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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to think workmen should plan their toilet breaks better?

192 replies

rockcake · 23/02/2017 21:56

I don't think I've ever had a workman come to the house who hasn't asked to use the loo. Happens every time.

For the last 10 days I've had neighbours' workmen in and out as it's been helpful to them to have scaffolding built in our garden - they're on the 3rd floor - which is fair enough. They've all been as unobtrusive as possible and not asked to use the loo until two particularly scuzzy men turned up to remove the scaffolding today. No sooner were they through the door than one asked to use the loo, so I grudgingly said ok.... dd told me 5 mins later that someone's not flushed their wee - no guesses who - so I flushed it for him.

They're about to leave when I see workman 1 directing workmen 2 to the loo, so I said "make sure you flush it please, your mate didn't...."

Workmen left looking sheepish - but Aibu to think workmen generally should try and use public loos whenever possible? I live in a busy street with 2 cafes only yards away and I always want to direct workmen there, but never summon the nerve to say it.

Am I a wimp - or just not very nice for HATING workmen using my bathroom? Even though I go in with the wipes and the bleach afterwards it still makes me cringe.

What do you do?

OP posts:
Original poster
rockcake · 23/02/2017 23:34

*ilovetorremtial
.... neighbour's flat is on 3rd floor and they might not even have been in at the time. Dont know them v well - and feel v sorry for them as they've had horrible time with this boiler issue- so didn't want to broach toileting subject with them.... was just hoping it wouldn't happen!

Probably a bit anti since the time I had a workman take a nap in my bed when he thought I wouldn't be back--- although some pps prob think that should be allowed too Hmm

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 23/02/2017 23:39

'He always leaves it clean though and lid back down etc.'

Well a lot of people don't. And I don't want to smell or clean up anyone's 'big stinky poo'. I don't care where they go, if I haven't invited them in for a reason (hired them to work for me, for example), then I'm not allowing them to use my loo. I'm not running a fucking public toilet.

Ilovetorrentialrain · 23/02/2017 23:40

Ah I get it then. I'd be exactly the same; reluctantly say they can use it, comment on the non-flushing and hate being put in that situation. Swiftly followed by Marigolds and bleach or antibac. The non- flushing would suggest possible non-hand washing too.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 23/02/2017 23:45

Are the local cafes going to be happy with workmen going in just to make use of their loos?

expatinscotland · 23/02/2017 23:51

Probably not, but that's no reason why someone has to allow strangers she/he hasn't employed, invited, hired, whatever into their home at all.

Original poster
rockcake · 23/02/2017 23:56

Definitely no hand washing being done today ....
arsenal I'm not a middle class housewife. Just saying

OP posts:
MidniteScribbler · 24/02/2017 05:47

They shouldn't have to go down to the café. Toilets in a restaurant aren't public as such, they are for the customers of the restaurant.

If they're working on your property, then they are employed by you and should use your facilities. If they act like dirty pigs, then tell them to clean up after themselves. If they are dirty pigs and are contractors, then tell their boss.

StealthPolarBear · 24/02/2017 05:53

Midnite they are on the ops property but not employed by her

Tangfastics · 24/02/2017 06:08

I have to confess I usually sigh at these threads.......BUT

to my shame I went batshit at a guy last year who used my ensuite.

He was one of the packers in because we were moving overseas. My husband had already gone ahead and I was sorting the last bits outs, getting the dogs shipped with me, having to flit between my house and my dads where I'd be on the final night after my bed had gone.

Anyway, cut a long story short, my bedroom was the last place to be packed. I was downstairs doing something and heard my ensuite being used. Bearing in mind there is another 3 toilets in the house and it was a really stressful time for me, it just felt like a violation of my last bit of personal space.

So yes, I'm afraid I shouted Blush

Tangfastics · 24/02/2017 06:13

I'm not proud of it. Judge away.

sunshin3yellow · 24/02/2017 06:13

Tang you actually shouted at someone for using the ensuite, for the bedroom in a house you were no longer going to be living in after that day? Hmm

Op I hope you got over the horror of a 'scuzzy workman' using your loo.

WateryTart · 24/02/2017 06:25

Happy to oblige if they are working in my house. No chance if they are working elsewhere.

The police are constantly warning us about doorstep cons - how do we know if it's a genuine work person or just a chancer looking to see what they can steal?

Tangfastics · 24/02/2017 06:36

sunshin

Yes I did and I've already said it wasn't my finest moment.

However, my bedroom and ensuite was the only room to have any personal belongings left in. There was no need for him to be in there yet he felt the need to traipse through my room when he could have used a bathroom a few feet from where he was?

I'm sorry but that just counts as thoughtless shitty behaviour to me.

OpalFruitsMarathonsandSpira · 24/02/2017 06:47

Just here to judge you as instructed Tangfastics. You will be a twatty legend in that removals company by now!

Grin
MissBeehiving · 24/02/2017 06:51

We've been building fairly constantly for about three years now and I can honestly say that whether we supplied a portaloo or let them use the house loo it was always left in the most revolting state after a couple of days. It's obviously not every bloke that pisses on the floor/ toilet/ wall doesn't flush/ festoons the room with loo paper etc but there are enough of them!

