Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to not allow the plasterer to play his radio?

417 replies

Shedbuilder · 13/07/2021 10:22

I have a plasterer booked for four days of fiddly work all over the house, repairing the mess left by the so-called specialist fitters we paid a small fortune to install triple glazing —but I'm not going there!

We both work from home and around us we have other households with people working from home and noise-sensitive older people. It's a hot day and our windows are open because it's hot and to keep the air moving just in case of Covid. So when he arrived yesterday with his giant radio we nipped the problem in the bud early on and said sorry, both working from home, both need to be able to think and make calls without background noise — no radio. Which he glumly accepted. Today he's had a brief conversation with us about how tedious his work is without music in the background, so we suggested he use his phone and some earbuds. But no, he doesn't want to run out of data and he doesn't have earbuds.

We've ordered some cheap earbuds and we'll see if we can rig up some kind of free wifi connection for him tomorrow, but he's really huffy and I'm wondering whether we'll see him again tomorrow. He's a good plasterer and we've waited two months to get him. Are we being unreasonable?

Yes = we are unreasonable
No = we're no unreasonable

OP posts:
ZeroFuchsGiven · 13/07/2021 12:27

I also changed it when the job was done

Why?

VoiceFaceArse · 13/07/2021 12:27

Never understand why workmen think the whole neighbourhood has to listen to their horrible music

Why would the whole neighbourhood be able to head it on low. I’ve got music on in the kitchen, I can’t even hear it if I go in the next room. 🤷🏻‍♀️

ancientgran · 13/07/2021 12:27

@onlyhereforthecake

YANBU

the whole world manages to work without being a nuisance to everybody else around, why should a handful of anti-social tradesmen think they have some right to loud music - or even worst, loud radio!

More and more companies are becoming stricter and ban unnecessary noise

How do you know it would be loud, he wasn't allowed to put the radio on. It might have been quite low.
Lifeisaminestrone · 13/07/2021 12:28

Good luck - there is a massive shortage of tradesmen atm - I don’t see him coming back!

Crepescular · 13/07/2021 12:31

Having workmen come and do work in your house isn't a right either. He won't have any bother finding other work, the OP might have bother finding a good plasterer and if she does find one she might have to wait months until he can do the job.

Of course it's not a right - it's how capitalism works, in case you haven't noticed. You employ someone to do a job for you and you pay them in return. As the person paying, you get to dictate working conditions.

This really should win a prize for the most stupid Mumsnet comment ever (and there's been some strong contenders).

ThisIsStartingToBoreMe · 13/07/2021 12:32

Your house, your rules. He can use earphones and pay for unlimited data

godmum56 · 13/07/2021 12:32

@ZeroFuchsGiven

I also changed it when the job was done

Why?

so that he couldn't use it outside my house or pass it on. I cn log on to my wifi quite some distance away from my house and when I look for wifi connections at home, I can see about 5 orhers people's
Crepescular · 13/07/2021 12:34

@Lifeisaminestrone

Good luck - there is a massive shortage of tradesmen atm - I don’t see him coming back!
So, by your reasoning, we should just give workmen everything that they ask for - in case they don't come back? Your life must be so difficult to navigate, having to be such a people-pleaser all the time.
EdgeOfACoin · 13/07/2021 12:34

@Crepescular

Listening to music whilst you work isn't a right.

Listening to music whilst you work in someone else's house isn't a right.

Listening to music whilst you work in someone else's house when they're working from home isn't a right.

What's wrong with you people? He's a tradesman, he's being well-paid for what he does and the employer sets the rules. This 'be kind' bollocks really has gone too far - just as your right to swing your arm ends somewhere near my face, so his non-existent right to listen to the radio ends when it's disruptive to the person paying him.

I agree with this.

WFH is hard enough. I certainly don't do it by choice and I can't concentrate if I listen to music at the same time. Listening to someone else's music would be incredibly disruptive.

The OP is the client. She is paying the plasterer. He doesn't have a god-given right to listen to music at work.

onlyhereforthecake · 13/07/2021 12:35

It's interesting that you never hear such complaints with cleaners... I am sure some are noisy, but generally it's tradesmen who inflict horrendous music across the neighbourhood or through your house. Why is that?

