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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be pis*ed off with this work scenario

52 replies

OverTheRainbow88 · 03/08/2020 14:28

So my OH is self employed plumber, he was called out to a job this morning for a bathroom leak. He had nearly finished the job when the lady who’s house he was in and completing the job for told him she was awaiting her covid swab result as she had a “bad new cough” which she had taken the afternoon before...! Now this had pissed me of by my husband doesn’t seem bothered... he’s happy to be back to work I guess. He finished the job then left, I feel like I want to call her and ask if she’s had her results and explain she shouldn’t have had someone over into her house while awaiting the results.

OP posts:

KorkMum · 03/08/2020 14:33

That is so bad. He should probably not visit any other homes until shes had her results. Wouldn't want him in my grandparents house, not worth the risk.

Pearsapiece · 03/08/2020 14:33

That's taking the piss. Seems like she needed the work done so thought 'oh if I have it done and then tell him about the test, I've still warned him and got done what I needed to'. Twat.
Unfortunately though, I don't think there's much you can do, especially given that your husband is self employed and word of mouth tends to be a Big way of getting work. I dont think It would do him any favours to have it spread around that he is great but his wife will ring and ask if you're still coughing

Howyiz · 03/08/2020 14:37

A very cynical part of me would wonder if she thought he would leave straight away and she wouldn't have to pay as he didn't finish the job.

Buttercupsandroses · 03/08/2020 14:38

I would call her op

letmethinkaboutitfornow · 03/08/2020 14:39

So she had an emergency and called a plumber. 🤔

You don’t mention about social distancing, hand sanitising...etc so I anticipate a massive drip feed once you calmed down.

YABU - I want my emergency taken care of!

VeeDubber · 03/08/2020 14:43

As a self employed person your DH should have his own risk assessment in place. This is all on him.

One bleedin' obvious thing to include, if he's going into people's homes, is to ask them to confirm that nobody in the household has had any covid symptoms in the past 14 days before he turns up there.

ilovesooty · 03/08/2020 14:46

Did he check before he started the job? Seemingly not.

Original poster

OverTheRainbow88 · 03/08/2020 14:46

Well that’s the thing, he does ask on the phone and nothing was disclosed until the job almost done. He would have gone in an emergency and asked her to wear a mask and he would have worn a mask and asked her to not stay in the same room, with the window open to the room he’s working in.

He has a very good risk assessment in place, but people lie because they want the work done.

He did socially distance, turned down the cupa he was offered and sanitised hands on arrival and when left.

OP posts:

ilovesooty · 03/08/2020 14:48

Is his risk assessment and Covid-19 agreement in writing?

Jarli · 03/08/2020 14:49

She should have been self-isolating.

You should not know her details (confidentiality and a GDPR/DPA breech).

Get your husband to call her and he must self isolate if he becomes sick.

Pretty sure you can report it, but not sure where to.

ilovesooty · 03/08/2020 14:50

If she tests positive she will presumably give his details to track and trace.

Jarli · 03/08/2020 14:50

PS. It's shit and YANBU.

Doingtheboxerbeat · 03/08/2020 14:52

Oh my, how awkward. Will he have to refuse all work until she gets her results back or carry on as normal and just be extra cautious? I bet loads of people will just carry on working and not say anything if it going to affect your income this badly, for what could be a false alarm.

OoohTheStatsDontLie · 03/08/2020 14:53

Yanbu, he should call and chase the results though

FAQs · 03/08/2020 14:55

Def call her for her results. She should have disclosed it when asked during the screening call.

lljkk · 03/08/2020 14:56

Is this a family business, are you a business partner who does bookings & accounts. My gut feeling is your husband should handle this, explain that she's put him in a difficult position - because he has the business relationship with her. If you live in a small town, my gut feeling is that antagonising a potential future customer is not worth it, what's done is done, but his business decision.

VeeDubber · 03/08/2020 14:56

OK - he's asked her on the phone and she's said "no, we're all fine here", she's signed something to that effect when he arrived, and then near the end of the job she's suddenly disclosed she's awaiting a covid test result?

What's on his risk assessment with regards to following up the situation in this kind of scenario? Yes it's really fucking stupid and selfish of her - but I presume on his risk assessment it's not 'get the missus to phone up and tell the client off'.

He should probably treat every single appointment as if the client potentially has covid, and to be fair it sounds like he (almost) did.

diddl · 03/08/2020 14:58

"He would have gone in an emergency and asked her to wear a mask and he would have worn a mask and asked her to not stay in the same room, with the window open to the room he’s working in."

Should he not be taking these precautions anyway?

ilovesooty · 03/08/2020 15:03

@diddl

"He would have gone in an emergency and asked her to wear a mask and he would have worn a mask and asked her to not stay in the same room, with the window open to the room he’s working in."

Should he not be taking these precautions anyway?

I would have thought so. And she should have signed an agreement that Covid-19 symptoms would be disclosed prior to any planned appointment .

youwereagoodcakeclyde · 03/08/2020 15:11

YANBU

countrygirl99 · 03/08/2020 15:20

Tbh my chimney sweep husband is taking those precautions anyway. He doesn't ask people to wear a mask, just to not be in the room. But he has a serious full face vented and filtered mask due to not wanting to inhale soot.

Aragog · 03/08/2020 15:22

You don’t mention about social distancing, hand sanitising...etc so I anticipate a massive drip feed once you calmed down.

It's irrelevant. She should not have had anyone in her home when she had symptoms.

If it was a genuine emergency she should have isolated herself in a room, and had someone else come round to be in the rets of the home, where it has been cleaned, to deal with the issue.

At the very least she should have informed hm before he came in the house, and from a distance - ideally when seeking to him to arrange the job. She had no idea if he was vulnerable or if anyone in his home was. She was irresponsible to say the least.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 03/08/2020 15:28

Every trade that enters private housing has COVID rule and regs and we all ask, have been doing so for months. God help anyone who lied to me like that!

No, nobody signs anything, mainly because of the issue of confidentiality and a written response having been deemed too intrusive! But are asked to confirm their COVID status. Why would anyone lie... or do you just think your loo backing up is more important?

And yes, he may decide he can't take on any more work until she has an all clear or he does.

OP - he needs to keep in touch with her or get himself tested. That was a truly selfish thing she did!

fatgirlslimmer · 03/08/2020 15:32

@diddl

"He would have gone in an emergency and asked her to wear a mask and he would have worn a mask and asked her to not stay in the same room, with the window open to the room he’s working in."

Should he not be taking these precautions anyway?

I agree. There will be some people who will be asymptomatic and your DH cannot rely on others to protect him

lightyearsahead · 03/08/2020 15:35

I am sorry but your husband also needs to take certain care as well.
It sounds like he has not taken any precautions and he is going into other peoples home. He should be doing a risk assessment.
This is not one sided.

Though she has been totally selfish. Now he needs to isolate until she is confirmed that she has the all clear.

It is people like both of them that are causing the spike. He now must not go into other peoples houses.

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