Leaving builders alone in your property

Eastie77

I have builders (well floor fitters) coming to lay wooden flooring in my flat towards the end of the month, just before the long bank holiday weekend. The work will take a day and a half. For various reasons it is very difficult for me to take this time off work. I also have to have the work completed before the BH and after much discussion the dates the builders are coming are the only ones they can do before then.

I can’t find anyone to flat sit while the work is being done which is understandable - my flat is small and the person would basically be sat in my spare room with not much to do while work is carried out in the hall and front room. So I was thinking of leaving the builders to it on the first day (I would have to be at home on the second half day to sign off the work and pay) and popping home at intervals during the day to check. I work 20mins away from my flat.

I don’t have anything of particular value in my flat, my MAC is probably the most expensive thing and I could carry that to work with me. One of my neighbours might be able to pop in from time to time during the day but not 100% certain so the floor fitters would be alone for most of the day. My OH thinks I’m crazy to even consider this. Anyone think this is a really bad idea?

Mojisola

Eastie77 wrote: »

I have builders (well floor fitters) coming to lay wooden flooring in my flat towards the end of the month, just before the long bank holiday weekend. The work will take a day and a half. For various reasons it is very difficult for me to take this time off work. I also have to have the work completed before the BH and after much discussion the dates the builders are coming are the only ones they can do before then.

I can’t find anyone to flat sit while the work is being done which is understandable - my flat is small and the person would basically be sat in my spare room with not much to do while work is carried out in the hall and front room. So I was thinking of leaving the builders to it on the first day (I would have to be at home on the second half day to sign off the work and pay) and popping home at intervals during the day to check. I work 20mins away from my flat.

I don’t have anything of particular value in my flat, my MAC is probably the most expensive thing and I could carry that to work with me. One of my neighbours might be able to pop in from time to time during the day but not 100% certain so the floor fitters would be alone for most of the day. My OH thinks I’m crazy to even consider this. Anyone think this is a really bad idea?

Spare keys lying around that could be copied? Stuff in your bedroom drawers that you might not want strangers to know about? Utility bills, bank statement, etc, that could be used for identity fraud?

I don't think I would leave strangers alone in the house although I have left builders here after they had done previous jobs for us and I felt I could trust them.

LEJC

The question is ...would you leave someone in your flat for a day that you didnt know?
Personally I wouldn't but everyone is different...
I'm sure that in the majority of cases the work would pass fine...afterall I also assume it reputable tradesmen you are employing...however a day is a long time and you are not to know what happens when you or a trusted person is not there.
My concerns would not be so much about them stealing but more if they were to damage something in the house which you could sort out with them if you were there but would become difficult to prove if you were not.

Plans_all_plans

Well I can see why you'd be concerned, BUT I have (on numerous occasions) left plumbers, window fitters etc in my house while I've gone out all day, even though to all intents and purposes I'm a stay at home mum and could have stayed in. I just didn't want my little one cooped up in the house on nice days, so opted to go out.

In my case, we have had the workmen recommended to us by friends/relatives and were members of our Council's Trusted Tradesman scheme, so I trusted them to be in my house alone. At the end of the day, I doubt any reputable companies would be robbing houses. Although I admit you don't KNOW for a fact that everyone a company employs is trustworthy, it didn't really play on my mind.

If you can't find anyone to housesit, I think the compromise of popping back every now and again would be fine and any untrustworthy sorts would be kept in check by knowing you could come home at any minute.

Sambucus_Nigra

No, no no no no no no

And once again, no.

Unless they are chums, do not leave them in your house alone.

If you can't take the time off then delay the work. Seriously.

Abbafan1972

I have to say we took a big risk a few years back when we had our bathroom fitted. We went off to Butlins for 3 days when they started work, so by the time we got back, the bulk of the messy stuff was done.

I had to leave them a front door key and back door key. Also left notes for them to tell them where the shut off for the electric and water was etc.

My parents were around to keep an eye on them so it wasn't too bad.

Came back and everything was ok, when we checked the phone bill they had used our phone (luckily it was only to phone their office and not a relative down under!).

Good luck.

sjc3

Do you have a safe where you could put all your important documents? You could take any spare sets of keys with you. Also anything of major value that any unscrupulous worker might lift. Could you mention to your neighbours you are having this work done and by whom. If they spot anything suspect could they ring you at work or on your mobile?

To be honest we had our kitchen done in October and were out all day every day. The fitter, plumber, sparky, tiler and decorator let themselves in and out. We had no problems at all. We had spent months checking this company out and getting references etc though.

Plus we have the nosiest neighbour in the world who would be clocking their every move. He came over and gave me a diary of when they had come and gone, just in case we were paying them by the hour to be there and they weren't keeping to it :rotfl::rotfl:

Poor sods I actually began to feel guilty leaving them with this nut job for a neighbour keeping his beady eyes on them.

Triangle

Hi

We recently had a load of work done on the house, as a result of successfully applying to a scheme running in the local community to improve housing.

The builders/plasters/electricians were often here alone and the site manager had a key to our house. They were amazing and I felt totally at ease doing this. Admittely, it was a scheme run in conjunction with the council and my neighbour/dog sitter popped in a couple of times each day that we were not there, but I found them to be fantasic and our dog was very sad when all the work was done and his new friends left!

T

toffifee

Not quite on topic, but you can get special yale lock barrels with keys that can't be copied. They cost more (I think we paid about £45 for a lock and 5 keys 8 years ago) but if you give your key to someone you know when you get it back that hasn't got a new twin floating around somewhere.

kafkathecat

I almost always leave builders to get on with it and have never had a problem. I hate being in with workmen about.

LEJC

How is your home insurance policy affected if you leave unknown people alone in your house..? thats not just a Q for the OP but in general do they look favourably on it in the event of a claim arising from such an acton?

Im not just thinking of the oppurtunity to burgle but what would happen if they were to damage something within the house whilst fitting the floor and you were also not present and that resulted in you needing to make a claim on your insurance?....are you covered?