ZeroFuchsGiven · 13/07/2021 12:37

so that he couldn't use it outside my house or pass it on. I cn log on to my wifi quite some distance away from my house and when I look for wifi connections at home, I can see about 5 orhers people's

Jesus, Yep thats what tradespeople do, get customers wifi passwords and sit outside their house to connect Grin

dreamingbohemian · 13/07/2021 12:39

@onlyhereforthecake

It's interesting that you never hear such complaints with cleaners... I am sure some are noisy, but generally it's tradesmen who inflict horrendous music across the neighbourhood or through your house. Why is that?
Yes, I asked this earlier. If the OP was saying her cleaner was sulking because she couldn't listen to music, I don't think anyone would have stood up for the cleaner.

There's a real Poor Menz vibe in this thread.

igelkott2021 · 13/07/2021 12:40

I don't understand how this has got to six pages. Surely you say "we're working from home, so we need peace and quiet" and tradesman says "ok I'll keep my music on low, let me know if it's too loud and I'll turn it down more".

Why make things difficult that don't have to be?

Crepescular · 13/07/2021 12:40

@onlyhereforthecake

It's interesting that you never hear such complaints with cleaners... I am sure some are noisy, but generally it's tradesmen who inflict horrendous music across the neighbourhood or through your house. Why is that?
Because Mumsnetters regard their cleaners as servants and tradesmen as little princes...
AlmostSummer21 · 13/07/2021 12:43

@IllForTooLong

Btw re your surpise about data etc...

Not everyone is cofortable with using mobile phones to their full capabilities. Or be happy with earbuds.
I use my phone to listent to music, more particlularky radio. It uses data. I never use earbuds.
DH doesnt have any music on his phone at all. And certainly wouldnt want to take it to work like this. Too risky to damage it really, especially if you use earphones that are plugged into your phone etc....

There is a reason why he is using one of the 'construction worker radio'. They are indestructible.

But the bottom line is that you can't tell him how to listen to his own music!

She can't tell him how to listen to his music, but she can tell him how NOT to in HER house.

@Shedbuilder. YANBU at all. I've had a few workmen in doing things most of them have been reasonable, but a couple have been obnoxious with the volume of their music. Going forward, I'll certainly make it known before getting any others what is/isn't acceptable. Up to them if they take the job or not💁🏻‍♀️

Heronwatcher · 13/07/2021 12:44

If you want the plastering done well (and it sounds fiddly) let him use the radio. Also offer drinks and nice biscuits. I’m sure he’d be happy to turn it off over his lunchtime so maybe schedule calls in then abs wear ear plugs at other times.

TeapotCollection · 13/07/2021 12:45

Completely missing the point of the thread but £209 for a radio 😮

VoiceFaceArse · 13/07/2021 12:45

It's interesting that you never hear such complaints with cleaners... I am sure some are noisy, but generally it's tradesmen who inflict horrendous music across the neighbourhood or through your house. Why is that?

Our cleaner plays music on our Amazon Echos when she’s here. She’s even made her own playlist. She makes my house look and smell lovely so she can do whatever she wants. Grin

Alcemeg · 13/07/2021 12:46

You each need different working conditions and you've bent over backwards to accommodate his. It would be only fair for him to respect yours too. Actually you're doing him a favour as you can't be the first or the last to need him to work quietly, so finding a solution is going to benefit him going forward.

newnortherner111 · 13/07/2021 12:47

Your house, you are working from home, so perfectly reasonable I think. If you weren't working I would think differently.

VoiceFaceArse · 13/07/2021 12:48

Completely missing the point of the thread but £209 for a radio

But is is ‘giant’....OP said. 🤣

ThisIsStartingToBoreMe · 13/07/2021 12:49

I'm a home carer.

Would it be ok for me to blast my music when i'm working in peoples houses?

21Bee · 13/07/2021 12:49

Having managed tradesmen previously they weren’t allowed to use earbuds to play music on site, it’s quite dangerous!

HaveringWavering · 13/07/2021 12:49

He doesn’t need Spotify or Apple Music or whatever, he can just listen live to whatever radio station he wants via his phone/headphones. Or as someone said, a radio with Bluetooth connection.

IntermittentParps · 13/07/2021 12:49

Completely missing the point of the thread but £209 for a radio
I think mine cost more... Blush It's a lovely Roberts retro one and plays podcasts, and radio from all over the world.