If I was the OP and it wasn't my build I wouldn't be providing toilet facilities for next doors builders/ scaffolders.

Tangfastics · 24/02/2017 06:54

Probably! I think the poor battered bastard squashed one of my hats on purpose - everything turned up ok but that 😂

I'm sure he didn't lose any sleep over an overwrought expat.

CactusFred · 24/02/2017 06:57

How ridiculous. If you've gotta go you've gotta go! You expect them to visit the cafe and have to buy a drink just so they can pee when you've got a loo right there?

Ok so. It flushing is rude but hardly the end of the world.

YABU.

StealthPolarBear · 24/02/2017 07:01

Cactus do you allow people from the street in to use your loo?

PossumInAPearTree · 24/02/2017 07:01

Workmen using the loo doesn't bother me. We don't have a downstairs loo so if they need to use the upstairs one I would rather they take their boots off but to be honest I still can't get dh to take his shoes off in the house so I have kind of given up.

We do have a working outdoor loo and a lot of workmen when they realise seem to use that one without asking which is fine. I guess maybe it just saves them having to ask to use the loo, outdoor ones are obviously considered fair game to use without asking.

wheelwarrior · 24/02/2017 07:14

You are being unreasonable

I had workmen here he left as finished few mins later knock at door asking if he could use the bathroom as cabnot find public toilets (there is not really any here unless you know where find )
I figured fact he came back he must been desperate and yes he did a poo that stank out the bathroom even though he did try spraying some deordrant poor guy even apologised as leaving
But you know what we all been there when desperate for a poo and he must have been screamingly desperate

Guess what all I did was open the window turn on extractor

And yup workmen working on house often ask use bathroom .I rather they was comfortable and able concertante on work

If it's a long job like my garden I even make hot drinks and bacon /sausage sandwiches
They paid it back as after they left I noticed they done some extra bits which I intended to do at later date when could afford ,that was not part of their job (I could not go out as concrete etc wet )
That would cost me dam site more than bacon sandwiches

Tangofandango · 24/02/2017 07:18

Ive just had two roofers here for 3 days working on my garage. Whenever they needed the loo they went off to the local public toilets. They told me they always do that and would never ask to use the client's loo.

So different to the decorator we had in for a few weeks who, every morning on arriving at the house, went straight into the downstairs loo and proceeded to stink the house out with his poo and leaving skid marks in the pan for me to clean. Why couldn't he go in his own toilet before leaving home 10 minutes before?

After a week of this I felt I knew him well enough to ask him to put some bleach down the loo, spray the air freshener and open the window after he'd been.

EnormousTiger · 24/02/2017 07:22

I've just been lucky. Even when we had up to 6 painters here 2 years ago at a time they never messed up the loo downstairs, not even on the floor of it. Mind you I live with 3 men so perhaps I'm just used to it.

My son a postman says there is a big issue of where you can go to the loo. He has a colleague who has been caught a few times weeing against someone's property when out on his rounds! Ugh. My son never does that however but he has to learn where the public loos are and there are so many shut down these days. i was joking to the children I will leave my money to reinstate our local public loo. There are none at all where I live which is very hard on those with children and all the old people around here and yes there might be a cafe or two but they don't let people wander in to use them and people with money don't appreciate that spending £2 on a drink in order to use a cafe's loo is not affordable for those on low wages.

letsgomaths · 24/02/2017 07:23

I love these threads; as someone who is self-employed, with a small bladder, who visits clients in a large city and depends on their generosity with their facilities, I have yet to meet somebody guarding their toilet.

Where are these fabled public toilets everyone keeps going on about? Toilets accessible by road are now rare, especially in large cities, thanks to drug users. In some towns you can even see where they used to be: one such tiny building has been converted into an estate agency. Even in motorway service areas and supermarkets, you often have to walk a long way into the building to get to them, which costs time.

I had a workWOMAN come to install a satellite dish recently. Perhaps she was on MN; she alternated between taking her trainers off and using plastic overshoes when she went in and out. She didn't hoover up the drill dust though.

Incidentally, I'm a visiting tutor, and I use my clients' loos frequently, especially as said clients are always offering me tea and coffee (should I start a thread: AIBU to refuse tea because it messes up my carefully planned toilet habits)? Not a single client has refused, looked awkward, or even said "mind you flush afterwards".

SoupDragon · 24/02/2017 07:29

I have a special Workman's Privvy for these occasions. Heaven forbid they use the same toilet facilities as us normal people!

I had a workman round to fix my broadband recently. Not only did he want to use the toilet, he wanted to change his phone! Shock

I let him. Because I am not a twat.

JoJoSM2 · 24/02/2017 07:41

When I have workmen using the downstairs loo, I don't tend to go in it myself. I think it's a personal space thing. Howeve, once a delivery man didn't ask to use the facilities. A minute later, I went outside to find him pissing all over the garden gate. The handle included.