AIBU to think that workmen should offer to take their shoes off in your house?

[Dollslikeyouandme]

I'm a shoes off in the house person, and always offer to take mine off when visiting. It's not because I'm a weird cream carpet visitor slippers freak. But I have carpet, a ds who likes to play on the floor. And a neighbourhood where the streets seem to be covered in dog shit.

I hate asking people to take off their shoes, so usually don't, and just hope they do anyway.

I've noticed workmen never take off their shoes, and lately I've had to have a few people in and around the house and gave been cringing at their boots standing on my bathmat mainly.

I just think shoes on carpets are gross.

Op: aibu?

Mn: maybe you are maybe I'm not

Op: well I still don't think I am but I'll argue my case anyway!

I hate aibu like this!!!

It is rude to ask people to take their shoes off when they visit your house. Sorry if this is unexpected news to you.

We take our shoes off for comfort, and as I say, I will offer to take mine off at yours if I come to visit. But I would never ask, nor expect, people to take their shoes off at my house.

It's just floor.....!

Oh be quiet bornin1984, I didn't say I am not being unreasonable, but then I didn't say 'I am going to make everyone take their shoes off'. I asked whether workmen should offer.

Some people have said they should or use shoe covers, some people think not. I have only said I don't know why people are getting so shirty with their responses. Anyone would think I asked if iwbu to kill your puppy.

But I didn't ask if I should tell people to take their shoes off, I asked if workmen specifically should offer.

Then a discussion started generally around shoes off or on.

Well, whatever, really.

Again ... it's just floor.

Hahahahahahaha

Did you mean to be so rude?? Because some of your responses are actually rather rude!!!

No, workmen specifically shouldn't offer.

It might be nice if your friends did.

Does that help? I am a bit confused as to how they're different questions TBH.

I get that it matters to you, but why bother with a thread if you don't want to know?

The women who installed my TiVo took there's off without asking last week. My window cleaner man does the same.

I don't ask and don't get worked up if they don't but it is thoughtful when they do.

We are definitely a "shoes-off" house - it actually makes a huge difference in keeping our light-coloured carpets/rugs clean - but there's no way I'd be fanatical about it. Occasional visitors, workmen or people dressed up for a social occasion - come in with shoes on and I wouldn't dream of asking them to take their shoes off. Family and friends, yes.

Huh? Because wondering if people should offer is different to asking people to take them off.

Yes, it's slightly more annoying to wonder, and slightly ruder to ask. Marginal differences, though.

If a work man refused would you refuse them entry to your home??
I actually wonder would it invalidate their insurance if they did due to health and safety!

So actually if they were
Doing work yes you would be unreasonable

Should have said theirs

And where did I say I don't want to know? I'm confused.

I will say again, I asked whether work person should offer to take shoes off. Because I don't like shoes in the house, and I've had a few nasty responses. If people think no, why not just say that instead of implying all sorts that I haven't even said?

Ok in response to the question.

Of course workmen shouldn't offer to take off their shoes (unless they've been walking through mud). It's bizarre that anyone would think they should.

No of course they shouldn't. It's a completely odd thing to expect people to do. I'd never come across it until I read about it on mumsnet.

Sky installation guy came over last week and tramped filthy dirty mud tracks all over my new carpet (house move - all carpets replaced) and yes I have a crawling baby. I was ANNOYED AS F*CK not to mention I spent her half hour nap (very very precious time) scrubbing the carpet. So inconsiderate. There are 2/3 mats for wiping feet between the front door and the room he was working on, not to mention a shoe rack in plain sight.
Idiot.
REALLY pissed me off.

Since the question is specifically about workmen's shoes, it would have to be relevant how often they were coming to your house. I can see that if you're getting lots of work done and have workmen popping in and out all the time, this might become an issue but if, like most of us, it is just the occasional visit, I don't see it as a problem.

if they are coming in to give you a quote then fine. But if they are actually doing work and are in and out of your house, I think it would be ridiculous to expect them to be taking their shoes on and off all the time - the onus would then be on you to either cover your flooring, or get it cleaned after. If they're bringing ladders through the house for example, would you really expect them to stop at the front door, take their boots off, carry the ladder to the back door, go back and get their boots, put them on again and off they go - and do that several times? Bonkers.

But I haven't asked anyone to bornin1984, so it's a completely dud point. Perhaps if lots and lots of people had said 'yes they should', 'workmen always do in my house'. I might have considered asking, or at least shoe covers when carrying out for work.

As it stands I hate shoes in house but I just put up with it as I wouldn't like to ask. And that applies to friends and family too, I don't like to ask bit just hope that they will. And most do.

I'm entitled to have thoughts and feelings about things and wonder what other people do. And yes I do think shoes inside is mucky. Doesn't mean I'm going to buy a fucking doormat saying 'shoes off or you're not coming in'. Ffs.

I've had 2 workmen in this week and they just paused at the front door and popped on some shoe covers. It wouldn't have bothered me if they hadn't though.

I did want to ask if people would feel the same about a GP or district nurse visiting? Or is it that the work men's boots might be dirty? When I went into people's houses as a nurse I wouldn't have taken my shoes off, some houses it really wouldn't have been safe to anyway.

You asked in aibu!!!!! You have been given repsonses !! Some agree
Some don't!!! For aibu u have had some easy going answers!

Workmen won't ask! If ur that arsed about it just ask them!!!

It's really a non issue it's
Ur bloody house

We are a no shoe household too, but I don't expect or ask visitors to take shoes off

If somebody were come in with dirty boots (I have a horse) then I don't feel awkward in asking if it doesn't look like they are going to offer to remove boots.

From what I can remember HV and midwife took theirs off without even asking.

For me it's nothing to do with workmen or boots specifically.

I find it bizarre that some people on here thinks it's rude to ask people to remove shoes. Why would you be offended by that? It really is normal amongst my friends and family, I take mine off without even thinking about it. I would never be offended by someone asking.