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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What to do if tradespeople start to ignore your messages?

39 replies

MandalaYogaTapestry · 13/07/2021 11:00

The builder with a long and very friendly history of an array of jobs, who has committed to doing my extension since before the planning, who then saw the plans, did a very long assessment of the property, came with a colleague who was to be involved too - and then stopped replying to messages. Messages are read. No explanation, complete ghosting.

A very friendly horse riding instructor stopped replying about booking lessons.

Some smaller examples, like a a gardener and a physiotherapist.

Absolutely 100% no conflicts and no payment issues ever.

Does that kind of thing routinely happen to others? Why won't they just reply to say no if they can't help anymore? Should I keep trying to get in touch?

OP posts:
TheLeadbetterLife · 13/07/2021 11:02

Call them!

It’s bizarre to me the way people just won’t make calls these days.

VettiyaIruken · 13/07/2021 11:03

I don't.
If they don't respond to messages then either something's wrong (illness, family issues, gone out of business etc and they don't want to share that with me which is fair enough) in which case I need to find someone else, or they're rude / flakey in which case they don't deserve my business and I need to find someone else.

shivawn · 13/07/2021 11:06

I agree, just call them.

HollowTalk · 13/07/2021 11:06

You can really see why some people work for themselves. Nobody would want to employ them.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 13/07/2021 11:27

Quite unlicky to have this from so many different people

SchrodingersImmigrant · 13/07/2021 11:27

Unlucky 😂

Whinginadeville · 13/07/2021 11:50

Hmm this has never happened to me. I'd ask a trusted and honest but blunt friend to look over your messages. In my experience tradespeople walk away from clients who are not sure what they want, financially flakey look like they just collect quotes, have access difficulty or don't let them play their radio or generally give low priority for a reason you need to find the reason and change it.

Singinghollybob · 13/07/2021 12:17

I'd call and speak to them

PositiveLife · 13/07/2021 12:20

@Whinginadeville

Hmm this has never happened to me. I'd ask a trusted and honest but blunt friend to look over your messages. In my experience tradespeople walk away from clients who are not sure what they want, financially flakey look like they just collect quotes, have access difficulty or don't let them play their radio or generally give low priority for a reason you need to find the reason and change it.
This ^

My partner is a tradesperson and he ignores messages from people who clearly can't decide what they want/are messing about/are a pain to work for.

PattyPan · 13/07/2021 12:28

Happens to me all the time. Like trying to book a tradesman in to get work done and they ghost you after giving a quote. Just have to find a new one that actually replies!

VikingNorthUtsire · 13/07/2021 12:37

I hate this. I don't always know exactly what I want until they talk to me about it. I have no desire to waste anyone's time and am always honest and polite, and ready to pay a decent rate to the right person.

If you don't want my business, just have the decency to tell me rather than just going silent.

igelkott2021 · 13/07/2021 12:37

@TheLeadbetterLife

Call them!

It’s bizarre to me the way people just won’t make calls these days.

It's bizarre to me the way people think everyone is just hanging around waiting for people to call them.

If I am working or driving or cooking (or sleeping!) I do not want calls. I want people to send me a message, and if they want a call, we can arrange a time.

People are awful about replying to messages, it's not just you OP.

And if they are ignoring you, they'll ignore the phone too.

Pepsi9090 · 13/07/2021 12:40

OP if it's happening that frequently to you maybe you are just an awkward client.

billycorn · 13/07/2021 12:41

HollowTalk this is what I say about public sector workers. No one works harder than someone self employed as they have no one who pays their wages if they don't work. A very ignorant comment.
The tradespeople may not be getting back to you simply because they are overworked and they don't have enough hours in the day. But why can't you follow up with a phone call op?
There is a current lack of skilled tradespeople, parents have been too busy pushing their children to go to university and this is the consequence.

LittleMissBoss · 13/07/2021 12:44

I have worked in a trade with my DH for 12 yrs, he, in total has been in that trade for about 30yrs.
I agree with some of the posters above, some (NOT ALL) customers don't get a reply or get our work, get priced out or told we're fully booked. It is very rare that this happens mind as most customers are absolutely fab and we bend over backwards for them.
For the very few I'm talking about they are indecisive about what they want, nit pick over everything, on the phone all the time constantly wanting more for less and quicker.
We have so many customers who are not like this and are great to work for that we don't have time for the few who behave like the above. We want to work well with customers, want them to leave happy and spread the word, for some, no matter what we do this just wouldn't happen.

However, our experience doesn't account for those who are good at their trade but hopeless at actually running a business.There is a fine balance.

Loudestcat14 · 13/07/2021 12:50

As far as the builder goes, had he agreed a price for the job pre-planning? Only costs of materials, labour etc are soaring post-Covid/post-Brexit and he may be avoiding you because he doesn't want to do it for the price and can't be bothered to re-quote.

Bluedeblue · 13/07/2021 12:57

We had this happen last year. A joiner we had used before, and who we know quite well, came to our house to quote us for a really big job. He was here for ages discussing all that needed to be done. We waited on the quote that just never came! I chased once, DH chased once. He just kept saying he would be in touch. After 4 months passed, I asked another local joiner to look at the job. He came on Friday and said he could start Monday! And he was FANTASTIC. Did the work to an amazing high standard, and now he's our "go to" for any work in the house. It's now 11 months since the original guy said he would quote us, and we still haven't heard from him. Bonkers!

Regularsizedrudy · 13/07/2021 13:00

How often were you messaging them?

Chickpea22 · 13/07/2021 13:02

We have had this. An area where tradespeople are like gold dust so they can pick and choose. I resulted to calling from another phone so they didn’t recognise the number. They answered and came out. We are definitely not awkward customers but had a plumber who fitted a very niche system at great expense. It stopped working and no other local plumber had expertise to fix.

Babygotblueyes · 13/07/2021 13:03

Have had this from several tradespeople over the course of a massive redo of the house. They have so much work they can pick and choose and it seems to be acceptable now to just not respond if you dont want to do something. It is so rude.

Moraxella · 13/07/2021 13:04

Yep have had lots of ghosting from gardeners, builders, plasterers, loft converters. Not just for this house but another, too. A family member is a tradesman so I know how to behave and not to be a nit picker. It’s happened to lots of friends around here too and I think they just don’t fancy the job (too big or too small) or they can take their pick of jobs as they are so busy.

PattyPan · 13/07/2021 13:08

@TheLeadbetterLife it feels like every time I phone a tradesperson they are either driving or in the middle of a job and can’t speak and ask me to text them the details, to which they then don’t respond!

It’s even with initial contact so it’s not like I’ve been a nightmare customer before and they have reasons to avoid me 🤷‍♀️

Crepescular · 13/07/2021 13:13

Obviously, you need to choose and vet your servants more carefully.

Loudestcat14 · 13/07/2021 13:34

@Crepescular

Obviously, you need to choose and vet your servants more carefully.
Hmm
LividLaVidaLoca · 13/07/2021 13:39

@PositiveLife don’t you think that’s rude? Can’t he just say “no thanks”?