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Original poster

To not let this plumber in?

97 replies

BillyButtfuck · 02/05/2017 11:55

We reported a broken tap to our letting agent over a week ago and they said their plumber, who we have met before, would be in contact.
Have just had a knock on the door and it's the plumber saying he's here to do the tap.
DH is off sick, and has been up all night throwing up in that bathroom and is currently in the bath in there. I was in my pjs and in the middle of making lunch for dtwins who were having a bit of a scream down (13mo).

I said nows really not a good time could he please phone and arrange a time with us and not turn up out of the blue, he said he tried to call me at 8 and I didn't answer, I have no missed call and he got really shirty and said we would be put to the back of the list when he has an opening but could be weeks.

DH just asked who was at the door and when I told him he said 'why didn't you just let him in, I could have got out the bath, he's doing us a favour?' And looked a bit Hmm

At the time I just felt like I was in the middle of chaos and I didn't need another thing going on, but DH has made me feel a bit stupid and I think I over reacted.

I was unreasonable wasn't I Blush

OP posts:
LostMySanityCanIBorrowYours · 02/05/2017 11:57

He's not doing you a favour. He's being employed by your LL to provide a service. He gets paid for it, the same way he would if were paid directly by yourselves as homeowners.

Get back onto the letting agents.

GoingplaceZ · 02/05/2017 11:59

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

thereinmadnesslies · 02/05/2017 12:00

Not unreasonable, but maybe you could have been more pragmatic. Plumber availability is always a nightmare, so personally I would have allowed him in rather than potentially wait several weeks for a more convenient time.

pasturesgreen · 02/05/2017 12:02

Bit of both really.

He's most definitely not doing you a favour, but you were a bit unreasonable to send him packing.

ZeroFuchsGiven · 02/05/2017 12:03

I don't understand this, He came to fix a problem which you reported as wanting fixed then you refuse to let him in?

How strange Confused

Chloe84 · 02/05/2017 12:04

I had this, the plumber turned up while DH and I were at work. When I told him, plumber said he had called. When I told him I neither DH or I had received a call, he went off one about people like us Confused

KingJoffreysRestingCuntface · 02/05/2017 12:06

Ah, the missed call.

"I tried to call you..!"

Yeah, of course you did.

Hmm
caz323 · 02/05/2017 12:07

Like you, OP, I would have preferred some notice and I would have challenged his lie about the phone call. But, I think I would actually have asked him to just wait a few minutes as I would want the tap fixed.

Justmuddlingalong · 02/05/2017 12:10

I don't understand how letting him in to fix the tap would have made your day more chaotic. You would just get on with your stuff and he would have gotten on with his. I'm not surprised he seemed a bit shirty.

Goldfishjane · 02/05/2017 12:16

I don't think you were unreasonable

you might have been out! this should have been fixed in advance.

NellieFiveBellies · 02/05/2017 12:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SapphireStrange · 02/05/2017 12:18

I think it's a bit of both but I understand the feeling of being caught on the hop.

And ultimately, you're the customer (he's not doing you a favour Hmm unless he's working for free, which I somehow doubt) and of course he should phone to book a time.

I don't believe for a second he tried to call you. Or, if he did, he's been given the wrong number.

Get on to the letting agents.

LadyPW · 02/05/2017 12:20

He should have rung first to fix a convenient time for you and him. As in actually rung, not just pretend rung. It's common courtesy and the letting agents should be told that.

FrenchLavender · 02/05/2017 12:20

He should have called ahead first, but perhaps he was in the area unexpectedly, had some spare time and thought he'd get it out of the way for you.

You didn't have to let him in, but now he'll probably make you wait ages for being a bit difficult about it.

In the end, you want your tap fixed quickly, don't you? It's no skin of his nose whether you have to wait a day or a month.

carabos · 02/05/2017 12:21

Why do people say that they've called when they haven't? Don't they know how mobiles actually work? Someone tried that with me the other day and it really pisses me off cos it's in the "dog ate my homework" territory of insults to the intelligence.

