Is there any way to find out,other than by ringing the number, which company owns a local or national rate number eg. 08708507618, and they are not already in the database?

I've just received a call, 1471, told me the number but unless I phone it, incurring their charges, I don't know who they are.

---

~ Edited by Dave: Thread title amended]

Google can sometimes bring up pages with the number on. It may find other discussion forums where people are asking the same question. I've just Googled this number and it finds nothing.

When you do Google it, you need to enclose it in double quotes " to avoid it finding other results. If you try it without, you will see what I mean. However, when you do enclose it in quotes, you will need to search with spaces in various places. For example "0870 8507618" "0870 850 7618" and so on.

Hi I have also been recieving calls from this number 08701240200 for the last 3 weeks.  Has any one had a call from this number in other parts of the country?

Hi

This is my first post on this forum.

I found the forum by doing a search for the 0870 8507618 number,  I too am also trying to find out who this number belongs to without taking the step of calling them.  They have been calling me at least once a week for the three last weeks despite the fact that my number is listed with The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) >:(.

I live in Greater Manchester.

08701240200 is apparently the number for First National Finance and GE Capital.  See here:

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general-knowledge/9071-warning-warning-warning.html.

Their website is here:
http://www.firstnat.co.uk/customer/home/index.htm

The company is a loan provider.

0870 8507618 rang me silently tonight.  Google brought me here.

I rang the number which is used by 'Ideal Homes'.  They sell double glazing and garage doors.  The wassock I spoke to could see nothing wrong in his computer 'targetting my post code area' and suggested I talk to my line provider when I mentioned the Telephone Preference Service.

I understand that silent calls are not covered by the TPS legislation.  All one can do is complain to the Information Commissioner's Office.  He does not investigate individual complaints, just builds up a picture and takes action if/when he thinks it justified.  Really powerful protection for the public huh?

I think, in future, I will agree a visit from a salesman from these companies and after a couple of hours may do an eggy Prescott on them! :)

I've had nothing but problems with incoming calls fom 08708507618.  More often than not, the calls are silent, and it is used by a company trying to sell double glazing and conservatories, except they tell you they want to give them to you for nothing - yeh right!  I've asked them on more than six occasions to stop phoning me, but it doesn't work.  Yesterday after they phoned me twice in one day, I asked to speak to a 'manager' who promised that I wouldn't be phoned again, her name was Claire (she refused to give me her surname) but this morning I got another phone call.

The company claims to be called "Ideal Homes marketing", but this morinng they were called "Weatherseal" and claimed they were in no way connected with 'Ideal Homes' despite the calls come from the same number, so they may well be an independent call centre working for different companies.  but the produscts are all basically the same.

The best way to get rid of these nuisance phone calls is to give them a false name and address and ask them to come round and see you.  Better still, if you live in an unpastairs flat, tell them you want a conservatory.  Hopefully this will stop them from phoning again and again.

I've reported them to offcom for breaking the government code on silent calls - over 50% of the calls are silent.  If enough people report them to offcom, then maybe something will happen.

Whatever you do, don't phone them, it will cost you a fortune, and you will just get more phone calls from them

Thanks for your posts senex and jonibacon - really interesting as the daily unrecognised calls from these scumbags have been driving me mad.  So... I'm already ex-directory, I bar incoming withheld numbers, I'm registered with the Telephone Preference Service.  Sheesh, what else do I have to do to get it through to these people that I will NEVER, ever buy anything from a company that has to resort to cold-calling to shift their crap?

What about that BT option to bar certain incoming numbers?  Anyone had any success/stories to tell with that?  I imagine it would only be a short-term solution as there must be some sort of limit on the number of individual numbers you can add.

Like the rest of you 08708507618 has called me about 17 times over the last two mounths saying thay were "Weatherseal"

My number is also listed with The Telephone Preference Service (TPS)  >:( >:( >:(

How can I stop this ?

I have also been receiving regular calls from this number despite being ex directory and registered with the TPS.  I have chosen not to answer them as I have caller display but it is very frustrating.

I too found this site by searching for this number, if anybody knows how to stop them please share it with us.

Woo hoo...  Found a way to stop them.

As we've all discovered by now, ignoring the calls doesn't work.  So, next, I tried just picking up and leaving the phone off-hook when they called.  There was actually a lot of satisfaction to be gained knowing you were letting a company that is desperate enough to resort to auto-diallers know what it feels like to have to put up with silent calls.  ;)

Still the calls kept coming though, but it didn't feel quite so annoying now, as I knew I was costing that company money every time they called.  (Insert Sid James style filthy laugh here...)

