Aibu to think workmen should plan their toilet breaks better?

[rockcake]

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?

Had workmen in a few weeks ago doing our drive, they were here for 10 days and only twice came in to use the toilet.

One of them cleaned my toilet within an inch of his life afterwards.

DH is in the industry and I asked him what they usually do because I was amazed no one had used the loo (after the thousands of cups of tea I'd made) and said they will generally hold on until breaks and lunch but if it's a site job they'll have portaloos.

YABU. Can't believe the fuss people make over toilets.

Wheel they are NOT going to do any additional work for the op as a favour

They are not in the OP's employ. They are randoms. She allowed them to put up scaffolding in her garden is all.

One of the cafes I'm talking about backs onto the courtyard right in front of our flats; toilets are right at the back and the cafes back door is always left open - so v easy to nip in and out without buying anything.

Also, it's different if workmen are on a job that takes a while- I'd expect them to need the loo then - but I'm talking about the ones who come to do minor repairs that take less than 20 mins.

.... By scuzzy, I mean someone in filthy clothes and boots (and yes, with v poor personal hygiene ) - not all workmen

sunshine I am over it

If I was the OP I wouldn't be letting the neighbour's workmen use my toilet. Admittedly I have a thing about people using my toilet (even my parents - yes, I'm weird I know, I have no idea why) but builders are the worst for leaving a mess, in my experience. Gas engineers etc seem to have been trained in using a toilet.
But why do some turn up needing the loo straight away when they've gone past an M&S food place just up the road that has customer toilets, a big free car park, and doesn't mind / won't know if you just go in, use the loo and come straight back out???? Is it that difficult to think?

I've looked and this doesn't appear to have been answered yet. Why are the neighbour's workmen in and out of your flat so much and why can't they use the neighbour's toilet?

A couple of posters have mentioned how workwomen do not appear to use their client toilets.

I brought this up on a similar thread some time ago as I thought that people may fear that the workwoman was a Mumsnetter who may judge the householder on the state or her toilet and the consensus appeared to be that most women would not use someone else’s toilet unless absolutely desperate and certainly not for shitting purposes.

It’s not difficult to think Lady but even if you can get parked easily it does take 5/10 minutes minimum to drive in, park up, go in shop, find and use toilet, leave and get on your way, more if there are traffic lights/congestion to get in and out so they may decide that it is just more time efficient to just go when they get to their destination.

The other problem of course is that because in Mumsnet world, toilet brushes are not allowed, no-one knows what to do if they leave a mess because there doesn't appear to be the tools available to clear it up.

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

Well that's obviously completely different isn't it? So I doubt anybody who has commented on this thread would think it's OK. It's a fairly common occurrence for somebody to use the loo in somebody else's home. Not so much to take a nap on their bed.

Not really sure why people post in AIBU when they so clearly think they are completely reasonable and take the piss out of people who disagree with them.

Deep down, I don't like anyone except family and friends using the loo and I don't really know why. That said, I would NEVER refuse someone to, or even give a hint to them that it was a problem.

I can't believe people are so precious about their toilets, how do you all cope with using public toilets? imagine all the scuzzy people who have been in before oh the horror.

I let tradesmen use my loo and we only have one, yes I agree toilet etiquette would be nice, on the other side of things my DH has IBD and if he needs the loo he has to go it's awful for him and too think humans could refuse other human beings the use of the toilets is really sad, im sure most adults ask to use the loo because you know,they need it 🤔. So whilst I guess really the workman should use your neighbours loo yes yabu to refuse.

I had workmen in for nearly 3 months.

I was most upset that I wasn't able to start any MN tilet threads. They were like angles. I didn't even know they had used the toilet.

UNTIL THE FINAL WEEK AND THE DECORATOR USED THE TOILET

Oh. My. Fucking. God.
Day 1 came home to a non-flushed toilet (just wee) and all thre toilet roll gone. WAs a bt 'huh' cos I had put a new one out that morning as the ld one was a bit low.
I came home on day 2 to SHIT smeared all around the toilet. Not properly flushed. No toilet roll left (had put a new one out the night before remember) and no evidence that the guy had used the toilet cleaner and loo brush to even try and sort it out. There was plenty of kitchen roll in the kitchen on show had he genuinely had an accident and run out of toilet paper. I have no idea what he was doing with all the toilet paper. Eating it?

