to not let this man in?

[BadPoet]

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?

He shouldn't have expected you to just let him in. It is unreasonable for anyone to expect that. I'm glad you didn't; he could've been a raving lunatic and it would've been too late by then.
And I'm sure that even if it was a council property, they still have to make prior arrangements to enter the premises.

Yesterday my neighbour let in workmen who had ID. It was false and they were robbed of their life savings. You should always phone the organisation they say they are from and not the number on the ID.
The bogus workman said they were from the water board. We have had problems with discoloured water in our street for a while now. They had obviously done their research. A new extension or conservatory would also indicate a visit from a building inspector is due to a wily conman.
YANBU. You had children in the house. You should have been informed beforehand of the inspection date.

We have twice had people from the Council come round. We have had a letter saying they will be visiting on that week (not the actual date) and both times the person was at the front door with their ID already out.

Sounds to me like this guy was either bogus or bad at his job. You should ring the Council and complain about him.

redpanda Similar thing happened to my grandparents a few months ago. Claimed to be water people and robbed them - my nan lost her engagement ring :(

YANBU to always be wary if it's unexpected

Thinking back over my life ,i did once let a tramp in ,he stayed for 2 hours ,drinking tea and eating biscuits and watching richard and judy ,until the homeless hostel across the road opened ,so maybe im not the best person to give advice in these situations , BUT it was bloody freezing outside and im still alive !

Absolutely YANBU.
It's perfectly reasonable not to let a stranger into your house when he has no ID or appointment.

If its the council then it is council property and they dont have to let you know in advance they will be calling.

Really, I rent (privately but still do not own my home) and landlord/estate agent always let us know in advance if they are going to come. It is just common sense.

"redpanda13 Fri 11-Feb-11 20:21:05
Yesterday my neighbour let in workmen who had ID. It was false and they were robbed of their life savings.
"
That's awful :( How on earth did they get their life savings though - were they not in the bank?

I worked as a planner - so similar to building control. In a morning of site visits in a particular area I'd be looking at visiting maybe 8 - 10 properties.

Had ID - a warrant actually that pursuant to Town and Country Planning Act, had right to enter land and property relating to applications. But generally found that a smile and showing on ID sufficient.

The point about not making appointments is that if you have 8 - 10 properties to visit within a relatively short time frame, is actually quite hard to commit to and form a schedule for the visits. If no one in, and need to see insider, then would leave a card saying had called and would then arrange a mutually convenient time for the visit.

People are generally pretty amenable to you popping in on the off-chance since they are aware that without a visit, the application cannot proceed. I think once someone said that they would not allow me inside to assess the proposal, but then I called them later to explain would not be able to proceed, and we arranged an appointment time (and I explained that would have to take photos from the rear for example, but with a digital camera so could show them each shot as I took it).

With building regs, they make even more visits, and lots on on spec visits to check progress of building work for safety and adherence to the regs.

But Pooka, You could do like British Gas peole and say "we will come on Monday between 8am and 1pm" so at least one would know that someome might turn up on that day rather than just turning up? surely if you turn up at several houses who quite rightly do like OP and refuse you entry to their home you will have had a wasted morning anyway?

StealthPolarBear- No OAP who did'nt use the bank. Still very independent. Went to bingo every night. Hope this does not knock them so hard they lose that. True it is not the wisest having that amount of money in the house but a lot of elderly people do it.
Our area's water problem had been widely reported in the local paper. Wonder if they got the idea to say they were checking the water from that?

YANBU - I wouldn't let a stranger in without an appt and ID.

If they started getting arsy about it that would set off alarm bells. Ring the council and ask if it was really them and suggest their employees carry ID and make appts.

Surely he's not just knocking on doors all morning on the 'off chance' that he'll find people in.

:( redpanda