What finally stopped the calls once and for all though was just getting my computer to answer the phone when Caller ID showed they were telephoning yet again.  When their auto-dialler registers that the call it has initiated has been answered and routes it to a member of their call-centre trash, they think the number is a fax machine and flag it accordingly.  Result - no more calls.

You can do it easily enough by just installing some sort of fax software - they all have an option to manually receive a fax which causes your modem to pick up the call and start screaching.  Having been pleased with the result, I've automated the process now for any other evil organisation that might choose to follow Weatherseal's appalling practices.  PC World sell Zoom modems for 25 quid that also have UK caller id support.  After knocking up a quick script, my computer now greets any phone numbers I've previously told it to with a fax-style tone automatically.  Sorted.  8-)

There may be another way of stopping these annoying calls? I have VoIP and my provider has a wide range of options for me to choose from. Really easy to set up from a web site. I can block any individual call - make it appear as though my line is busy or send it to voicemail or just make it unavailable. I can block calls between certain times - say 10:00pm to 06:00am. I can block anonymous calls. I can redirect calls from specific numbers. I can set up a 'whitelist' of numbers I always want to receive calls from. Oh, and I get to keep my normal "land-line" number, too. The list goes on.....

All this is included in the monthly price of about £7.00 (as is 500 minutes of calls anywhere in N America) - no extras! Now, I don't know enough about VoIP providers in the UK, but if any of them offer similar capabilities, it really is worth while considering them. It just stops the crap dead in its tracks! Of course, we don't suffer from the dreaded 'shared cost' calls.......

But there again, I suppose Ofcom will have made all those provisions illegal on VoIP in Rip-Off Britain. Can't upset our telco chums, can we...... >:(

Just adding my voice to this one too...this company has been calling me for at least 5 weeks at least twice a week.  

How can I stop them? I am ex directory and registered with TPS.

Who should I complain to?
Thanks for any advice.

Hel62 wrote on Nov 15^th, 2006 at 12:13pm:

Just adding my voice to this one too...this company has been calling me for at least 5 weeks at least twice a week.   How can I stop them? I am ex directory and registered with TPS. Who should I complain to? Thanks for any advice.

According to a post a bit further up, it's Weatherseal's number.

http://www.weatherseal.co.uk/windows/index.php

You can book an appointment online or by calling them on 0800 041 041.

Or, as you're registered with TPS, complain to them - http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/cgi-bin/tps_complaints.pl

I just called the number 0870857618 and they said they were ideal homes. I too am registered so i shouldn't be getting these calls. If you do find out how to stop them I would be really pleased.

To reassure those who believe it is expensive to call back 0870 850 7618, I have now checked my BT bill for the call I made on 6 September and the call, lasting 1 min 41 secs cost me 5.4 pence.  So it does not cost a lot to vent your wrath on them!

I received another call from them yesterday.  I asked if they adhered to TPS requirements and the caller slipped into 'programmed mode' with the reply "We work closely with the TPS and will update them with the information that you still do not want such calls."  What a load of horse manure!  I am afraid that words which I would not normally use in mixed company escaped from my lips before the caller hung up.

I have complained to TPS and again to the Information Commissioner in an email - thus

"Some time ago I complained about silent calls from 0870 850 7618.

I know that others have also complained about the methods used by the companies Weatherseal and Ideal Homes Marketting who use this number for cold calls and silent calls.  I know that OFCOM has received complaints that the percentage of silent calls breaches Government regulations.

Given the complaints that you will have received, can you please advise me what action you have taken in respect of calls from this number?

Could you please also advise me about the extent of the information you hold about matters relating to this number that I would be able to request from you under the Freedom of Information legislation?

I and a number of others are becoming really fed up about the cavalier way in which these companies behave."

I will pass on details of the response I receive.

If there are any lawyers reading this, is there any mileage in taking either the company(ies) or the Information Commissioner to Judicial Review?  In Scotland, JR can be sought more than once on the same matter and legal aid can be sought.

I just received a call as my number was selected from my postcode for free windows and doors, from Gavin at Ideal Homes caller id 0870 8507618,
as I'm TPS registered i explained this, he didnt care, so I filled in the tps complaints form at http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/cgi-bin/tps_complaints.pl

senex wrote on Dec 13^th, 2006 at 1:14pm:

To reassure those who believe it is expensive to call back 0870 850 7618, I have now checked my BT bill for the call I made on 6 September and the call, lasting 1 min 41 secs cost me 5.4 pence.  So it does not cost a lot to vent your wrath on them!

Absolute rubbish !

The 6 September was a Wednesday. Did you make the call between 6 am and 6 pm? I can only assume that you called it during the evening.

