Strange Workmen in the House

[Nofeckingway]

In my DS flat awaiting tradesman to do a repair job. I had arranged it as I am home all day . Just thought that I do not know him, he could do anything to me and if he took my phone there would be no record of him at all. Currently forwarding details to my DS. I didn't think I was careless with safety but just realised how much we take for granted .

You aren’t careless with safety, this is a normal thing to do and your son knows you are there

I'm a single woman living alone and all I can say is you must have led a very sheltered life if this has never crossed your mind before!

Make a phone call in front of him so he can clearly hear you say “hi DS, X has arrived - see you back here very soon” or something similar. Chances of anything happening are low but it can’t hurt to take extra care.

If you use a reputable firm there will be records of who came to do a job at that property. If you got a random off facebook who knows who you get or if they are competent.

How did you find the workman? Does he have a website, with reviews? Did you get personal recommendations?

The world is going crazy, it really is. I’ve lived alone since I was 16 and have had my fair share of workmen visit with me being the only one present. Never has this ever been a concern….

Dear me OP. I do think your thread is a bit alarmist.
Actually anyone who gets workmen to come and do a job in their home puts themselves at risk to some extent. Women and the elderly of course being ths most vulnerable, along with people with disabilities Of course you have to be on the alert and be sensible but how on earth can we maintain our homes without tradesmen coming in?

Well the postman or a delivery driver could burst into your house and attack you if he felt the compulsion. Someone could punch you in the street or knock you over in their car.

We take risks every single day. But there's nothing wrong with telling someone the name and number of this tradesman. Issue being he might not be who he says he was. But actually the majority of people are not malevolent or dangerous.

And a tradesperson is in equal danger visiting you as you are receiving him. If you discount the fact that statistically men are more likely to do something bad. He's the one going into a stranger's home. He doesn't know how to get out quickly if you locked him in.

I never even thought about it before . Had loads of tradesmen in my house at all different times in my life . It was just somebody said it to me that should I be afraid being on my own in the flat .

I lived alone for many years (and unfortunately am rubbish at any kind of DIY) so, err, a tradesperson coming round seemed completely normal to me.

We take risks whenever we do anything, we do the assessment and do it anyway.
If you look at the numbers we are all far more at risk from our partners than tradesmen.

Ask to see his Identity Card or Gas Safety number - all easily checked online

I've never thought twice about a tradesman. There was the one changing the washing machine seal that was groaning rather unfortunately, which I took a discreet video of to send to dh but apart from that, never thought about it.

But then dh is a tradesman so I know most who pass through our house.

Obviously it's possible-just like the nurses on the stroke ward who tortured those patients and joked about it, just like Mary Bell, Fred/Rose West etc. But highly unlikely . He is probably just a poor guy doing his best to take home some money for his family.
It's possible that I, or any other poster on here, could attack our clients. But most of us don't.

I left a tradesman alone in my house earlier this week to do the school run. Bloody Hotpoint and their 7am to 10am appointment slots. It did cross my mind that he could clone my door key and then come back in the night and murder us all, but after watching him struggle with the washing machine door seal I figured I could probably fight him off.

I guess it depends on your life experience. Never been attacked - you probably won’t be thinking quite like op. Been attacked and you’d probably go as far as not only informing someone of what/who/why a strange person is going to be in your home, but also go as far as inviting a trusted friend to pop in for tea at the proposed time.
fyi : I am the latter person.

Wasn’t for me either until it happened to me when I was young, can’t say details to avoid outing. Was serious though and prosecuted by police. I managed to escape. Worse incident happened to someone I know with another one, the perpetrator is now in jail doing a lengthy sentence. I think it’s nice you think this way and it’s good not to be overly anxious about these things, but sadly these things happen. I still book workmen to come round and know 99% are fine OBVIOUSLY, many in my family too, I really don’t worry about doing it at all, but it’s just the aspect of being alone in a private space with someone you don’t know… I trust my instincts much more these days just in every respect. If anything seems off, I would either leave or get on the phone like another poster said - just have some options in the back of your mind.