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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

How to I put this nicely - workmen.

42 replies

Iamnotagoddess · 29/07/2019 16:51

Have workman here atm doing some work for a few days.

I have gone to work and left them to it.

Come home and they have clearly been going up and down the stairs (to use the loo - which is fine) with their fucking filthy boots on. I am going to have to scrub the bloody carpet and mop the bathroom floor. It’s not a new carpet but that isn’t the point, I am pissed off!

I want to text the guy to say tomorrow please can you all take your shoes off before you go upstairs but I don’t want to sound like an arsey cow - how do I phase it nicely?! Hmm

OP posts:
Passthecherrycoke · 29/07/2019 16:52

Ask them to use boot covers and say they brought mud in. Don’t over think it, they don’t care either way.

plunkplunkfizz · 29/07/2019 16:53

Ask them to put down a dust sheet and they can either do that or take the hint about boots. I imagine it would be quite time consuming to decide you need to pee, stop what you're doing and make the area safe, go to the door, take boots off, upstairs, pee, then do the whole thing in reverse.

JemimaPuddlePeacock · 29/07/2019 16:56

Don’t overthink it. You don’t have to sound nicey nice when they’ve caused potential damage in your home (are you sure the stains will come up from the carpet? I have new carpets and I’d be fucking livid; then again I would have told them beforehand no shoes on the carpet).

Message and say ‘I noticed that someone had been using the bathroom with their shoes on as the floor was filthy and needs cleaning, please can you ensure anyone using the toilet puts a dust cover down or used boot covers or removes shoes, thanks’

billysboy · 29/07/2019 16:57

you can buy a plastic sheet that sticks to the stairs a bit like selotape

put it down at the start and take it up when the job is complete

billysboy · 29/07/2019 16:58

or provide them an outside porta loo at £20 a week

Original poster
Iamnotagoddess · 29/07/2019 16:59

@billysboy

It’s a bit late now Sad

We have floorboards downstairs and they are covered in muddy footprints Angry

OP posts:
Original poster
Iamnotagoddess · 29/07/2019 17:00

Do I clean the floor tonight or wait till they have gone Confused

OP posts:
wink1970 · 29/07/2019 17:00

ask them to put a dust sheet down; I'm surprised they didn't already, as most workmen turn up with one under their arm nowadays.

NoSauce · 29/07/2019 17:01

Just text saying “ thanks for the work today, if using the loo would you mind taking off your boots before going upstairs, cheers! “

They should be doing it anyway!

Teacakeandalatte · 29/07/2019 17:02

I agree you could ask for them to pay for the carpet to be cleaned as most workmen would use a carpet cover.

Original poster
Iamnotagoddess · 29/07/2019 17:05

They have even trodden all over the bloody post ....

OP posts:
Original poster
Iamnotagoddess · 29/07/2019 17:07

And helped themselves to tea and coffee and not washed up the bloody cups!

OP posts:
JemimaPuddlePeacock · 29/07/2019 17:09

That’s really shit. What are you going to do?

Original poster
Iamnotagoddess · 29/07/2019 17:13

I have texted as Nosauce suggested but he also told me that he would cover the furniture with a dust sheet which he has not done and everything is absolutely covered and all the floors are filthy.

OP posts:
Username9641 · 29/07/2019 17:28

Were they recommended? I've never had this with any workmen, they're usually respectful about the house, covering things up etc.
I'd remind him he said he'd cover furniture and ask him to do so before they start tomorrow.

Original poster
Iamnotagoddess · 29/07/2019 17:32

We got them off Checkatrade.

OP posts:
SillyNameChanger · 29/07/2019 17:37

Iamnotagoddess

We got them off Checkatrade.

I don't trust that website ever since last year I walked past a moving van with a man inside who was coughing, sneezing and spluttering ALL OVER the boxes and furniture inside and making no effort whatsoever to cover his mouth. It was utterly foul. The van proudly boasted a checkatrade sticker on the side.

Have a word in the morning and tell them to clean up after themselves, how bloody rude. My father is a builder and he would never leave a house in such a state.

SillyNameChanger · 29/07/2019 17:38

Sorry, the van wasn't moving. It was a movers van Grin parked in front of a house. I always wondered if the occupants got sick that winter and whether he was responsible.

Seeleyboo · 29/07/2019 17:46

What kind of shoddy company is this.

VenusTiger · 29/07/2019 17:59

Boot covers will only work if they’re left at the bottom of the stairs for them to put on each time. They should have dust sheets or plastic adhesive carpet protector for stairs anyhow.

mommybear1 · 29/07/2019 18:02

My experience (bitter - huge house renovation) is no matter how nice or mean you are they frankly don't give a 💩. I'd clean tonight so there is not so much ingrained etc have you got any old towels or bed sheets you could put down? Appreciate you have asked them and they said they would sheet up but they clearly haven't and tbh probably have no intention to do so.

Original poster
Iamnotagoddess · 29/07/2019 18:02

I have vacuumed the stairs but Hmm

OP posts:
LittleAndOften · 29/07/2019 18:03

Checkatrade is meaningless - anyone can be on it, they just have to pay a subscription!

Original poster
Iamnotagoddess · 29/07/2019 18:04

I do read the reviews though.

OP posts:
Comefromaway · 29/07/2019 18:06

Thats not on. Our lads (plumbers not builders) have dust sheets and shoe covers, heck they even wear them if they come into our upstairs office from the downstairs workshop.