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uk Sexual violence & highly sensitive situations

What to do if…
a service worker or contractor makes sexual comments and you still need access to your home

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Prioritise safe access over getting the job finished quickly: do not let the same person return alone, and arrange another route for the repair, visit, keys, or property access.

Do not do these things

  • Do not let them into your home again just to get it over with if you feel unsafe or pressured.
  • Do not confront them in person inside your home, in a vehicle, or in another private space.
  • Do not agree to a surprise visit, a vague arrival window, or direct contact from the person if you can avoid it.
  • Do not delete messages, call logs, voicemails, booking confirmations, or access instructions.
  • Do not feel you have to report to police right now to justify refusing direct access.

What to do now

  1. Pause the next visit if you can. Send a short message to the company, platform, landlord, agent, or organiser saying the visit needs to be rearranged with a different named person or with another adult present.
  2. Move contact away from the individual. Ask that all future messages, calls, access arrangements, and arrival updates go through an office, platform, landlord, agent, or written channel rather than the person who made the comments.
  3. Ask for a different worker or contractor. Say that the original person must not be assigned to your address again. You do not have to describe everything in detail to make that request.
  4. If you rent or live in managed housing, put it in writing. Ask the landlord, letting agent, housing association, building manager, or repairs team for a different contractor, a named appointment, and clear prior notice before anyone attends.
  5. Set safer entry rules for any unavoidable visit. Arrange for another adult to be present if possible, keep your phone charged and with you, stay near an exit, and avoid being alone with the worker in a closed room.
  6. Protect keys and access details. Do not hand over keys directly to the person who made the comments if there is another option. Ask for keys, fobs, codes, and appointment details to be handled by the office, agent, landlord, or another trusted person.
  7. Make a brief record for yourself. Write down the date, time, place, what was said, who was present, and what access they had. Save any messages, calls, voicemails, photos of booking details, and complaint replies.
  8. Use emergency help if danger feels immediate. Call 999 if someone is at the door, inside the property, threatening you, refusing to leave, or you feel in immediate danger. For non-emergency police advice or reporting, use 101 or an online route through the police.

What can wait

  • You do not need to decide today whether this was a crime, harassment, discrimination, or a complaint category.
  • You do not need to write a full statement now; a short private note is enough for the moment.
  • You do not need to negotiate directly with the person who made the comments.
  • You do not need to decide whether to keep using the same company once the immediate access problem is safer.

Important reassurance

Feeling shocked, embarrassed, angry, numb, or frozen is a common response when someone sexualises a situation where you need access to your own home or property. Needing repairs, keys, entry, or a service does not mean you have to accept contact that makes you feel unsafe.

Scope note

These are first steps only: they are meant to stabilise safety, control access, and buy time. Later decisions about complaints, housing, police reporting, equality rights, or legal action may need specialist help.

Important note

This is general information, not legal, medical, financial, therapeutic, or other professional advice. If you are in immediate danger, call 999.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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