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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

In not removing review

351 replies

onanothertrain · 21/08/2019 13:16

Contacted a tradesperson for urgent repair, was told no problem, they would check the diary and phone me back within an hour. 4 hours later, no phone call so I sent a text. Another 4 hours later still nothing. I will admit to being annoyed so I left a Google review stating the above. An hour later I got a text asking me to remove the review as they hadn't actually done any work for me and they were working hard to maintain their business. I didnt respond and have now had 2 more texts asking me to remove the review. Im now considering either ignoring the texts and blocking, removing my review but leaving another one explaining why or just removing it all together. Although my stubborn side is not leaning towards the third option. So Aibu not to remove it?

OP posts:
Yellowbutterfly1 · 21/08/2019 14:05

I’m not sure if I would have done the same as you but totally understand why you did.
A local town Facebook page to me won’t allow anyone to post a negative review about a company, only a positive which I think is wrong.
So many times somebody will write that they have contacted several plumbers (or whatever) that we’re recommended on the Facebook page but not had bothered replying or turning up.
I would want to know who the companies where so that I know to avoid them but they are not allowed to say.
Most of the recommendations are by friends and family, not previous customers.

Watchingthyme · 21/08/2019 14:05

@LisaSimpsonsbff
Hahaha ok then.

Genuinely think most people on here have partners who are “these” type of tradespeople. Only want to do the jobs they want to do. Can’t be arsed to call people back. Generally quite arrogant and have a “can’t be fucked” attitude. We’ve all come across them, and I wish people would leave more honest reviews. I haven’t ever, because I can’t be bothered. But sometimes I wish I had.

Grandmi · 21/08/2019 14:05

It depends how much satisfaction you will get by potentially destroying the guys reputation and even his business! You should remove it asap.

ArgumentativeAardvaark · 21/08/2019 14:05

hesgehoglurker but it’s not unfair to say you’ll call back in an hour and then still not have called back 8 hours later?
sandytoes84 how is it entitled to take someone at their word when they promise to call you back about an urgent matter within a specific time? And give them a reminder and an extra 7 hours to respond before you get annoyed about it?

ALittleBitAlexis · 21/08/2019 14:06

I would never leave a review if I hadn't actually had work carried out by them, and it's so annoying when you see 1* reviews of restaurants that just say "I've never eaten here because I couldn't get through on the phone to book a table, terrible."

Comments about service are fine as part of a review of a whole experience, but it's so possible that a delay in phoning back is a one-off it really isn't helpful to other customers if that's your only comment.

Ravenblack · 21/08/2019 14:06

YABU. OK to be pissed off, but leaving a bad review like this (when said tradesperson did not even come to your house and do anything,) is batshit. It could get you into a situation where NO tradesperson will come to you.

These men (and women) do talk to each other ya know.

Remove the review @onanothertrain That is my advice.

MisterOnion · 21/08/2019 14:07

If a tradesperson is unreliable then I would want to know.

So would I but I'd give it more than a few hours before leaving a review

If it were that urgent, why didn't you contact a handful of tradespeople? You know he probably has other customers 🥴

sandytoes84 · 21/08/2019 14:07

@LochJessMonster I agree it’s frustrating when it happens, and it does happen to all of us in all kinds of situations, but I would just assume something more urgent than my urgent problem was happening and try someone else. A call back isn’t a human right FFS, if it’s that urgent try as many as possible!

LisaSimpsonsbff · 21/08/2019 14:08

how is it entitled to take someone at their word when they promise to call you back about an urgent matter within a specific time? And give them a reminder and an extra 7 hours to respond before you get annoyed about it?

It's not the getting annoyed about it that's entitled, it's channelling that annoyance into deliberately trying to harm their business. And OP knew that was what she was doing - she didn't leave a bad review for the fun of it, she knew it would make it harder for them to get future work. It's a totally mad overreaction to what happened, and spiteful.

SunnyIn · 21/08/2019 14:09

Honestly I'd just call another tradesperson after a couple of hours if the first hadn't got back to me. If the repair was urgent, I'd just shrug and move onto the next person.

