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Original poster

To ask neighbour to pay son more?

129 replies

SunIsOutAgain · 23/05/2026 18:53

My neighbour asked my 14 year old to do some jobs in the garden today. Cutting the lawn, taking back some hedges, tidying etc.

He is fairly competent at these things and it took him 2.5 hours. I would expect an adult could do it in 2, but it wasn't an especially small job.

She gave him £15 and he was a bit disappointed as he was hoping for 20. He said he didn't clarify the pay before starting (obviously an error that we've now discussed for next time).

It was very hot here today, which doesn't change the value of the work but does affect how he felt when he had finished!

Is this a reasonable amount of money? Should i speak to her?

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SeeYouThroughACameraFlash · 25/05/2026 01:48

MidnightMeltdown · 24/05/2026 21:07

It is a bit on the low side, but I think it would be hugely awkward and embarrassing to go over and ask for more money! Next time he’ll just have to say that he’s busy.

I think older people sometimes struggle to come to terms with inflation, and understanding that what was a lot of money in 1986, isn’t now!

Edited

I wouldn’t find it embarrassing. The tight arse neighbour should feel embarrassed.

MidnightMeltdown · 24/05/2026 21:07

It is a bit on the low side, but I think it would be hugely awkward and embarrassing to go over and ask for more money! Next time he’ll just have to say that he’s busy.

I think older people sometimes struggle to come to terms with inflation, and understanding that what was a lot of money in 1986, isn’t now!

PurpleThistle7 · 24/05/2026 18:04

viques · 24/05/2026 16:22

Blimey. Did they valet the inside as well?

I pay £5.00 for a drive through car wash at a local supermarket.

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yes! Inside and out and it was a disaster. They well earned it

fiorentina · 24/05/2026 16:28

I have paid my teens £10 an hour for manual garden work this weekend. I think £7 is mean but you can’t ask for more now. Just be clear in future what the rate is.

mcmuffin22 · 24/05/2026 16:25

All he needs to do next time is say 'I charge £10 and hour' then she can take it or leave it.

viques · 24/05/2026 16:22

PurpleThistle7 · 24/05/2026 14:10

  1. Yes he was underpaid
  2. Yes he should learn from this
  3. You shouldn’t manage this for him, he should figure this out himself if he’s going to be trying to get work.

Two 14 year olds stopped and offered to clean my car for £25. Took them 2 hours as they were super slow but I gave them 30 as it seemed too cheap. They were on their own and were lovely.

Blimey. Did they valet the inside as well?

I pay £5.00 for a drive through car wash at a local supermarket.

viques · 24/05/2026 16:18

Hankunamatata · 23/05/2026 21:26

I think price was fine. My older dc does same for an elderly neighbour for a cuppa and a biscuit.

Flowers To your dc

Mischance · 24/05/2026 16:14

RightOnTheEdge · 24/05/2026 14:25

I'd have just given him £20 for it.

People saying a 14yr old should get £15 an hour are crazy though. I don't even get that and I'm a grown adult with bills to pay.

My dd is 15 and she gets £5.60 an hour at her job and she works on a farm.

My reasoning is this: the schoolgirl who helps me in the garden does the same job as an adult so why should she be paid peanuts? £5.60 and hour is exploitation pure and simple.

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 24/05/2026 15:05

SunIsOutAgain · 23/05/2026 19:24

Oh i didn't know there were minimum wages for kids, that is extremely helpful!

I agree that the amount needs agreeing in advance but I wasnt there. I will definately make sure I am with him next to to help manage the situation.

Thanks for the input!

Let him handle it, practice in advance what he is going to say.

Offherrockingchair · 24/05/2026 14:46

GreenCa · 24/05/2026 13:43

I think it depends on who the neghbiur is and their circumstances. If it is someone elderly, living on state pension, then paying £15 is not being a tightwad.

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That’s irrelevant. The price is the price!

Vivienne1000 · 24/05/2026 14:36

MissMoneyFairy · 23/05/2026 19:18

How much do you think is fair, it's not easy especially when it's hot, and if you have to keep emptying the box or rake up the cuttings. An adult would probably change £60 an hour where I live.

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Where on earth do you live? You are being ripped off

youalright · 24/05/2026 14:30

CeciliaMars · 23/05/2026 21:19

£60 an hour to cut a lawn??!!! I need to change jobs.

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Where the hell do you live Buckingham palace that was meant to be @missmoneyfairy

Pineapplewhip · 24/05/2026 14:30

I'd praise them for doing it and top up the £5 extra myself if I was that bothered.

RightOnTheEdge · 24/05/2026 14:25

I'd have just given him £20 for it.

