What's your opinion on my gardener....?

[AxolotlLove]

So I have someone who comes irregularly to do some work in the garden. (It's large and overgrown, so I just need a bit of help managing it).

He mows at the front and then does other gardening work, but the last couple of times I've not really been around while he's here and I've been less than impressed with what he's done (ir at least ehat I can actually see).

He worked for 3 hours last week, and I was unfortunately out for the whole time. I came back and all I could really see was that the lawn had been cut.

I'm interested in other people's opinion on the conversation and where I should go from here. I can't really afford to just throw money around and I was really hoping he was a good, inexpensive gardener who would be able to assist. But I have a suspcion that he's been taking advantage.

I'd be interested in what others think 😊

I sometimes hire a local man who does odd jobs to help in my garden. I ask for a price for a specific job. That way we both know where we stand.
I find paying by the hour too vague. He charges a reasonable rate, and we are both happy.

Withholding payment is absolutely wild I'd never work for you again.

Have you paid him yet???

For the completer finishers out there, he was paid long before I posted. 😊

I just thought I'd post here as I was interested in others' opinions. Like most (if not all of you I'm sure), I don't like the idea that I'm being scammed out of money.

I think those of you who assessed him as a handyman, not gardener are right. He seemed keen for the work though when he came round. And worked hard the first time, but after that... I've just not seen any results really. The garden doesn't really need a gardener, just someone who can attack (the obvious) weeds.

I've still not worked out where he was referring to in his "front to back" reference....

I'm not worried if he doesn't come back, it's not exactly hard to mow a lawn. It would have just been good for assistance in taming the weeds 😔

It's really hard to frame a message which says "What did you do for 3 hours as i cant tell!".

So don't 🤷‍♀️

If you're not happy with his work, you pay up and don't hire him again - there's no need to send a bunch of unpleasant, passive aggressive messages to try and get your point across.

I'm also self employed and if you sent me messages basically telling me I was rubbish at my job and that you "couldn't see what I've done" I'd be sorely tempted to blacklist you and warn other companies not to take you on either!

The problem with paying people by the hour is that some are excellent and will manage quite a bit during that hour, and some will do very little for that hour. It's not quantifiable. Same with a day's work.
You should get a price for a job, and either take that price or leave it.

I actually think you were way too nice in your messages. I'd be more blunt and said I'm unhappy and won't be needing his services again. I'd obviously pay him and cut my losses. His attitude was really something else.

I have to agree with this. Never pay per hour if at all possible. Pay a set amount for a job.

But OP, I don't think 3 hours is a really long time to spend in an overgrown garden. You yourself state it is overgrown, and big. If it helps any, I too have a big garden and have a service that comes weekly/fortnightly depending on the time of the year. In the summer when things are growing rapidly, the team (of 6 I should add) can be here for more than an hour.

It was very unfair to not communicate regarding his payment though. That was a complete dick move.

You don't trust him and don't like his work. Messaging him about it isn't going to help (regardless of who is the unreasonable party - I don't know about gardening so have no idea). It will just sour things further.

There's no scenario in which he's going to say "oh yes, come to think of it, I did do fuck all last week, but now that this has been pointed out to me, I will do an effective, diligent job going forward". Just pay him and move on.

I think it would be worth getting a gardener / gardening team to do a big garden (much like new cleaners do a first deep clean) to bring the garden to a standard you are happy with, then you can pay weekly to maintain that standard. Expectations will be much clearer all round with that approach. And a few different quotes will give you an idea as to what's reasonable.

Mam he shouldn't of had to bring up payment at all how uncomfortable