The English-speaking duo (20 and 16) offered their services to residents of Wallenbergstraat in the Pax district yesterday. At least one resident thought the place smelled so bad that he decided to warn neighbors in a local, private Facebook group.
When that man saw the company bus driving through the street again this morning, he called the police. Shortly afterwards he stopped the two in the street. The spokesperson explains that they were arrested because they offered services without having the necessary papers.
Facade cleaning offered
The spokesperson cannot say which services the two offered, but according to a post in a private Hoofddorp Facebook group, it concerns facade cleaning.
It is not known whether the reporter accepted the handymen’s offer. The handymen allegedly asked for a non-market price and were unable to provide an invoice.
Photos in the Facebook group show the two in action, including a high-pressure sprayer. The images were taken in Wallenbergstraat, NH has established.
Malicious handymen are also called Irish Travellers. Yet it is not only Irish people who are guilty of this kind of practice. They are known for offering unnecessary repairs, delivering half (or no) work and charging high costs.
‘Do your homework’
The arrested handymen drove around in a car with a British license plate. The police do not want to share their nationality with NH.
The spokesperson warns everyone not to blindly deal with people at the door. She recognizes that there are also well-meaning people who offer their services at the door. “But do your homework well.”