# When people are not home



## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

Do you dare enter and work on someones home when they are not there? i do not myself because of the liability. What if they claim something is missing?

me? Unless they are a REAL good customer that answer is NO. If they are not there, I will not go.


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## service guy (Jun 26, 2008)

I do it. Been doing it for 10+ years. No problems ever so far.


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## threaderman (Jun 17, 2008)

I've also bein doing that forever,after all,they are trusting the lives of their families with us as it is for a lot of work we do.Trust is trust.

Would I have one of my people in the home,no,not with-out me.


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## Song Dog (Jun 12, 2008)

Years ago I did. But not no more. They must be there so I can collect. Real good customers I would and go get the check if they are close.


In Christ,

Song Dog


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## grandpa (Jul 13, 2008)

I get a kick out of the "gated" communities, where I and god knows how many other tradesmen, delivery guys, gardners, etc. have the code for the gate!

Also, I have had numerous people who feel their neighborhood was safe, and leave a key under the mat for me. These were long time customers, not first time.

The one thing I would not do is go to a house where only the kids were home. Don't need that situation!


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## Herk (Jun 12, 2008)

I have no problem working in a house when no one is there, except that COD is impossible. After all, if you were going to steal something, you could just as easily do it when they were there.


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## service guy (Jun 26, 2008)

Song Dog said:


> Years ago I did. But not no more. They must be there so I can collect. Real good customers I would and go get the check if they are close.
> 
> 
> In Christ,
> ...


Its not a problem if you get a credit card by phone. I have also had situations where I needed to come back the next day to install something, and they left a check on the table.


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

We do, only after permission as granted.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

We do on occasions but they are rare. Too many situations could arise if they "misplaced" something and we were the last ones in their home.


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

On the last three jobs I have done I never saw the homeowner once, I have yet to see the homeowner on the job I am doing now, they are staying in their villa in Nice France during construction.


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## thekctermite (Jun 12, 2008)

I'm a city employee, and had a 15 or 16 year old girl...Scantily clad...Answer the door when I arrived to do a water heater inspection. I asked if an adult was home and she said no. I advised that I couldn't enter the house without an adult present, and suggested that I contact her father to re-schedule. From his front porch I called him, explained the fact that I would not enter the house with only his minor daughter present, and offered to meet him later than we usually do inspections (trying to be accommodating). 

He screamed at me and got hung up on. I thanked his daughter, who was very understanding. He called the mayor to tell him that the inspector was being ridiculous. The mayor said I did the right thing.

Even when scantily-clad minor daughters aren't home, I won't go into an occupied home without a homeowner or contractor present. I won't even venture into other areas of the home without someone with me. People are too quick to accuse people of ridiculous things. 

I know a lot of contractors that have the same policy, and a smaller group that don't.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

Thats right. I agree with your point. Way too many variables.


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## service guy (Jun 26, 2008)

Scantily-clad 16 year old girl...I'm there!:w00t:

Just kidding.:no: I will not ever enter a home with unsupervised minors present.


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

service guy said:


> Scantily-clad 16 year old girl...I'm there!:w00t:
> 
> Just kidding.:no: I will not ever enter a home with unsupervised minors present.


That should be common sense with all trades that work in homes.


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## bobdog (Jun 18, 2008)

..and if the lady of the house cant " un-scantily clad" herself, i return when the man of house is present. i came for plbg. work, not a floor show.


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## GREENPLUM (Jul 27, 2008)

When I started out plumbing i was in a service truck w/ and ex con. We went to $500000+ houses everyday and took nothing but a look around just to see how the RICH live.


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## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

I do it all the time . Have always thought of my business as a "relationship" with my customers .

Once we meet and know each other it has NEVER been a problem . I have customers now who "text" me with something that says ," Hey , george ,, got a bad toilet (etc ) , left the key under the mat . Leave me a bill ,,, thanks !"

