Would you hire a painter/odd job person who had a criminal background?

[Beezknees]

Just got me musing really. My DF has been in and out of prison as long as I remember. I am NC with him but I hear things through the grapevine. He has been out of prison for 10 years, fair enough and now is self employed as a painter/odd job man, presumably because he struggles to find employment due to his record. Would you be comfortable having someone doing jobs in your house who has a criminal background? (Previous convictions are non violent but things like burglary, fraud, selling drugs, etc)

I think people deserve a chance to try to turn their lives around but knowing my DF the way I do I would not trust him in my house.

Ideally not (especially burglary and fraud, jeez!!), but realistically, how would I know?

I wouldn't feel comfortable about it no, but at the same time how are these people meant to better themselves/rehabilitate if no one gives them a chance? I think they deserve a second chance.
(Obviously it all depends on what they was in for too)

The convictions that I know of were burglary, credit card fraud, casino fraud, selling drugs, and gun possession, this was over a 25 year period, I have been NC for a long time so possibly others that I'm not aware of.

I'd probably just not leave them in the house unattended but if you're there, what's the worst that can happen? I never leave any tradespeople in my house alone.

That they're scoping out your house's vulnerabilities for a burglary! You can imagine it could be a good sideline - just passing the info on to their associates. No idea if burglars do operate in this way tbf

If I knew it, possibly not, but I don’t ask tradesmen routinely if they have a criminal record and I doubt he’d volunteer it ?

i wouldn’t hire any tradesperson who didn’t come across as trustworthy though

To be fair though @MarshaMarshaMarshmellow Anyone could be doing that, criminal record or not.

Then again, I have nothing of any value, but they're welcome to my air fryer 😂

No.

They could, yes. But someone with a history of burglary, and quite possibly some dodgy associates who are still part of that world, is more likely to have the inclination and motivation. Given the choice, I'd rather not invite a convicted burglar to look round my house 😅

I have no idea about any trade people I use criminal history. I don't run disclosure checks.

We did but he only did work on the outside of the house.

I would never hire a man to do odd jobs at my home with burglary convictions, that’s just asking for trouble. Other non violent convictions I may be more lenient.

Would I?
Yes, if it was a local tradesman and I knew their work and that local people also used them . That is, if I'd met them and didn't get bad vibes from them .

A man I knew (went to school with him and knew his family) was sent to prison for about 4 years, I can't remember the crime, something to do with money I think. He'd worked as a gas engineer previously and carried on self employed after coming out. Lots of people in the village employed him and I never heard any complaints so I employed him to service my boiler, I stood chatting to him whilst he did it and my mum was sat downstairs. I had no problem with him. However, maybe that was because I knew him. I don't think I'd be so keen if it was a stranger.

Doesn't sound much like a 'Dear Father' when you are no contact and you wouldn't trust him. You can just write 'my dad' instead of 'my DF'.. only one more letter to type.

But no I wouldn't want anyone in my house doing jobs who had a criminal history, however long ago it might be.

The guy who was recommended to me 5yrs ago and who has done all sorts of work at my house has a criminal record. I had no idea when I first hired him.

His record is very colourful and apparently has even done a stretch since I've known him. However, he's always done an excellent job, his rates are good, he even has a key to my house so he can do stuff if I'm away. I've personally never had an issue with him.

Nitpicky rather than gentle, there, @gentlemum !

No i wouldn't trust him if he's had lots of offences. One, maybe. Or if it was clear that after a long period of stability he was regretful and had turned his life around. But you know him.

Yes of course I would. People deserve chances and sounds like he’s trying to make a living

Absolutely not

If he's self employed and been out of prison for ten years how would people even know about his criminal record!

How would you know?

Probably not. Purely based on my personal knowledge how someone similar behaved after being in prison for similar.

But unless the person offered up the information I wouldn’t in all likelihood know.

Unless I ask for a criminal background check (which I never
do) I wouldn’t know.

No I wouldn’t be happy if I knew about it but realistically I let people do work in my house all the time without checking if they have a criminal record or not 🤷🏼‍♀️

As others have said, we generally have no way of knowing whether a tradesman has a criminal record. If it came to my attention that a tradesman had a criminal record as long and serious as that of the OP's dad then I wouldn't hire him. That's not to say that I would rule out someone for any kind of criminal record at all.