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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not pay the gardener

13 replies

Armywifelife · 30/10/2015 09:59

So about 7 months ago we hired a gardener to trim some huge bushes in our garden as they were getting a bit wild. He was expensive but worth the work and he cleaned up etc. He told us about a maintenance scheme that he does for €8 a month, which he thought would be helpful. (We have a completely gravelled and patio garden, no weeds grow in summer due to heat, all we have is 3 bushes)
We thought the idea was great as he could keep on top of the bushes. Fast forward 6 weeks and I was moaning to DH that gardener hadn't been and it was DH fault for forgetting to tell him we wanted him to come, even though he said he had asked him to come. Anyway we left it and thought we'll just do it ourselves after another few weeks.
So for the last 4 months or so we have been hacking at the large bushes and trying to keep them fairly presentable between us.
We just arrived home this week after 3 weeks in the UK to a letter through the door saying we owe him 7 months of garden maintenance Shock
I just think it's very odd that we've never once seen him (I'm a SAHM so I'm around the house a lot), nor has he ever left a card to say he has been or what he has done. There have been literally no signs that suggest he has been at all.
And the main point being what has he actually done if he's been??
DH is mad and says he is not going to pay him but he is yet to call him to speak to him.
Awbu to be reluctant to pay this man and would you pay him in the same circumstances?

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 30/10/2015 10:08

Would I pay someone for work they clearly haven't done? Errr no.

Just ring him yourself and politely tell him to get to fuck.

Pseudo341 · 30/10/2015 10:09

I think you need to find out exactly what he's done in those 7 months. Also, did anyone actually ask him to do the bushes? I might pay him some of what he's asking if he's actually done some work but cancel the arrangement as it's clearly not working for you.

JeffsanArsehole · 30/10/2015 10:11

I would just text/email and say'yes, we would like to sign up to this, let us know when you could start'

Or 'you've accidentally put an invoice through our door for work completed though we would like to sign up to this from now on'

I'd treat it as an accident

DoreenLethal · 30/10/2015 10:18

'Sorry you seem to have put this through the wrong door - we did ask you to come but haven't seen you since the first visit. Please check your records. Ta'

atticusclaw2 · 30/10/2015 10:23

I agree with you about not paying for work he hasn't done. But are you absolutely positive he hasn't done it? I mean at 8 euros a month would you even notice? Presumably thats literally about 10 minutes a week.

shovetheholly · 30/10/2015 10:25

8 euros a month is an unbelievably low amount. That's like half an hour's work. I can't really see what you would get done in that time that would count as garden 'maintenance' - it's definitely not long enough to do serious pruning of shrubs, for instance. I would ask what has been done, in case there have been small tidying jobs that you haven't noticed because the guy is literally only there for a few minutes. Alternatively, it could be some kind of strange 'retainer' for his services?

You might be better off spending a bit more and specifying the jobs you want done.

Floggingmolly · 30/10/2015 10:32

Of course you don't pay for work which hasn't been done; but 8 euros a month?? Are you sure that's not some sort of retainer fee or something? Confused Most gardeners would charge that just for coming round to look and estimate what needs to be done, it certainly wouldn't cover doing it...

TSSDNCOP · 30/10/2015 10:45

What Doreen suggested, but without the sorry.

FeelsLikeHome123 · 30/10/2015 10:55

Sounds like a scam, I thought there was something similar on Crime watch uk a while back

snowgirl1 · 30/10/2015 10:56

As others have said, 8 euro a month seems incredibly low - are you sure it isn't a monthly payment for a annual or six-monthly visit? I.e. a way of spreading the cost?

Original poster
Armywifelife · 30/10/2015 10:59

I agree that 8 euros is incredibly cheap! I told him that at the time as I was quite surprised.
There is literally nothing he could have done including tidying.

So he's just dropped off another note this morning saying we owe another month for last month as well now... That's €48 in total. also saying that he's been to 'maintain' this morning. I've been up since 5:30am I'm pretty sure I would have known! The dogs would have gone crazy if he had been in the garden too.

I'm a bit of a wimp so if he comes I will just be tempted to pay and ask him not to come anymore Blush
Hence why I'd rather get DH to call ( just had a call to say he's broken his ankle so is on his way to hospital so he can hardly call him today now as don't know what time he will be home). Will try and get him called tomorrow and find out what he's apparently done!

OP posts:
Original poster
Armywifelife · 30/10/2015 11:02

No its definitely a monthly maintenance visit! We agreed because when winter comes and it rains then everything gets even more out of hand.

OP posts:
atticusclaw2 · 30/10/2015 11:20

but eight euros is nothing et all. how would that maintain anything? It must be some sort of misunderstanding.

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