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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to not let this man in?

63 replies

BadPoet · 11/02/2011 13:55

Someone just rung the door - it was a man from building control at the council in response to a completion certificate we submitted just a couple of days ago. He wanted to inspect the building work.

Not only had I no idea he was coming, I didn't know that anyone would come out at all to inspect (although with hindsight I should probably have realised that but it didn't say so on any of the paperwork). I said that it wasn't a good time and I hadn't had any word that he was coming. He replied 'that's not how it works'. I said that I was surprised at that, I would expect notice and I'd be happy to let him in at a mutually convenient time but now wasn't good. He got very huffy and snippy 'in 30years no-one has spoken to me like this'. I should stress I wasn't rude at all. He finally gave me his office contact details and left, after making a big show of finding a pen and saying things like 'sorry to inconvenience you' but in a manner I took to be sarcastic.

It's a school holiday, I have both children at home killing each other, the kitchen (OK whole house) is a bombsite because I am frantically baking for a party later, I am packing to go away tomorrow too. My dd has ASD and gets nervy about things like this, IF someone like this was coming I'd normally thoroughly prepare her for it.

I actually don't think that's relevant though, I think that I am within my rights to refuse entry to my home anyway, particularly when they haven't told me they are coming.

Thoughts?

OP posts:

scurryfunge · 11/02/2011 14:20

I don't see the problem about letting him in( with id).

I take the the attitude that not everyone I meet wants to kill me or rob me

comewhinewithme · 11/02/2011 14:21

I once didn't let a woman in who had come to inspect some work we had had done.She just turned up and I explained it wasn't a good time due to the house been a tip and I had just given birth. She said something about having no interest in my life story she just wanted to sign it off . I still said no and asked her to arrange a new visit.She then got very huffy and stormed off and I complained.
Another visit was arranged and they sent the main man who was lovely and admitted at the end of the visit that the first Inspector must have been having an off day.

Original poster

BadPoet · 11/02/2011 14:23

Thanks for your replies everyone - yes, I wondered if I SHOULD have let him hence posting. I too would hate to think he will not sign off on our conservatory! Tbh it was really my gut reaction, I was taken aback and he wasn't at all friendly and (as I said) made no move to offer ID, just stood there demanding entrance. I then went with my initial reaction. I am genuinely surprised by the lack of notice though.

It's a while since the conservatory was built - no builders here for ages, it's taken a long time to apply for the completion cert because of a minor technicality I won't bore you with - but perhaps it's partly because I am no longer of the mindset that random people will be turning up all the time. I did feel uncomfortable though and it's true that it would have freaked out dd so I'm glad some people would have done the same in my circs.

Thanks again, still baking!

OP posts:

MadamDeathstare · 11/02/2011 14:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

megapixels · 11/02/2011 14:32

If it's all legit and he has ID then I would let him in.

It should be standard practise to inform the homeowner first, but if he was there I'd have let him in.

I think people are a little too precious about having everything agreed before-hand though, it's not biggie. It's not a visitor you have to entertain, just let him get on with it and go away.

I don't think he'd care about the state of the house and you shouldn't either (iykwim).

megapixels · 11/02/2011 14:32

It's no biggie I mean.

Thistledew · 11/02/2011 14:38

Rather than make a complaint, write to the department he was from stating how terribly worried you were at a strange man attending your house and demanding entry. Ask them to check their records to see if it was one of their employees as you were awfully concerned that his demanding attitude made you think he couldn't possibly be genuine. If you really overstate how worried you were by him then it will get your message across in a non-confrontational manner and hopefully when they make an appointment for the survey they will send their most friendly person to deal with that anxious Ms Poet, and Mr grumpy will not have a chance to be critical of your conservatory.

DizzyDummy · 11/02/2011 14:46

I hate letting people in when they have arranged to come let alone when they haven't but that's just me .

mowbraygirl · 11/02/2011 14:50

A couple of years ago we had a porch built with a downstairs cloakroom. The council building inspectors seem to be calling in all the time. Once the builder had to contact them to inspect the drains he had installed before he filled them in other than that they just turned up. As someone else has said they do it in case the builder is trying to make short cuts i..e not putting in the correct thickness of insulation. I was really amazed how many times they turned up when I was here. The last visit was to sign off the work.

We had an extension at the back built about 28 years ago and they hardly came at all and that was a much bigger job. I was told that building controls are much stricter now and they try and catch some of the 'cowboy builders' with their shoddy practices.

I hope you can arrange for them to come at a convenient time as you really need to have the work done signed off as without that if you ever sold it would cause all sort of problems.

