Doors Left Unlocked

[Marcel Carey]

List,

Since I live in a relatively small town of about 150,000, sometimes I will do
this. On the other hand, I usually prefer that clients leave a key hidden
somewhere. I would hate if their house would get burglarized after or before I
get there. If there is no effraction, the insurance company won't pay. I usually
won't do that kind of work for customer that is a first time call unless there
is no other practical way of getting to their piano.

Marcel Carey, RPT

Danny Moore wrote:

> List, Les & Zen,
>
> I think that depends on the attitude of the neighborhood.  I frequently
> have customers leave either the back door unlocked or leave the key under
> the mat.  They also leave my check on the music desk.  This also relates to
> the thread of getting stiffed/no-show for tunings.  I don't bill
> individuals.  (Commercial accounts, yes.)  Money when it's tuned or it
> doesn't get tuned.  (Keeps me from having to "hunt" down my money.)  Of
> course I'm about 90 miles east of Houston in a bleak little coastal town.
> If I lived in Bartlett's neighborhood, I wouldn't leave the doors unlocked
> either.
>
> Danny Moore (TX)
>
> Leslie W Bartlett wrote:
>
> > If it's someone you know well, I would think leaving a door opened
> > wouldn't be too bad. But how many of one's customers is known "that
> > well".  "Better a live chicken than a dead duck" is my philosophy.
> >
> > Leslie
> > lesbart@juno.com
> > "I'm not half the man I used to be, and never was."
> >
> > On Wed, 7 Jan 1998 10:52:47 -0500 "Zen Reinhardt"
> > <diskladame@provide.net> writes:
> > >Hello List!
> > >
> > >We've probably discussed this before, but my curiosity is getting the
> > >better of me again.
> > >
> > >How do you handle the customer who tells you they'll be happy to leave
> > >the
> > >door unlocked so that you may come in, do the work, leave the bill,
> > >and
> > >leave the house?  I realize that this is a common practice, so I was
> > >wondering if any of you have had, shall we say, "unexpected
> > >repercussions"
> > >from such an arrangement?
> > >
> > >I for one will never enter a house unaccompanied.  I don't care if the
> > >door
> > >was left wide open.  Having a teenager, neighbor or house
> > >sitter/cleaner
> > >waiting to let me in is "legitimate."  Am I being overly cautious?
> > >
> > >Just curious again ...
> > >ZR!  RPT
> > >Ann Arbor  MI
> > >diskladame@provide.net
> > >