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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Room Hire? Taking advantage of doing a favour?

44 replies

ThrowAwayQP · 17/10/2019 16:50

This is a current hot debate where I am right now; so interested to hear opinions:

Background:
Our local community centre rents out rooms by the hour for community groups; Youth club, table tennis, am dram rehearsals, that sort of thing. And the centre is also managed and run entirely by volunteers of which I am one.

A volunteer will come into the building, make any changes to the room that are required (moving tables and chairs etc.) and then stay for the duration of the booking before locking up afterward. Pretty standard.

As it happens; one of our volunteer key holders also runs one of the groups that meet in the building; so opens up and locks up. Now here’s the who is being unreasonable:

The group is booked in and pays for 18:00-20:00. But the volunteer often gets to the centre for 16:00, sets up and then sits in the office working on her laptop until 18:00 - she says she would rather come straight from work than go home and come back out. Sometimes she will do odd things around the building that are on the jobs board - like mop bathroom, or clean the office etc.

Some people on the committee think she’s taking advantage of the fact she has a key and shouldn’t be in that early when she only pays from 18:00. Her argument, which I agree with, is that it’s no different from any other volunteer coming in early to set up (which has happened for other things without issue). Her group aren’t in until just before six so it shouldn’t be an issue.

She does open and lock up for two other nights in the week for groups she has nothing to do with and helps out at fundraisers and things - So isn’t a case of just doing things for her group iyswim?

So which side is being unreasonable?

OP posts:
LittleMustelid · 17/10/2019 16:53

She’s absolutely not being unreasonable or taking advantage. Especially not if she’s doing other jobs like mopping up whilst she’s there.

CatToddlerUprising · 17/10/2019 16:53

I don’t think the volunteer is being unreasonable, I would consider it a sort of payment in kind for volunteering. Would be different if another group were trying to book the room she’s using for those two hours and she’s stopping it, which I presume she’s not.

LIZS · 17/10/2019 16:56

I guess the issue is that she is using electricity and heating while on the premises alone and for which the hall receives no income. However as long as she is not holding meetings in the unpaid period or preventing another booking it seems harmless.

PuzzledObserver · 17/10/2019 16:58

If her group were taking advantage of the fact she does this by turning up earlier, then she/they would be being unreasonable. But they're not. Apart from the tiny amount of electricity used for laptop and light in the office, it's not costing the charity anything. In fact she is doing jobs that would otherwise not be done, taking some of the load off other volunteers. So I think the complainers are being unreasonable.

Original poster
ThrowAwayQP · 17/10/2019 17:00

@CatToddlerUprising no, her group are actually the only regular group in the building that day - it’s our slow days. After her group ends, she sets the room up for the one booked in the next morning.

OP posts:
DameFanny · 17/10/2019 17:04

Wow. I'd be taking a long look at whoever thinks she's being unreasonable in this situation. It's not like she's throwing parties or taking a 2 hour bath. Why would they see it as taking advantage? Do they think they own the place?

Purpleartichoke · 17/10/2019 17:04

What is the harm of a volunteer sitting in the office for an hour or two? I’m surprised anyone said anything.

LaurieFairyCake · 17/10/2019 17:06

What is the taking advantage OF ? Confused

NoSquirrels · 17/10/2019 17:07

Blimey. Can’t bekiev anyone would moan about this!

HappyGirl86 · 17/10/2019 17:11

Feel sorry for the woman. The committee should be grateful to have the volunteer. What harm is it that she works in the office? Would they be happy if she went and sat in her car for two hours?!

adaline · 17/10/2019 17:13

Taking advantage of....what, exactly?

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 17/10/2019 17:13

If she's doing jobs like moping the floor etc, then this means someone else doesn't have to do it. Am slightly bewildered how anyone can think she is taking the mick...? Confused

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 17/10/2019 17:13

*mopping! Not moping!

Loveislandaddict · 17/10/2019 17:17

I don’t think she is being cheeky, as no-one else is using the hall. The club is only using the hall for the paid period. If they were using it for longer, than that would be cheeky.

AllFourOfThem · 17/10/2019 17:20

She is not BU.

JesusHRooseveltChristAgain · 17/10/2019 17:22

I too am not seeing where the CF-ery is here, if she is not stopping another group from booking in then what's the objection?

8by8 · 17/10/2019 17:24

She is not at all BU and if the committee keeps being stroppy about this they’re likely to lose a volunteer.

crimsonlake · 17/10/2019 17:24

She is giving up her time for free....and people are complaining, I am staggered. I would tell her about the complaints so she can find somewhere else to volunteer where people appreciate her.

SunshineCake · 17/10/2019 17:24

Why would she be unreasonable? What is she doing wrong? She's actually doing a favour by someone being there for security. Maybe if you want to be really twatty one could argue she's using electricity for her computer but honestly, stop looking for issues and slights that aren't there. Whoever is.

Itsallpetetong · 17/10/2019 17:26

After her group ends, she sets the room up for the one booked in the next morning

Presumably saving someone else having to go in and do it. In what way is she taking advantage? The group isn’t starting early so there are no fees being lost, she is doing jobs and it saves her going home then going back out.

She does open and lock up for two other nights in the week for groups she has nothing to do with and helps out at fundraisers and things

In her shoes I would totally stop doing this and make the complaining committee members do it all instead!

lyralalala · 17/10/2019 17:28

Unless she's putting so many lights on it's like the illuminations and cranking the heating up to full blast costing the hall a fortune I'm not sure why anyone would object to it? Especially as she's likely to pick up a fair few extra jobs from the board in that time if she's there regularly

Original poster
ThrowAwayQP · 17/10/2019 17:31

Some committee members aren’t happy with the ecstatics light and heat for two hours in the office. Argument is it’s not her office to work in; it’s the committee’s office.

OP posts:
TellMeWhoTheVilliansAre · 17/10/2019 17:34

Volunteer is not being unreasonable. Although I'd be tempted to tell her to stop volunteering and just use the hall as a member of the paying group. Let others come in and set up, clean up, tidy, mop the floors, stay to lock up etc. It's what I'd do

TellMeWhoTheVilliansAre · 17/10/2019 17:37

She's there 2 hours before the group starts but for a portion of that time she is preparing the room. And mopping etc. If she didn't do that, who would and and what time would they come to do it?

The question is, roughly how much is she costing the hall committee for less than 8 hours light and heat a month. Because she is not sitting in the office that entire time. She's busy doing other things.

DameFanny · 17/10/2019 17:43

The committee sounds like they're heading for a toxic atmosphere and may end up losing volunteers. Are you on the committee and able to do anything to re-steer it OP?

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