit worse for wear.

But no sooner had he gone back indoors to consider replacing his ageing DIY wooden structure, to his astonishment a salesman from Zenith Staybrite knocked them up to ask if they were considering any home improvement work.

Ken admitted to being unfazed by the startling coincidence. The firm had previously fitted secondary glazed window units to their home when they’d first moved in during the 1970s, and they’d been completely happy with the work.

When the salesman said there was no harm in getting the firm to quote for the porch replacement, they thought no more of it and were more than happy to agree.

Ken said: ‘The salesman took some details and confirmed his manager would pop back and arrange to give us a quote.

‘This chap turned up and took the measurements and initially quoted us £11,000-odd, but then he came up with a story that his manager had a pot of money and told my wife he could bring the price down to around £4,000 plus an administration fee of £149.

‘My wife thought it wasn’t too bad and she liked the style of the window. As it was a company we’d dealt with before and he said the work would be completed by November 14, we signed up.’

But despite being impressed with the product and the apparent bargain price offer, warning bells began to sound when Ken received a phone call to say the installation team had been involved in a job over-run. They wouldn’t be able to start until a day later than planned.

The day dawned, but no-one turned up first thing as promised.