He should have called, you should have let him in and let him catch DH's bug as a punishment.

Aeroflotgirl · 02/05/2017 12:21

Yanbu at all, the bathroom was out of action as your dh was using it constantly. If you have only one bathroom, and someone throwing up all the time that is a problem. They should have contacted you beforehand to arrange a convenient date, that is normally what you do, not just show up like that. What if op had an appointment, or had to be somewhere, very rude. Call them up, tell them that the plumber arrived just like that with no prior warning, it was not convenient, so please can we arrange another time.

RedSkyAtNight · 02/05/2017 12:21

I'd have asked him in and got him to wait.

Surely it's more hassle to re-organize another time?

If he's been given your phone number through the letting agent, I bet they've given him the wrong one (after all it's more hassle for the plumber to turn up and find you not in, than to ring in advance).

bigbluebus · 02/05/2017 12:21

Your loss - you're the one with a broken tap!

It may not have been the best way to have organised the repair but at least you would have got it done and over with!

GnatsChuff · 02/05/2017 12:25

You over reacted and all you have done is inconvenience yourself further. He may well have tried to call, but been given the wrong number, or just one of those random mobile glitches where it goes straight to voicemail and doesn't tell you for 3 days (happens a lot here due to poor signal coverage).

He's not doing favours, no. But might charge your landlord for the call out today as well as when you actually let him across the threshold. He will have to block another slot for another occasion and won't necessarily be able to fill today's now empty one.

PuppyMonkey · 02/05/2017 12:25

I think you could have been a bit more amenable - let him in, explain the issue with DH being sick and currently in bath and ask could he wait five mins or if that wasn't convenient, come back at a better time. Just saying "no, you're not coming in, now isn't a good time" sounds a bit arsey and I wouldn't be surprised if the plumber gets all booked up for the next week.

Original poster
BillyButtfuck · 02/05/2017 12:27

Oh I fully take on board that I was most likely being unreasonable. I'll definitely think it through more logically next time Grin I didn't even care about the tap in the few minutes he was here I just wanted him to go away and leave me to clear up the sicky bed sheets and try and calm my boys. Silly really because yes, I really want the tap fixed!

I really just wanted the floor to open up and swallow me up. I wasn't even dressed literally in an oversized pj top and nothing else. I thought he was a parcel delivery.

If he had phoned me I would have told him today is really really not convenient. I'll let the letting agent know and ask them to make sure any one they send out speaks to us to find a convenient time first.

OP posts:
Ihatethedailymail1 · 02/05/2017 12:27

i bet if you were paying for him yourself you would have let him in.

Ridiculous, you need a plumber, you asked for one, one arrived and you send him away and complain about it!

ThouShallNotPass · 02/05/2017 12:28

Not unreasonable at all to expect a service provider to make an appointment. However, on this occasion I would have grumbled about it later and had a working tap. The Letting agents still have to get your tap repaired in a timely fashion and this time they need to ensure that a time is agreed first.

I once got home and the plumber had let himself in and was busy fixing the shower! The door had been left unlocked as husband was in but had fallen asleep after a night shift. Luckily I didn't actually mind as the plumber had been lots of times before and I think he was under the impression that he had the landlord's permission to come in to the rental.
Not very professional but I had been dying for that shower to get repaired! Grin
I even offered the fella a cup of tea.

RachelRagged · 02/05/2017 12:32

You just wanted him to go away ?

Well, OP, if I was your landlord I'd not be impressed, especially as others have said, the plumber will likely charge said LL for payment , even though your tap is not fixed.

Crazy.

Garlicansapphire · 02/05/2017 12:33

Sorry OP but I think if it were you trying to get hold of the plumber to come and fix something you would have let him in - because it is often a nightmare to get them to respond and to tell you when they can come and find a time that's suitable - and there's often quite a wait till they say they can fit you in. Sure he should've called first but I would have been grateful he'd come so soon. I think you were a bit unreasonable and may now have to wait a while for someone to come back.

I've just taken 2 and a half weeks to get an electrician to come back -chasing him and his availability. Still you'll just have to wait now.

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