tradesman won't give my keys back

[chillyogawine]

I feel aggrieved. I had some work done in my house and gave a set of house keys to my builder chap. He came recommended via a friend, so thought he was trustworthy and also I work so can't be here all the time to let him in. Anyway while working for me, he started coming over familiar and flirty, it was clear what he wanted, we're all gown ups here, I don't need to spell it out. I was upset because although I am friendly and chatty, I'd given him no reason to think beyond that, plus Im married with three kids and he'd met my husband a few times! Anyway I was clear with him that he had overstepped the mark. I didn't tell my husband as I didn't want to cause any upset. He finished the job and we paid him but he left without giving me my house keys back and when i've asked him for them he says I have to come and get them.
He's clearly a weirdo. I've looked into changing the locks and as its 3 diff locks and I need several sets cut it's expensive and of course Inhale to tell my husband now, which is fine. I'm so annoyed. Is there any way to force him to give my keys back? I feel helpless and angry at how he's treated me and also worry he will do this to someone else. He's married by the way himself! Any advice or shall i just change the locks, block his number and draw a line under the whole experience!

[FlyingCat]

Suggest send your husband to get keys to make the point. Definitely don't keep what's happened a secret from your husband!

Also copies can be made of keys so depending how worried you are consider changing the locks as well...

[TupsNSups]

You need to tell your Husband what has gone on and change the locks. Even if you get the keys back you have no idea if he had had them copied. I'm sorry you are going through this he sounds like a real creep.

[Elphame]

Change the locks. Now.

[ShatnersBassoon]

Did he have a key to all three external locks?

I'd change the locks anyway. Get it done with and move on.

[WatchingFromTheWings]

Tell him if they aren't returned within the next 48 hours your husband will come to collect them. Or tell him you'll change the locks and bill him for it.

If you do go to collect them, make sure you take a friend or DH.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

I'd either send you husband over to get the keys, or change the locks.

[Amandahugandkisses]

Change the locks!
Don't you or your husband go to his house.
The total prick.

[TupsNSups]

I would be changing the locks today tbh, I don't want to scare you further but could he possibly have had access to your house recently whilst you were not there? I would be worried he had been in my stuff or even worse set some sort of camera up. I am probably paranoid about that though, I would just wonder how creepy his creepiness would go.

[mrssapphirebright]

I would report him to the police and his trade's professional / member ship body.

Also tell your Dh and change the locks!

[hellsbellsmelons]

Tell your DH about it all and the face he won't give you the keys back.
Text the dick-head and tell him that your DH knows and the police are next on the list then his wife, unless you get the keys posted back through your door by 5pm today.
See what his response to that is.
What a feckin' cock he is.

[Trifleorbust]

Change the locks. He's not worth your stress and panic.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

Are the locks Yale locks? If so, you can change the locks by just changing the barrels, which is cheaper than changing the whole lock.

[ratspeaker]

When my daughters bag was stolen with her house keys in it our insurance company arranged for a locksmith , would that be a possibility for you?
The insurance may require a police reference number.

But Id change the locks even if you got the keys back

[bibbitybobbityyhat]

Call the police. He's stolen your keys. Wtf with change the locks?

[AnchorDownDeepBreath]

You need to change the locks now anyway because he could easily have copied them. Takes 20 minutes and even my local supermarket does it these days.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

If the OP reports the keys to the police as stolen, she should be able to claim for changing the locks - that might be the best avenue.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

I should add - even if he does give the keys back now, I would get the locks changed, because I would not trust this man an inch.

[ageingrunner]

He's stolen from you and sexually harassed you in your own home. It's so shit that you're the one who's being made to feel uncomfortable and ashamed about what this horrible weirdo has done. It's a police matter really isn't it?

[Hidingtonothing]

When you contacted him to ask for the keys back did you ring him or text/email? I would definitely report him to both the police and his professional body and any texts or emails would be good evidence, if you've only spoken by phone I would text/email him now asking him to confirm that he won't return the keys unless you go round. But I would also have to change the locks (and bill him for it obviously) because there's always the possibility he's already made copies and I couldn't live with the worry that he might be able to access my home. Tell DH the truth, that he was overly flirty but you thought nothing of it until he refused to return the keys, you've done nothing wrong here OP, he is a creepy sleaze.

[Glittermakeseverythingbetter]

Err I'd be ringing 101 for sure!!!

[Bluntness100]

Just say fine, when and where then send uour husband. End of.

[chillyogawine]

i told my husband as I had to really. I just never thought anyone would behave in this odd way! I don't want DH to go round to his house as then it involves his wife and family and that's not fair to her. Am getting locks changed as it did occur to me that he could copy them anyway. I feel like such a fool for being so trusting and then not saying anything when he was being so flirty. I should have thrown him out then and there but you never know how nasty people can be and he knows so much about my life, my routine, where my kids are at school. There doesnt ever seem to be any comeback on these people and no way of warning others? If it was physio or dentist or doctor you could report them or make a complaint but there's none I can complain to! He'll just carry on being a creep. And annoyingly there's the blood snagging to finish and I'll have to get someone else in to do that and pay them for it. Just makes me very cross, hence venting here.

[Hidingtonothing]

That's a good point about claiming on insurance for the locks being changed actually, your keys have, in effect, been stolen so as long as you have a crime number you should be covered. Please don't feel you have to brush this under the carpet though OP, you really haven't done anything wrong and the sooner you get this out in the open with DH and the police the better you will feel

[chillyogawine]

i texted him to ask for keys back

[Hidingtonothing]

X post, well done for telling DH OP, there is someone you can report this to though, it really is a police matter, he is refusing to return your keys and that constitutes theft. Please do it, he could do this to any number of other women and shouldn't be allowed to keep getting away with it.