Leaving contractors/people to do work in your home alone

[Milkchocodigestive]

Hi there! Just need some other views on this!

So we’re getting our carpet cleaned and refreshed after years of built up stains and my husband asked one of his colleagues (who does cleaning as a side hustle) to do it. The price was very reasonable and the colleague had come to our house to assess the carpet and see what tools he’d need. I was fine with it but then my husband forgot that he’d booked the guy to come in at a day when we’d all be out of the house and rescheduling would be a bit tight. Now, I don’t actually know the colleague myself and although I’m sure he’s lovely and all that based on my husband’s judgment, I’m still not 100% comfortable of having someone who’s essentially a virtual stranger (to me) left alone in my house to carry out work. It’s not that I’m assuming he’s capable of anything bad, it’s more to do with me wanting to protect my home and taking due diligence due to not truly knowing him. Also, trust should be earned in my opinion! So I asked my sister to house-sit whilst he carries out work. She’s not there to hover over him like a drone, more to just be a presence in the house. Part of me feels like it’s a bit too cautious but I think it’s just due diligence- right? Would you guys do the same?😀

It depends I suppose. If he really is a stranger then no, I wouldn't. I work alongside tradesmen and I give one of them a key when I need work done and I know my family have trusted them on my say so.

Yes fair enough. But just because he knows them and is comfortable, it doesn’t mean I do. I’m not even saying he’s gonna do anything - it’s just for my own peace of mind.

So your husband says you’re being OTT? Or he’s made no comment about you bringing your sister in?

Is your husband a burglar? If not, why are you suspicious that all of his colleagues are thieves?

All the "keeping our house safe" stuff makes it sound as though you are convinced that your belongings are of especial value. I can't believe that the average carpet cleaner (who, in this case, is well known to your husband) has any interest in rummaging through your belongings.

No, nothing like that. I’d spoken to my mum about it and she said it’s wise. My husband is expecting him to lock up too.

So literally no one in Rl has even alluded to you being over cautious

and you’re sisters happy to spend a few hours at yours?

and it’s so urgent that you couldn’t reschedule for when you didn’t need to bring your sister in?

When we bought our first home, we had little valuable in the house anyway (and few possessions) so we had quite a few workers in and out over the first few months doing the kitchen, bathrooms, re-wiring, etc. Back then it was fine as it wasn't "personal" to us at that point, but there were still lots of issues, i.e. workers leaving a filthy mess in the bathroom after using the toilet, muddy/oily footprints on the carpets (despite us putting down dust sheets), shoddy substandard work, etc.

We soon learned!

Now we make sure there's always someone in, even if it's outdoor work, so we can keep an eye on what they're doing to check they're actually doing the job right to a decent standard and make sure they're not making an unnecessary mess anywhere.

These were typically "reputable" firms, not the cheapest odd-job-men kind of tradesmen. Kitchen and bathroom showrooms (not a random plumber out of Yellow Pages), British Gas for boiler replacement, etc.

Yes, plenty of them are honest, tidy and reliable, but lots aren't and you don't know which kind you get until you've got them!

No, it’s nothing like that. We don’t have diamonds and gold bars hidden in the safe or anything! It’s a family home, with personal belongings. I don’t know the guy personally. And we’re going out, leaving the house in his care and we don’t know when he’ll be finished, I don’t know the arrangements with him locking up etc. it’s not mean, it’s just a healthy level of discretion. Would you leave your children with someone who your friend knows? Even if you truly love your friend, there are some things that are just off limits.

So your husband has been catastrophically screwed by a colleague in the past?

Exactly.

Surely it's better to take precautions BEFORE something bad happens rather than after, so that you can avoid it rather than having to deal with the consequences????

In my opinion, it’s less to do with the guy - more with me just not being comfortable with my home being left with someone I don’t know very well.

No if you read… he has been in the past

major drip from the Op!!

Would i leave my children with my husband's friend?
Yes

Unless your husband's friend is a complete halfwit, I'm sure that he can close the door on the way out. He can probably turn a key if asked.

It is not a healthy level of discretion.

Well, I understand we all have different views on this and I know other people are more trusting and wouldn’t think twice about it which is fine.

I think your approach is understandable, and sensible. I wouldn't be comfortable either.

So quick update - I told my husband that I’d asked my sister to come round. He was a bit curious as to why because he wanted the living room to be free for the guy to do the cleaning. I reluctantly told my sister to stay home and realised I’d have to just face whatever underlying emotions came with this. So the colleague came whilst my husband was out - it was my first time seeing him - can hear him hoovering away and using all his tools - it’s not as scary as I thought. I put away any super personal items just in case but yeah, learning to get comfortable and trust more I guess.

The only time we have ever left workmen in the house alone was many years ago when the house our flat was in was underpinned. All five flats had internal repair work and decorating carried out after the external work was completed and we all trusted the main contractor with our keys when we were at work, and presumably they passed them on to subcontractors. About a week after the work was finished, all five flats were burgled, and there was no sign of forced entry to any of the flats. We’ve never left anyone in any property we’ve owned since then and have never left our keys with anyone apart from very close friends or relatives.

I'm with you, OP. I have left workmen in the house before when I've not had any choice, but I always feel uncomfortable about it. It's not that I think they're going to pinch the teaspoons, more that I'm worried about them taking the opportunity to rummage through my knicker drawer (or worse, the laundry basket!). Or even something like going to the toilet, not washing their hands, and then making themselves a cuppa and leaving germs all over the fridge door, kettle handle etc! I really hate the thought of it!

I’m still not 100% comfortable of having someone who’s essentially a virtual stranger (to me) left alone in my house to carry out work. It’s not that I’m assuming he’s capable of anything bad, it’s more to do with me wanting to protect my home and taking due diligence due to not truly knowing him.

I am not comfortable with it either and it isn't just that they might do anything. A stranger is a stranger. I know a lot of people feel relaxed about it but I don't. Let's say something happened while they are carrying out the work and you are not in. Theoretically speaking, they can just leave your house when done or not done and they are not responsible for it. As a result, if anything happens, your insurance company may not pay for the consequences because really they don't expect you to leave your own house in the hands of strangers. Because they are not responsible for anything is the exact reason why you shouldn't leave your home while they are alone. It isn't their house. They have no responsibility or accountability for anything that happens in it while you aren't there.

For example, my kitchen fitter told me he once hired a pair of handymen to assist him with a job. Both youngsters. The owner left the house to them with the keys while he was away, and the fitter once asked one of the assistants to lock up. Next day, he comes in and all his tools are gone. The youngsters said someone must have broken in because the window was open. The fitter suspected that they deliberately left the window open and faked the theft because the tools are expensive. I don't know what happened there and who is responsible. Don't want to blame anyone but you see what I mean!

I've left people in my house to do work in fine with it I feel odd just sitting there with them working so I prefer to be out my landlord has the keys anyway and will give them to the trade person it's easier and the work gets done quicker

I prefer not to be there

Surely your sister being in a house alone with a strange to you man is statistically a far greater risk to her than the risk of him doing anything to your house?

I’d ensure any valuables weren’t on show I.e jewelry etc but I’d not care given your DH knows the person.

To everyone saying you wouldn’t do this - what would you do if you had a big project? We currently have three workmen in our house doing a complete renovation and they’ll be there eight hours a day five days a week till January. It’s just not feasible to be in all of that time - we have to go to work!