Germanshepherdsmum
Good grief! You need to ask for more quotes. I would never pay a deposit like that. It most certainly is not the going rate. I would suggest that company might be having financial problems and, by your assumption that this is the going rate, saw you coming. Steer well clear.
Sorry, I'm tired, that was meant to say "not the going rate". I don't want any more quotes as this quote is perfect having trawled the market and found exactly the quality we want and this is a very reasonable quote but I'll have to negotiate the deposit down. So far husband has dealt with company by phone and text, I shall take over and just needed some hive mind as back up:-)