People saying a 14yr old should get £15 an hour are crazy though. I don't even get that and I'm a grown adult with bills to pay.

My dd is 15 and she gets £5.60 an hour at her job and she works on a farm.

PurpleThistle7 · 24/05/2026 14:10
  1. Yes he was underpaid
  2. Yes he should learn from this
  3. You shouldn’t manage this for him, he should figure this out himself if he’s going to be trying to get work.

Two 14 year olds stopped and offered to clean my car for £25. Took them 2 hours as they were super slow but I gave them 30 as it seemed too cheap. They were on their own and were lovely.

Mischance · 24/05/2026 14:07

A schoolgirl helps me in the garden. I pay her £15 an hour.

burnbabyburnout · 24/05/2026 13:44

I’ve just paid a local 14 year old £15 per hour for some odd jobs. (2.5hrs in total.

GreenCa · 24/05/2026 13:43

Offherrockingchair · 24/05/2026 09:11

What a tightwad! I wouldn’t work for the neighbour again and if they ask why, say you were disappointed at how mean she was when paying him. He’d have been better off doing a bit of reselling on Vinted for the time and effort involved.

I think it depends on who the neghbiur is and their circumstances. If it is someone elderly, living on state pension, then paying £15 is not being a tightwad.

BestZebbie · 24/05/2026 13:34

If he had actually done it in two hours then I think £15 was the correct amount - minimum wage for that would have been £16 for a 16 yr old in a ‘real’ job and this was a 14yr old cash in hand pocket money one-off. If the neighbour usually expected it to take two hours herself or employing another gardener (who would be trained, insured etc) then I don’t think she was actually being stingy.

Thechaseison71 · 24/05/2026 12:43

PotatoBreadForTheWin · 24/05/2026 07:47

Astonished at all the people who think she has underpaid or taken the piss, it sounds about right to me. My 16 year old works coaching sports and gets £15 for 1.5-2 hours work which he’s very happy with.

Which is more than the 15 for 2.5 hours

BerryTwister · 24/05/2026 12:09

NameChangeScot · 24/05/2026 11:29

How else is a 15yr old supposed to earn money? There's no part time work in our area at his age. He has other jobs he does around the house that are not for cash, this is an extra to earn some money for a something he wants for his hobby. We don't cut the grass either so it's a win-win as DS is cheaper than paying someone.

I know a lot of people are saying it's too much, but I do think it's reasonable as it's about half what we usually pay for the job.

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@NameChangeScot I think it’s fine to do jobs around the house for pocket money, but make sure your son is aware that when he’s old enough to get holiday jobs, he’ll be on half that amount. My son is 17, works in a restaurant and earns less than £8 per hour.

Mclaren10 · 24/05/2026 11:46

Did he use her lawnmower or your one? Who paid for the fuel /electricity?

NameChangeScot · 24/05/2026 11:38

MrsPositivity1 · 24/05/2026 10:31

£30 for a very small lawn, he should be doing it for nothing.

Seriously - £15 ph for a teen or £20-£25 for an adult . That’s not real life

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But it is real-life, I usually pay £40-£60 for the job to be done...
Lots of people on this thread have quoted prices for gardeners at £25+ ph.

NameChangeScot · 24/05/2026 11:35

MargaretThursday · 23/05/2026 19:30

And 60-90 minutes to cut a "small lawn". Either we have different ideas as to what small is or he's doing it with nail scissors! 🤣

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It's roughly 10m x 8m, time includes getting all the equipment out the garage (down 12 steps), cleaning up and putting it away again, bagging the garden waste and sweeping up. Strimming the edges etc. we only have a little Flymo and the grass is long just now so it'll need emptied a a lot. It takes about an hour usually but I'm factoring in that a 15yr old doing it for the first time will take a bit longer. He's my son I'm creating a way for him to earn some extra cash, and I've saved a bit by not paying someone to come and do it, it's not that deep.

NameChangeScot · 24/05/2026 11:29

WeatherOrNothing · 24/05/2026 07:52

Why on earth are you paying your child to cut the lawn in his own house? I completely disagree with paying for chores though. In our home, everyone contributes - for the kids it’s their time. I have a 10yo ds who is now able to see something needed to be done and does it regardless of whose ‘chore’ it should be.
Teaches them to do something not only for a benefit!

What a joke paying £30 to someone for doing something in his own house!

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How else is a 15yr old supposed to earn money? There's no part time work in our area at his age. He has other jobs he does around the house that are not for cash, this is an extra to earn some money for a something he wants for his hobby. We don't cut the grass either so it's a win-win as DS is cheaper than paying someone.

I know a lot of people are saying it's too much, but I do think it's reasonable as it's about half what we usually pay for the job.