Is it normal i'm refusing to pay this man after threats?

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12 Comments

I was recommended to a local electrician to instal sensor security lights at my home: a very welcome birthday gift from a friend who knows I'm being stalked.

He came and gave me a quote, during which my dog was locked in the house as he said he was concerned about her being loose and that he could do the quote from outside.

He returned to instal the lights and well before he arrived I tied the dog up securely to a tree at the back of the block with water and a bone.

I was on the phone crying to my rape counsellor when this idiot starts yelling at me that he'll kill my dog if it lunges at him again. I told him it couldn't get him if he didn't go near it (which he had no need to do) and he threatened to kill her by stabbing her in the eyes with a screwdriver.

He knew the lights were being installed because I was being stalked by someone who'd attacked me in my home.

I'm refusing to pay his bill until he apologises. I know I'm not in the right legally but I'm not paying him anyway.

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60% Normal
Based on 5 votes (3 yes)
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Comments ( 12 )
  • thegypsysailor
    8 years ago

    Why did you not just bring the dog in the house?
    You especially should be sensitive to how people can be fearful of some things.
    Your bad, IMO, on this one. Pay the poor guy.

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    • Ellenna
      8 years ago

      Poor guy? IF he'd told me he had dog phobia I would've loced her in the house, but all he mentioned was that he needed to be sure she wouldn't attack him and I acted accordingly. He knew of MY sensitivies because I'd told him why I needed sensor security lights, but I suppose you think it's ok for him to wave a screwdriver in my face in my own home and tell me he'll kill my dog with it?

      The dog was tied up at the very rear of the property where he had no need to go, there's no electric wiring on the old oak tree right down the back of the property and except (obviously) for the lawnmower people that's where I've always tied her up with no problems from other tradies.

      I'm not paying him until he apologises. I'm now receiving threatening emails daily about taking me to court: well let's just see if he can get money out of me without an apology because that's not going to happen.

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      • thegypsysailor
        8 years ago

        You are old enough to know that most men cannot admit to weakness, especially to a woman. His problem for sure, but...
        I'm just trying to say there are always two sides to something like this and that you might consider that perhaps he has an irrational fear that he wasn't able to covey to you for whatever reason.

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        • Ellenna
          8 years ago

          Well, it's obvious he has an irrational fear, but I don't accept that's an excuse to bring violence my home when he already knew I'd experienced that to the extent of needing to increase my home security.

          By your reasoning, I'd be justified in having an irrational fear of all men because one of them raped me and therefore entitled to threaten any or all of them with violence? Yeah, right ......

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          • thegypsysailor
            8 years ago

            No, not necessarily. But had you put the dog indoors sooner, would the situation have escalated to the point that it did?
            I wasn't there, I never saw either of you, but I am just making an observation from what you've posted. Not criticizing.

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            • Ellenna
              8 years ago

              The house is open plan with very few doors and none of them stay shut, so no, having her in the house wasn't a good option as he had to do some work on the internal light switches. I did lock her in the house when he came to do the quote and didn't need to go into the house and when we made arrangements for him to do the actual work & said he'd need to get into the house I told him I'd tie the dog up away from the house. He had an opportunity then to tell me if he was scared of a dog anywhere on the property and I would've put her in my car for the time he was here.

              He's obviously phobic and needs to have therapy if he's going to continue work where he has to go to people's homes, rather than threaten already vulnerable people

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  • RoseIsabella
    8 years ago

    Well, if he properly installed the lights then I would have to say that you're obligated to pay him for doing his job, but perhaps you can write a bad review about him online for his aggressive demeanor.

    Additionally I would state dogs do tend to act more aggressive when they're tied up and in my opinion the best place for a dog in the house by one's side. I'm not a fan of tying up dogs. It's better to have them in the house or a fenced in yard.

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    • Ellenna
      8 years ago

      I have paid him today, because he apologised by email. If you'd read my posts you'd have known that keeping the dog in the house wasn't an option. She IS in a fenced in yard: the entire boundary is fenced to keep her in and I don't like tying dogs up either, but sometimes it's necessary

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  • dinz
    8 years ago

    His threats were not justified when you tied the dog and ensure it was a safe distance from the electrician. I myself would ask him to remove the security lighting and employ the services of another electrician to do the job.

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    • Ellenna
      8 years ago

      Not really an option: without the security lighting the stalker will again be able to approach the house without being seen or deterred

      Thanks for confirmation of my viewes though

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