Starting Work In The Morning

semigoodlookin

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I have been having a debate with the worker who works for my building manager. He was meant to be coming to do some maintenence (painting the ceiling after fixing damp). He told me yesterday he would come some time this morning (specific times seem beyond him).

I guessed this would mean after 8am as he didn't tell me earlier, so I went for my usual morning run and was home at 7:50am. He's just come to do it (9am) and said I was disrespectful because he was knocking my door at 7:10 am and I wasn't there. I think that to come this early he should have told me a specific time so that I know, 7am is out of working hours and if he is right he could have turned up at 5 or 6am.

So, my question is, am I right, is there a law about how early they can turn up unannounced. Or am I wrong and need to go an apologize to him?
 
I think you are correct. I would take the diplomatic approach in an attempt to keep the relationship fluid as you may need his services again. Suggest that next time he decides to come earlier than 8.00am that he call you before to ascertain if you are home.
 
Showing up whenever he pleases in the morning also shows lack of respect.

These people spend an awful amount of time checking out silly videos on their phones (during work hours), but they never ever use them to send a quick message saying "late/cannot come/be there in 30'".

It's a good thing you were out running. Had I been sleeping and the guy rings my buzzer at 7.10, I would be sooo mad!

This being said, I agree with the post above. :)
 
[background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]Had I been sleeping and the guy rings my buzzer at 7.10, I would be sooo mad! [/background][background=rgb(252, 252, 252)] So would I but regardless I would not let him in until 8.00am. [/background][background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]Ignore the buzzer and let the worker stew knowing full well he will return later. Gives me the time to enjoy a cup of coffee and count to 1M. Sometimes it works to[/background][background=rgb(252, 252, 252)] send a "non-verbal proactive message". Sometimes it hits home. If not, I have given myself the necessary time to cool off and regroup. [/background]
 
I always confirm the time, and happy if they show within an hour either direction. Today my electrician showed up on time and I slept through it. I called and he came back in a couple of hours, thankfully. He's here now, doing a WONDERFUL job.
If anyone wants his name and #, let know.
N
 
I think you are blameless here. If you asked him when and he said "sometime tomorrow morning", he´s the one with the problem and even being a "guest" here does not mean you have to the one who accepts that they were wrong (I'm referring to this idea that expats must accept anything thrown at them simply because they were not born here, which I've heard many times here and there).

Personally, I´m tired of people who I ask for service telling me they´ll be at my place on such and such day (never mind the time - I always get vagaries as well, or whatever time they give me has no real meaning) and they simply don't show up. And then when you call them, they say "oh, I'm so sorry, what happened was that..." and they expect you to be all sympathetic with them yet they hadn't even bother to call to let you know they couldn't make it. As far as tolerating the culture, if the person treats me the way I treat him, I give a lot of allowances for them not showing up when expected and/or not calling even.

7:10 am is not a reasonable time for home-located work unless it's been discussed specifically, previously. Hell, even if people are up that early, many have to deal with kids going to school, husband or wife going to work and other things first thing in the morning. The idea that some vague "sometime in the morning" is OK is not even close to reasonable, unless he's willing to be reasonable in having missed you at the time he ends up coming.

If the guy had said "no problem, I understand" when he talked to you after having tried you at 7:10 am, it would be a different story. That is reasonable, a give and take between people. But when he can't give you a time and he comes so early in the morning - I know what I'd tell him and it wouldn't be "oh, I'm so sorry that I wasn't there when you got here the first time." In fact, I've gotten to the point where I go look for someone else if they give me attitude like that. I don't give them the Argentine nose-in-the-air routine, I'm-better-than-any-worker attitude and I don't intend to treat workers as if they are more special than I, myself, am to me.
 
Yesterday, the building's painter asked me to let him out of the building since the encargado refuses to open the door between 1200-1700
When I opened the door for him at 1250, I asked him when he would be back, he said in a maximum of 30 minutes. I explained I would wait for him but then I had to leave I waited until 1400(1 hr 10 mins) and no show! I left him a note where he could go to be let in DIRECTLY NEXT DOOR. I came back at 1500 and he still never came I left for the coffee chat at 1530 and NADA. This enfuriates me.
On the other hand, in my other patria,i.e.Czech Republic, workers do pretty much stick to their promised schedule but start so damn early ; often the plumber or electrician will arrive at 0700! and just a cultrural note; they take off their shoes and work in their socks as it is very bad manners, quite like in Japan, to enter in to someone's house with one's shoes one.
 
Use ZOLVERS !
None of the above problems and time lost would have happened if those involved had used ZOLVERS' many services.
If the service person doen't show ON TIME,you give them a call.They get right "on the case" (like Bajo?) and send you someone else.
Try them once and you'll be back almost every time.
 
Damn, Noesdeayer, thanks! I never knew about these guys and their site looks very interesting.
 
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