Professionalism is paramount when building trust between companies and their clients. While a bit of levity and wit can help you develop those relationships by showing your authenticity, mutual respect is still the foundational thing to focus on. And as a contractor, you can’t say that you respect your client if you don’t respect their property.

Case in point, one Brit, redditor u/garbfink, turned to the helpful r/LegalAdviceUK online community for some impartial tips on a sensitive situation he’s wrapped up in. He opened up about how some builders who were fixing up his home had a massive party in it, damaging his property. Read on for the full story. Bored Panda has gotten in touch with the author for further comment, and we’ll update the article as soon as we hear back from him.

It can be extremely difficult to find honest and experienced contractors to work on your home. Trust is hard-earned but easily lost

Image credits: LightFieldStudios (not the actual photo)

One homeowner from the UK shared how a group of builders threw a secret party in his house while he was away. He asked for some advice

Image credits: AnnaStills (not the actual photo)

Image credits: garbfink

Reputation means everything when you’re a builder. Good references can put your clients at ease

Based on data analyzed by Contractor Calculator, there are around 1.9 million contractors who live and work in the United Kingdom. However, just like in any other industry, not everyone is going to be as experienced and trustworthy as clients would expect.

According to Cornerstone Construction, some common red flags to look out for in contractors include a lack of experience or credentials. It’s always a good idea to ask a builder or a company for references from previous clients. Meanwhile, you can also check if they have the right qualifications.

Obviously, there are many skilled tradespeople who might not have official documentation or references.

However, until they prove their skills, they’re not exactly putting their clients’ worries at ease. Getting all the formalities in order is often time-consuming but worth it in the end. Reputation really does matter, no matter your line of work.

Something else that you should consider is how the contractor talks to you about pricing and timing. They should be very specific when it comes to the material and labor costs and timelines. A lack of detail and too much vagueness is a red flag.

Similarly, if you feel like a contractor or company is pressuring you to hire them ASAP, you should slow down and consider the situation cooly and calmly.

Meanwhile, another red flag is if there are no official documents or contracts involved in the project. It’s also suspicious if the contractor doesn’t have insurance to protect both themselves and their clients.

Image credits: Life Of Pix (not the actual photo)

The issue isn’t just about the money. The entire situation carries a lot of emotional weight, too

In these sorts of sensitive situations, it’s usually best to speak directly with a legal professional, such as a solicitor who has a background in working with similar cases. They’ll be able to weigh the situation and give you an analysis of what your next steps should realistically be.

Furthermore, they’ll also likely be able to give you an approximation of how much you can stand to pay in legal fees, should you ultimately decide to take things to court.

There’s no easy answer about whether you should or should not escalate things legally. It’ll all depend on your specific situation. Do you have the time, energy, and financial resources to take this to court? Are the damages you’ve faced worth even more stress? Is the unfairness of the entire situation so painful that you want justice no matter the cost?

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From our very subjective perspective, someone who has stolen and/or damaged someone else’s physical property should be taken to court if they don’t replace these items or reimburse the client.

However, it’s not just about the physical aspect of it all, is it? It feels very nasty to know that someone had a debauched, unhinged, off-the-hooks party in your home. It can be very hard to move past the fact that someone has been inside your home doing God knows what in the same areas where you and your partner relax and your children play.

There’s an alarming element of deception and sleaziness on the builders’ part there. And it makes you wonder whether we’re talking about “a few bad apples” here or if the entire contractor company has a culture of secrecy and disrespect.

What are the worst interactions you’ve ever had with builders and contractors, dear Pandas? Have you ever had strangers throw a secret party in your home? How would you have reacted in the situation that u/garbfink described? What advice would you give him if you could speak to him directly? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Image credits: Ono Kosuki (not the actual photo)

Many readers were shocked by this sort of behavior. They were happy to give the author some tips on what to do next

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