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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask decorator to replace shoes they got paint on?

60 replies

WoodlandsMum22 · 28/02/2023 14:45

So I'm really not sure if this is my fault or the decorators.
We have been having all the woodwork redone in white gloss. My friend and I came home whilst he was here and left our shoes in the hall, didn't think about it, was trying to get the toddler through to the kitchen and out of the way. We then went to go out and realised there are white specks of gloss paint all over our shoes, my pair are suede deck shoes, my friends are patent black boots. As its oil based we can't get it out so they are ruined. I showed them to the decorator and he said he didn't see them. His answer was white spirit, I said best not because of the suede and patent. So my question is, it is unreasonable to expect him to replace them, as he should have taken care when decorating, or is it our fault for leaving them out? He wasnt painting in the hall when we got back, he moved into there later on.

Please don't be harsh, I genuinely am not sure what to do! I have rang timpsons who said the marks will never come out.

OP posts:
FooFighter99 · 28/02/2023 14:53

Your house, your shoes, your responsibility to put them out of harms way when you know there is someone painting

Lesson learned I suspect...

Haus1234 · 28/02/2023 14:54

YABU

ACynicalDad · 28/02/2023 15:01

He may have a responsibility to move them/suggest you move them at the start of the day but once he has started it's 100% on you.

ClaraThePigeon · 28/02/2023 15:01

YABU. You left them put in an area that was going to be painted.

Planesmistakenforstars · 28/02/2023 15:01

So my question is, it is unreasonable to expect him to replace them, as he should have taken care when decorating, or is it our fault for leaving them out?

The latter.

Dartmoorcheffy · 28/02/2023 15:03

You left then there while he was working and he wasn't aware of them. Its on you.

UdoU · 28/02/2023 15:03

It's painful I know but the responsibility lies with you. You need to leave a clear space and cover anything that needs protecting.

Did you want him to move the shoes for you?

AllThingsServeTheBeam · 28/02/2023 15:05

Totally on you op.

You may as well try the white spirit if they're ruined anyway.

FallopianTubeTrain · 28/02/2023 15:05

If you think they’re ruined anyway then no harm in giving the white spirit a go, go steady and use a cotton bud to dab and be precise.

annoying but I don’t think you can reasonably expect the decorator to pay in these circumstances

IWishItCouldBeChristmasEveryday · 28/02/2023 15:10

What were they left on in the hall? If it was already covered with tarp and you left your shoes on top of that then I think that's your fault, but if your flooring wasn't covered then he should've covered them first.

Lcb123 · 28/02/2023 15:12

Yes you are. You left the shoes there.

Regularsizedrudy · 28/02/2023 15:13

you left your fancy shoes where he was painting… and you want him to pay for them. Get a grip

GPFavo · 28/02/2023 15:16

Sorry, that’s on you. It’s one of those really annoying ones though.

mamabear715 · 28/02/2023 15:16

I'd personally be really pissed off, @WoodlandsMum22 - he could have kicked them out of the way. I wouldn't expect him to replace them, but I'd never use him again, & would tell anyone who enquired whether they should use him, what had happened.

GPFavo · 28/02/2023 15:17

mamabear715 · 28/02/2023 15:16

I'd personally be really pissed off, @WoodlandsMum22 - he could have kicked them out of the way. I wouldn't expect him to replace them, but I'd never use him again, & would tell anyone who enquired whether they should use him, what had happened.

He can’t have kicked them out of the way if he didn’t see them…

lunar1 · 28/02/2023 15:18

You left them there after he started working, it's on you.

sonjadog · 28/02/2023 15:19

Your fault, you shouldn’t have left them there.

AllThingsServeTheBeam · 28/02/2023 15:20

mamabear715 · 28/02/2023 15:16

I'd personally be really pissed off, @WoodlandsMum22 - he could have kicked them out of the way. I wouldn't expect him to replace them, but I'd never use him again, & would tell anyone who enquired whether they should use him, what had happened.

He didn't see them

Viviennemary · 28/02/2023 15:22

No. The shoes should have been put away.

Cosyblankets · 28/02/2023 15:25

I'm stunned you need to ask.
You knew you had a decorator
You knew he was painting
You left your shoes in the way

TheGoogleMum · 28/02/2023 15:28

Sorry but I'm with the decorator I think. If they had been out before he started hopefully he would have taken care to protect them but once he'd started the job he probably thought he'd already done the protecting things bit

TheySeeMeRowling · 28/02/2023 15:44

More proof that no good can come from removing your shoes in someone else’s house 😂

Original poster
WoodlandsMum22 · 28/02/2023 15:45

Nothing was covered, just on the tile floor (which is covered in specs of paint aswell as the wooden door threshold).

OP posts:
mamabear715 · 28/02/2023 15:45

He didn't SEE them? Well, that's what he says, isn't it.. trust me, if I was painting, I'd have seen them..

maddy68 · 28/02/2023 15:48

WoodlandsMum22 · 28/02/2023 15:45

Nothing was covered, just on the tile floor (which is covered in specs of paint aswell as the wooden door threshold).

Then you have a case. He should have covered the floor. You were idiotic to leave shoes where he was painting but the floor shouldn't have paint on. He needs to remove those specs before he leaves. That will come off with white spirit though