8 day gardener comming,but il be at work, should i keep the door open ??

gemmaking

we are are having some gardening work being done to our property, but i wont be home while it is being done. It might be 8 days in total.

for the gardener , as i wont be home, should i leave the house open, the door for him to use the loo etc?

he is a new guy, i found him and have just seen his past work, but dont know him atal.

or should i not mention this, and just say I am at work, and keep the door locked?

i dont want to leave my door open to a stranger.


so how do i play it, without sounding rude to him ?

GrowingUp

i would forget to leave it open for day one, and then if neccessary pop over at lunch time and open it, to get an idea of what he is like.

BuntyB

I agree, whilst I understand your thoughts on leaving the house unlocked I am sure your insurance might not agree. I'm sure it wont be the first time he's been on an outside job with no facilities

Leif

If you don't mind him using the house on his own, order a new lock, give him a key, and when he leaves, change the lock. You may well have a lock with an easily changed barrel, I forget the name, but basically the lock mechanism pulls out fairly easily. If the bit that takes the key protrudes from the door, and has a sort of butternut squash shape, then it is this type. Someone will tell you the name.

I must admit having a stranger in the house is disconcerting, but working regs may mean he needs access to a loo.

keystone

Any tradesman worth his salt carries a suitably sized bottle with suitably sized neck on the van to cover this sort of contingency. No 2s on a customer's premises are (or should be) a nono even if customer says please use my loo if needbe and he should locate the nearest pub or supermarket or whatever providing such facilities in advance to take account of that before starting work.

I wouldn't expect to be given free run of the house if I was only working outside even if I was well known to the client.

Cheers

Mrs_Arcanum

keystone wrote: »

Any tradesman worth his salt carries a suitably sized bottle with suitably sized neck on the van to cover this sort of contingency. No 2s on a customer's premises are (or should be) a nono even if customer says please use my loo if needbe and he should locate the nearest pub or supermarket or whatever providing such facilities in advance to take account of that before starting work.

I wouldn't expect to be given free run of the house if I was only working outside even if I was well known to the client.

Cheers

Exactly. Guy who did my fence is also a team mate and was just left with access to the back of the house, water & electricity. Didn't need any more.

cyclonebri1

I differ and would say on no account leave him full access to your home.

If he is any sort of professional guy he will have a portaloo or similar in his van.

You've answered the question when you say you don't know him from Adam.

Plus there is the other side of this, think of the responsibility you are putting on him by doing this, he is now in charge of the security of your home and all your possessions, I wouldn't want that if I were him:A:A

Edited to say cross posted with Keystone,

keystone

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

If he is any sort of professional guy he will have a portaloo..........

Chuffing big van then.

Cheers

PasturesNew

He'll have worked for years in people's gardens, without access to services. He's an adult and can cope.

Leave it open on day 1/2 and if you've a rogue he'll get comfy instead of cracking on with the work.... and on day 7 when only 1/3rd of the work's been done, you'll pop home midday to find him inside, watching the Olympics with his mates and a 4-pack of beers.

cyclonebri1

keystone wrote: »

Chuffing big van then.

Cheers

I was being delicate, not knowing what size necked bottle he may need:o:o

Andy_L

Does he need electricity? Are there any power points in the garden or will he need access to the house anyway?