I LOVE that !! There is NOTHING in anyone's house that is worth my reputation or my word .
Cal


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## Bollinger plumber (Apr 3, 2009)

When I was in Washington D. c. I was accused of stealing a watch off the kitchen counter. The ho's wife was there and she is the one that accused me. She called the cops and everything. They came and searched our truck and questioned us. Come to find out her husband had put her watch on that morning by mistake. the b**** didn't even apologize to me just told the cops she was sorry she called them and walked away. 2 weeks later my boss was going to send back over there because she requested that i come and unstop her toilet. I told him no way in hell was I going back there.


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## pauliplumber (Feb 9, 2009)

I do all of the time. Never a problem yet. I'm a one man shop and 99% of my work is word of mouth, people tend to be very trusting because they we're usually referred by a trusting friend. I gotta admit in some situations it makes me a little nervous, I'm sometimes afraid I'm gonna get accused of something I didn't do. Like the other day on a remodel HO wasn't there during a remodel and there was a couple of carpenters there as well. This lady's jewelry chest was wide open with gold chains literally hanging over the edge and several rings etc. I couldn't help but wonder if one of the carpenters took somthing what would happen?? They both seemed trustworthy but ya never know.


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## Bollinger plumber (Apr 3, 2009)

I am not comfortable going to someones house when there is no one home but I think I am more nervous about going into houses with just the wife there by herself. For example I went to a house one time and we had to bleed the lines on her boiler system to get the air out. We informed this lady that we would have to go into each room and bleed the radiators. When I walk into the bedroom she had dozens of photos laying on the bed of her and her husband in various sexual activities. I just walked back out and ask her to put them up before i went any further. She told me it was o k she wasn't worried about it. I told her I was and that I would not continue until they were put a way. Another time I went into one of my bosses good friends house to work on his toilets. His wife answered the door in a very revealing nightgown. I told her before I came in that I would give her a few minutes to get dressed. She said she was dressed :laughing:. Again I told her to at least put a house coat on before I came in and she got pretty upset with me but went and did it. No doubt in my mind what she had in mind. One company I worked for in Maryland would not let us work in a house unless there were two of us there. They had been sued a few times because of women saying that the plumbers made passes at them. So for that reason I watch myself very carefully when I am in someone elses home, especially now with the hidden video cams getting more and more popular I think it is foolish for anyone to do anything but thier job when in a customers home.


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## UnclogNH (Mar 28, 2009)

I service a few vacation homes. When noone is home they mail me a key and credit card number over the phone. Mail key back with copy of the bill.
Never will I enter a home if a minor is home alone even in this small town I live in that trusts everyone and the parents respect that.


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## nhmaster3015 (Aug 5, 2008)

Never. Won't even enter an apartment unless the landlord stays on the job the entire time. Too much liability. Don't need the hassle


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## Pipedoc (Jun 14, 2009)

Hello All,
New here and this is my first post. I stumbled on to this forum today.

I am kinda surprised that most of the plumbers who replied to this thread so far said they would go in to a home when the HO isn't there. Our policy is that an adult must be present. And prferably the HO. I don't want to lose a good client because the HO's pet knocked over a lamp or something in a room that I'm not supposed to be in or any one of a million other things that can happen that I could get blamed for. Usually with a quick explanation to the client they agree and make other arrangements. Very rarely does it ever become an issue.

As a side note, I am surprised how many parents offer to leave their minor child at home to deal with a service provider who they have never even met. I have had clients tell me to go to their house and deal with a kid who is younger than I would even leave alone with out supervision.


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## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

I had a cable guy come to my house. He needed to replace the hd box in my room. My dad was here. I have rheumatoid arthritis so I take pain killers. I had an oxycontin bottle but I put a different drug in it. I marked the bottle with a pen and mark the shelf I had it on with a pen and lined up the marks. I counted how many pills were in the bottle. When I came home I looked at the bottle and it was moved so I counted them and 5 pills were missing. Didn't complain cuz one side effect of the was major sh*ts. So I figured he suffered enough. That's why I quit takin it.


