Get the kettle on. Err no

[Weloveoptimus]

Said to me on the phone by the bloke coming to collect an item he’s buying from me through EBay.
He’s coming round this morning.
I don’t want to put the bloody kettle on! Is this normal?
I wouldn’t dream of asking this of someone I’ve not met.

That’s rude and weirdly overfamiliar, YANBU!

God you lot read so much into a friendly, off the cuff expression. So much negativity! How can you live your lives suspicious of every comment?

"God you lot read so much into a friendly, off the cuff expression."

For some of us though, it only means what it literally means!

HAVE.A.BISCUIT.

Anything i sell when I know the person is coming I put in my shed and then no reason at all to allow in

I wouldn't even let him in. I meet people like that in a public place where possible but if he had to come round I'd be on the doorstep with the telly in arms. Here's the telly. That will be X £, please. Take a flex cable and stick it out a window so he can see that the telly works from the doorstep.

In the north it’s just as supersop said.. it’s just a thing we say for ‘I’m coming over’ or ‘I’m on my way’ or ‘I’ll have to come over sometime’

We don’t actually mean ‘put the kettle on and serve me, wench’

My expectation is that it's a stock expression meant innoffensively. You just don't share enough hinterland to realise this.

If he actually demands a cup of tea on arrival let us know!

I’m in Yorkshire, it’s Northern for “hello”
Interchangeable with “I’m parched”
Having said that it’s a bit odd coming from someone collecting a TV but I doubt he is actually expecting a hot beverage

My dad’s from the midlands and this is definitely normal amongst his family and friends and not in any way, shape or form a power thing. It took me years to realise I fidn’t ACTUALLY have to put the kettle on at that moment and it just meant they were near!

Nothing offensive about it! It’s a phrase not really meant to be taken literally. My dad says it to mean “I’ll be there shortly”- to men and women alike so NOTHING to do with thinking women should provide him with tea

Basically in the time it takes for the kettle to boil, he should be with you. (In theory )

And we’re in the south but English isn’t my dad’s first language, he travels around a lot so picks up sayings from all over.

My grandma was from Yorkshire though and would often say “put’t’ kettle on” or “get’t’ kettle on” to mean she was on her way.

He’s obviously a rapist muderer who likes a brew before each kill, who doesn’t?

Or a normal person trying to polite and friendly in a world where people whinge everyone is so rude and insular and take offence at absolutely everything

Either or...

Blimey & I thought I overthought things! Just a jokey comment meaning he’s on his way 🙂

So its a 50:50 split, friendly or power play.
I'd act like its a power play, since he's a stranger buying something from you, not your Dad.

cantfindname I agree , I think it's got a lot to do with so much interaction being on social media, when you speak to someone in real life you have cues, body language, facial expression, vocal tone and intonation, it's easy to tell if someone is serious, joking, being mean etc, but media messages are often a bit ambiguous so people pour over them looking for clues as to their intent and all too often take a negative view.

And now it seems people are finding it hard to judge meaning even when people speak on the phone. I hope we are not as a human race losing our ability to communicate with each other and read the signals we give out.

It should be called antisocial media.

I think I know this guy.
He walked past my kitchen window whilst doing a "T" sign with his arms. I did the "V" with my fingers in response.

I don’t think power play or friendly, just a bit of a strange thing to say to a stranger, the night before!

Maybe he is actually expecting a cup of tea! Is he traveling far to collect TV?

The answer is to be careful with anyone coming round.

Exactly, ASlice.

Really?

So much hand wringing!

Don't put the kettle on; don't offer him a cup of tea; don't negotiate the price. In fact, he probably doesn't intend for any of this to happen and, if he does, he's an idiot and you don't have to acquiesce.

Even if it is an attempt at power play, you don't have to play along.

It's a way of communicating that his arrival is imminent, e.g. I'm leaving now, if you put the kettle on, I'll be there by the time the tea's made.

It's not actually an instruction to make tea!

I'm with the others saying it's just an expression.

I would say though that unless you're selling the tv as spares or repairs, you really should show it to him working (and video it on your mobile)
Always do this as it keeps you safe from a fake dispute.

OP please don't put the kettle on a) It won't suit you and b) they're a bugger to get out of

I didn't know it was 'just an expression' and would think it weird too.

I'm in the Midlands and no one uses that expression to mean anything other than "get the kettle on". It's rarely used here.