Can i refuse the "repairman" the landlord has sent round entry

MillyBert_2

Can i refuse the "repairman" the landlord has sent round entry because he smells of booze and i feel intimidated when he was last here as it was just me and my 10 month old. (my partner was on the school run) I dont want to be a pain in the bum to the landlord but i feel if this man is going to be touching my electrics and so forth i think he shouldnt be smelling of booze or getting within inchs of my face while i was holding a baby. Will i have to put up and shut up or can i request that someone else does the job or comes with this man.
Please help.
xx

joannaspanner

Ask your landlord!

G_M

The LL has a duty to get repairs done. He can choose who he wants (subject to law - eg gas man must be GasSafe registered.)

You have a right to 'quiet enjoyment' of the property, and to invite in/refuse access to who you want.

So yes, you can refuse.

The LL can only ultimately get access by a court order.

However, negotiation is far better here than legal challanges. Speak to the LL. Do you have his number? Ring. Thank him for arranging the repairs, but explain the problem. He may (should) be shocked, and thank you for letting him know. Say you are happy to be flexible about access times/dates so as to help get the job done, but not with this contractor.

Ultimately, if the LL is unresponsive/insistant, and you decide to make a stand
a) put your objections, with reasons, in writing to the LL. Make clear you do not give permission for thi person to com in.
b) if you have concerns the LL might give the contractor a key, change the lock - keep the old one to replace when you leave. It costs £5 and takes 10 minutes.

propertyman

I agree; he might have just been recovering from a celebration, but its fair to say that having a smelly contractor through graft is one thing, but not from this.

I would explain that you are concerned that not only is he driving in that state but you can't be sure if the work he is doing is safe as his ability, his sense of propriety and "personal boundaries" are clearly compromised.

Don't preclude that he may have other issues; that make him smell boozy when it might be something else. I took a short course of a medication once and for 15 minutes or so I dared not go near a naked flame

If the landlord insists on using him and it he arrives drunk then you would be right to refuse and call the Police and report him for drunk driving before he hurts someone.

MillyBert_2

Thank you, my partner is trying to get hold of the LA at the moment. I just had to ask as i was unsure about weather or not i have to let him in, i obviously want the repairs done so didnt want to say he couldnt come in then find the LL wouldnt have to do the repairs as i had refused this man entry but at the same time i dont want to feel that uncomfortable again. thank you againxx

DVardysShadow

The time to make your feelings known to the landlord is immediately after your first unsatisfactory experience of him - preferably in writing if you were minded not not let him on the premises ever again. Leaving refusal until now just smacks of being an awkward tenant - although I appreciate that your concerns are valid.

Landlord may never see this person in an alcohol fuelled state and may rightly feel frustrated that having booked someone to do a job, you are now refusing, which will leave the landlord with a cancellation charge but nothing to show for it. If you do refuse, factor this into an apology to the Landlord and consider offering to pay any cancellation fee. Of course, ignore this if you have already made your feelings known to the Landlord about this particular person.

GDB2222

Can I suggest a half-way house? That first incident may have been a one-off, and there's no sense stirring up trouble for the chap unnecessarily. Ask a friend to be present during the service call, for peace of mind, and if the guy turns up smelling of booze a second time report him then.

Bear in mind that it may be easier for the LL to find a new tenant than a new builder.

DominicJ_2

I'd be more interested in whether the "repair man" was a member of a competant persons scheme, I dont know many sparks who call themselves repair men.
Part P of the building regs and all that.

Obviously him drunk and "competant" would be a problem too....

MillyBert_2

This was the first time he came round,yesterday to " mesure up for wire". i just needed to know if i could refuse him entry or if that would mean the LL could get out of doing any repairs as i had refused. I just feel that our LL is sending cowboys round so he can say hes done something only for the stuff to go wrong again later on. Im dreading things already. .

MillyBert_2

Jackofalltradez wrote: »

was you leading him on. :money:


Stinky tradesmen are common. i wouldnt worry about your electrics, the worst that would happen is your rcd would trip.

the gas is the one because it can leak.

If being covered in baby sick, and trying to settle a 10 month old baby is classed as leading him on then i hold my hands up lol.... the whole stinky boozy ape man look just tickles my pickle haha :rotfl::rotfl: