Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Tradesperson inviting people into my home

1000 replies

IvyPlant · 17/09/2022 17:03

Currently got a tradesperson in to do a job. They quoted me a day rate of 8 days work (which I think will take less time than that, but they're the expert...)

Anyway, that's not my AIBU. I checked my security footage this week and noticed a woman popped round to my house when I was out and tradesperson was working alone in my house. I can only see her walk past my front door to the back garden gate, she knocks and then the feed ends. She's seen leaving 4 hours later. The next day, same thing, except 3 hours.

At present the tradesperson gets here for about 8am and has already stopped working by 3pm. So that's 7 hours of work, fair enough, but 4 (and 3) of them an unknown woman here is (it's not his wife, I did a little social media digging and it's not her).

AIBU if I question him about it next week? He still has 4 days left to finish the job next week and I don't l like the fact there's an unknown and univited person in my house when I'm not there, plus, how much work can he really be doing if his "mate" is there for 4 hours.

OP posts:
YesitsBess · 20/09/2022 18:57

Same @GYNisaliarWTF and the user name checks out 😳

CountessWindyBottom · 20/09/2022 18:57

I would do exactly the same as you OP. I'd wait to get the job done, especially when it's such a major undertaking. Has he given you an estimated completion date? I'm not surprised your anxious. I'd be seething with rage at the thought of someone treating my home like that. It's disrespectful, unprofessional and above all else, absolutely vile. Hugs 🌻

YesitsBess · 20/09/2022 18:58

I’m now trying to think of diabolical booby traps for his last day….

I’ve enough second-hand rage on your behalf Ivy that I’ve not had to put an extra layer on.

Nameless3 · 20/09/2022 18:59

I'd be fuming and sobbing and shaking.

CucumberCool · 20/09/2022 18:59

As you have not paid him yet, you should deduct the hours she spends in your home...

SueDCreme · 20/09/2022 19:04

Nameless3 · 20/09/2022 18:59

I'd be fuming and sobbing and shaking.

The OP's fuming
The Tradesperson will probably be the other 2 when the OP confronts him with the camera footage

NoParticularPattern · 20/09/2022 19:18

I don’t blame you for not really wanting to sack him mid job- you’d probably be waiting flipping ages for anyone else to finish a half job. Plus you sort of needed the evidence and now you’ve got it you’ll just have to wait for your opportunity.

keepcalm11 · 20/09/2022 19:25

Agree OP is doing the right thing having him finish the job then reaveal once he produces his bill.
Hopefully tradesperson will vanish from the embarrasment and OP will get the job for free by way of compensation for his CF'ery and misuse of her home and raiding her fridge

Original poster
IvyPlant · 20/09/2022 19:26

I actually don't have a problem with the quality of his work (as far as my untrained eye can tell). Work is progressing throughout the house, however I always suspected he over estimated the number of days in his quote. When I questioned him on the quantity of days, he said he'd rather over estimate and complete the job earlier than estimated and keep the customer happy.

So far there's been several hours where I know work hasn't happened. It's not that he's not doing a good job, it's that he's taking his sweet ass time and inviting this woman round on chargeable hours.

Let me be clear, I have no problems with having difficult conversations or confronting him on his professionalism (or lack thereof). I am waiting for him to complete the job first because at present I don't have power to half of my property and I don't want to leave it that for for x number of weeks/months until I can find someone else to take on the job. I'm certainly not trying to blackmail him, tell his wife what he's been up to or get a free job out of it. But I do think I deserve to only pay for hours/days worked.

And for those who have no imagination, no I don't have a camera in the toilet. I do have a downstairs loo though and the guy (aside from having no standards) fails to shut the door during his ablutions.

Also, for those laughing at my turns of phrase on here (fibre of my being etc), I'm even worse in real life. Sorry.

OP posts:
Outofdepthmum · 20/09/2022 19:26

Whoa! Big ass discount coming your way!

