Rude gas engineer

[Lilyx18]

Not really an Aibu, more of what would you do in this situation. Should I complain or just leave it?

Bit of background, I'm currently 9 months pregnant and booked in to have a c section early next week. I've been told by the hospital I need to self isolate until then and I'm due to have a PCR test done tomorrow as required. I also have a 1 year old who keeps me pretty busy.

I live in a rented house and was contacted by a gas company last month to arrange the annual gas safety check. We agreed a date, but they couldn't give a time, all fine. The date came round and I waited in all afternoon, but nobody turned up! Fast forward to today, a man knocks at the door and says he's here to do my gas safety check. I said to him it was supposed to be a couple of weeks ago, and he said no I emailed again a few days ago to say I'm coming today. Clearly something had gone wrong with the original date, I was annoyed nobody had contacted me about this & I wasted my day, but I understand things happen/ go wrong. But Straight away his attitude got my back up. Surely it has to be arranged, you don't just TELL someone you're coming round? So I asked him if he would mind wearing a mask - he then told me no it's not a legal requirement and he doesn't have to wear a mask. I was weary about refusing him to come in because it is a legal requirement for the gas safety check to be completed and I didn't want to cause problems, but I explained that I'm due to have an op and am supposed to be self isolating until then. Had I known in advance he was coming, I would've discussed this beforehand. He then went on to say "well I could've just got the keys from the estate agent and come in anyway." I said so you're telling me if I didn't answer the door today you would've just let yourself in? Because the original email stated they could get keys, with my permission, if it was more convenient for me. He said no I don't need your permission and he was telling me the email wouldn't have said that. (It did cos I double checked after he left). Surely engineers can’t just let themselves into someone else’s property?! It made me feel really vulnerable as I’m often at home on my own with my young child, as I was today.

Should I complain to the estate agent about this? What can they really do. Or should I just leave it? I’m annoyed with myself for not standing my ground more at the time but the whole scenario just took me aback. I wish I’d said more to him so not sure if my anger is clouding my judgement and maybe it’s not that big a deal. The check did take less than 5 minutes and I waited in another room, so this risk was minimal. But at no point did he tell me that’s how quick it would be, I didn’t have a clue what he needed to do. I was more annoyed at his attitude towards me and the “threat” of saying he could come in anyway.

Get on to his company. It wasn’t an emergency repair.

Not your point but I'd never considered you'd be told to isolate before a C-Section, I have a toddler and considering TTC and that has almost put me off! But yes I think you should complain to the estate agents, it might be that nothing comes of it but he was rude to the point of threatening. And I am pretty sure they are not legally allowed to just let themselves into your house, keys or not.

He ordinarily needs your consent to enter your home. He’s treated you badly and his demeanour has been over bearing
Unless the gas company had a magistrates warrant they cannot demand access
Hope you’re ok

Nobody can enter your house without permission, not an engineer, not the landlord, not the letting agents, unless there's an emergency. I'd be taking this up with the LL/LA

Yes definitely complaint to the estate agent and to his company. No one is allowed to just enter your home without permission.

Get the estate agent to guarantee that they won’t be giving out keys - I don’t think they should even keep one without your permission.

I believe you’re entitled to change the locks as long as you offer to put the old ones back (and do it if they say yes) at the end of your tenancy.

@Xdecd

Not your point but I'd never considered you'd be told to isolate before a C-Section, I have a toddler and considering TTC and that has almost put me off! But yes I think you should complain to the estate agents, it might be that nothing comes of it but he was rude to the point of threatening. And I am pretty sure they are not legally allowed to just let themselves into your house, keys or not.

You’d be put off having another child in case you had to isolate for 2 weeks before the birth?

He's a bully and a twat, and he's also wrong.

I wonder if he would have acted the same had you been a 200lb rugby player with a broken nose, rather than a pregnant woman.

Should have told him to leave and to rearrange. Now that you've allowed him in there's not a lot you can do other than report it but nothing will come of it.

