Au pair didn't tell us house smelt of gas for a full day

[Tertius]

When we returned home today after being away for the weekend the house reeked of gas. The Aupair (who is nearly 30) came downstairs and said it has smelt like this since yesterday evening.

I rang the national grid straight away who found a big leak in the boiler and has turned it off.

Am I being unreasonable to be very irritated that she didn't say anything or do anything about it? The smell was very strong and we all noticed it when we came in the house. And she had noticed it too, the night before!

I trust my children with this woman but this seems to indicate a lack of common sense! Or is it just a lack of experience of gas? My husband thinks I am being unfair. I haven't said anything to her as I have been dealing with the gas engineer etc but I am feeling thoroughly annoyed with her, to be honest.

I suspect lots of people wouldn't have a clue what that smell is. Is she British?

I think being annoyed and irritated is a very odd reaction tbh. Your poor boiler maintenance could have killed her.

What Jiggly said.
She is the one who should be pissed off that your crappy boiler could have killed her!

I also think that she probably didn't know what it was. Our German and French au pairs had never seen a gas appliance before they came to us.

PP I suspect that the OP didn't actually know that her boiler was faulty.

Not everyone knows what gas smells like. Sometimes to can smell like something has gone off so a lot of people would assume something may have gone bad in the house.

Frankly Im pissed off that you could have killed your au pair and your first thought is not about her welfare but to whine about her not knowing what the smell was.

She probably didn't know what it was.

Frankly Im pissed off that you could have killed your au pair and your first thought is not about her welfare but to whine about her not knowing what the smell was.

^^^^This x1100000

Lots of countries don't have gas appliances, and the ones that do don't all add a smell like we do.

You should be apologising for putting her at risk, then have a long hard think about your priorities.
As her employer it is 100% down to you to make sure her working environment is safe and well maintained. Had there been an accident it is you who would be deemed at fault.

Have you ever told her how the boiler works/ explained about gas etc?
Or did you just assume?

When was your last boiler check?
Do you maintain it regularly, or ignore any minor issues?

Seriously, you are irritated at her, when you could have killed her??!

How is a faulty appliance the op's fault...bit over dramatic to say she 'could have killed her' . Where has the op said the boiler wasn't maintained or they did anything wrong at all?

She could have killed her because the OP is responsible for her au pairs health and welfare whilst in her home. One naked flame and poof!! Bye bye au pair.

The op is responsible for maintaining the boiler and for all we know the boiler could not have been maintained correctly. For such a serious leak it sounds like a massive failure of either rubber or metal sealant parts in the boiler which wouldn't normally happen overnight and would normally be picked up in an annual check.

We had a leak in our boiler about 3 years ago. Came home one evening and there was the smell of gas as soon as the door opened. No indications of any problems before that and the boiler is serviced regularly. Shit happens, appliances break down.

To turn it to you could have killed the au pair when there's no indication from the op that they've done anything wrong is a massive reach and ridiculously ott.