All 0870 numbers cost 7p/min plus a 3p connection charge during the weekday daytime (6am - 6pm). Back in September it was 7.51p/min with no connection charge.

Having visited this website you are aware that the called party is probably profitting from your call and you are aware that the cost of the call is more than a geographical call, you go encouraging people to call it!

I arrived at this forum by googling 0870 8507618.   A number which has been plaguing me in Greater Manchester with silent calls.

Anyway now I know it is Weatherseal / Ideal Homes Marketing, I'm thinking of going to the weatherseal website to arrange some interesting appointments for them to contact.   ;D

another number they use is 0870 850 7619. It is presumably the same outfit.

Not rubbish at all.  I do not do rubbish.  I double checked my bill and the call was actually made on Tuesday 5 September 2006 at 2027hrs, lasting 1 minute 41 seconds.  The call cost was 0.054 pence to which has to be added VAT of course, which brings the total to 0.06345pence.
As far as I can see, as a BT Together option customer, I have no setup fee on 0870 numbers.

If you read my posting accurately and the earlier thread you will gather that my comment about the cost was prompted by earlier comments about the feared costs of calling the number and having a go at them.  I simply point out that I got value for money from my rant at them.  One would have to be one of the dimmer stars in the firmament to think my comments were a device to encourage readers to use 0870 numbers.  If I had felt that way, I would not have bothered to participate in the debate.

Anyway, getting back to a more balanced level of debate, I have now received a reply from The Information Commissioners Office.  I quote:
Thank you for your email of 13th December 2006 which was concerned with telephone calls being made from the telephone number 0870 850 7618.
Please accept my sincere apologies for the delay in responding to your correspondence.  The large volume of correspondence we have been receiving has prevented us responding as quickly as we would have wished.
As I understand it, you have received ‘silent calls’ which originated from the telephone number 0870 850 7618.  You say you know that others have complained about the marketing methods used by Weatherseal and Ideal Homes who you believe use that number.
In your email you asked us to advise you ‘what action [we] have taken in respect of calls from this number’ and the extent of the information [we] hold about matters relating to this number that [we] have taken in respect of calls from this number’.
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (‘the FOIA’)
Under section 1 of the FOIA you have the right to ask a public authority, such as the Information Commissioner’s Office, to be provided with any information they hold that you have specified in your request provided that it is not subject to an exemption.  We have therefore treated your request as a request made under the FOIA.
The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (the regulations)
Before I answer your specific questions, I should clarify the scope of the Information Commissioner's role in looking at complaints relating to telephone calls.
The Information Commissioner's Office advises on and enforces the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (‘the PECR’).  These regulations deal specifically with direct marketing by electronic means, including by telephone. Direct marketing includes the promotion of an organisations goods and services.
The regulations require that organisations do not make ‘live’ unsolicited, direct marketing telephone calls to subscribers who -
·Are registered with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS), or the Corporate Telephone Preference Service (CTPS) and/or
·Have made a specific request to the organisation not to make marketing calls to that number
Unless they have indicated that they do not, for the time being, object to such calls being made.
Silent calls
As disturbing as we know silent calls can be, as no marketing material is transmitted during a silent call the marketing rules of the PECR do not apply.  Silent call complaints do not therefore fall under the legislation we enforce.
They do, however, fall under Ofcom’s remit.  The persistent misuse of communications networks is subject to regulation by Ofcom under the Communications Act 2003.  This Act allows the regulator to take action against the use of telephone networks that causes avoidable nuisance, annoyance or anxiety.
I understand that Ofcom monitor the volumes of complaints they receive about silent calls and in your email you noted that you were aware that Ofcom has received complaints about the use of this number.  If you require any further information about their work on silent calls, either in connection with this particular number or in general, you should contact them directly
www.ofcom.org.uk Tel: 0845 456 3000
The information we hold about the number
You asked what action we have taken in respect of calls originating from that number.  Any action we take would be based on any related complaints we have received.
All complaints we receive that relate to the PECR are logged onto our electronic case management and enquiry handling system.  This system allows us to search for the complaints we have dealt with in a number of different ways, such as by the unique reference number the complaint was given, the name and address of the person who contacted us and the name of the organisation or individual the complaint was about.  Where we do not have any of these things it may still be possible to find a particular case or group of cases provided that we have enough information about it.
I should point out, however, that when we record complaints on our system, we do not record them as being about a specific telephone number.  As a result of this, the search I have just conducted on ‘0870 850 returned no results.  This does not mean that we have never received any complaints about the use of this number, it just means that if we have, then we cannot find them by searching on that number.
(see next post for rest of reply)

The rest of the reply is:
Weatherseal and Ideal Homes

Whilst it is not clear from the information you have provided whether you have personally received any direct marketing telephone calls (rather than silent calls) from either Ideal Homes or Weatherseal, the Information Commissioner’s Office has received complaints about direct marketing telephone calls made by Weatherseal as well as by an organisation identifying itself as ‘Ideal Homes’.

