How long would you think is reasonable to wait in for a tradesman?

[LunaBiscuit]

I have specifically traveled 20 miles on public transport to go to the house to meet the tradesman at his request, (send by my LL who is usually uncontainable)

He knows I had to travel here and I made it clear I wasn't happy about travelling during lockdown but he was insistent it was essential.

He was supposed to be here at 11 and I'm sat in this freezing cold house waiting impatiently.
I have tried to contact him but had no reply.

How long would you think is reasonable to wait before leaving?

20-30 mins.

It depends on why you are there. Is it pert of your job? Does the tradesman know you are waiting or just the LL?

I rent the house but haven't been there since the first lockdown.

The landlord is abroad and is generally uncontactable.

My arrangement have been made with the tradesman, it's a non essential survey that is supposed to be done every 10 years, it expired last month so he's been chasing me to come and do it, the LL already paid him for it.

I told him I wasn't comfortable travelling during the lockdown but he wouldn't take no for an answer so I gave in and agreed to meet today at 11 but he hasn't turned up.

As it has been an hour I would leave

As it's been over an hour I'd leave. You're not obligated to stay if he's running this late.

I really want to, but I traveled for an hour and 20 minutes on two busses to get here (and I'll have to do the same going back) and i really don't want to have to do it again in a few days.

It's just so cold and I'm not feeling well and I don't want to be here so I'm feeling very intolerant.

You don’t have to do it again in a couple of days. Just tell him and your landlord you were there as agreed but won’t be available until whenever it is you plan to move back.

I imagine he will just harass me into agreeing to another meeting like he did this one.

It was literally multiple emails and text messages daily before I agreed to meet.

I got the impression he fucked up letting the thing expire in the first place so was trying to get it done as quickly as possible.

I've sent him another text and an email saying if I don't hear from him by half past I will be leaving.

Oh God, op, the struggle is real. I know exactly where you're coming from, as a non-driver. It's why I stood and waited for 45 minutes in the freezing cold at the bus stop, after making effort to walk a mile and a half in heavy snow to get to work the other day.

I would have refused to meet him today, but now that you're there, get on the phone to him, point out everything you have done to try to make his life easier and basically, guilt-trip him into coming. Tell him it's either today or no day, because there's no way you should be putting yourself out like this again.

Just read your last message there. If he doesn't show up by the time you specify today, block him on everything.

Why the hell should you do anything at all to help him out after he has treated you so badly?

Block his number on your phone and redirect his email to your landlord. Just because he sends the messages making demands doesn’t mean you h e to respond

The current certificate expired in the middle of December, he obviously realised just before Christmas and wanted to come on Christmas Eve to do the survey, I said no, I'm not at the house and I can't get there.
On Sunday December 27th he emailed me and said he wanted to come on the Monday morning (the next day)
I explained my situation, I'm not living there atm, I'm vulnerable and I don't drive.

He said the survey was required by law (its not unless you are selling the property) and when I continued to say I couldn't get there he started the pestering.
"I can be at the property for 9am is that good for you?"

• no i can't get there. I'm 20 miles away and one of the busses I would need to get is running on a limited schedule so I wouldn't be able to get there and back.

"I can be there for 12, is that better?" -I still can't get there. "Ok 2 pm then. See you there"

• I still can't get there.

It was like that every day.

Then after the new year he ramped it up and started emailing me too.

ALSO. I tried to arrange to meet him on the weekend when my partner is off work and can drive me but he doesn't work weekends. 🤨

Still no reply but my bus is coming soon so I've left a note on the door saying i waited for two hours but had to leave.

I would contact your landlord. Explain all of the above and say that it is no essential travel, therefore you will not accommodate this until we are out of lockdown.

Turn that conversation around
Him: Friday at 9am instead
You: I can be there this Saturday at x time
Him: Sorry don’t work weekends. Monday at 10?
You: I can be there Saturday at x time
Him: I can’t come on sat Tuesday at 4?
You: I can be there on a Saturday

Just repeat and repeat don’t get drawn into why you won’t be there another time

He's fucking you about because you didn't agree first time.

Fuck him. Tell him to arrange it with your landlord.

Do NOT meet him again. If it were me, I'd be telling him I want my travel expenses back too, but then again, I would probably have punched him when he did turn up, UNLESS he was apologising profusely with a very good explanation. Which from your description of him isn't going to happen.

He's a fucking cunt who has completely wasted your time and goodwill. Fuck that.

Email your landlord now and refuse to have any more part of this and then block him on everything so he can't contact you again. IF you want to be nice about it tell him in an email you refuse to deal with him any more because of how he's wasted your time, energy, goodwill and money and deal with the landlord directly from now on and you're blocking him as you found his constant contact verging on harassment. And FGS, do NOT sign off as best wishes or best regards or anything polite/nice.