New computer stolen by builder

Sarahr: The door was open all day. Lot's of people in and out.

The police can't stop major crime, let alone simple theft.

That sounds crazy but wonderful. I hope we're talking summer time.

Getting rid of clutter and shedding responsibilities is my main goal. It's so expensive to live now, lots of young people are still trapped at home. When I was a student nurse I always had the money for rent, car and holidays.

barmcake, my children think I'm a bit of a hippy because I lived in a van in a field for a while, storing my belongings in a rented garage. It was an unforgettable time, wonderful. I came back to earth, so to speak, because I had grandchildren and needed a base for them.

What did the police advise when you reported the theft?

Cossy

HelterSkelter1

I so agree barmcake. I think I was almost happiest in my bedsitter days as a 20 year old. Just a suitcase of very few clothes, a favourite bedspread and a table lamp amd I was good to go.

I am decluttering now and its feeling good to get rid of things unused now. Neither DDs want things I thought they would andnit woukd be wrong of me to weigh them both down with clutter..

I’m attempting to do the same!

It’s a long and arduous task after 38 years in one house. I struggle with it.

Good luck to you and best of luck to barmcake 🙂

38 years must result in an awful lot of clutter Cossy. Material things mean less to me as I get older: I've tried to give stuff away but people don't want Victorian ornaments, paintings or large items of furniture.

You're really making me dream now. I find it interesting to think that we were much happier when we had less.

HelterSkelter1

I so agree barmcake. I think I was almost happiest in my bedsitter days as a 20 year old. Just a suitcase of very few clothes, a favourite bedspread and a table lamp amd I was good to go.

I am decluttering now and its feeling good to get rid of things unused now. Neither DDs want things I thought they would andnit woukd be wrong of me to weigh them both down with clutter..

You sound exactly like me. It was lovely knowing you could pack a suitcase and go. People weigh themselves down with responsibilities and life becomes a prison.

Maybe we can re-discover our bed sit days but with more comfort. We've certainly earned it.

Yes Cossy we have been in this house for 45 years. "Inherited" my parents' furniture combined with 2 very good charity shops in the town results in too much stuff. All things I have loved, but they must go and hopefully someone else will love them too.

HelterSkelter1

I so agree barmcake. I think I was almost happiest in my bedsitter days as a 20 year old. Just a suitcase of very few clothes, a favourite bedspread and a table lamp amd I was good to go.

I am decluttering now and its feeling good to get rid of things unused now. Neither DDs want things I thought they would andnit woukd be wrong of me to weigh them both down with clutter..

I’m attempting to do the same!

It’s a long and arduous task after 38 years in one house. I struggle with it.

Good luck to you and best of luck to barmcake 🙂

I so agree barmcake. I think I was almost happiest in my bedsitter days as a 20 year old. Just a suitcase of very few clothes, a favourite bedspread and a table lamp amd I was good to go.

I am decluttering now and its feeling good to get rid of things unused now. Neither DDs want things I thought they would andnit woukd be wrong of me to weigh them both down with clutter..

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

That's cheered me up Marzipan22. The great thing is you can just up and leave anytime you like. I also live alone and delight in my own company. I'm sure you've been an excellent tenant and landlords want to hang on to you.

I used to love just owning a suitcase of clothes and moving whenever the fancy took me. All this clutter we accumulate can become a burden. Complete freedom is a marvellous thing.

barmcake, years ago I got fed up with maintaining a property, so I sold my house and have rented ever since. I live alone and delight in not having to worry about maintenance. I've moved around quite a lot and have had very good landlords and the whole experience has been really excellent. I hope it's as good for you when it happens.

Thanks Oreo and same to you.

Good luck for the future then 😃🍀

I was planning to buy or rent a small garden flat in an assisted living block. I just don't want the responsibility of maintenance. My house is Victorian and absolutely freezing in winter and needs constant upkeep. I hate having workmen in and all the disruption that comes with it.

barmcake

TheSunRisesInTheEast

Please give barmcake a break. She went to stay in a guest house, she probably didn't want to take her computer when her phone will do. They weren't stored together, the computer was under the bed and the password book was in her drawer. It's upsetting a situation without people nitpicking and making the woman feel careless. She wouldn't have thought she had to lock everything away like Fort Knox. Anyway, she's back home now. It's up to her whether she wants to pursue it with the builder at the end of the job. She may just want to drop it, have some peace after the upheaval and look forward to her next move.

Thanks so much for the kind words. I admit to being book smart but not life smart. I always think 'this one is different'! I've been stupid.

I think I've only posted one or maybe two threads since 2022. That hardly constitutes an attention seeker.

I have never had a smart phone. I'm using my old laptop as you can see from I.P. address. I'm moving forward and can't wait to get rid of the responsibilities of owning a home.

Having had all the work done on your house and liking the results why would you want to get rid of the responsibilities of owning a home? Do you plan to sell it and look for a place to rent?

Thank you Dreadwitch, that's useful.

