We were having the bath enamelled today. The chap turns up and we move things about so that he can get his van close to the drive. Despite my recommendation not to, he tried to reverse down and couldn’t, so gave up on that one, having scraped the gate. No real harm done, but I did say not to.
Mrs L Elect and I set about getting breakfast as he set to work. I was aware of him messing about in the bathroom, then it went quiet. He tapped on the kitchen door and announced that he’s allergic to cats and has asthma. At which point he buggered off. He had already packed his stuff away and was gone by the time I got to the front door.
I did email the company with a suitably pissed off snottogram, pointing out that if cat allergy was a problem, maybe they should have asked about pets during the booking process. They have offered an alternative date and a discount. They also said that they were unaware of any allergy. They did, however, agree that asking during the booking process would be a sensible idea.
Some thoughts after the event here. When I opened the door, he staggered a bit and nearly fell off the step. I did notice that he seemed a bit wheezy. If he felt bad, why not just throw a sickie and not waste everyone’s time?
This man goes into people’s houses for a living. I do not imagine for one minute that this one is the first he’s come to where there are pets. Sorry, I don’t buy it. Also, the cats don’t go into the bathroom. He, meanwhile, would be dealing with toxic fumes that are far more noxious than the stray cat hair.
Bottom line here, something doesn’t smell right. Was he feeling hungover? It’s a possibility, so blaming the cats got him a day off without incurring the wrath of his employer. Again, a possibility. Either way, the whole episode rings a bum note.
On the one hand, yeah – that sounds like complete cobblers, and once again getting a tradesman in that *actually does the job* is (these days) something that would get one beatified if Catholic.
On the other hand, I can see part of the point as I’m allergic to dogs (asthma type symptoms) and I can *tell* if there’s one living on premises the second the door opens because I’m now hyper-sensitive to the smell… It also doesn’t matter where an animal does or doesn’t go in a house, as minute particles of their skin and hair are always airborne 🙁
If I was in his position, I’d be on antihistamines throughout the working week because of the high chance of animal contact in someone’s house.
Which goes back to the point – ask the question before completing the booking. Also, why did his employer not know about it. All of which goes back to the bollocks explanation.
Give the company a bad Google or Trustpilot review – when they’ve finished the job, of course!
To be fair to the company, they came back very quickly with an alternative date and a discount, so credit is due there.
‘the cats don’t go in the bathroom’ – consider yourself fortunate! My black one-eye-attolah won’t drink from a bowl but l’ve caught him several times drinking from a (now fixed) bath tap when my back was turned.
Sounds like you’re workman was an a@s+o)*. Few years back l had some machine tools delivered by a guy who claimed he couldn’t lift anything because of a hernia – wonder if they’re related
Obviously LR he is a time wasting tosser.
Hmm I can smell a cat.
Talking of which did he discover his allergy before or after he actually saw said feline?
The only cat he would have seen was outside. the indoors ones were in the front room well away from the bathroom or hallway.
Must be an allergy to work then. An increasingly common affliction.
I’ve done field type work in the past (i.e. in people’s houses) and suffer from moderate allergy to dogs, and more so, cats.
Proximity to the animal is largely irrelevant unless they are right next to you – the reaction comes from the animal’s saliva (which is why I come out in a terrible itchy rash if a dog licks me), so as they lick themselves clean means the hair is covered in whatever it is that turns me into a snotty, dribbling, itchy wreck.
The hair gets everywhere the animal is allowed to roam in a house and is very difficult to remove. It’s in the air and when an allergic person breathes that in, the reaction starts.
Antihistamines take the edge off but I will still be suffering the rest of the day; very unpleasant.
That said, it does seem that this chap is swinging the lead as I’ve always known from the smell that animals are present before stepping across the threshold and either decline to take the job or make arrangements such that I can avoid most of the exposure.
Again, it comes down to the questions I raise – why did he not inform his employer beforehand and ensure that he was only sent to houses where no pets are present? Given the propensity for pets, the likelihood that he will encounter them in his work is pretty high.
Did he see the job and realise it wasn’t an easy one? Beyond his blagged experience?
Pass it on to another sap by any excuse perhaps.
Possibly, but they specialise in bath restoration and this is a bath that needs restoring. I can’t see why it would be more difficult than any other bath.