Our powers under the PECR are designed to ensure compliance with the regulations.  We cannot punish any organisation suspected of breaching them.  In most cases we deal with individual complaints by writing to an organisation to ensure they investigate why a call was made, suppress the telephone number in question and take steps to comply with the regulations in future.  We have done that in the case of both Weatherseal and Ideal Homes.

Where we have evidence of persistent, widespread non-compliance (and no prospect of achieving voluntary compliance) we do have powers to take action to compel a company to comply.  Any action we take must be consistent with the principles outlined in our strategy for regulatory action.  The decision as to what, if any, regulatory action to take, is taken by our Regulatory Action Division (RAD).

I can tell you that we have referred complaints about Weatherseal and Ideal Homes to RAD for their consideration and RAD is currently considering what steps they may need to take in both these cases.  Where we do decide to take formal regulatory action in respect of the PECR, we publish information about it on the PECR resources section of our website under the heading ‘notices’.  

Finally, as mentioned above we have treated your request as a request made under the FOIA.  This is the extent of the information we hold about the number in question.  

Yours sincerely

Katherine Vander
Casework and Advice Officer

So at least consideration appears to be being given to some sort of action.  This may be no better than a slap across the wrist with a wet fish but at least it is progress.

Regards to all except those with hardening arteries!

i received a call from this number tonight and asked where they had got my number from, the female replied "the national database"
i informed her that i was registered with TPS but she was neither up nor down, i then asked who her company were and she said they were   FEACTURE (OR FEATURE) HOMES,  BENMORE INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, ABERDEEN..  Will see what TPS have to say.

senex wrote on Jan 16^th, 2007 at 3:01am:

Not rubbish at all.  I do not do rubbish.  I double checked my bill and the call was actually made on Tuesday 5 September 2006 at 2027hrs, lasting 1 minute 41 seconds.  The call cost was 0.054 pence to which has to be added VAT of course, which brings the total to 0.06345pence. As far as I can see, as a BT Together option customer, I have no setup fee on 0870 numbers.

I think you mean the call cost was £0.054 (just over 5p) rather than 0.054p (just over half a penny) and, indeed, at that time, BT's new (3p) 'call set-up fee' had not been introduced (that happened on 1/10/06).

Thankfully, BT didn't introduce whole minute charging for NGNs at the same time - but that'll come!

I stand corrected!  Now you know why my nickname is 'senex', which is Latin for 'old man' :'(

I checked my last bill and 0870 calls averaged out at 6p per minute, the cost difference between numbers is significant.

I still think the cost for my rant against this number was VFM!

I received a call from 08708507618 today (first one) after reading all of your troubles with this company, i hope this isn't the start for me now!
Really hate these companies that cold call.  
Luckily i have an answering machine and don't answer the phone if i don't know who is calling.  Maybe this will stop them?!   :-/

mintaka wrote on Sep 30^th, 2006 at 1:04pm:

Woo hoo...  Found a way to stop them. As we've all discovered by now, ignoring the calls doesn't work.  So, next, I tried just picking up and leaving the phone off-hook when they called.  There was actually a lot of satisfaction to be gained knowing you were letting a company that is desperate enough to resort to auto-diallers know what it feels like to have to put up with silent calls.  ;) Still the calls kept coming though, but it didn't feel quite so annoying now, as I knew I was costing that company money every time they called.  (Insert Sid James style filthy laugh here...) What finally stopped the calls once and for all though was just getting my computer to answer the phone when Caller ID showed they were telephoning yet again.  When their auto-dialler registers that the call it has initiated has been answered and routes it to a member of their call-centre trash, they think the number is a fax machine and flag it accordingly.  Result - no more calls. You can do it easily enough by just installing some sort of fax software - they all have an option to manually receive a fax which causes your modem to pick up the call and start screaching.  Having been pleased with the result, I've automated the process now for any other evil organisation that might choose to follow Weatherseal's appalling practices.  PC World sell Zoom modems for 25 quid that also have UK caller id support.  After knocking up a quick script, my computer now greets any phone numbers I've previously told it to with a fax-style tone automatically.  Sorted.  8-)

What software are you talking about??  
I've been on download.com to see if i can find anything, but i can't (don't understand enough about fax software).  
Hope you can help as this seems like a good idea!

