robbed whilst working at a clients home

TotallyBroke

To Withabix
I'm not sure you are correct there but I will find out from the fire brigade to confirm this.
A fire door is there to stop oxygen from getting into a space where a fire is happening and therefore allowing the fire to continue. It will help to suffocate the fire of oxygen. A fire will move in the direction of two of the main elements. Fuel and oxygen, therefore if a fire door is open with new oxygen feeding the building then it will head towards that open escape route.

I believe and again I will check this through a fire safety assessor, is that the only time a fire door can be kept open is by a magnetic release. The type they use in hospitals, because once the alarm is activated then all magnetic strips release the doors so they can be closed to restrict the spread of fire.

In this particular scenario there is an area that is high on the potential fire risk. There are electrical appliances followed by considerable amounts of heat, there are textile fabrics and also an open fire escape allowing oxygen in. By leaving the door open they are allowing the three elements to work together and possibly create a fire. The fact that staff are not there in the area all the time (hence why bag and keys were stolen unnoticed) makes me wonder how far the fire could take hold before the alarms went off. A serious health & safety/fire breach can cost the individual (the person that wedged open the door) £10,000.

louiser123

i have to say i agree with those who say the householder should be claiming on thier own insurance, i cant see how they can claim on his insurance for items stolen from thier own home. the decorators phone of course may be different, but thier personnal belongings were in thier home which is insured for theft presumably.
if i came into my home in summer from my garden, leaving the door ajar( and i have to say i do) to use the loo and i was robbed i would be claiming from my insurance, i was in the house and i had not gone out and left the door open.
this infact happened only a couple of years ago, hubby sat watching tv, i was upstairs ironing, kids out playing outside the house, door closed but unlocked, in came some willey s**t, and stole our car keys and our car, my bag and a watch, i claimed off my house insurance for the items stolen and car insurance for the car, as they had entered my home and taken the keys i was able to claim.

i dont see why a decorator should be claiming on his insurance, when he was in the house thats what we have home contents insurance for!! if i was sat at my kitchen table and someone came in an unlocked door, would i not be able to claim?? of course i would.
and i cant see what part of his insurance would pay out anyway, i reckon they would direct the homeowner to thier own home insurance.

as for fire door, NO fire door can be propped open!! including a fire exit door. i actually teach fire safety and am quite frankly appauled that this practice is taking place in a hotel!! and near a room which is one place that poses an extreme fire risk!! shame on you and you appear to require training in fire safety!! i hope i never get to stay in your hotel!!!

mlz1413

green tree I'd agree with Debt-free-chick the best solution is probably to deter by blocking door with a chair or table.

As this has happened maybe in future you could put something on your quotes saying that when a door is painted it needs time to dry and so you recommend client being at home.

I know my fella is a general builder and he always leaves the doors wide open, I hate it, but he considers it normal. I will tell him about this tonight as I can see him being the next victim this type of theft.

Hope your insurance covers it.

PasturesNew

I think it is the decorator's responsibility because he was in charge of the house. The householder was not present (I presume at work) and the painter had come to do work. Therefore, was entrusted with the security of the house and while in his charge the house was robbed as a direct result of an action he did.

As a tradesperson he has relevant insurance, as stated in post #1, and surely part of that insurance is to cover items for which he is responsible.

It isn't as if the householder was also in the house, or had left the door open.

ceebeeby

But it's not like the poor chap had any choice!

The paint on the door was wet, so he couldn't close it. He's not paid to watch paint dry ... so he didn't - he got on with another part of the overall job.

Some lowlife scumbag opportunist, sees the door ajar and goes in (ahh, wonder if any of his fingerprints were left on the wet paint?) and robs various things (evil t**t should be put in the village stocks!).

If they can't find the thieving **** , then unfortunately the hit will have to be off of house-holders insurance for their loss, and painters insurance for his loss.

Beggers belief the cheek of the thief - hope he had a really rotten day after that! What did the house-holders say?

confused31_2

I know this is a bit off the subject but last week i went out for a few beers with the lads, anyway when i woke up in the morning i think someone had broke into the house and had a pooh in my pants!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

confused

gastroboy

Look on the bright side GreenTree (if there is such a thing). Good thing you weren't hurt or anything. You might have come round to check the door when the theiving !!!!!!! was leaving and (s)he may have attacked you.

Anyway, hope your insurance covers it.

uk_steve

green_tree wrote: »

I know this is a little off topic, but this happened to me today.
I was decorating the small landing area of a clients house. When unbeknown to me, some theives sneaked in through the front door behind me that i left ajar by an inch which i had just painted and helped themselves to my phone and the house owners camera & laptap, the cheeky B******S!!!
Will the customers home and contents insurance cover the cost to replace the goods ?
or will i have to get in touch with my public liability insurers ?
Any help would be appriciated
What is this country comming to if i cant even leave a door open an inch to let paint dry whilst working :mad:?

Maybe the best thing is get a crime report number from the police Asap,

uk_steve

if you do above at least there is a crime report,
..

Ps dont take too many peoples comments to heart , too many people like to kick someone down.. all the best

altyfc

I can't believe some of the earlier posters on here blaiming the OP.
Some MSEers on here need to get a grip on reality. D_F_C has some reasonable suggestions, with the benefit of hindsight. But what the decorator did is not unreasonable. He was present in the building. What was he supposed to do? Wait at the door until the paint had dried? I'm not sure I'd want to pay someone £10 (or whatever) an hour to watch paint dry... c'mon folks, be reasonable!