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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this house sitter was bloody cheeky?

818 replies

Littlefluffyclouds81 · 18/06/2016 23:38

My DM recently got a house sitter for 10 days whilst we all went on holiday. She had used her once before and all seemed fine. She seemed very professional - took detailed information about all the animals, signed contracts, she is fully insured etc.

She was supposed to sleep at my DM's house each night, although my DM was aware that she would need to pop back here and there to exercise her own dogs (she lives with her parents).

She was paid over £600, and for that she had to look after 2 dogs and feed a cat. There are also 2 horses at my mum's, my mum's horse who is a big cob, and my daughter's pony. She wasn't expected to do anything with the horses.

While we were away the house sitter emailed to ask if it would be ok if her partner's kids came to meet the horses. My DM said that was fine. When we got back, my mum had a good chat with her and the house sitter said that the kids had come over and groomed my mum's horse, but not my daughter's pony because she was grumpy (she is grumpy).

I was the first to go into the tack room, and noticed that the bridles weren't in the right place. I didn't really think anything of it. But today my DM said that there is grease on the bottom of her saddle, from where the saddle pad hasn't been put on properly and it has rubbed the horse, which she wouldn't do. Also her bridle had been done up all wrong. The stirrups on both saddles were at different lengths to how they'd been left by Us. She suspected that the house sitter had taken the kids riding on our horses. This was confirmed when she went for a ride around the village today and a neighbour (who has booked the same house sitter) said that the house sitter had emailed a picture with the kid sat on her horse!

Not only is riding someone's horses without their permission incredibly rude, it is also a really stupid thing to do. She knew nothing about our horses, they could have had any kind of quirks, and putting 2 kids on them (when she doesn't appear to know much about horses herself) was just bloody dangerous.

Not only that, but my DM said there's no way that the bed was slept in for 10 nights, so she suspects that the house sitter had left the dogs overnight which she wasn't supposed to do.

WWYD? I absolutely think that something should be said to the house sitter, but my DM is veering towards leaving it, and just locking the tack room if she uses her again! She was paid a lot of money, and in my opinion, took the piss.

OP posts:
Truckingalong · 20/06/2016 07:36

Wellerr - how many times do you have to be told, riding somebody else's horse is a massive deal. You may not get this on a first-hand basis but it has been repeated on here over and over again.

Silverstreaks · 20/06/2016 08:12

weller had you read the thread you'd know that all the pieces have been put together since meeting the neighbour and getting the photo evidence. The tack was the initial clue.
Read the thread.

Panicmode1 · 20/06/2016 08:17

Can you PM me too please - my parents are in the SW and I am actively contacting pet sitters at the moment for the summer holiday when we stay (so we can do a couple of day trips out)....a couple of the ones I have contacted are on the site scaryteacher linked to and I don't want to get this person. Thank you!

(And as a rider, though not owner, I'm absolutely horrified at what she did. And that's before you told us about the poor cat).

Gabilan · 20/06/2016 08:19

I could be wrong, but I thought WellErr was a Tackroom regular? As a horse owner I'd be incandescent if someone rode my horse without express permission. I'd be nuclear if they killed my cat, even if it was sick and ill to start with.

WellErrr · 20/06/2016 08:24

I am a qualified riding instructor who's worked with horses all my life, ta. I realise how big a deal it is to ride someone else's horse.

However, my point (did you even read my post) is that if I arrived home to find on one hand, the tack room unlocked and messy (which was all the OP knew in the OP) and on the other, the cat so ill it had to be taken immediately to the vets to be put to sleep.....I just can't imagine the messy tack room being the most unreasonable thing the house sitter did. You'd think she would have mentioned the cat.

NoBadassMcGee · 20/06/2016 09:05

That poor cat Sad.

I know NOTHING about horses but even I know that they are living creatures and you do not even touch them without permission! One kick can kill a full grown man let alone a small child! Those horses must have been so freaked out having strangers ride them!

YANBU, but I do kind of see WellErr's point - I just could not forgive someone for neglecting a cat so much when they were paid to look after them. An abscess is a hugely painful thing.

Can you sue the woman for breach of contract? And report to RSPCA as well?

BirdintheWings · 20/06/2016 09:08

Yes, but I think the first thought would be, 'Oh god, poor old mog, still, we knew it was coming at some point...' and assume that the cat had deteriorated despite the catsitter's best efforts.

It's only once you realised that the catsitter has clearly been taking (and leaving) the piss that you would start to think 'Hmm. Have they been looking after this cat?'

Original poster
Littlefluffyclouds81 · 20/06/2016 09:24

Exactly bird - the cat was on his way out anyway. And it's only after everything else has unravelled that the cat's care has come into question. My mum wasn't too concerned by the house sitter saying that he had a lump on his head, but had the house sitter said 'he's got a lump on his head which looks like an abscess, he has completely stopped eating, and he has weed a lot on the bathroom mat', I'm sure my mum would have said to take him to the vets.