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## ROCKSTARPLUMBER (Dec 14, 2008)

house plumber said:


> I had a cable guy come to my house. He needed to replace the hd box in my room. My dad was here. I have rheumatoid arthritis so I take pain killers. I had an oxycontin bottle but I put a different drug in it. I marked the bottle with a pen and mark the shelf I had it on with a pen and lined up the marks. I counted how many pills were in the bottle. When I came home I looked at the bottle and it was moved so I counted them and 5 pills were missing. Didn't complain cuz one side effect of the was major sh*ts. So I figured he suffered enough. That's why I quit takin it.


Nice.:laughing:


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## M5Plumb (Oct 2, 2008)

Good call, I too have run into a similar situation, I told the home owner, I cannot do the work unless an adult is home. No if's, and's or but's. 
:no:



thekctermite said:


> I'm a city employee, and had a 15 or 16 year old girl...Scantily clad...Answer the door when I arrived to do a water heater inspection. I asked if an adult was home and she said no. I advised that I couldn't enter the house without an adult present, and suggested that I contact her father to re-schedule. From his front porch I called him, explained the fact that I would not enter the house with only his minor daughter present, and offered to meet him later than we usually do inspections (trying to be accommodating).
> 
> He screamed at me and got hung up on. I thanked his daughter, who was very understanding. He called the mayor to tell him that the inspector was being ridiculous. The mayor said I did the right thing.
> 
> ...


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## M5Plumb (Oct 2, 2008)

Cal, I gotta say, building relationships is probably the best part of this, I still tread lightly, I respect them and their home above all, I just hope is it is mutual and for the most part it is.



Cal said:


> I do it all the time . Have always thought of my business as a "relationship" with my customers .
> 
> Once we meet and know each other it has NEVER been a problem . I have customers now who "text" me with something that says ," Hey , george ,, got a bad toilet (etc ) , left the key under the mat . Leave me a bill ,,, thanks !"
> 
> ...


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## tnoisaw (Jun 16, 2009)

I will if told I can. I have gone in the wrong house before. I saw a bill on the refer and saw it was the wrong name. Opps!


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

I dont see a problem with it either. I do not touch anything that I do not need to or go to any part of the house thats not needed. Here if the homeowner does not see you take it then he cannot win a lawsuit claiming you did take it. If enough reports are given to the police about your business they will sting you!!!! They caught a realtor stealing jewelry here!!! Put here on 6 pm news!!!!!


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## KratzerPlumbing (Feb 23, 2009)

tnoisaw said:


> I will if told I can. I have gone in the wrong house before. I saw a bill on the refer and saw it was the wrong name. Opps!


I had a customer who had signed all the paperwork for a sewer replacement but told me she would not be there for the start. I sent my guys out and swung by after lunch to see how the job was going. The guys were almost done ...but it was the wrong house. That h/o was really upset till I assured him he just got a new sewer for free. I had a photo up forever on the wall of shame to remind guys to always double check before starting to work.


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

I went to a house once and rang the bell....kids answered and i said "I'm the plumber and I'm here to repair the toilet" the kid let me in and took me to the bathroom. Toilet there about to run out the door it was leaking so much. I repaired the toilet and then asked the kid to call his mom for me. The kid does and I get on the phone and she says "I didn't call a plumber" OHH crap!!! wrong house. i was on east and should have been on west!!! Same last name!!!! Oh well sooooryyy You just gotta free plumbin job!!!! i still laugh about it!


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## Bollinger plumber (Apr 3, 2009)

I put a frost free hose bibb on the wrong house one time. The ho thought it was funny as hell and even offered to pay for it. we didn't let him of course.


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## UnclogNH (Mar 28, 2009)

I did a job at the wrong Dunkin Donuts same problem diffrent store at other end of street. Both drains under coffee station. 
Said I was clear and got call back later that after noon. Drain is backed up again went back to store and it was running. Office called no your at the wrong store.
Got paid on both.


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

Most of the ones that want to show you somthing.....really shouldn't.


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