Templetonstunafish · 21/08/2019 14:09

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turnaroundbrighteyes · 21/08/2019 14:09

I don't think you are being unreasonable if he knew it was an emergency situation and promised a call back within an hour that was a dick move on his part as you wasted at least an hour in an emergency situation before ringing anyone else!

inmyfeelings · 21/08/2019 14:10

People aren't 'opposed to truthful reviews ' they're opposed to reviewing someone negatively before an exchange of goods or services has been agreed or taken place Hmmdoes potentially wrecking someone's business sit well on your conscience op?

Treem · 21/08/2019 14:10

I'd reply to him saying that if you hear from him one more time you will add to the review that he is now harassing you. Then block. Leave the review up.

Yeahnahmum · 21/08/2019 14:10

People stating that op is batshit crazy for leaving an honest review based on facts....
Hmm
Who is batshit here??? You.. not op
Tradesman said A and did B. The review is honest. And the tradesman should work on communication skills.

I would leave another review saying that they texted me trying to delete the reviewWink (ok that one would be out of spite though hahah)

Watchingthyme · 21/08/2019 14:10

He can actually reply on google.
Plenty of people leave reviews that are a bit suss. It’s part and parcel of running a business any business. You’ve got the right of reply.
That’s what a business owner should do. Not send repeated texts messages to someone

Boysey45 · 21/08/2019 14:11

I'd leave it on, hes unreliable and you are telling the truth. If he was unable to call you back and had too much on then he should have said.

Watchingthyme · 21/08/2019 14:11

@inmyfeelings
So your customer service is nothing to do with your business?? Only the physical work?

sandytoes84 · 21/08/2019 14:11

@Watchingthyme yes we probably do - he worked overnight on Tuesday as a retained firefighter then went to straight work without sleep or breakfast until 9pm last night. His phone died during his 21 hour work day and when he recharged it he had 3 increasingly disgruntled messages from a customer worth an urgent problem. You don’t know what else ‘these’ tradesman have on, but I assure you to make a living and support a family they’re not sat around eating bacon butties!

ArgumentativeAardvaark · 21/08/2019 14:12

Weird, here was me thinking that reviews were for telling people about your experience with a particular service Hmm. But no, they are a spiteful weapon?

Don’t put your business on a site that allows reviews if you can’t take honest feedback. And if you have a reasonable explanation, call and give it, then ask for it to be removed- don’t just ask aggressively for it to be removed and whine about working hard to maintain your business. You aren’t, if you are making empty promises.

NoFucksImAQueen · 21/08/2019 14:14

its annoying because as everyone else said 8 hours was a bit soon to be leaving a bad review and the chances are he wouldn't have got back to you at all and a day later you could have left it quite justifiably. having had a lot of work done recently, flaky, rude and unreliable tradesmen boil my piss but yabu to have left it so soon. most people will just assume he had an emergency callout in that time and your review wont make a difference.

Cordial11 · 21/08/2019 14:14

All people who are saying leave it are obviously not tradepeople / have partners as tradespeople. Reviews should be quality of work. Really harsh!

LollyBmummy3 · 21/08/2019 14:14

Remove it! He/she is prob working really hard to make the business a success. Perhaps they were just having a super busy day and didn’t have time to return your call. My husband used to run his own business, It was exhausting for the whole family. One negative review invalidates all the good ones!

RedDogsBeg · 21/08/2019 14:15

And OP knew that was what she was doing - she didn't leave a bad review for the fun of it, she knew it would make it harder for them to get future work. It's a totally mad overreaction to what happened, and spiteful.

Firstly, he could have had the OP's work if he'd bothered to call back when he said he would, or advise by text that he was unable to do so.

Secondly, he will lose future work if he doesn't call back other potential customers when he promises to, so his fault not the Op's.

Please explain how leaving a review stating a promised return call within an hour never happened despite reminders and waiting for 8 hours is spiteful rather than factual?

Lesson to tradesman is don't promise what you can't or don't want to deliver.

Itsyersel · 21/08/2019 14:16

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