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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask if you would accept an offer of cash to leave a positive review of a tradesman on a website

34 replies

InTheRoseGarden · 26/03/2018 17:26

We used a website to find someone to do some work on our house. They didn't do a good job but did offer to fix the things they had done badly. We said the best review we could give would be a neutral one. They offered cash to leave a positive review.

What would you do? Smile

OP posts:
kaytee87 · 26/03/2018 17:27

No, I wouldn't do it. It's bribery and illegal. Not to mention unfair on any potential clients.

PavlovianLunge · 26/03/2018 17:28

I’d turn the bribe down (probably with a few choice words) and leave an honest review. I’d be tempted to mention the bribe in my review.

DancingLedge · 26/03/2018 17:28

I would include their offer in the review.

Bluelady · 26/03/2018 17:29

Absolutely not in a million years.

Whydomypubeslooklikeanest · 26/03/2018 17:29

Depends how much cash Grin

clownfaces · 26/03/2018 17:30

No way would I accept the cash. It would be very unfair to potential customers.

velourvoyageur · 26/03/2018 17:31

Umm no of course not. I wouldn't even consider it.
You'd be lying to people in your community, hardly worth it unless you're on your knees desperate for cash.

SchoolMoney · 26/03/2018 17:33

No way. But I would mention that they suggested it in the review.

ChelleDawg2020 · 26/03/2018 17:34

It depends how much money. Not for the sort of sum they are likely to offer, but if you were talking £10,000 then I'd definitely do it no matter how shit they were. Cash in advance though!

Snowjoker · 26/03/2018 17:34

It’s odd really because they could just have refunded some of your money, then your review might have been more positive anyway!

VanillaPriscilla · 26/03/2018 17:39

No , I think that it’s really bad for them to ask / suggest that
I wouldn’t want to get involved with these people at all

chickenowner · 26/03/2018 17:40

God no!

UtterlyDesperate · 26/03/2018 17:41

If you are thinking about it, OP, clearly they've found your price Hmm

Like PP, I would now leave a review (probably wouldn't have before) mentioning the offer of a bribe: I'd also report them to the website for this.

Mrsemcgregor · 26/03/2018 17:44

Out of pure curiosity, how much is a good review worth to this tradesman? Are we talking £20 or £200 or more?!

IAmWonkoTheSane · 26/03/2018 17:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Myimaginarycathasfleas · 26/03/2018 17:48

I would not leave a review of any kind at this stage. If the work was substandard to begin other problems might crop up. You might need some leverage later. Don't accept a bribe, however tempting.

MistressDeeCee · 26/03/2018 17:52

No. Really unfair on future clients, and giving a shoddy worker more opportunity to take the piss out of people spending their hard earned money on necessary works.

Original poster
InTheRoseGarden · 26/03/2018 18:05

Ironically I chose them on the basis of their positive reviews! I can see why they have so many now.

They've already knocked hundreds off their agreed fee (taking it down to a third of the original price) due to the issues. We might still have to completely redo the job (ending up out of pocket by a long way). They've offered close to £100 for a positive review because they get all their work from this website.

OP posts:
brownelephant · 26/03/2018 18:08

no way!
leave an honest review and tell them to spend the 'bribe' on better training.

Pengggwn · 26/03/2018 18:09

I certainly wouldn't accept money to leave a dishonest review.

If I liked them I would just neglect to review the work.

babydreamer1 · 26/03/2018 19:20

So you would leave someone else potentially thousands of pounds out of pocket just for £100? Possibly someone vulnerable who couldn't stand up for themselves to get them to fix the shoddy job?

No. I would leave an honest review including the bribe. Let the review company know and also trading standards.

Idontdowindows · 26/03/2018 19:24

No, and I would include the bribe in the review now.

choseausername1 · 26/03/2018 19:24

No way! Think of the next poor person who will fall victim to them!

glasshalfemp · 26/03/2018 19:28

Include the bribe in the review. Awful. Just awful.

Iamagreyhoundhearmeroar · 26/03/2018 19:28

They get all their work from this website... So you're happy to let other people get screwed over by these incompetent idiots, if they bung you a few quid.
Shame on you. That's probably how you got ripped off in the first place.