Would you trust cheap casual Eastern European workers for house work (external)?

LiveOnce

Hi all,

Would you trust cheap casual Eastern European workers for house work (external)?

Ie. One day you are fixing your car outside and they come approach you offering all kinds of work like painting, pavements, garden etc.

comeandgo

I'd trust them the same as I'd trust cheap casual English workers.

Guest101

LiveOnce wrote: »

Hi all,

Would you trust cheap casual Eastern European workers for house work (external)?

Ie. One day you are fixing your car outside and they come approach you offering all kinds of work like painting, pavements, garden etc.

That depends on a huge number of variables (not one of which is the ethnic origin...)

davidmcn

LiveOnce wrote: »

Would you trust cheap casual Eastern European workers for house work (external)?

Ie. One day you are fixing your car outside and they come approach you offering all kinds of work like painting, pavements, garden etc.

Of course. I find the best way of finding reliable tradespeople is to hang around outside my house and wait until one walks past.

AlexMac

Same as if you get offered cheap tarmac deal
http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/services/trading-standards/rogue-traders-and-scams/doorstep-scams (if you live in Bath)
or
http://www.devonsomersettradingstandards.gov.uk/consumers/rogue-traders-doorstep-crime/scams/ (if you live in Devon...)

I could go on...

or perhaps get out more...?

ALIBOBSY

My OH runs a business doing odd job work, painting and gardening and although we do push leaflets locally the vast majority of his work comes from recommendations by previous/current customers.

There are good, reliable tradesmen and women of all nationalities who don't charge rip off amounts and take pride in doing a good job, but they don't walk around the streets offering to do work like that in my experience lol.

So no to the original answer as for any jobs OH or I can't manage ourselves we use good local tradesmen/women we know through friends or recommendations.

BTW OH charges £15 an hour or can give a quote for a full job if people prefer, how cheap can someone go.

Ali x

[Deleted User]

Reminds me of some affable gentleman who offered to remove a tiny conifer tree trunk I didn't need removing for £30, his affability turned into threats when he made a second visit and received a second no.

No I'd never deal with a casual trader.

teddysmum

Our neighbours had a drive done when the tarmac men had a 'little bit left over'. It was so good that, after a few weeks, you could peel it off like a strip of toffee.

theartfullodger

comeandgo wrote: »

I'd trust them the same as I'd trust cheap casual English workers.

Possible trust them more: For the avoidance of doubt I am English.

(But am qualify to play football for Brazil, mum born in Brazil, 1911)

How have you decided they are Eastern European? Seen their passports??

Running_Horse

Not so much casual, but a friend employed a lot of Eastern European trades to build his house, and let them sleep in the basement. Free security for him, free digs for them; a win win situation.

AlexMac

theartfullodger wrote: »

...How have you decided they are Eastern European? Seen their passports??

No need to check passports... unless they become your lodgers... which will probably happen... as you are obviously a trusting and compassionate person... or if you leave a window open...?

In which case, you will have a legal obligation to establish whether they are nice, 'legal' EEA Eastern Europeans (from Bulgaria, Romania, Latvia, Slovakia, etc...) or dodgy 'illegals' from further east (Albania, Bosnia, Belarus...) or maybe not even European...

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/right-to-rent-landlords-code-of-practice/code-of-practice-on-illegal-immigrants-and-private-rented-accommodation-for-tenancies-starting-on-or-after-1-february-2016

or maybe just select your builders from Yellow Pages or local recommendation...?