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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to not be expected to answer emails at the weekend?

87 replies

FrustratedToday · 17/07/2024 18:00

Awkward conversation with landlord today. An email was sent on a Friday whilst I was at work. I replied on Monday morning. My landlord seems to think that I should be picking up emails at the weekend. I've firmly said that isn't possible, but now I'm wondering if I'm being unreasonable. I have said that a text message if there is anything urgent would be better as I can quickly respond after work. AIBU to think that I should be able to enjoy my weekend without interference?

OP posts:
Growlybear83 · 17/07/2024 20:32

Whyever would you not reply to an email from your landlord over the weekend?

LoobyDoop2 · 17/07/2024 20:31

I don’t think YABU. You’ve told your landlord how to contact you in an emergency. They’ve chosen not to do that, so it’s reasonable to infer that it isn’t an emergency. Imo anyone who isn’t paying you is not entitled to demand a response within a certain timeframe.

Pikapikapikachu11 · 17/07/2024 20:26

FrustratedToday · 17/07/2024 18:25

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. This was my thinking, nice to know there's someone else out there who thinks this!

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You're welcome. We aren't on call to anybody really... nothing is that urgent. Totally reasonable!if urgent, ring!

InvestinITMN · 17/07/2024 20:08

AGoingConcern · 17/07/2024 20:02

So you have a partner?

Can you point to the part where she mentions a partner? And explain how that's relevant to the landlord's choice not to call or text if an urgent response was needed?

ETA: PP changed edited the content of their comment

Edited

a) i deleted as my error
and
b) relevant because if the op did… then she could have delegated to partner to resolve d whilst she was rushing out door for second job

Zanatdy · 17/07/2024 20:05

No I don’t pick up work emails on the weekend unless we are in a crisis with world events (eg war in Ukraine) but even then we share this duty so not one person is doing it all. When things are calm I never look at emails, people have my number for anything urgent

AGoingConcern · 17/07/2024 20:02

So you have a partner?

Can you point to the part where she mentions a partner? And explain how that's relevant to the landlord's choice not to call or text if an urgent response was needed?

ETA: PP changed edited the content of their comment

InvestinITMN · 17/07/2024 20:00

FrustratedToday · 17/07/2024 19:30

Had an hour between 2 different jobs to sort dinner for dc and get out again as soon as babysitter arrived. And I think you may have missed that their office was closed from 4pm. They received my reply ten minutes after office had opened on Monday.
Am starting to think that mn not for me, a lot of bizarre angry responses tonight!

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nice little drip there

Original poster
FrustratedToday · 17/07/2024 19:30

moistclam · 17/07/2024 18:50

After work hours like a normal person? Honestly OP, what planet do you live on. Your landlord emailed you a perfectly reasonable question, are you so precious that you can't spare, what, 2 minutes to reply to them at 6/7pm on a Friday once you're home from work? The mind boggles.

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Had an hour between 2 different jobs to sort dinner for dc and get out again as soon as babysitter arrived. And I think you may have missed that their office was closed from 4pm. They received my reply ten minutes after office had opened on Monday.
Am starting to think that mn not for me, a lot of bizarre angry responses tonight!

OP posts:
Original poster
FrustratedToday · 17/07/2024 19:26

FrustratedToday · 17/07/2024 19:25

It wasn't.

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Been waiting patiently for 4 months for tradesman to tell me when he would do snagging on a job!

OP posts:
Original poster
FrustratedToday · 17/07/2024 19:25

InvestinITMN · 17/07/2024 18:39

how do you know it wasn’t essential maintenance?

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It wasn't.

OP posts:
Original poster
FrustratedToday · 17/07/2024 19:24

ACynicalDad · 17/07/2024 18:37

Ultimately, a tradesman is probably improving the property in some way or preventing decline, which is good for you; I'd be as helpful as I could be. This would have taken an fine, or sorry no I'm out, less than a minute, YABU.

Yes, if I had read the email on Friday, which I couldn't because I was working without access to it.

OP posts:
Dayoldbag · 17/07/2024 18:51

Yanbu.
Not your landlords business if you open emails or not.
A text is a better vehicle if you are looking for a quick answer.

moistclam · 17/07/2024 18:50

FrustratedToday · 17/07/2024 18:30

Given I finish work at 5, the email was sent at 2pm so after lunch time and that I work in a place that doesn't allow devices to be used, plus their office closes at 4pm, I'm at a loss to see when I could possibly have replied on the Friday.

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After work hours like a normal person? Honestly OP, what planet do you live on. Your landlord emailed you a perfectly reasonable question, are you so precious that you can't spare, what, 2 minutes to reply to them at 6/7pm on a Friday once you're home from work? The mind boggles.