Even though you don't own your home, it is still your home. You aren't obliged to let people in without prior agreement.

Sorry he was a dick, especially when you're very clearly pregnant, but some people are dicks. Learn your rights in life and impose your boundaries, your children will benefit from seeing that growing up.

The risk may be minimal-if you had doors and Windows open- but very unfair on medical staff who are put at risk. Your engineer visits multiple houses a week all without wearing a mask!

I would complain, unacceptable that he put you in that position.

I don’t think you can change locks without consent but you can decline access if not pre-agreed

Absolutely complain. No piece of this situation is right.

He has no right to let himself in, he had no right to come in today without warning.

And "legal requirement" or not, if a shielding customer requests he wear a mask in their home, then he wears a mask.

He is an arse, and should learn some customer service techniques.

YANBU. Complain. They can’t just let themselves in.

If I were you I’d just change the locks. They’d never know until you left unless they ever tried to access it without permission… which is of course illegal.

@EspressoDoubleShot

I don’t think you can change locks without consent but you can decline access if not pre-agreed

No, but they wouldn’t know until you left 🤷‍♀️

Complain to the company that sent him, and point out that he needs some training with regard to rights of entry.

Unless the law has changed since I worked in housing, landlords have to get a court order if the tenant won't allow access for a gas safety check. We had to do it twice with 2 different tenants.

Surely basic safety should be that any and all appointments that involve tradespeople coming into your home should be arranged and agreed in advance - that alone I would raise with the landlord/letting agent - otherwise you could end up letting who knows who into your home? And his attitude and the way he made you feel vulnerable is unacceptable too - unprofessional and unpleasant.

Complain to the company that sent him, and point out that he needs some training with regard to rights of entry.

Unfortunately in situations like this is it up to you to enforce your rights.

So OP you should have told him if he tries to come in you will call the police over his forced entry. If you are good at screaming then you should have started screaming until he backed off.

I had a pre arranged workman round yesterday and like every other he knocked and asked me if I would prefer him wearing a mask. Any work/checks in rental properties must give 24 or 48 hours notice (I think its 48) There is no way he can enter your property without permission from you. Gas safety check appointments for rentals are normally sent out 1/2 Months before they are due to factor in that times may not suit the tennet. You really need to raise his behaviour with the landlord and the gas company he works for. Good luck for next week!!

Complain.
I think the fact he refused to wear a mask for the 5mins he was inside when you asked him to tells you all you need to know.

He basically threatened you that he would come into your house without you permission if you refused to let him in whilst you were 9months pregnant making you feel unsafe in your house

The lettings agents that I've rented from over the years don't retain a key to the properties but I've always changed the locks anyway and give them the new keys when I leave.

That's not rudeness.
That is intimidation of a lone female.

About the mask request, he was uncooperative in regard to a woman who was being asked to self isolate by medical authority because she is due to give birth. What did he expect, that she should reschedule the end of the human gestational period to suit his desire to show up for appointments randomly when he fucking well feels like it weeks later than the agreed date.

What a spectacularly arrogant bastard.
Report him.

Please complain about him. To your agent, but also to his employee. He was wrong about being allowed to let himself in. He’s wrong about the mask too, as although it’s not a legal requirement in public places any longer, you as the tenant can, excepting emergency, dictate the terns upon which people enter your home. He was also a twat.

Just because you’ve never been challenged for changing locks doesn’t make it ok. Changing lock It’s a physical change to the property, and it requires permission. You can’t just pile in and do it

I’ve genuinely never encountered a reputable letting agent who did not retain a set of keys
Id be astonished that.letting agent accept a new set of keys not the original without comment

I think @SparksAndLarks has summed up my feelings perfectly. I hope you have the energy to take down this misogynist little arse via his employer.

YY to complain to the company that sent him and complain to the EA. Remind them also that by law, unless for an emergency, they have to give you 24 hours notice to access the property.l and you can absolutely refuse entry at any time.

What a little prick.