ChooChoo wrote on Jan 24^th, 2007 at 1:15pm:

What software are you talking about??   I've been on download.com to see if i can find anything, but i can't (don't understand enough about fax software).   Hope you can help as this seems like a good idea!

No it doesn't, it seems like a truly EXCELLENT idea!

Various software to choose from, albeit most on a pay for basis, although demos may be available.

Supervoice.  Quite often given with a modem.
Faxtalk.   I think a demo is out there.      edit.. http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Authors/Thought_Communications.html
Winfax Pro
IVM answering attendant.
Callsoft.

And stuff does exist on Download.com  just type in fax in the search box
http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0.html?tg=dl-20&qt=fax&tag=srch

phoneworks pro       http://www.sofotex.com/PhoneWorks-Pro-download_L23097.html
Classic PhoneTools   http://www.sofotex.com/Classic-PhoneTools-download_L29646.html
VK Easy Fax 4.0       http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Business/FAX_Tools/VK_Easy_Fax.html

others as i find them

I am registered with TPS and they still keep ringing!!!
I rang this number and it was Weatherseal.  They gave me another 0870 number when I asked them who to speak to get them to stop cold-calling.  Eventually they gave me 01606-866500.  If you ask for Customer Services and register your telephone number with them they say it will stop in 28 days.
I did this a few months ago and it did stop.
BUT....it has started again and I have just called them again!!!
Not the greatest of solutions, but hopefully it will stop for good this time

They've just started to call me as well. Luckily my answering machine picks up so it costs them every time they phone! Perhaps that is a solution.... get an answering machine and do call screening for a while.

If they ever manage to catch me then I'm going to following the line of:

"We don't use / need them here!"

e.g. "We don't use Windows here!", "We don't use cars so don't need a garage!", etc.

Hope I can keep myself from bursting out laughing while doin' it!

Got this idea from a blog posting I made a while back, to which someone suggested this scheme.

Check out the blog entry and the website that is full of information on making this scheme work for you:
http://www.roundtripsolutions.com/blog/2007/01/07/198/telephone-cold-calls-no-more/
http://wedonotuse.com/

The thing is to make them see they are wasting their time, money and resources calling  ;-).

Hi there!

BT do offer a service called " Choose To Refuse ".  This is a chargeable service and can be looked up on the BT website:

www.bt.com

Other info:

http://www.telephonesuk.co.uk/network_codes.htm#BTCREF

James Bond

just a lil bit of info WH realisations ltd (formerly weatherseal  holdings ltd) where placed into administration in october last year but was bought by premier trade frames uk ltd (www.premier-trade.co.uk) based in sunderland but they are still tradeing as weatherseal although it dosnt look like things are getting any better with the new owners.

Hello All,
My first post, I would look at the adage. If its important they will call you back. Companies who leave a non standard STD number are usually out to make money from you. Pleased I've found this sight, good old Daily Mail.

:(   I have had four telephone calls with no message left on my answering machine.   The non-geographical number is 08708507618 and there is no geographical number for it.   Does anyone know who this number belongs to and what the grographical number is?   wee scottie

It appears to be ideal homes/weatherseal.

Have a look here

http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/08708507618

wee scottie wrote on Sep 20^th, 2010 at 5:08pm:

:(   I have had four telephone calls with no message left on my answering machine.   The non-geographical number is 08708507618 and there is no geographical number for it.   Does anyone know who this number belongs to and what the grographical number is?   wee scottie

I have joined you posting to the existing thread for this number which has been running for over four years now.

I have also added an entry in the database for the 0870 number, which gives a link to this thread, requesting that anyone who can indentify the company in question does so by posting here. The entry is presently listed as "Unknown Company".

The number seems to belong to Weatherseal Home Improvements Limited who occasionally hide behind the name “Ideal Homes”.  Company reg no 06516484.  
Registered Address :        
7 ROAD ONE
INDUSTRIAL ESTATE
WINSFORD
CHESHIRE
CW7 3PZ

Trading Address :        
PHOENIX CENTRE
ROAD ONE
WINSFORD
CHESHIRE
CW7 3PZ
Website http://www.weatherseal.co.uk

Numbers given: Sales appointments: 0800 041 041 Customer services: 0870 220 9320.  

There is also a company  WEATHERSEAL HOLDINGS LTD at same address with a geo number 01606 866500 & a contact name Mr Paul McCloughan here http://www.build.co.uk/company_217677.htm

There is an illuminating post on dooyoo here http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/local-services/weatherseal/1398035/ which has apparently been made by a disgruntled ex employee.

The comments regarding how their staff are treated might, if true, explain some of the stranger calls received detailed here & elsewhere.