DH threatened by dodgy workman. What should we do?

[Janni]

DH has a flat that needs clearing, after his useless brother squatted there for a year. We're not a dodgy family, honest, but the brother is something else.

I booked what looked like a reputable firm to come and clear it this morning at 9 a.m. - by phone and email. The guy sounded fine.

DH went to the flat, they didn't arrive. He phoned. The guy said 'there's been a cock-up'. DH is very stressed at the moment and, by the sounds of it, lost his temper on the phone.

The guy then issued death threats, said he was a bouncer and would come and kill him. At which point DH legged it from the flat and went to a local cafe to call me and warn me not to have anything to do with this man if he called. He has my name, our email and our phone number (landline and DHs mobile)

I do not feel at all threatened - I don't think we'll ever hear from him again. BUT I am FURIOUS on DHs behalf and want to take some action. There is a head office address and phone number on the internet site and it LOOKS like a reputable company, with offices all over, testimonials etc

What would you do?

Citizens Advice Bureau? Your local council??

Er, your DH lost his temper first didn't he? In your position I wouldn't take any action (well actually I'd be ashamed of dh).

You probably need to know what your DH said to him in the course of losing his temper in order to best judge why this man felt the need to issue "death threats"

I think Janni's husband will have had to say something pretty extreme to justify death threats though!

What I mean is that I can't really see many (or indeed any) situations where making death threats would be in any way justified.

it was probably just a stonking row

nothing will come of it

i would move swiftly on

Well, I know DH pretty well and he is generally very mild-mannered. I will get him to tell me EXACTLY what he said. I KNOW he won't have said anything to threaten this guy, it will have been a rant about how this had all been arranged and confirmed etc etc as we had someone coming to view the flat in the afternoon.

I am also concerned that someone who is capable of issuing death threats when challenged on the phone because he hasn't turned up for a job is out there offering a 'service'to customers. I sort of feel I should do something to stop him.

What exactly did he say to have 'issued death threats'.

It sounds like two grown men had a hummer of a row. I know if it was my DH he'd be livid that I was FURIOUS on his behalf & want to take action.

What justifies a 'dodgy' workman anyway?

LadyMuck - no, I feel sorry for him. I don't feel ashamed of him.

sorry to hear that janni poor dh must have shaken him

i would certainly contact head offivce and issue a complaint as customer is always right even if shouting you do not threaten somebody

hope you feel better soon xx

oh i wouldnt be ashamed of dh at all if someone is supposed to be doing work and they are not there you are entitled to be a bit peed off

does not warrant death threats and certainly dont need to be ashamed when his already under stress

from what i have heard of him he is a nice person who probably told them they were to have been there by now and bloke knowing he was in the wrong probbaly retaliated with threats

keep your chin up janni x

I suppose I'm furious because it was me who booked it and I talked to the man and didn't sense anything dodgy.

OK I've just spoken to DH again.

When no one turned up he called 'Phil's' mobile number and said 'We booked you for 9 a.m. and there's no one here'.

'There's no one there? All right, I'll get on to it and call you back'

Phil calls back 'Right there's been a fuck-up.
I might be able to get someone to you by 4 p.m'

DH 'That's no good, I've got someone coming to look at the flat at 2 p.m.'

Phil 'Don't you chastise me, mate, it's not my fault.

Then DH swore at him. Yes, he shouldn't have.

Phil 'I bury people like you - I'm a bouncer as well as this job and I'm going to kill you'.
Phil rang back two more times to threaten to kill him.

Thanks Bubblagirl - I still feel really shaky

If he is repeatedly calling back to threaten, not just in the heat of a row, then I think I would contact the police tbh.

Dh swore at him...what did he say?
Did he say oh shit mate... or did he say you stupid fucking bastard....

Which one?

Not that it matters, as phil rang him back 5 times!! Ignorant sod!

oops... 2 times!

Your dh lost his temper.
So did the other bloke.

Your dh is not going to be wiped off the face of the planet for shouting down the phone at a cleaner...unless he's that sort of cleaner.

Your dh didn't behave beautifully here - he's the person to deal with this, not you. In your shoes, I'd leave it for my dp to deal with - but I think he should at least call the HQ of the cleaning company. Did he answer the last 2 calls or did Phil leave messages? If you go to the police you need evidence. Might be worth a phone call though.

I can see you're very upset by this. Sorry.

i think this kind of cleaning just does have a percentage of rough guys working, scaffolding is another profession where there are some characters

i would just forget it

unpleasant but one of those things best left

Death threats sound a bit ott from what you've said of the situation, specially with the calling back.

Not good to swear at people but understandable under the circumstances (I have been witness to MIL shouting and screaming down the phone like a harpi when her papers aren't delivered on time - but she's generally lovely in most other circumstances...)

If he calls again like fletchaar, might be tempted to contact police, or the head office, but with small firms like this often everyone is everyone and head office iyswim.

If head office is different set of people then maybe a word about customer services?

You haven't paid have you?

Can't imagine the death threats coming to anything tho, but it really shakes you up if something like this happens.

Hope oil is poured on troubled waters soon, and it's not your fault this row happened!

Oh Janni, sounds horrid. I don't think the threats will come to anything either, sounds to me like 'Phil' is trying to prevent a phone call to head office with scare tactics. Hope this gets sorted, I think I would be leaving it to DP too though.

OK, thanks everyone. You've helped me look at this objectively.

From the website it looks like a decent-sized firm with a few branches, so we'll write to their head office and report 'Phil' for threatening to bury dissatisfied customers. At least if he's had any other complaints against him they might take it seriously.

what does your dh say tho shouldn't he be the one to do it?

Well I booked it and made the arrangements with 'Phil' so I think the letter should be from both of us. DH isn't here - he's trying to sort the flat out himself!