Soulstirring · 20/09/2022 19:29

Awful man. I’d most definitely not be settling in full and if he argues leaving a full and honest review on his page

Nameless3 · 20/09/2022 19:29

So you are watching him use the toilet? I think that might be illegal.

OnTheRunWithMannyMontana · 20/09/2022 19:32

I'm sorry OP but I think you are being a bit pathetic not confronting him straight away.

If that was me he would be gone and another electrician brought in to finish the job.

He is walking (and shagging) all over you.

FlissyPaps · 20/09/2022 19:32

Nameless3 · 20/09/2022 19:29

So you are watching him use the toilet? I think that might be illegal.

Not OP’s fault if he can’t be bothered to shut the door when using the toilet.

OnTheRunWithMannyMontana · 20/09/2022 19:32

I'm sorry OP but I think you are being a bit pathetic not confronting him straight away.

If that was me he would be gone and another electrician brought in to finish the job.

He is walking (and shagging) all over you.

Benedictcucumber · 20/09/2022 19:32

Ah come on, if I was sat downstairs in my house I could hear whether someone using the toilet upstairs had washed their hands, because I'd hear the tap running (or not). Even easier if they were on the same floor. I'm sure the camera audio can pick that up!

coldfeetmama · 20/09/2022 19:33

I agree .. let him finish the job

Confront him with the deducted hrs and suggest " this is the bill I'm expecting to pay due to the number of hours where your attention has been elsewhere - would you like to discuss that or accept that the doorbell and other witness evidence has shown the regular female visitor being in your home unauthorised is not to be financed by myself "
Work it out , deduct £100 for your expense with the camera , pay him and off he goes
Don't forget the key !

coldfeetmama · 20/09/2022 19:33

I agree .. let him finish the job

Confront him with the deducted hrs and suggest " this is the bill I'm expecting to pay due to the number of hours where your attention has been elsewhere - would you like to discuss that or accept that the doorbell and other witness evidence has shown the regular female visitor being in your home unauthorised is not to be financed by myself "
Work it out , deduct £100 for your expense with the camera , pay him and off he goes
Don't forget the key !

Snazzysausage · 20/09/2022 19:33

As upsetting as it is,and I'd be furious about his shenanigans,I think you're sensible in letting him finish the electrical work. When you receive his invoice, tell him then to adjust it by how many hours you think fit. He's hardly going to claim the sex was over in 5 minutes and the rest of the time she was just talking to him while he worked. I would definitely leave a bad review too - most people don't have an outhouse for bonking so presumably he usually makes use of the customers home. Imagine if he used your/a child's bedroom. It's grim alright.

Original poster
IvyPlant · 20/09/2022 19:34

I'm not watching him go to the toilet actually, I looked away, plus I couldn't see anything if I wanted to as the wall covers everything. Thanks for your concern though 🤣

OP posts:
Tessabelle74 · 20/09/2022 19:37

Oh my god! Blatantly place marking for updates! CF (literally it seems!)

BadNomad · 20/09/2022 19:38

Yeah if this is real you are breaking the law. You are not allowed to use secret cameras to record people outside of your family and you're definitely not allowed to use them in a way that infringes on people's rights to privacy. i.e using the toilet.

Confusion101 · 20/09/2022 19:40

When will he be finished the job? Heavily invested in this story now!

Original poster
IvyPlant · 20/09/2022 19:40

Also, I have no proof he's been having sex here. I can only surmise SOMETHING OTHER THAN WORK has happened based on the length of time the woman was seen entering and exiting my garden on several occasions. And that is a moot point anyway, it won't change the outcome of how I plan to confront him and the recourse I demand*

The last line was made purposely hyperbolic to stir you non believers into a frenzy.

OP posts:
Pixiedust1234 · 20/09/2022 19:41

Well. I thought its Tuesday night lets see if op has an update. I didn't expect to trawl through 8 full pages (that's 800 posts!) 😮

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In
This thread is not accepting new messages.