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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Tradesman ate my crisps - do I bring it up?

298 replies

LostSleep · 28/02/2023 12:52

We are currently renovating a property before moving in. We have all of our furniture there but are staying elsewhere. The windows are currently being renovated. When I went in to see the progress I noticed my multipack of crisps was empty and there were several empty packets of crisps strewn in different rooms.

AIBU to raise this with the lead tradesman?

I have left quite a bit a food there as we are there most days doing DIY/decorating but haven't been there while the windows are being renovated.

My partner says there isn't any point in raising it. Nothing will come out of it.

OP posts:
oakleaffy · 28/02/2023 14:40

MadamAndTheAnts · 28/02/2023 14:35

They won’t do as good a job if they’re hungry. It’s a good thing he makes munched on your salty snack.

Tradesperson tend to bring their own food onto site..But tea/coffee and biscuits are good to have on hand for them.

OnMyWayToSenility · 28/02/2023 14:41

Well I hope he didn't find a heart shaped crisp and try's to win the £100k walkers are currently offering!!?

That would piss me right off 🤣

Twiglets1 · 28/02/2023 14:41

I wouldn’t bother having an awkward conversation over a few crisps

MadamAndTheAnts · 28/02/2023 14:43

oakleaffy · 28/02/2023 14:40

Tradesperson tend to bring their own food onto site..But tea/coffee and biscuits are good to have on hand for them.

Show quote history

True. But maybe he was extra peckish.

Asummersday · 28/02/2023 14:44

I personally wouldn’t care! At most find his cheekiness amusing! It’s the quality of work I care about

ThereIbledit · 28/02/2023 14:45

They won’t do as good a job if they’re hungry. It’s a good thing he makes munched on your salty snack.

You're not wrong, but I HATE this infantalising of grown-ass men. If they're functional enough to do <whatever it is they are there to do> ; they should be functional enough to bring sufficient food to keep them going for the day.

Pinkhorse1 · 28/02/2023 14:45

Here we go again....if its not 2 chocolates its the muti-pack of crisps! Why don't you just take him to court for them 🙄😂

He obviously must have thought you left them there for him, not like he ate the crisps and hid the empty packets 🤦‍♀️

MasterBeth · 28/02/2023 14:46

I would act as if I assumed eating the crisps was a mistake, but be very clear about where I was leaving food in future. Say "We're having to keep our food here. Please tell your team not to touch it."

Unavailable101 · 28/02/2023 14:48

Walkers you say, he's on the hunt for the heart shaped one. Chucking the pack as he opens the next bag to check!

CaIcobcman · 28/02/2023 14:48

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Original poster
LostSleep · 28/02/2023 14:53

I didn't realise this would be so controversial!

For info: the flat has been completely ripped out. There is no kitchen or even a fridge. I have left tea and a kettle.

It is on a high street where there are multiple coffee chains.

We live 30 mins away and haven't been able to continue our work while they are there. When I have popped in, I do offer to go get everyone something from the cafe/shops.

I wish my work would realise how badly I work when hangry and supply me with food and drink 😂

OP posts:
ZeldaWillTellYourFortune · 28/02/2023 14:54

I had a couple of young men in from a removal company recently, just to shift around furniture that is too heavy for me to move by myself.

I greeted them with hot coffee, a cinammon swirl cake, orange juice. They were surprised but pleased. After they did the required job they asked if there were anything else. I said it wasn't on the brief but it had occurred to me that I wanted a door brought in from storage; was going to try to re-hang it in the utility doorway (can't remember why I took it down in the first place.)

They waved away my offer to pay more, retrieved the door from the storage loft AND re-hung it for me. I sent them on their way with a a tip, a couples of cokes and packages of nuts.

It's increasingly difficult to find reliable people in the trades and difficult jobs that require heavy lifting -- I treat them as well as I can. Where would we be without them?

Jennybeans401 · 28/02/2023 14:54

Maybe buy him a packet of crisps next time tell him that those are his but leave the other crisps alone!!

Watchinglionking · 28/02/2023 14:57

I'd not care about this at all

oakleaffy · 28/02/2023 14:57

ZeldaWillTellYourFortune · 28/02/2023 14:54

I had a couple of young men in from a removal company recently, just to shift around furniture that is too heavy for me to move by myself.

I greeted them with hot coffee, a cinammon swirl cake, orange juice. They were surprised but pleased. After they did the required job they asked if there were anything else. I said it wasn't on the brief but it had occurred to me that I wanted a door brought in from storage; was going to try to re-hang it in the utility doorway (can't remember why I took it down in the first place.)

They waved away my offer to pay more, retrieved the door from the storage loft AND re-hung it for me. I sent them on their way with a a tip, a couples of cokes and packages of nuts.

It's increasingly difficult to find reliable people in the trades and difficult jobs that require heavy lifting -- I treat them as well as I can. Where would we be without them?

Good trades are really hard to find..Even good trades admit it's hard to get a good labourer.
The Polish trades were ''Grafters'', sadly too many have returned to Poland since Brexit.

FOJN · 28/02/2023 14:59

I can hardly believe the responses here. He/they helped himself to things without being told they were for the builders, that's more than cheeky, that's entitled and according to MN if you don't provide a bin for them then it's perfectly reasonable for them to throw litter on the floor.apparently it's unreasonable to expect an adult not to throw litter on the floor. They threw your things on the floor because they wanted a seat but then did not replace things as they found them and apparently this is OK too.

FFS, Have you employed a professional firm or the local nursery? I would not be happy with such disrespectful behaviour and would say so. I don't think it's OK for people working on your house to treat it as if it's their place. There are professional tradespeople out there who would be horrified that anyone thinks this is acceptable.

I've always made a habit of providing tea and biscuits, either making tea myself or telling the to help themselves if I've not been there to make it. If I've bought lunch for myself I've usually bought extra for anyone doing work on my house and I'm fine with all of that but if they started helping themselves without asking I'd be pretty pissed off.

ifonly4 · 28/02/2023 15:02

They're taking the p..s. Unless you've clearly said they can help themselves to something, they shouldn't touch your food.

A different note, but I thought this was nice. I did have a tradesman once ask if he could have some biscuits or fruit for a snack as he'd forgotten his lunch. His wife popped by with his sandwiches later and she'd made some for me.

LakieLady · 28/02/2023 15:02

I'd tell them they were cheeky fuckers, but I'd make sure there were biscuits, tea & coffee for them. Mind you, I'm a soft touch, my plumber was here fitting a new bathroom while I had a big pot of chilli on the hob. I gave him a bowl of it for his lunch.

Seriously though, decent tradies are well worth looking after. And some have been known to do quite iffy things if you piss them off.

CaIcobcman · 28/02/2023 15:04

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Amy8 · 28/02/2023 15:04

Leave out more snacks next time

girlfriend44 · 28/02/2023 15:16

Lighten up fgs.

OnaBegonia · 28/02/2023 15:19

@Poppingwatermelons
Do you only have lunch? never a little break? they're tradesman not servants.

IfWhatOneHasToSayIsNotBetterThanSilence · 28/02/2023 15:26

I'm amazed at how judgemental people are on this forum.

Unbelieveable.

neilyoungismyhero · 28/02/2023 15:28

Think yourself lucky he just ate your crisps and didn't take a dump in the corner of the room.

fairycakes1234 · 28/02/2023 15:29

Id assume he thought they were for him, shouldn't have thrown wrappers around but maybe he didn't think you would notice and planned to clean them up before job was finished. I'd leave it :)