Fucking rank.

Anyway, I took a photo and sent it to the lead contractor saying it was completely inappropriate to leave a clients toilet in this state and I expected it to be cleaned first thing in the morning, and who ever was responsible needed to be house trained ASAP. Profuse apology and assurance that it wouldn't happen again.

Then I closed the door and went out for dinner and had a wee in the restaurant toilet. Got up extra early and showered/toileted at my gym. Came home to a clean toilet.

Tango the builders who came to convert my attic said the same as your roofers, but as where I live you'd have to go up to the Costa or builders cafe which is a 5 minute drive I said not to worry unless they were getting lunch/breakfast etc. the worker who made a mess and did a poo every morning from 10 minutes away is bloody rude and obviously preferred to use your toilet rather than his!

I recently had my attic converted and I'm in a split level maisonette/flat with upstairs toilet and downstairs outside toilet. I expressly politely asked before the job was started if they wouldn't mind using the downstairs one where possible but if they did use the upstairs one to use air freshener etc. the 2 builders who were here for 6 weeks complied with that. Surprisingly enough I was really lucky and both toilets were always clean and flushed.

I'd let them use my toilet.
It's not made of solid gold.

This subject always reminds me of "The Help" when the black servants aren't allowed to use the white people's toilet.

Bluebird*
There's been plenty of piss-taking on both sides here I think, and I also thought I was probably BU, which is why I asked.

'Because I'm not a twat' - maybe not soup but you are self righteous, which is just as bad. Topic isn't how nice we are to workmen by letting them charge phones etc - I do that too - its about (some) strangers thinking it's ok to use facilities when they're clearly NOT desperate, then not treating with respect

Barbara workmen were nearer my flat at the time and would have had to go up to 3rd floor to use neighbours toilet....

The OP is mainly concerned about those workmen not flushing the loo. That is gross. Why do some of you think it is acceptable for ANYONE to flush a loo in her own home after a workman who has not bothered? Some of your attitudes amaze me.

I guess you are just trying to make the OP feel stupid, though... hmmm

I've never understood the preciousness about toilets & workmen - it's a toilet, it's purpose is to be used.
However none of the trades we've had in (and we've had lots as we completely refurbished our house) have ever left the loo in a state, if they did I would say something directly to them as I would any visitor who did the same.
I tend to find the worst culprits for making a mess is visiting kids who despite being 'supervised' by their parents seem to leave the toilet in a state... I obviously don't blame the kids but do the parents suddenly develop blindness when at somebody else's house? Personally I'm more paranoid about cleaning up after the kids when at somebody else's.

@expatinscotland - yes, I know that it's not the OP's workmen who are needing the loo, and I agree completely that it's not her responsibility to provide facilities - my point about the cafe loos was a general one.

I think it was very considerate of the OP to let the workmen use her loo (definitely going over and above) - I would probably do the same if my neighbours were having work done, but hadn't given their workmen access to any facilities at their house (which is a bit thoughtless, imo). My view is that, if I have work being done on my house, it's a good thing to keep the workmen happy - cups of tea, biscuits and use of a loo seem pretty basic to me - and I can't help wondering what the OP's neighbours think their workmen are going to do about access to a loo!

However, I do think there is an onus on the workmen to appreciate that the OP didn't have to let them use the loo, and so they should leave it in the condition in which they found it.

I have never had a problem with workmen using my loo and leaving it manky - if I did, it might make me less willing to offer the use of the loo as readily in the future.

OP YANBU

Of course visitors (builders or others) should be able to use your toilet if they need it when they are at yours.
BUT it is ALWAYS workmen who leave it dirty / don't wash their hands / go for poos and don't air the room afterwards and don't clean up the toilet bowl.

A lot of PC saying you can't prevent them from needing the toilet, bodily function, etc. Yes, but they have to behave like civilized people, not leave their bodily fluids for someone else to clean. I am sure there are exceptions, but when a certain population is 90% likely to leave a mess then the 10% only have their colleagues to blame for being badly treated.

How come I always find the toilet in a normal condition when my nanny/husband/friends/... use it??

The OP is mainly concerned about those workmen not flushing the loo

She seems mainly concerned with them not using her toilet at all.

Cara get real. Do you see anybody here saying it's fine to not flush the toilet?