Would you leave a tradesman alone in your house?

[DTR]

In BASILDON?????????????????????

You must be joking!!!!!

Roy

I am only a mere stone's throw away :roll:

 

[maltrout512]

I get given keys to quite a few customers houses as they are away early in the morning. I personally don't like it but you have to get the work done. My thoughts when I am in their house is to act as if there is a camera (hidden) watching your every move. So I just get on with the job in hand.

 

[Benchwayze]

I've been left alone many a time by customers - some have even left me after meeting me for just 5 mins. I prefer it when they get out of the way and leave me to do my job - nothing worse than a nosy customer constantly asking questions and checking on what you're doing!

I'd be a bit miffed if a customer said that they didn't want to leave me alone in their house.

Then there was the case of the missing five-pound note.

A woman had occasion to ask the Police to attend at her house.
After the officer had gone, the woman discovered there was a five-pound note missing from the top of the sideboard. She rang the Police again, and accused the officer who had attended of stealing. The guy was arrested, interviewed, and of course suspended from duty.

Three or four days later the lady found the note behind the sideboard. We never established whether or not the note had been there all the time, and the woman had not realised sooner it had 'gone'.

So on balance, it's difficult. Unless the customer sits over you like a hawk, it doesn't make much difference, if you are alone in house or just in the room where you are working. :?

 

[Lons]

There will always be somebody wanting to point the finger :roll:

Some 25 years ago a close mate was a sales rep for a jewellery wholesaler calling on small jewellery shops. A very honest guy, he had worked for the company for a number of years and was a trusted employee. He had to be as his sample cases were worth upwards of £20,000.

Following a sales visit to a small shop, his employers got a phone call from the Turkish owner accusing him of stealing a £50 ring and demanding damages or he would go to the police. My mates employer gave them short shrift and asked for more detail so he could talk to the police himself but the shop owner backed off immediately. Found out later that this guy had tried the same trick previously with other companies :shock:

My mate was so shocked by the accusation he lost all confidence and eventually left the industry all due to some dishonest prett trying a blackmail scam!

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

I quite often get given keys or left keys and alarm codes. Like said many couldn't have the work done without leaving tradesmen. Personally I do prefer someone there. If anything goes wrong or a change needs to be made or a decision made. Not over my shoulder as that is annoying although I can cope with it.

In my own house, yes as long as I know I can trust them!

 

[PMK54]

If the guys are established professionals then it's probably OK. I have regretted leaving builders in the past though because they have guessed what we wanted and got it wrong (only small stuff though), or forgotten instructions. But I don't have any 'valuable possessions' that might be an irresistable temptation.

 

[Digit]

It will be a bad day when we can't trust tradesmen in our homes.

Roy.

 

[Lons]

It will be a bad day when we can't trust tradesmen in our homes. Roy.

=D> =D>
I agree Roy but I think "tradesmen" is probably the right word. Someone who owns / runs a small business will either be a one man band or will employ trusted staff who tend to stay with the company. Can't afford to do otherwise really!

If the customers do their homework, chooses for the right reasons and not just on price then they are unlikely to get a cowboy. If they want the job done for nowt and don't bother to get references or recommendation then they are taking a risk.

Todays world unfortunately and buyer beware applies to services as well as purchased goods. I won't go back to harping on about nobody bothering to lock their doors in the old days. :roll:

Bob

 

[wobblycogs]

I work from home so whenever we have tradesmen in I'm invariably here anyway but I work up on the top floor and they are normally downstairs (certainly in a different part of the house) if they were intent on stealing something I'd be no more aware of it than if I had been out to work.

In reality though I've found almost everyone we've employed to be honest and hard working. Some of the labourers we've had working here have been, shall we say, rough diamonds but there's only been one guy that I didn't care for much. He was a scaffolder that I caught wandering around the house after letting himself in. Apparently he was looking for the bathroom but I didn't buy it.

 

[PMK54]

That's funny, I tend to trust the rough diamonds more than the smooth operators!