Not paying for garden work

I think the old owners made a mistake, and the Gardener was acting in good faith. I have no idea what the law states, but as you've benefited from the gardeners work, ethically, you ought to pay. However you've only been asked to pay half. It sounds as though the old owners have been mature and reasonable about it, perhaps you could follow suit.

Legally you are right of course, it's the previous owners responsibility. Their mistake and they owe the money. It's in no way your fault.
But, but, but. They are meanly refusing to pay full whack and the gardener has saved you a lot of work, probably done to a high standard since he is a professional, and he'll be out of pocket. I would probably pay him something, if not the full half.

I think most Public Liability is covered by home insurance and doesn’t specify locked back gardens.

However, we are straying a long way from whether the OP is unreasonable not to pay 50% of the gardener’s bill. I think the previous owners are being unreasonable not to pay 100%.

The decent thing would be the previous owners paying up. It was their mistake and nothing to do with OP.

@Another2Catshow does that work with a very open access to the rear? My parents access to the rear is the width of a wide drive. There literally wouldn’t be a place to put a gate. That’s not an uncommon set up

Haven't read all the posts so it may have been said, but if the previous owners had forgot to cancel any other service (electric/subscription whatever) I doubt people woukd think you should pay half so why should you in this instance? You are not BU.

I think its not just the burglars climbing over. I belive there have been problems with injuries incurred when people (children IIRC) have been able to wander into non secure gardens and eg play with tools or other dangerous stuff. I haven't googled hence this is a bit vague.

Note to self to check Insurance Policy but do Insurance Companies not realise burglars can climb over gates ?

Yup, we all have choices and despite not being high crime I’d rather a delivery left out of sight than on the front doorstep. Our back garden is private too but I’m not aware of any random strangers wandering round to back gardens here. If that started happening I’m sure we’d all consider CCTV and locked gates.

I can’t imagine not having a lockable side gate, and I’m sure it’s a requirement if our insurance company anyway.

all the people saying "she benefitted" she didn't! Someone encroached on her property and did stuff she didn't want done.

that's fine and your choice. I don't live in a high crime area but my back garden is private and I don't want stuff being left there or strangers wandering in

This simply shows how different things can be in different parts of the country (or even different parts of the same city).

I don't know any of my neighbours that don't have a locked gate. Many years ago though we did used to have an unlocked gate.

I remember many years ago when DD was a baby. She wouldn't sleep and DH was downstairs with her in the middle of the night walking backwards and forwards trying to get her to sleep (that was the only thing that seemed to work at the time).

This is how my DH recounts the story. The room was dark, there were no lights, and he had been walking up and down with her for ages until she started to nod off. He had just put her down to go and lock the back door when somebody came in through the back door.

He saw my DH and bolted. DH went after him but unfortunately didn't catch him. Whoever it was had got through into our back garden and to the back door through our side gate that goes from the front to the back garden.

Straight after that we got a lock for the gate and security lights that are motion activated.

It still scares me to think what might have happened if it had been me downstairs with my DD that night instead of DH. Would the intruder have come for me? Would I have been able to fight him off or raise the alarm so that my DH heard?

I've always made sure we have a secure property since then.

It would be interesting to ok now how much we're actually talking about here.

I would just pay up as a gesture of goodwill.
It has helped you not to have cut lawns after a week away.
But do make sure the previous owners have now cancelled the contract.

Me too!

That is very normal round here where we live.

Is it any different where you live?

No he probably wouldn’t. I’m just advising she clears up any doubt once and for all.

What? She would be doing the decent thing. Not somethhing you hear a lot about these days

But she didn't book it in the first place. I don't think he would be returning if she didn't pay the first time.

I would have just continued to let someone do it and not pay.

This is all down to the previous owners, I wouldn’t pay I’m afraid. The gardener will have to persue them. Make it clear you’re not prepared to discuss it further 🙂

Given you have actually had the tangible benefit of it, I’d lose the impetus to fight beyond half.

But make sure you cancel if you don’t want it going forward.

She’s not benefiting. Her property was trespassed upon.

Why should he discount for anyone. He is being give the runaround through no fault of his own. You are benefiting OP so do the decent thing.

I think you are being very naive. Imo it's not worth the possibility. It's a different scenario but my daughter was stalked by her ex boyfriend when she finished with him. He was 19 and no Tony Soprano- or so we thought, til bad things started happening. He ended up in court. Anyway, I don't trust anyone. My home and family are too important to risk for the sake of paying a gardener for a one off job. My friend had an awful experience with a decorator who didn't do a good job and they sacked him and then the car tyres were mysteriously slashed and other bad stuff happened. It's not worth it. They know where the client lives.