Giving tradesmen house keys
Discussion
Do you go snooping round other peoples' houses? If left alone in a room, is your immediate thought to start rummaging through drawers? Go to the loo in someone else's house and check through their bathroom cabinet?
I'm sure there are a few people that might have this behaviour pattern, but most people respect others privacy and belongings and wouldn't dream of looking or touching anything they shouldn't.
I'm a house/pet sitter and regularly given the keys to other peoples' houses. If anything got broken/spoilt I'd be honour bound to replace the item.
I'm sure there are a few people that might have this behaviour pattern, but most people respect others privacy and belongings and wouldn't dream of looking or touching anything they shouldn't.
I'm a house/pet sitter and regularly given the keys to other peoples' houses. If anything got broken/spoilt I'd be honour bound to replace the item.
I get given keys all the time too. Sometimes when it's the first job for a client, they are fairly wary. Usually the second time they are much friendlier and easy about it. It's true about people leaving valuables about. It's crazy!
I don't touch or snoop. I'll even wait to get home for a poo
I don't touch or snoop. I'll even wait to get home for a poo
I regularly am given keys to properties in excess of £2m and have various other keys of clients i know in my safe at home.
Most tradesmen wouldn't dream of touching anything or snooping in a house through fear of being captured on CCTV. To be honest like a previous poster has said you could make a few quid out of taking stuff thats just left around, But would you want the lash back of possible police attendance and most importantly your reputation and loss of future recommendations.
I have a rule of don't go into rooms that you are not working in and don't look through doors etc and most importantly don't touch anything.
Lastly make sure the house os secure and tidy when you leave.
Most tradesmen wouldn't dream of touching anything or snooping in a house through fear of being captured on CCTV. To be honest like a previous poster has said you could make a few quid out of taking stuff thats just left around, But would you want the lash back of possible police attendance and most importantly your reputation and loss of future recommendations.
I have a rule of don't go into rooms that you are not working in and don't look through doors etc and most importantly don't touch anything.
Lastly make sure the house os secure and tidy when you leave.
Salesy said:
I regularly am given keys to properties in excess of £2m and have various other keys of clients i know in my safe at home.
Most tradesmen wouldn't dream of touching anything or snooping in a house through fear of being captured on CCTV. To be honest like a previous poster has said you could make a few quid out of taking stuff thats just left around, But would you want the lash back of possible police attendance and most importantly your reputation and loss of future recommendations.
I have a rule of don't go into rooms that you are not working in and don't look through doors etc and most importantly don't touch anything.
Lastly make sure the house os secure and tidy when you leave.
Exactly this.Most tradesmen wouldn't dream of touching anything or snooping in a house through fear of being captured on CCTV. To be honest like a previous poster has said you could make a few quid out of taking stuff thats just left around, But would you want the lash back of possible police attendance and most importantly your reputation and loss of future recommendations.
I have a rule of don't go into rooms that you are not working in and don't look through doors etc and most importantly don't touch anything.
Lastly make sure the house os secure and tidy when you leave.
I've been left keys and I've left keys. You'd have to be a special kind of retard to pinch anything or mess about with anything if you've been trusted with someone's property.
We used to leave keys with certain trades people, but it was only with people we used several times.
Sadly, we can't do it now as we have a a dog who stays at home whilst we go to work, so someone has to come and house/dog sit whilst the trades carry out their work.
Our only exception was the gate company as they didn't need to enter the house. However, we had to stop that as seeing the gates open and close upsets the dog
Having automated gates is brilliant, but it can be a real pain sometimes
Sadly, we can't do it now as we have a a dog who stays at home whilst we go to work, so someone has to come and house/dog sit whilst the trades carry out their work.
Our only exception was the gate company as they didn't need to enter the house. However, we had to stop that as seeing the gates open and close upsets the dog
Having automated gates is brilliant, but it can be a real pain sometimes badboyburt said:
Unlock your house with your phone/no key?I have no requirement for this but you've put the idea in my head now! Looked online and found a rather nifty bit of kit from goji - http://gojiaccess.com/
Think i'll be ordering that tonight
R8Steve said:
badboyburt said:
Unlock your house with your phone/no key?I have no requirement for this but you've put the idea in my head now! Looked online and found a rather nifty bit of kit from goji - http://gojiaccess.com/
Think i'll be ordering that tonight
Vesternet offer super support as well...
