Refusing to do a job because of health and safety !

[Revved Up Sparky]

My last job of the day today was at a quite respectable looking semi detached house. It seems an RCD had tripped and some circuits were off.

The owner of the house opened the door slightly and invited me and my colleague inside. My first cause of concern was the sight of cat after cat after cat running out of the house. I was then appalled at what I saw. The first room I stepped into was the kitchen and it was 2- 3 feet deep in rubbish, dirty pots and pans, dirty pets food bowls etc. I stepped carefully over the rubbish into the next room which was also 2-3 feet deep in clothes, boxes, and various items. I soon realised that the whole house was 2-3 feet deep in---- well stuff. It also stank of cats and something else, I'm not sure what.

My colleague called me and beckoned me back outside. He convinced me that it was unsafe to continue. Not only was there a risk of me falling over all the clutter but there was also concern about contact with animal faeces.

This has got to be the worst house I have ever been asked to work in.

Has anybody else ever refused to do a job because of similar circumstances ? what happened ?

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

I had the same as that many years ago. The owners were semi-famous musicians and a 11 month old baby was in there. I never bothered even pricing up the job

 

[betty swollocks]

Once during a rewire me an apprentice lifted a sofa to move and found a huge hairy dog turd! On pointing it out to old customer all he said was

'ehhh fancy that, he's been dead for ooooh must be seven years now......'

 

[a1]

Out of curiosity - Was it a private or council house?

 

[Nicky Tesla]

I mentioned this before....................My colleague was in a house were she kept cats, hamsters pidgeons(flying around the flat) and a dead dog in a pram

 

[revjames]

was it in T B Simon? pretty sure that was a detatched bung tho if its the place I was thinking of. I had to install an alarm for a 90+ old lady that was obviously struggling to look after the house. Piles of stuff everywhere and a 2' square clearing on the kitchen table where she had her meals on wheels. Also did a door entry system for someone who was confined to an upper room. It was dirty throughout but when I came to finding a power source - the DB was under the front window in the lounge. The lounge contained a wheelybin, and a 6' pile of rubbish including a soiled duvet. I moved things out of the way with a big stick and got finished and out asap while holding back the puking reflex. Should have refused really.

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

I mentioned we found a horse in the lounge on another thread , beat that !

 

[Barx]

Not to 'beat' anybody, but had a good few properties with mice, cockroaches and yes hairy turds. To be honest my standards are pretty low when it comes to these situations. I normally only draw the line if something moves.

Sent from my Desire Z

 

[betty swollocks]

<I mentioned we found a horse in the lounge on another thread , beat that !>

Well I was once in a pub when in through the door came a great big cow and a real fat pig......

Also know as the ex wife and ex mother-in-law

 

[Andy™]

whilst working for morrison, there were a few jobs that got refused because of stuff like that.

once had a job the week before xmas of replacing boiler. no heating or not water. just as vans being unloaded, someone spotted a needle on the living room table. all gear was put back in van, another company went in to clear the place, job got done mid jan

also been a few jobs where dust sheets were put down to keep feet clean. if tenent said dont bother with dust sheet or anything like that, they were told why it was being used. had a few complaints, but i dont care

 

[Evans Electric]

I mentioned we found a horse in the lounge on another thread , beat that !

Becoming a bit "Pythonesque" now .... we once found a herd of wilderbeest in the lounge , then we couldn't reach the fuseboard because of the pride of lions in the garage , so we decided enough was enough .

 

[Robin Spark]

I used to live opposite a family who house was right minging! However, they loved their car and they used to put on their slippers before getting into it :slap

 

[Badger]

I used to live opposite a family who house was right minging! However, they loved their car and they used to put on their slippers before getting into it :slap

you sure thats so the carp pn the bottom of their shoes didnt mess up the carpets in the car.

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

Becoming a bit "Pythonesque" now .... we once found a herd of wilderbeest in the lounge , then we couldn't reach the fuseboard because of the pride of lions in the garage , so we decided enough was enough .

:Salute & no mention of a shoebox. Its a pity we didnt carry around camaras then.

 

[steptoe]

I did once refuse to work because of all the holes in the floor that they used to sleep in.!

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

I refused to work in this house

 

[Revved Up Sparky]

Out of curiosity - Was it a private or council house?

This lady was a homeowner. I've come across her a few times in recent years. She must be in her 70's now and appears to be in poor health. It seems she has no family or friends to look out for her. James the house was in the Longford Road area. I mean no disrespect to the lady but anybody with a house like that needs professional help...... or some caring friends willing to lend a hand.

I was in a council flat some time ago doing a PIR. As I was crouching down next to a dining table doing an end-to-end ring continuity test on a socket I noticed out of the corner of my eye that one of my tester leads looked brown. On closer inspection I realised that there was a large pile of dog poop under the table and my lead had just been dragged through it..... I made a hasty exit.

 

[Zeespark]

Revved, or any of us, if you see houses in this state with the elderly in the future, the local councils Environmental Health Department can and will help solve the homeowners issues.

AndyGuinness

 

[Revved Up Sparky]

Revved, or any of us, if you see houses in this state with the elderly in the future, the local councils Environmental Health Department can and will help solve the homeowners issues.AndyGuinness

Thanks for the advice Zeespark, that sounds like a great idea. I will see what I can do. Hopefully the lady I have mentioned will accept help although she strikes me as being fiercely independent.

 

[Smilers]

Did a pub referb in reading when i was an apprentice- we walked into the 1st floor flat living room to find a corpse of a cat on a sofa it was almost moving with maggots!!! The smell was horrific i insta chundered ! The smell hit my face like a cricket bat! Ive also found a cat in a block of flats cold water storage tank in Southwark london hmmmm wonder how long it was there for with people brushing there theeth and washinh in that water.