To(i)let or not to (i) let, that is the question.

I don’t like workman using my loos, but if they are there all day they have to go somewhere.

I’m more concerned about my gardener who is there one day a week while I’m at work, he’s bound to go at sometime!

polyester57 Sun 17-Nov-19 14:51:20
This reminded me of the novel The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Oh heck, our postman sometimes comes at lunchtime - I've never thought to give him sandwiches or a drink before, or even offer him the use of the toilet. How could I have been so remiss!

I've had a few workmen in this week and all asked to use the toilet . No hand washing either ! So as soon as they were away I got out the disinfectant ( I'm recovering from surgery ) and sanitised the place !

Like you Gabriella I feel the same about workmen using the loo, but if there for a long time they simply have to.Fortunately we have a loo near the back door for them to use ( we use it as a gardening loo?....when coming in all mucky from the garden.)I would just give the loo a good clean when they had gone...bleach is your friend.

I only have one bathroom in my apartment(s) and no room either for a cloakroom (second loo) so I’ve no choice!

I assume by providing lunch money Gabriella you are encouraging said workmen to spend it in the nearby cafe and use their loo.

I’d be tempted to leave them to it and go out for the day asking them to phone me when almost done so I could high tail it back! Probably because only having one loo in my small place would be slightly embarrassing (for them and me).

I read somewhere it's only £28 a week to hire a portaloo. I think I would pay that if I was having a long drawn out job done.

Great solution for a 'long, drawn out job', Gonegirl!
Sorry, I couldn't resist.

???

Changing the subject slightly - I lived in rural Essex on the corner of a very busy A road and there were often accidents that blocked the whole road for hours. I often had queues winding down my drive and up the lane waiting to use my loo!!! Thankfully we had a downstairs cloakroom and I wasn't on a water meter!!! and yes it got a good clean afterwards!

In my experience, workmen like to have lunch in their vans in private. I offer tea and coffee frequently but would never dream of giving them lunch money nor feeding a courier.

I wipe down everywhere they have been when they have gone and change the towel. I don't like them using the toilet but it's not reasonable to refuse. Most do not wash their hands in my experience.

When I've had workmen in the house or garden I alway provide tea and coffee if they want. I also do a baking beforehand and find they enjoy a scone or cake. I have never been annoyed about them using the toilet and I always have said "Yes" but now wonder what their reaction would have been if I had said "No"! The only time this differed when we had garden and fencing work done by Community Service workers and their foreman explained they would enjoy tea and eats but were not allowed to use the toilet as that would mean them entering the house. They were a great bunch of lads and certainly appreciated the baking!!!

Jeez, let the poor blokes use the loo! If my husband who's 65 thought he wouldn't be allowed to 'use the facilities ' then he would not take on the job! Make sure the toilet cleaner is in clear view and ask them to use it when they have flushed.
I have heard it said that there are more germs on a computer keyboard than a toilet seat, don't know how true that is though.

In think if they are going to be there more than a couple of hours then offer a drink and a biscuit. But from my experience workmen usually provide their own food and drink, and eat it in their vehicle.

We have a jokey notice in our downstairs loo which recommends a straight aim and leaving it as you found it. So far so good.
I don't mind anyone using the cloakroom or bathroom but dislike anyone using en suite other than OH - even the GC unless it's an emergency!

Crumbs I feel really mean. I always provide hot drink and biscuits to workmen and sometimes cake but I never give them lunch or money. As for delivery drivers !!!! as maw said, how long do they stay for?
We live in a flat and have contract cleaners in to do the communal areas twice a week. They are here for an hour or so, perhaps I should cook them a hot meal and invite them to use our bed for a nap before they leave. Once every few years we have a painting team in to pain the outside of the premises. They are usually here for about 4 weeks ......I better start looking at outside caterers for their visit ?

Doodle you made me laugh out loud - thank you !! ???

Doodle I hope the workmen change the bed linen after their nap!

Of course I let workmen use the toilets - why on earth wouldn’t I? I use good tradesmen that I’ve known for a while so trust they wash their hands, but after a day stripping out whatever they’re doing I imagine there’s quite a few germs floating about so would spray down surfaces when they are finished anyway.

As for lunch money and sandwiches I offer tea, coffee and biscuits to workmen and nothing more than a cheerful “thank you” to the delivery drivers. I did once give one a bottle of water and an ice lolly - it was a baking hot day, he had loads of deliveries still to do and his air con had broken. He seemed quite touched (in a good way, not with the heat)

Always offer workmen a hot drink and when job takes several days, I often make a fruit cake or muffins to offer with it. They are always pleased and I think it makes a difference to their pride in their finished work. As for using the loo? Of course. We had some gardening work done and found one of the men was disappearing behind the shed for a pee, although the others used the “facilities “. Much prefer the latter! ?

I think I would rather that they used the loo and then go round with my Dettox than they do what one workman did years ago - filled an empty tin with pee and left it in the garden. I had young children at the time.
Just disgusting.

Now we live somewhere else and know and trust our tradesmen although they did eat all my mince pies last year!

Tea, coffee and biscuits are offered as a matter of course and I have a loo off the utility room that doesn’t have a wash basin inside, so I always lead workmen to the loo and then ask them to use the sink in the utility room to wash their hands and point out the towel holder. They’d have to be bold not to use them after being so directed.

Yes, I always let workmen use the loo if they need to, just give it a good clean afterwards. I had bathroom fitters in for three weeks when we had our bathroom and en suite done, provided plenty of tea and coffee and a tin of biscuits (topped up regularly). Wouldn't dream of offering lunch. However, it was just before Christmas and as I was making mince pies and sausage rolls, they of course were my guinea pigs! Thumbs up from them every time! I will shortly be having my cloakroom done, so they will be using the upstairs bathroom if they need to.

It wouldn’t occur to me to think twice about anybody working in my house using the loo. Workmen are not an alien species! We have two bathrooms so they’d be free to take their pick. We had people working in both of our last homes for months on end. I provided endless cups of tea and coffee and a tin of biscuits but never lunch as they made it clear they’d brought their own.

We had one of our bathrooms redone recently. I provided tea and a large tin of biscuits. I made a note of the ones they ate and topped them up. They brought their own lunch. I did not mind them using the loo, nor do I mind the cleaner or gardener using the loo. I have got 4 to choose from ?

Workmen are human beings like the rest of us and I have no more qualms about them using my loo than any guest in my house. I would clean the smallest room before their visit, as I would before guests arrive. Neither do I feel it necessary to disinfect afterwards. They’re just people too. I offer tea and biscuits of course. It’s just a courteous gesture to anybody coming into the house surely.