Absences doesn't make the heart grow fonder

[Frank Cahill]

btrout@desupernet.net wrote:
> 
> Hi Don,
> 
> Although I wouldn't wish this situation on anyone, I'm glad you posted it
> here.
> 
> Something I've been wondering about is what kind of insurance would be wise
> for a tuner/technician to carry.  There's the possibilities of breaking
> something like an expensive vase, or knocking a valuable painting off of the
> wall, or of damaging the piano in some way, or like you've mentioned, someone
> being robbed with you as a suspect (since you were the last one there...).
> 
> Question is, how do you protect yourself from this kind of situation?  Do you
> refuse to tune if there's no one home?  or if they have to leave for work
> before you're done? or if they want to leave the door open for you?
> 
> It's a legitimate concern considering the society we all live in.
> 
> Would sure like to hear what you think!
> 
> Brian Trout
> Quarryville, Pa.
> 
> Don wrote:
> 
> > Hi,
> >
> > Today was interesting. I have in the past sometimes tuned for clients when
> > they were *not* at home. I.E. they would let me in, then go off to work.
> >
> > March 10 I tuned for a client who had made that arrangement with me.
> > However, he decided he was too curious and so he stayed with me. He then
> > asked me to drop him off at his work place. He had a lovely stereo set up
> > so I asked if he would play a piece for me.
> >
> > This morning the police called wanting to know if I had been at his home
> > tuning on March 10. I looked in my book and sure enough I had been. Later
> > on the day of March 10 his home had been broken into and robbed--they took
> > his sound system.
> >
> > I think I will no longer tune with clients absent.
> > Regards,
> > Don Rose, B.Mus., A.M.U.S., A.MUS., R.M.T., R.P.T.
> >
> > Tuner for the Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts
> >
> > drose@dlcwest.com
> > http://www.dlcwest.com/~drose/
> > 3004 Grant Rd.
> > REGINA, SK
> > S4S 5G7
> > 306-352-3620 or 1-888-29t-uner


If you are a PTG member you can get liability insurance up to 1
million.  Yes, I tune when people are away...I do it alot!  Here, most
homes have two incomes...everyone is working.  Usually, they let me in
and go.

I don't work weekends, but I do tune/repair every Mon - Thurs night.
It's a real drag. But that's when folks want me. I'm booked a month
ahead in the evenings and folks are surprised when I can't be there the
next day.  

So, if I want to tune in the daytime, I must work in an empty house
sometimes.

I do not generally tune when kids are there but there is no adult. I've
done it twice. The 15 year old boy was twice my size and could snap me
in two.  His parents, both Korean, work all the time, day and night, so
this was the only way. Pop showed up about an hour later.

The other time, it was for one of my "oldest" customers...I watched
their kids grow up.  Otherwise, I don't do it.
-- 

Frank Cahill
Associate Member, Piano Technicians Guild
Northern Va