Am having a new front door today so will probably need to change the lock. Do people usually do that?

That's very useful advice. I didn't have bank names in my passbook and it would be difficult for someone finding it to know what the passwords related to. I've changed them all now.

I do envy those who are married to a builder or has a husband who can get up on the roof and fix leaks etc.

I did ask if anyone had been in. The owner said his girlfriend came in to clean. I'm always wary they'll come back at a later date and throw a rock through the window or something.

Some awful experiences above.

If it is a small team of builders speak to the boss man as he may have innocently employed someone who is dishonest and will give his firm a bad name. Explain that you won’t be able to recommend him even if his work is excellent. My friend had a small painter decorator firm and did a job in a pub but one of the young lads stole from the fruit machine. The Landlord told my friend what had happened and he approached the lads and said that they wouldn’t be paid until the thief owned up and repaid all the money. Problem solved but the lad had some explaining to do to his father as to why he’d lost his job on the second day. You’ll need to change you passwords quickly and maybe freeze your accounts if you use internet banking. It’s unusual for burglars to hunt around for password records so they must had had plenty of time. Good luck. My computer has a tag on it so I can trace it, I usually lose it in the house and can track it down. Very useful.

Barmcake, it's your property, your business, if you just want to put it all behind you, it's up to you. If you want to report it to the police, it's also up to you.

I hope your move goes well and you will have a happy, relaxing and peaceful life in your new home 🙏.

Because the stolen items include passwords, this is considered a high-risk security breach (potential fraud/identity theft) rather than just a theft of goods.Here is a step-by-step guide on how to proceed in the UK.
1. Immediate Security & Safety (Priorities 1-3) Secure Digital Assets: Use a different device to change passwords immediately. Prioritize bank accounts, email, and password managers. Assume all accounts linked to the computer are compromised.
Report to Action Fraud: Report the stolen password book to Action Fraud (the UK's national fraud and cyber-crime reporting centre) to get a crime reference number. Report Theft to Police: Call 101 to report the computer theft. Tell them it was stolen by a contractor. Obtain a crime reference number. Secure the Property: If you haven't already, ensure the site is secured and stop the contractor from accessing it until you have a plan, change locks ASAP.

2. Handling the Builder and Unfinished Work.. You need to separate the criminal act (theft) from the contract (building work), but they are now intertwined. Notify the Builder in Writing: Send a formal letter/email to the builder (not just a verbal warning). State that a theft has occurred, you have reported it to the police, and provide the crime reference number. Do Not Confront Alone: If you think a specific worker did it, notify the owner of the firm in writing. Let them handle the investigation. Review Your Contract: Check your contract for termination clauses. If the builder has breached the contract (which theft does), you may be able to terminate.Consider Termination: If you have lost trust, it is often better to "cut and run". You may need to hire another professional to finish the job. Withholding Payment: You can typically withhold payment for incomplete or defective work. If the builder has stolen items, you may be able to set off the cost of the stolen goods against the payment owed.

3. Dealing with Rising Costs/Home Insurance: Inform your home insurer. Even if you don't make a claim for the computer, they may have legal assistance for disputes with contractors. Ask if they cover "construction site theft" by contractors.
Stop Work Safely: If you need to stop work, get a new contractor to make the site safe and secure first. Document Everything: Take photos of the unfinished work and make a detailed list of all missing items, their age, and estimated value.Summary of Actionable Steps...

Call 101 (Police).Call Action Fraud (0300 123 2040).

Change all passwords on a secure device.

Send a written notice to the builder about the theft.

Seek legal advice if the builder threatens to stop work or makes demands for payment.

I would out right say 'have you moved it?' if he says no say well my son can trace it as we put a tracer in it, so its no problem then we will get the police involved.

I w ould ask the workmen if anyone oother than they had had access to your house while they were there.

If they so no, I would then say, "I am asking because my new computer and a list of my passwords written down in a note-book are missing from such and such a place. Are you sure no-one has been here?"

If they still say no-one has been in the house, ask if there have been any signs that someone had been in after the left work one day and came back the following day.

Then I would report the matter to the police as theft. You don't have to do this in the presence of the workmen.

You might be lucky and the missing things "mysteriously" turn up in some room where the builders can say they never have been into.

If your "gut feeling" is about another person, then tackle them in the same fashion.

The last builder damaged my neighbours house and I've had to have the roof and gutter redone at great expense to me.

His reviews were outstanding and he was a polite and charming.

The good builders all seem to be booked up for years and don't need to advertise themselves in any way.

It must have been a big disappointment. Being threatened by builders is totally unacceptable but seems to happen often now.
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Allira

Witzend

Whether it’s foolproof I don’t know, but we only use people recommended on the Which Trusted Traders site. It’s worked for us so far.

Not for our neighbours, unfortunately.

They had a bad experience with builders who were on a recommended list and in fact they were really threatening.

Not for me either had a terrible job done by a plumber from the trusted traders site where they can recommend themselves very easily.