And I never said the tack room was messy or unlocked, so not sure where that's come from. All we noticed to begin with was that the bridles were on the wrong hook, and there was grease underneath mum's saddle.

OP posts:
londonrach · 20/06/2016 09:26

Op you heard from her about a refund yet? Your poor dm.

LaPharisienne · 20/06/2016 09:49

I am Shock at this thread and you and your mother have my complete sympathy OP. Complete breach of trust. And misrepresentation. Unfortunately lots of idiots think they are animal whisperers - I've had bad experiences with dog walkers. It's really hard to know in advance.

I think leaving honest reviews and spreading the world is a very responsible reaction; if she was this idiotic when house sitting for your mother I'm sure this is her normal MO.

I would have shat myself if I realised some random idiot had ridden my horses - God knows what could have happened (to riders, horses, or even, if only irritatingly, tack etc.).

The state your cat was allowed to get into is unforgivable. I would ring the RSPCA on that front. Actually, I'd ring the RSPCA and explain the whole situation. The woman is a walking neglect case.

Original poster
Littlefluffyclouds81 · 20/06/2016 10:02

No, funnily enough I don't think a refund has been given yet. I'm going to phone my mum in a moment so will let you know if there's any developments.

OP posts:
Queenbean · 20/06/2016 10:33

What an arse, so glad you called her on it.

This has turned in to a "why don't you cancel the cheque" thread though

Original poster
Littlefluffyclouds81 · 20/06/2016 10:40

Ok - not much to report, she spoke to NARPS this morning who were horrified, and asked her to put it all in writing, which she is going to do today.

She is going to leave it until the morning to see if the house sitter contacts her. If not, she said 'the handbrake will be coming off again'. She is thinking about going to a solicitor and getting them to write a letter to her.

OP posts:
SouthWesterlyWinds · 20/06/2016 10:49

Bugger littlefluffy - my friends use house sitters for animals in the southwest. Could you please PM me as well? My friends actively use house sitters each year in this area and my sister was going to book too.

Kidnapped · 20/06/2016 11:00

I think solicitor is a good idea from your mum.

No harm in an initial chat with someone at least. And don't discuss anything further with this woman for the moment. Everything in writing from now on and no Social Media. You can always use that later if need be.

Does this person have specific house-sitting insurance? If your mum is not offered a full refund then perhaps writing to her asking for her insurance details might be another route to go.

I'm really sorry this happened.

Original poster
Littlefluffyclouds81 · 20/06/2016 11:05

I'll pm everyone who asked for the area soon, will be easier to do it from my computer than my phone.

OP posts:
Original poster
Littlefluffyclouds81 · 20/06/2016 11:06

She does claim to have insurance...whether or not that is true though.

OP posts:
kali110 · 20/06/2016 11:09

It just gets worse!
That poor cat Sad
I wouldn't be responsible for my actions either if someone left one of my pets too die Angry
This girl has no shame.

Kidnapped · 20/06/2016 11:09

She does claim to have insurance?

Then do not communicate further with her now and speak to the solicitor as soon as your mum can make it.

You have been wonderful in helping your mum fluffy, but I think the sitter has a teensy point that you are not a client so do not engage with her further personally. You can give your mum awesome help though. Wink

Kidnapped · 20/06/2016 11:18

Just thought of something.

Sitter said "With all due respect, there were four people present for the discussion that took place prior to the sit".

Is this true? Who were these four people? Your mum and the sitter and who else? Could you get statements from the other two people if they are independent witnesses?

Original poster
Littlefluffyclouds81 · 20/06/2016 11:38

The 4 people were my mum, her partner (who lives with her), the house sitter and her boyfriend. So I can see what will happen here, she will claim that she was given verbal permission to use the horses, and her boyfriend will back her up. Although he is in the military, so whether or not he would potentially be prepared to lie in court, I am not sure, as I'm sure that wouldn't be good for his career.

OP posts:
TheseLittleEarthquakes · 20/06/2016 11:56

Does your mum still have the messages about taking the children to see the horses and grooming them etc? Surely that would be proof enough that thy didn't have permission to ride.

scaryteacher · 20/06/2016 12:00

He didn't however have permission to wear your Mum's kit, which is effectively stealing, and that is taken seriously. Furthermore, if the contract wasn't with him, and he claims it was, does he have permission to have a second job as he is military? If not, that is frowned on.

Original poster
Littlefluffyclouds81 · 20/06/2016 12:12

The contract wasn't with him, it was with her. She doesn't drive (another thing she lied about), so he had given her a lift over when the discussions were being had, so that's why he was there.

Yes we still have the emails asking if it would be ok for the children to come and 'meet' the horses. The response from my mum's partner was 'that's fine as long as they are covered by your insurance'. She replied that they were, which I can't imagine is true for a moment.

OP posts:
Original poster
Littlefluffyclouds81 · 20/06/2016 12:13

Also the bath mat which was soaked in cat wee is more evidence that she didn't stay there, as if she had been going into the bathroom to clean her teeth or use the loo, she would have stepped on the mat and realised it was sopping wet.

OP posts: