AIBU to request a welfare check?

[Porkpieandmustard]

I have just submitted a complaint to a company this evening, whose work has caused me to have to pay additional fees to a different company (work not completed properly).
I asked for the money to be reimbursed by the original company.

I’ve received a very angry email back and at the end he tells me that (in summary) he might as well kill himself.

What do I do with that?
Do I phone 101 for a welfare check?

The company are not local to me.

Exactly this.
You might regret doing nothing so definitely flag it up as a cause for concern. It’ll give you peace of mind that you did all you could.

Tell him (as you would with any other potentially manipulative situation) that any threats to himself you must take seriously and as such you are going to instigate the welfare check.

If he is being a manipulative sod then youve called his bluff. If he isnt then youve done the right thing.

Pursue the refund.

This. I suspect it’s the latter, honestly, but either way I’d report it.

Do you know if he’s ok? I’d have reported it. Lost a friend to suicide decades ago without any warning so I would always take it seriously.

I would have just ignored the manipulative idiot but maybe I'm a horrible person.

You definitely did the right thing. A businessman responding like that is far beyond the realms of normal behaviour either way. He probably is suffering from stress or MH issues. You have done all you can and it’s the hands of professionals now. If you’d done nothing you probably would have been stewing on it and getting yourself more wound up. For your own peace of mind and his safety i think you did the right thing.

Absolutely this. There will be a pile of llamas telling op she did the right thing but what about the genuinely suicidal woman who doesn’t get help tonight because the police are dealing with a man using suicide threats as a form of control to try and avoid paying the op, so op is using the police as a form of controlling the situation in return. No one covers themselves in glory here. No one did the right thing. All apparently grown adults. And of course the dispatcher will say op did the right thing, it’s alll about liability and being seen to take it seriously. 🤦‍♀️

I’d say he’s trying to manipulate you into not pursuing reimbursement. I’d report to 101 (as you have done) as if you give the exact details it’s up to them what action to take. Appreciate PPs saying it’s a waste of police time but if OP gives all the context and detail it’s up to them to decide. She’s not requesting they go, she’s just informing them and the emergency services are deciding if it’s a waste of their time or not.

however one thing I would add is that I’d still pursue the reimbursement. Otherwise he’s guilt tripping/manipulating you so he doesn’t need to refund you. That’s wrong and I’d actually be really angry with his thread of suicide. He sounds like a spoiled brat having a tantrum tbh

Nice one OP, glad reported it. I presume you just don't know if he's one of those dramatic (and childish) people who say it frequently at times of stress or if things aren't going their way. For sure better to be on the safe side.

Go ahead and report it.

If his work is unsafe he could well kill some unsuspecting future customer. What he does is up to him but you should not let this go.

Edit glad to see you did report it

You def did the right thing calling for a welfare check.

Blocking his number also wise.

I wouldn't let the complaint drop either. What if you did, and down the road unsafe work caused a new customer to lose a life?

It's not purely about the money is it. All you can do is consider things, and it sounds liike you are on the right track to me.

"Difficult to know what to do about the complaint."
Pursue it. It's a safety issue, so yes, pass it to Trading Standards / HSE / any relevant trade body such as CORGI.

100% report to gas safe and HSE. This is unsafe gas installation and whilst you've been made aware of this issue and has it rectified, the next person who suffers from his shoddy work may not be so lucky. Gas is not something to be messed with and someone working unsafely with gas needs to be reported and investigated by the relevant bodies.

^^ This. You don't want some other customer hurt or worse (and neither does he, really). Reporting unsafe gas work is essential for everyone.

And make sure your widows and doors are locked.

I hope they do do a welfare check. They wouldn’t for a friend, who did indeed kill themselves.

sorry to hear that @SeriousTissues
It sounded like they were going to contact him by phone at least but I don’t know for sure.

Yes I will report the company to the relevant agencies.

You’ve done your part in terms of his well being. Just a shame he didn’t have the same regard for yours, given how serious gas related incidents can be.

Please report your concerns to Gas Safe immediately.