Are you Ok with workmen in your house when you are not there?

mess0804

Following a subject that I opened recently about my problem with the letting agency, I got answers like: "Why do you feel you need to be there?" , "let them go in and do it!" ...

Do you care if people wonder around your place, in your bedroom, your underwear drawer, the possibility of something being stolen (and no insurance in the world will give me back the £20 earings that my dad gave to me the year before he died) ...

Do you livie like in a hotel, no personal posesion that you care about?


I only call the letting agency for important problems, emergencies, I do not ask for general repairs because I do not like for workmen to enter my flat when i am not in. Last year they wanted to paint the outside of the windows and their "specialized" handymen didn't have at least a ladder so they had to enter through my flat to paint the outside window frame and I had to take a day of holiday to be at home.

Wee_Willy_Harris

No-one is suggesting that you HAVE to let ANYONE in. You have exclusive accupancy, that means you have the right to exclude. However, some people are comfortable with letting workmen in, some people aren't. Personally, I wouldn't. But, personally, my neighbour has a key to my front door and an implied permission to use it. It's personal choice. Perhaps some people don't have underwear as exciting as yours!

sonastin

It depends on who's doing the work. Some of the workmen I've used have been family friends and/or recommended and used numerous times by several friends so I have been quite comfortable letting them into my home unsupervised. Other times, like when a company is sending round an unspecified member of their workforce, I'd prefer to have someone I trust their with them. I've been fortunate enough to be able to ask my retired mother or a friend who was between jobs to cover most times, so I haven't had to take much time off work for it.

talulahbeige_2

I agree with OP entirely.
What if the workman that I havent chosen myself through word of mouth etc steals some valuables. No insurance company is going to pay out on that, if i agreed he could let himself in.
LA's dont think about thinkgs on a personal level, infact they usually don't give an F*** about a tennant and their feelings.

If i hadnt insisted on being there for work that LA's workmen had done on the house I would have come home to a right mess, one even tried to dump an old toilet in the neighbours garden as he didnt want to take it away.

mess0804

I just wanted to know in general if I am less trusting as other people, If most of the people think it's normal to have an open door policy ...

One of my friends has a duplicate of the key to my flat (in the contract it says that the agency will charge £50 for a duplicate so I have one that my friend has, he will never enter, or so I think, this is just in case), I was speaking about strangers, workmen, plumber, electrician...
- and about the underwear drawer - from experience I have heared once a workmen braging that he stold some just for fun ... and I can't afford to install cctv in my flat to record everything...

franklee

I certainly won't let anyone I personally didn't know in unsupervised. It doesn't need any justification, but apart from what you mention there's theft of cash, credit cards, chequebooks etc, failure to lock up properly when the workmen leave, letting a cat/dog out, loss of insurance cover etc.

Besides the tenant will be charged for stains on the carpet or scrapes to vinyl flooring and even supervised workmen have muddy boots or push their heavy tool boxes across floors that cause this type of damage. If the tenant is there they can pinpoint the blame where it's due instead of arguing over deductions from their deposit.

Squish_21

I'll admit im not very trustng, I would always want to be home if workmen/women were visiting my home.

Eton_Rifle

Yes I'm fine with workmen being in the house in my absence it but I do have a safe for valuable items and key locks on all bedrooms and my study.

I would have to be very worried indeed to lock a bedroom and I don't think I ever have done (except for teenage parties!) but I do usually lock the study door as much from fear of accidental damage as concern about potential theft.

Wee_Willy_Harris

Locks on ALL the doors? Your underwear must be VERY exciting!!!

breadlinebetty

If you're worried about workmen in your house just stay home while they're there, or keep expensive jewellery on you when you go out. I doubt very much that a workman would steal your TV or PC while you're out the house!

Eton_Rifle

Maybe a lot of old houses have key locks on all the upstairs doors? Certainly all the ones we've lived in have had them.
They must have had some exotic bloomers and garters in those days!