AGoingConcern · 17/07/2024 18:47

I'm a bit baffled by some of these responses since you noted in your post that you would be happy to handle urgent communications by phone/text. If there's a plumbing emergency they should quite obviously call you instead of sitting around waiting for an email to be read, and vice versa.

Email isn't the best option for urgent communication, IMO, and it should be fine for you to specify with a landlord the best way to reach you for time sensitive matters or in an emergency. Presumably they also do the same for you - I lived in plenty of rental accomodations and it was common to have urgent/emergency contact info and then a separate way to reach out about business topics or general questions that could be answered the next business day.

I'd smooth it over and apologize just because it's worth maintaining a positive relationship. But then let them know how best to reach you for time-sensitive matters in the future.

Catza · 17/07/2024 18:45

I always say that “urgent email” is an oxymoron. The LL is being a bit unreasonable as they had your mobile number and could have called you at any point over the weekend. I wouldn’t give it a second thought. I imagine it’s the agent rather than LL themselves so someone was too lazy to call and then got bollocking for not following up so decided to blame it on you.

Bobbotgegrinch · 17/07/2024 18:43

FrustratedToday · 17/07/2024 18:30

Given I finish work at 5, the email was sent at 2pm so after lunch time and that I work in a place that doesn't allow devices to be used, plus their office closes at 4pm, I'm at a loss to see when I could possibly have replied on the Friday.

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Well, any time after 5pm would have done surely. It doesn't matter whether their office is open or not, you've at least done your part as soon as you're able.

InvestinITMN · 17/07/2024 18:42

pinacollateral · 17/07/2024 18:40

Because it was being arranged for some point in the following week. Not essential/ immediate work that needed doing right now.

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trades people are notoriously booked up

added to which, whilst might not be essential in the sense the property is going to fall down, it may be essential in order to maintenance of property and they won’t want a problem to get worse

sounds like the kind of responsive LL that many would welcome

pinacollateral · 17/07/2024 18:40

InvestinITMN · 17/07/2024 18:39

how do you know it wasn’t essential maintenance?

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Because it was being arranged for some point in the following week. Not essential/ immediate work that needed doing right now.

InvestinITMN · 17/07/2024 18:39

pinacollateral · 17/07/2024 18:38

It wasn't about essential maintenance though. It was about arranging a visit from a tradesperson for some point in the following week (who are also generally unavailable on weekends anyway).

If it was actually urgent, the landlord should have called. But it wasn't urgent.

Edited
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how do you know it wasn’t essential maintenance?

pinacollateral · 17/07/2024 18:38

TinyYellow · 17/07/2024 18:35

Your thinking is fine if it works both ways. The landlord was trying to get in touch about maintenance of the property and you have a responsibility to cooperate with that. Otherwise why should the landlord respond to you immediately about maintenance issues? If something goes wrong in the property on the Friday evening of a bank holiday weekend, presumably you don’t mind waiting 3-4 days for a response because people shouldn’t have to look at emails at the weekend, right?

It wasn't about essential maintenance though. It was about arranging a visit from a tradesperson for some point in the following week (who are also generally unavailable on weekends anyway).

If it was actually urgent, the landlord should have called. But it wasn't urgent.

ACynicalDad · 17/07/2024 18:37

Ultimately, a tradesman is probably improving the property in some way or preventing decline, which is good for you; I'd be as helpful as I could be. This would have taken an fine, or sorry no I'm out, less than a minute, YABU.

InvestinITMN · 17/07/2024 18:37

FrustratedToday · 17/07/2024 18:31

You've obviously had a terribly hard day. Sending a hug. 💐

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i’m not having a spat with my landlord 🤭

sat in my garden answerable to no one regarding my home 🤷

TinyYellow · 17/07/2024 18:35

Your thinking is fine if it works both ways. The landlord was trying to get in touch about maintenance of the property and you have a responsibility to cooperate with that. Otherwise why should the landlord respond to you immediately about maintenance issues? If something goes wrong in the property on the Friday evening of a bank holiday weekend, presumably you don’t mind waiting 3-4 days for a response because people shouldn’t have to look at emails at the weekend, right?

Original poster
FrustratedToday · 17/07/2024 18:31

InvestinITMN · 17/07/2024 18:29

expect him to use the break clause as soon as he can

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You've obviously had a terribly hard day. Sending a hug. 💐

OP posts:
Original poster
FrustratedToday · 17/07/2024 18:30

AlmostAJillSandwich · 17/07/2024 18:26

Tradesmen get booked up quickly, it was imo something that required an urgent reply, YABU.

Given I finish work at 5, the email was sent at 2pm so after lunch time and that I work in a place that doesn't allow devices to be used, plus their office closes at 4pm, I'm at a loss to see when I could possibly have replied on the Friday.

OP posts: