Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

To not call this tradesman back?

70 replies

BasinHaircut · 10/04/2015 12:21

Getting some landscaping done in the garden. Had a man coming round between 9-10 this morning to quote. At 10:15 he hadn't areived so I went out. At 10:55 I get a text and 2 missed calls (although I didn't see them until about 20 mins later) saying 'sorry I'm late, have I missed you?' I get home and he has left a card in the door.

AIBU to not get him to quote now, based on the fact that he is not punctual (one of my pet hates) and therefore unreliable? He did turn up eventually but in my book he should have let me know he was going to be so late.

I don't think I want someone like that carrying out work for me but DH says get him back another time.

OP posts:

neighbourhoodwitch · 10/04/2015 12:24

agree with you entirely.

FarFromAnyRoad · 10/04/2015 12:25

I'd be with you on that. If he's telling you what he's like before he's even got the job - well - doesn't have good omens for the future does it? It's sloppy and unprofessional as well as disrespectful to a potential client.

tobysmum77 · 10/04/2015 12:26

yabu, he got held up and has apologised.

Pooka · 10/04/2015 12:29

I think 15mins leeway for someone visiting your house for the first time may be a little harsh. WEre you expecting him to be finished with the quote/assessment by 10.15, at which point you went out?

I am always punctual. Well, almost always, but rarely events conspire resulting in unavoidable lateness. I would tend to give people a second chance rather than being totally uncompromising as even though punctuality is important to me, I know that sometimes shit happens.

ShatnersBassoon · 10/04/2015 12:35

It seems like he was almost an hour late if the text and calls arrived at 10.55. I wouldn't be impressed with that, so wouldn't bother giving him a second chance. If he'd called to say he'd be late at the time he was due to arrive, I'd have waited in for him though.

WeAllHaveWings · 10/04/2015 12:37

I am hate being late for anything, but I'm a bit more forgiving of others. Personally I would give him another chance as he apologised, its really easy to get held up at another customers/builders merchants and forget/not click it would be good to text etc. If he was late a second time I would be less forgiving.

Did you phone him to let him know you were going out just 15 mins after agreed timeslot?

Has the guy come recommended? This would give you a better idea of his reliability.

SeraOfeliaFalfurrias · 10/04/2015 12:40

It wouldn't be that he was held up that would annoy me so much as the fact that he didn't bother to let you know until after the fact, when he was already an hour late. He should have called/texted before 10 to let you know. So no, I wouldn't give him my business. Rude and inconsiderate of my time.

Original poster

BasinHaircut · 10/04/2015 12:46

15mins might not seem that much leeway but he had an hour time slot to get to me OR call and let me know he would be late. If he had called before 10 and said I'll be there at 11 then I'd have either waited in or told him to come after 12 so that I could pop out and do my errands first.

For all I knew he wasn't coming, so I went out. I don't think that's unreasonable?

OP posts:

FuckingLiability · 10/04/2015 12:52

I think I probably would have given him some leeway the first time and not have gone out only 15 minutes after he was due.

Things happen, it's not always possible to call/text. I'd give him the benefit of the doubt, especially if he'd been recommended.

Satsumafairy · 10/04/2015 12:57

I'm big on punctuality but even I think you're being ott. He got held up for 15 mins. There could be a very good reason. It wouldn't put me off at all. Just get the quote and then see how you feel.

Satsumafairy · 10/04/2015 12:59

I don't think yabu to go out when you did but perhaps he miscalculated the time it would take him to get to your house. Granted he could have called you but he did leave a polite note.

Original poster

BasinHaircut · 10/04/2015 13:02

I think the time that I went out is a bit of a red herring here because he was almost an hour late and didn't contact me.

OP posts:

keepsmiling2015 · 10/04/2015 13:05

I5 minutes of course YABU

BodleianLibrarianook · 10/04/2015 13:07

I would get a quote from someone else. He doesn't care enough about your business.
I hate lateness and if he can't be bothered to call to let you know he's going to be late before he even has the job, what will you have to put up with once the job is his?

ItsADinosaur · 10/04/2015 13:07

It's annoying yes but I would have waited more than 15 minutes before rushing out.

HoggleHoggle · 10/04/2015 13:07

Annoying behaviour on his part, but I would get him back for the quote and see what you make of him then - ie is he late again and what does he suggest etc. it could have just being a genuine cock up on his part but you end up thinking he's right for the job.

HoggleHoggle · 10/04/2015 13:09

Gah, been a genuine cock up that should say!

TheoriginalLEM · 10/04/2015 13:10

but he might have sent the text earlier than it arrived. My DP lost a job for a regular client down to not receiving a text from her until the following day once. Just as well though, the woman was a bunny boiler. Not suggesting you are for one minute but i would at least give him the option to explain. If he got stuck on another job, had an issue at home, got stuck in traffic then all of those things would have made him late.

i guess it depends if you have someone else lined up.

Satsumafairy · 10/04/2015 13:10

Yes, I see what you mean. If you'd waited in and he hadn't shown up till 10.55 that's a bit annoying. Still not a deal breaker for me though.

LotsaDots · 10/04/2015 13:14

I'd give him another chance, there maybe a good reason for his lateness. arrange another time to suit you and if he does it again then find someone else.

OnlyLovers · 10/04/2015 13:20

I think being 15 minutes late is forgiveable IF he'd texted as soon as he knew he was going to be late; but I assume that in this case he didn't text until he'd actually arrived at your house, almost an hour late (is that right?)

If so then YANBU. Get someone else.

WeAllHaveWings · 10/04/2015 13:27

I don't think going out just 15 mins after the agreed time slot is a red herring at all. It shows that you have very little forgiveness for punctuality with tradesmen so maybe he is, a brilliant tradesman who got expectantly tied up but, not the one for you.

Personally I would have given him the benefit of the doubt and phoned him before I went out as I would have felt rude not to. I would have then either cancelled/waited or rearranged.

peggyundercrackers · 10/04/2015 13:45

I think YABU - you should have given him more time.

one of my pet hates is people who don't answer their phone - maybe he wont come back because you wont answer your phone...

vitamink · 10/04/2015 14:32

Yanbu. I am sure there are plenty more landscape gardeners who would love to get work from you and would bother to turn up on time. Why give it to the one who doesn't seem to want it?

MustBeDueSomeBetterFeet · 10/04/2015 14:40

If that's the way he makes a first impression, things will not improve believe me.

Flip

1 2 3