Memoo · 11/02/2011 14:55

I think you're a bit daft, you should have just got it over and done. Now you are going to have to fath about making an appointment and waiting round for him to come.

2rebecca · 11/02/2011 15:03

We had a guy come after building work. He made an appointment. If he had just turned up I would have let him in though, after all you were in and it saves you having to hang around another time. He won't care that the house is a mess. If he had id I'd have just let him come in and got it over with. I'm surprised your architect didn't tell you someone would have to come.
We bought a house where a shower unit hadn't been signed off and got a discount because the previous owners hadn't got the completion certificate sorted and the solicitor picked it up in conveyancing.
It normally only takes 10 minutes and I view it like someone reading the meter. I presume your sprog copes with people coming in to read meters.

QuestionNumber · 11/02/2011 15:22

YANBU.

Also with unknown callers how does a non-expert know any ID is genuine?

lospollos · 11/02/2011 15:23

YABU

his response was not proffessional.

lospollos · 11/02/2011 15:24

I meant *YANBU

psiloveyou · 11/02/2011 15:25

It wouldn't have bothered me. We waited months for someone to come and inspect work we had done.
When he turned up no appointment was made.

Your house though so up to you who you let in.

ratspeaker · 11/02/2011 16:24

I agree with thistledew's advice

Given that there was no appointment made and that he didn't immediatley have ID out to show you, or have it hanging round his neck and proffer it at once you are quite entitled to be wary, especially with young children in the house
Email the relevent dept at the council asking if it was genuine with the questions thistledew suggested

EldritchCleavage · 11/02/2011 16:24

This happened to us, long after the extension was finished and the builders gone. DH was home and asked for ID, which he did not have, then refused him entry. In the end, no one ever did come back. I do not see how it is acceptable to turn up unannounced and expect admittance to people's houses-if I'd been home alone with baby DS I simply would not let a random caller into the house.

MadamDeathstare · 11/02/2011 17:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Pixieonthemoor · 11/02/2011 18:15

Whatever you do, DONT complain (if that is what you are minded to do) until you have the completion cert in your hand. We had work done a few years ago and the builder thought we had the comp cert ...and we thought HE did iyswim. WE then asked the council to issue one as they had promised in their final visit with the builders. The council then claimed to have no knowledge of half of the works despite my being able to produce letters from them to us the title of which detailed all of the work. Can you tell I am still worked up about this 6 yrs on?! We had to redig to show the foundations, make changes to suit the recent amendments to rules - cost us quite a bit of money and the stress was unbelievable. We were ttc at the time - needless to say, it didnt work as the stress was unbearable. They were rude, aggressive and utterly incompetent and reduced me to tears on many occasions. Dont rile them in any way until you have that precious piece of paper is my advice or the imbecilic and vindictive little hitlers will make your life a misery. Rant over

MrsPresley · 11/02/2011 19:37

OP I dont know which area your council is but I work for Building Control.

When you submitted your completion submission form you would be sent a letter asking you to make an appointment for the surveyor to inspect the work and you make the appointment.

Only then would the surveyor call. Also all the surveyors (as all the council staff) have their ID on them at all times, round their neck and easily visable.

Also LilQueenie even if it is council property they still have to inform you that they want to do an inspection, if they turn up on the "off chance" you dont have to let them in.

ratspeaker · 11/02/2011 19:58

Thats part of the OP post MrsPresley
she had no idea he was coming, she was told "thats not how it works"
When she suggested a mutaully agreed time he got huffy

Its possible the dept had written to say someone would call but its either still being typed up or lounging in the postal system, it took over 2 weeeks for a letter about our windows to reach us from the council

NinkyNonker · 11/02/2011 20:01

Yanbu.

MrsPresley · 11/02/2011 20:07

Maybe I didnt word it too well.

When the OP sent in her submission form she should have received a letter asking HER to make the appointment.

I agree he shouldnt have got huffy, but he shouldnt have turned up without an appointment.

Maybe the OP's council work in a different way but the one I work for would always send a letter and an appointment is made by the person making the submission.

bumpsoon · 11/02/2011 20:10

TBH i think you are being a teensy bit unreasonable ,and pray you have no further plans to extend/build onto your property ,because i bet your cards marked now and until the gentleman retires . Does it really matter if your house is a bombsite ? I would of id him and then explained mess and let him get on with whatever he needed to do .

bumpsoon · 11/02/2011 20:11

But then im super accomodating and would of made him a tea/coffee too !

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