To not want to leave tradesmen alone in my house?

[hippadoppaloppagorillapig]

Long story short - we're having work done on our house. I have a half marathon to train for in June. I've already done a half marathon so distance isn't an issue but with the work going on, I've not been running in over a week. I miss it! Boroe here is my AIBU. I don't want to leave the tradesmen with full access to my house while I go running in case they are not of the honest variety. Apparently this is unreasonable & I should go out for a run. What do you think mumsnet?

It's up to you OP, I am very protective of my home too. However my DH is a tradesman who generally is given a key and free acces to his clients houses. He is completely trustworthy and believes most of his fellow tradesman are too. A good reputation takes years to build and only a fool would jepodise that.

Why does everyone here think tradesmen are dishonest? Seriously, why would they want to nick stuff from your house and risk loss of reputation and business?
I have been having building work done for nearly a year. There is no way I could avoid leaving them here 'unsupervised' for that long.

Why does everyone here think tradesmen are dishonest? Seriously, why would they want to nick stuff from your house and risk loss of reputation and business?
I have been having building work done for nearly a year. There is no way I could avoid leaving them here 'unsupervised' for that long.

You're right to worry.

If you leave them alone they'll be lying on your bed with their boots on, wearing your nightie and drinking tea.

You know what these people are like.

Only if the nightie is extra large piglet. My DH is a big fella!

I had something nicked as a student by a tradie. Not saying it is common, but it does happen.

Go for a run. If tradesmen want to "steal" from you, they're far more likely to overcharge for the work or for materials than burgle random objects.

Have you not been out in over a week?

Our house was being renovated and it took over seven month to complete, no way was i hanging around in the midst of all that mess!
I was there on the various workmen's first day to show them where everything was, go over what we wanted done and gave them a key.

When i wasn't working (i have 4 days off a week) i stayed in hotels in the nearest city to relax and get out the way.
The cost of this was taken into account when we were planning the renovation as otherwise i wouldn't have coped with the upheaval!

My DH was at work all day so it didn't really impact his life and my DD stays in the city of the uni she attends.
It was the best thing i could have done, and all the workmen were very respectful of our house and left the place as clean as was possible.

My letting agency vouched for a guy they had replacing my boiler. I moved into mums for a few days. When I got home I found out he'd burnt a load of my stuff. Some he left like that, some he stole took away. He denied it and letting agency did not support me. They sent a letter saying I. Should be grateful improvements were being done to house.

Never again.

I have had things go 'missing' many times, all different tradesmen too.
It seems they can't resist it, phone taken from a drawer, garden tools from one house, a planter (decorator had that, different house), another house, a bag of tools from a cupboard - got those back, a washing line. Other small things. Not all of them do it, but you don't actually KNOW until the things are gone.

Even petty stuff, like some fixings that were taken by an electrician. I knew they were there as they were on the floor and I was going back to pick them up. When I went back a few minutes later they were gone. I asked and was ignored. He must have been so hard up he needed a packet of ties that cost £1.00.

So, not only leaving them alone in the house, but locking up everything you own is a good idea. I have never lived anywhere that I haven't had something pinched.

Well it does happen and I know someone whose very expensive and precious jewellery was stolen. For insurance reasons she is now not allowed to leave the house when anyone eg cleaner is there.

it's up to you and you'll have to train in the evenings instead.

I don't know anyone who stays home for it though. Most people have jobs. Even when i was on maternity leave I wouldn't stay at home all day when we were having work done.

I leave keys for my regular tradespeople. If I didn't have a good feeling about them they wouldn't be working for me in the first place anyway!

I have a job. I work evenings, hence being at home. Anyway, he's finished now so am going, give me a boot up the arse!

By the way, I don't wear nighties, can't stand the thought of the breeze on my fanjo. I am fully expecting to be called unreasonable for this!

I judge purely on instinct. I've happily left decorators, joiners and electricians who I've only just met in the house, but there's been a few who I would not dream of it. Tradesmen are 90 or 95% decent people, friendly and respectful, but there's always an element (as with any kind of work) that are surly and who have made too many nosy comments for me to feel comfortable with leaving them alone in the house. Or who have made a creepy comment, or taken liberties of some kind. I don't trust them to not poke around the house when I'm out.

I wouldn't leave anyone alone unless I knew them well. I had a neighbour's electrician break into my shed while I was out at work years ago but I couldn't prove it. Bit of a coincidence that he was there working though when the break-in occurred, and the only access that wouldn't be seen by neighbours was over the side fence in between us.

If it will cause you anxiety to give them access to your home when you are out, don't do it. But accept that it will have an impact on your running schedule. Unless you can find a "sitter" you trust to be around the home to allow you to go out?

I go on instinct. Luckily we have friends who are builders/decorators and they do all our stuff for us.

Most people leave them their keys, and one woman went to the shops leaving them with her 3 year old

My DP is a tradesman, around 60% of time he is alone is a customers house. It is very common but if you're not comfortable then no you're not being unreasonable.