Not paying for garden work

100% the owners need to pay, they booked it, they should have cancelled with sufficient notice. I can see why you feel awkward about it though.

For me it would depend on how much money it is - surely can't be that much for a few hours works, and even if I didn't request the work to be done. If it had actually saved me some hassle and ticked a job off the list (ie weeding and mowing the lawn) then I would just pay

I would not pay. It's an issue between the previous owner and the gardener. I feel sorry for him but it's not OP's problem.

Even though the OP maintains the garden themselves and it probaly didn't even need doing?

Whose fault is it?

If the OP was keeping the garden tidy themselves, as they say they were, the yearly visit these gardeners seem to make probably didn't even need to happen.

Are you in the habit of paying for things that you didn't order? Because I am not, and nor should the OP be. It doesn't matter who "benefitted" - the contract is between the gardener and the previous owner. They are responsible for the whole bill and have to pay it.

I would pay half.

If she pays, then he is the one benefiting and op losing out.

@PorkyMcChubbington

I'm saying I agree with your post

Huh?

Obviously don't pay.

This isn't your issue. It's nothing to do with you at all.

For those sympathising with the gardener, why? Normally when I've pre booked a service well in advance (oven clean, car valet, etc) I get a text reminder or email a few days before with the chance to cancel. That's good practice and maybe he will do that in future.

I wouldn't be paying him a penny. It's not your pigeon.

Previous owner arranged this and a needs to pay. The gardener also is being cheeky thinking they can pester you into paying, they know it’s not your responsibility and they shouldn’t be asking you for money for a job you haven’t arranged. They’re risking their own reputation asking you for this money too. If the ex owners won’t pay they take them to court for it. The ‘contract’ was with them not you.

There's no benefit in having a service you didn't need. Not even in Latin.

The OP didn't have to do any of these things. And they may have wanted to do them themselves. I don't think courts are as stupid as you seem to believe.

@PorkyMcChubbington

It is his fault.

Yes! Because he didn't terminate the contract with the provider!

If you're happy with the work and have the money, paying half is a nice gesture, however I'm also of the mind that you shouldn't feel any pangs of guilt for not paying, given it shouldn't have happened. It's really on the previous owner.

@gardendramas5 - So is this the first time they've come since you bought the house? Mid-May seems quite late in the year to be starting, though we're in the south east of England so maybe gardens wake up for Spring later where you are.

It is his fault.

If she was doing no mow may, would it still be a benefit to the OP?

Legally, you're under no obligation to pay.

Morally, if you feel you've benefitted from it, then you could offer what you think it's worth to you - if you'd happily pay someone £10 to cut the lawn and do the weeding, you could pay them that. Note that I don't mean by benefited that you have a cut lawn - I mean more that you're really happy that someone else cut your lawn, and wish you had thought of hiring someone yourself. However if the level of benefit to you is a lot lower than the money are asking for, offering it is probably not going to help matters.

Pay the guy. Let's be honest, you have benefitted from it abd it's not his fault.

Lol at all the replies saying you should cough up. No, the contract is/was between the previous owners and the service provider (gardener) so the financials are their responsibility to settle.

I wouldn't pay. And maybe get some cameras or a Ring doorbell!

As per my post a moment ago, they will have said it was a quantum meruit.

I am guessing this was a tenant asking for work to be done on a rented property. The answer’s the same: even if you say you would have painted the fence/living room yourself, or mended the washing machine, the fact is you didn’t. You have derived a benefit.

I’m not sure why so many PP’s are talking about you getting the benefit of the gardeners work. I’d be quite annoyed if a stranger turned up and mowed my lawn and weeded my garden as they are things I enjoy doing. It’s only a benefit if you wanted someone else to do those things.

I’m sure the neighbour who pays to trim my hedges thinks they’re doing me a favour to, but I actually quietly seethe about it as they do it even though I’ve asked them not to.

I might start turning up to PPs with stuff and leaving things I no longer want on their doorstep, then demand they pay half of the value as “they have the benefit” of said item, whether they wanted it or not!

Actually, I’ve changed my mind from my previous post now I think about it. Don’t pay him. We have a window cleaner and when he started he gave us a card advertising his services. It’s kind of ugly but we keep it up on the front window so he knows we still want the service.

Tell him to ask the previous owners for the money and not to contact you again. Also advise him that he trespassed onto your land and damaged it which are both criminal offences. That should be enough to make him back off.