Too Late said:
R8Steve said:
badboyburt said:
Unlock your house with your phone/no key?I have no requirement for this but you've put the idea in my head now! Looked online and found a rather nifty bit of kit from goji - http://gojiaccess.com/
Think i'll be ordering that tonight
Vesternet offer super support as well...
For some jobs we have left the tradesmen a key, usually ones we have used before or been personally reccomended, before we started the renovation project we bought a safe, as we knew we'd be leaving a lot of cash about, and not knowing exactly who would be in and out of our house - the main guys we'd met before were fine but hadn't met contractors etc.
We're lucky enough that we have an outside toilet, so the guys building the garage didn't need access to the house at all.
We're lucky enough that we have an outside toilet, so the guys building the garage didn't need access to the house at all.
Wacky Racer said:
mybrainhurts said:
I know someone who did this.
Shortly afterwards, a key was used to open a back door in the middle of the night and three yobs had to be chased out of the house.
But don't let this worry you....
Yeah, but that was Sheffield.....Shortly afterwards, a key was used to open a back door in the middle of the night and three yobs had to be chased out of the house.
But don't let this worry you....
9 times out of 10 we are left clients house keys. Even when doing external work they will often leave us keys for use of the toilet and kettle etc.
We're a fairly well established family run company and most work is via recommendation so that probably makes the difference.
Occasionally someone will stay in or have a retired family member come round, their choice.
We're a fairly well established family run company and most work is via recommendation so that probably makes the difference.
Occasionally someone will stay in or have a retired family member come round, their choice.
badboyburt said:
I'd always want one of those hidden out of public view, or only ever put keys in them when necessary. That type of device is usually trivial to pick open, or worst case a lump hammer opens them with minimal fuss!I'm with the "only employ people you trust" crowd.
Quite a few years ago I met a friend of a friend plumber at lunchtime to discuss a job. Nice chap, job agreed, left him the keys.
Finished work early and went home. I had a sugar bowl in the kitchen for occasional guests, usually unused. It was half empty, so either he had 20 spoons per cup or had been supping my coffee all afternoon (never discussed but would have been OK). Went into the lounge to find him reading one of my car mags I'd left around; it had a review of his car, one of those "sporty" Volvos. He nonchalantly started chatting about it. Very strange but he talked me through the job he'd successfully done and so I was quite happy.
However, the bill arrived and he'd charged me for several more physical hours than he had been there despite the coffee and mag reading time. Wrote him a stroppy letter and paid him what I thought it was worth. Obviously never employed him again and warned others not to as well.
Why did he behave like that, taking the p*ss? I could have got him loads of work.
Quite a few years ago I met a friend of a friend plumber at lunchtime to discuss a job. Nice chap, job agreed, left him the keys.
Finished work early and went home. I had a sugar bowl in the kitchen for occasional guests, usually unused. It was half empty, so either he had 20 spoons per cup or had been supping my coffee all afternoon (never discussed but would have been OK). Went into the lounge to find him reading one of my car mags I'd left around; it had a review of his car, one of those "sporty" Volvos. He nonchalantly started chatting about it. Very strange but he talked me through the job he'd successfully done and so I was quite happy.
However, the bill arrived and he'd charged me for several more physical hours than he had been there despite the coffee and mag reading time. Wrote him a stroppy letter and paid him what I thought it was worth. Obviously never employed him again and warned others not to as well.
Why did he behave like that, taking the p*ss? I could have got him loads of work.
I done a loft conversion for a guy a few years ago. He worked at sea and was away 2 months at a time. He gave me the keys to his house and we done the whole job while he was away. He never seen any of the mess or had to put if with any of the inconvenience the work usually causes. I wish every job I done was as easy. My key ring was often overloaded with customers keys, I can't think of one customer that has ever not given me full access to their house.
condor said:
Do you go snooping round other peoples' houses? If left alone in a room, is your immediate thought to start rummaging through drawers? Go to the loo in someone else's house and check through their bathroom cabinet?
I'm sure there are a few people that might have this behaviour pattern, but most people respect others privacy and belongings and wouldn't dream of looking or touching anything they shouldn't.
I'm a house/pet sitter and regularly given the keys to other peoples' houses. If anything got broken/spoilt I'd be honour bound to replace the item.
Good point. That said, some people have no honour.I'm sure there are a few people that might have this behaviour pattern, but most people respect others privacy and belongings and wouldn't dream of looking or touching anything they shouldn't.
I'm a house/pet sitter and regularly given the keys to other peoples' houses. If anything got broken/spoilt I'd be honour bound to replace the item.
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