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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask engineer to take his shoes off?

94 replies

singingtonight · 29/11/2024 10:23

Or at least wear foot coverings?

I'm not normally bothered about things like this but I've just moved into my new home and had new carpets fitted on Monday which obviously cost a lot of money.

Sky engineer is coming tomorrow to connect the broadband. WIBU to ask him to take his shoes off or cover them in the house?

I probably sound really silly but I don't want to be that "person" and make it awkward by asking but the carpets are only a few days old after all.

OP posts:
Dreamskies · 29/11/2024 14:43

Letmegohome · 29/11/2024 14:32

@Dreamskies I imagine old sheets would be a health and safety nightmare, imagine the risk assessment for that.
I also linked op with floor covering , but since you decided I was your target today, you seem to have focused on me not the thread

See 🤣🤣

Now go back through the thread - you are the one targeting me, picking holes in a comment that was nothing at all to do with you. I didn’t even suggest floor covers, I simply agreed with someone else 🤣🤣 funny you haven’t started an argument with them 🤔

Letmegohome · 29/11/2024 14:32

@Dreamskies I imagine old sheets would be a health and safety nightmare, imagine the risk assessment for that.
I also linked op with floor covering , but since you decided I was your target today, you seem to have focused on me not the thread

Nomorecoconutboosts · 29/11/2024 14:31

I’m a community nurse. Feel like we can’t win. If I took my shoes off or was injured or couldn’t get out of a house due to any issues, then my Trust would likely be unhappy that I hadn’t followed health and safety advice.
shoe covers are often slippery and I’ve never been offered them on a visit.

what I will say is if you are asking a professional or trades person to remove shoes, and they are courteous enough to agree, perhaps you might consider some courtesy back?

Offer them a chair so they don’t have to hop about. Don’t assume they are fit and able bodied some of us need to wear specific footwear and don’t really wish to disclose medical information at the door. At least allow them properly into the hall so they are not half on the doorstep trying to show ID and take shoes off at the same time, often in the rain. And finally please be sure that your floor is spotless and dry. Most times I’ve been asked to remove shoes I’ve had to hop around/lean over in an undignified manner. Very frequently the floors I am then expected to walk on are not clean and I leave with grubby or damp socks/ tights.

if you have regular visitors (as I do) perhaps a hospitable compromise would be to have a washable floor (with removable rugs if desired) in the hall and one of the communal areas.

NotMeNoNo · 29/11/2024 14:30

A box of 200 shoe covers is about £7 on ebay. If you've just had new carpets maybe you have an off-cut to put near the front door for all the other people going in and out to stand on whilst they put their shoe covers on. All you have to say is "Can you cover your boots please".

Dreamskies · 29/11/2024 14:24

Letmegohome · 29/11/2024 14:07

@Dreamskies then I imagine his or her boss will be very disappointed in them as it's part of their uniform and it could lead to a wasted appointment .

And just ignore the point about all the other potential working visitors because that doesn’t suit your own narrative and response 🤣

predictable

Dreamskies · 29/11/2024 14:23

@Bignanna @Letmegohome I’d say most households have old sheets to use as dust sheets. Pretty standard and perfectly normal. I’m quite sure it wouldn’t be a hardship for those who are so obsessed over their carpets to keep back a few old sheets would it? But then those as awkward and obtuse as you will no doubt think of a reason 🤣

Singleandproud · 29/11/2024 14:16

@Bignanna you can buy long rolls of vinyl floor protector it's not particularly expensive and useful to have on the house.

Letmegohome · 29/11/2024 14:12

@Bignanna clearly @Dreamskies does 😂😂

Bignanna · 29/11/2024 14:11

Dreamskies · 29/11/2024 14:03

And when he turns up without them… what then?

this same post is made time and time again by various people about various types of visitors from nurses to tradies. Just cover the floor up.

How many people have big enough floor covers?

Letmegohome · 29/11/2024 14:07

@Dreamskies then I imagine his or her boss will be very disappointed in them as it's part of their uniform and it could lead to a wasted appointment .

Dreamskies · 29/11/2024 14:03

Letmegohome · 29/11/2024 12:54

@Dreamskies I already googled it for op

And when he turns up without them… what then?

this same post is made time and time again by various people about various types of visitors from nurses to tradies. Just cover the floor up.

boulevardofbrokendreamss · 29/11/2024 13:47

They always bring she covers when they've come out to us

NeedToChangeName · 29/11/2024 13:29

Letmegohome · 29/11/2024 10:30

Do you have many infected syringes in your house?!?!

When working in strangers' houses, you do have to be cautious about that, yes

Dreamskies · 29/11/2024 13:27

Letmegohome · 29/11/2024 12:53

I understand the regular use of "this" yours made no sense by adding "."

It’s the internet. Not everything has to work in a way that’s made just for you.

GirlfromIpanemagoestoGreenland · 29/11/2024 13:13

There could be a whole separate forum for all of these shoes on/ off threads.

Letmegohome · 29/11/2024 12:54

@Dreamskies I already googled it for op

To ask engineer to take his shoes off?
Letmegohome · 29/11/2024 12:53

Dreamskies · 29/11/2024 12:50

Nothing. It’s agreeing to it with slow emphasis. It’s clearly the most sensible option for taking control of protecting your own floors as a one off option rather than asking a stranger to remove their footwear in your house.

I understand the regular use of "this" yours made no sense by adding "."

2110l · 29/11/2024 12:51

Allfur · 29/11/2024 10:33

Just vacuum after

Vacuum gets up bits, not trodden in wet muddy stuff (or god forbid dog shit!)

Dreamskies · 29/11/2024 12:50

Letmegohome · 29/11/2024 12:25

@Dreamskies what's is " T.H.I.S" an acronym for ? 🤔

Edited

Nothing. It’s agreeing to it with slow emphasis. It’s clearly the most sensible option for taking control of protecting your own floors as a one off option rather than asking a stranger to remove their footwear in your house.

Newtoiletseat · 29/11/2024 12:47

Chocolatelabradorsarethebest · 29/11/2024 12:24

Interesting that everyone is presuming the engineer is going to be male.

I had a lovely female Sky engineer arrive when I had my broadband installed.

She automatically put boot coverings on and so have all the male engineers that have come in - I’ve been renovating so have had a lot in the past few years. I find the big companies much better at this, it’s the local tradespeople that don’t.

Interesting that everyone is calling the person an "engineer". They're technicians. To be an engineer is not that easy.

Letmegohome · 29/11/2024 12:25

@Dreamskies what's is " T.H.I.S" an acronym for ? 🤔

Chocolatelabradorsarethebest · 29/11/2024 12:24

Interesting that everyone is presuming the engineer is going to be male.

I had a lovely female Sky engineer arrive when I had my broadband installed.

She automatically put boot coverings on and so have all the male engineers that have come in - I’ve been renovating so have had a lot in the past few years. I find the big companies much better at this, it’s the local tradespeople that don’t.

Newtoiletseat · 29/11/2024 12:21

Allfur · 29/11/2024 10:33

Just vacuum after

Doesn't really help if he's walked through dog sh1t or on someone filthy begger's sputum does it.

Dreamskies · 29/11/2024 12:20

Cosyblankets · 29/11/2024 10:29

Just cover your floors

T.H.I.S 👆

Dreamskies · 29/11/2024 12:19

Letmegohome · 29/11/2024 10:30

Do you have many infected syringes in your house?!?!

🙄

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