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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU not to pay her?

56 replies

FattyFatCakes · 07/03/2019 17:37

I was due to be out for several hours today so I gave my two dogs a long walk before I left and then arranged for my neighbour’s mother’s help to pop in to check on them at lunchtime. The friend pays £10 p/h and suggested I give her £5 so I left this in an envelope for her.

At lunchtime I received a phone call from this lady saying ‘there’s been a problem, your dog has run away’. Apparently he didn’t want to go back inside when she called him so she tried to catch him (“chased him round the garden”) at which point he bolted. I pointed out that our garden is completely dog proof so he couldn’t possibly have escaped unless she had opened a gate and she then said he might be hiding. She said she had opened the gate to walk up the lane to see if she could find him but there was no sign so she left.
I told her that I was sure he must still be in the garden and she said she would pop back on her way home to see if she could see him. Sure enough, 10 mins later she messaged me to say he was there. I apologised for the inconvenience, thanked her and said I would get back as soon as I could.

I cut short my day out and raced home to let my dog in. The lady had left me a note saying I owe her another £5 so AIBU not to pay her?

My dogs have been walked / looked after by various people over the years and I have never had an issue before. Clearly I won’t be asking this person to help in the future so I’m not too worried about offending her but I’m wondering if it’s morally wrong not to pay her the extra £5?

Thank you!

OP posts:
Asdfghjklll · 07/03/2019 17:41

She wants a extra £5 for losing your dog? Nah I wouldn't pay it. Missing point of thread how big is your garden?!

mummmy2017 · 07/03/2019 17:42

No way would I pay the extra money.
Tell her she went back on her own time due to her own stupidity.

OKBobble · 07/03/2019 17:43

I would say no more pay. The rate was £5. she clearly hadn't been supervising properly or she would have known he was still in the garden. I bet she was on her phone.

Namechangeforthiscancershit · 07/03/2019 17:43

An extra £5 for having had to go back because she thought she had lost your dog Confused

Genuinely don’t understand how some people’s brains work. But very glad your dog is ok.

ADHMeeee · 07/03/2019 17:43

Original fiver.
And she should be lucky to get that, considering her huge fuck up

Bookworm4 · 07/03/2019 17:45

I'm mystified how the dog got out in first place? Also who would just go away knowing the dog was 'lost'? Tell the chancer she's lucky she's not getting a boot to the fanny never mind £5!!!

Singlenotsingle · 07/03/2019 17:47

She's a CF!

Squigglesworth · 07/03/2019 17:48

Um, no. She has some nerve to even ask! I'd be mortified if I thought I'd lost someone's dog, especially if I was being paid to care for it.

Original poster
FattyFatCakes · 07/03/2019 17:49

Ok phew. Glad I’m not the only one who thinks it’s off. Our garden is quite big (live in the country) but the hiding comment was funny! She was adamant he had escaped and I was sure he couldn’t have.

OP posts:
Original poster
FattyFatCakes · 07/03/2019 17:51

To be fair I did ask her to let the dogs out in case they needed a wee but, as I say, our garden is totally dog proofed and they usually come charging back in to the comfort of their beds, especially when it’s raining like today

OP posts:
CallMeRachel · 07/03/2019 17:53

Wait, has your dogs even met this neighbours hired help before?

If the plan was to just pop in and let them have a comfort break that's a fiver fair enough. It sounds as if your dog misbehaving by not coming back in when called caused the woman loads of hassle and time - even having to return, so actually two visits.

You should speak to her, she tried to help and you sound ungrateful. Train your dog better. £5 is a pittance, I bet she's wishing she didn't bother now.

Original poster
FattyFatCakes · 07/03/2019 17:56

He hasn’t met her before no. He’s usually not badly behaved but she acknowledged she had frightened him by chasing him and that’s why he ran off. I know a fiver is a pittance but it was literally a 5 minute job until it all went wrong.

OP posts:
FizzyGreenWater · 07/03/2019 17:59

Hi, I had to cut short my day and come home early because you completely messed up on the instructions and almost lost my dog into the bargain. So how's about I pay you for the extra wasted time if you pay me for mine? My hourly rate at work is £x. That will be £££. Or perhaps you would just prefer to still be paid £5 for causing me a complete headache?

Don't really say that Grin but WTF!!

Original poster
FattyFatCakes · 07/03/2019 18:04

Ha yes Fizzy that’s kinda how I feel!

If I sound ungrateful it’s because I would’ve been better off leaving the dogs until I got home but because she frightened my dog away I had to come back early.

OP posts:
Purpleartichoke · 07/03/2019 18:13

Did she want the extra 5 because of the time or because she has a £10 minimum? Our pet sitter has a minimum to account for travel time.

Original poster
FattyFatCakes · 07/03/2019 18:15

She didn’t specify, just said it’s an extra £5. We didn’t arrange it directly, my neighbour just asked her if she’d be happy to pop in

OP posts:
mammoon · 07/03/2019 18:22

It's £5. She had to come back because your dog ran off. What she thought was going to be a simple job turned into a pain in the arse. And I'm sorry but £5 is what you pay a kid for doing a chore, not an appropriate fee for a service done by an adult. YABU and mean.

QandAsk · 07/03/2019 18:26

I would pay it and never use her again.

BlueMerchant · 07/03/2019 18:30

No way give her an extra fiver. Her service was crap.She doesn't deserve any money. She should be bringing you a box of chocolates and apologising for her incompetence and all the stress caused.

TwoRoundabouts · 07/03/2019 18:36

She didn't do the job properly so she is lucky to get the first £5. I suggest you tell her and refuse to engage with her further.

However in future pay people properly after they have done the job for you even if it slightly more effort on your part to pay them.

Butterymuffin · 07/03/2019 18:37

Text 'I appreciate we didn't discuss pay beforehand, but given that today didn't really go well I would rather leave things as they are'.

Original poster
FattyFatCakes · 07/03/2019 18:38

I know it’s £5 but it’s the principle. If you accept a job surely you should be reasonably competent? I wouldn’t agree to do something I couldn’t do and clearly she is not able to cope with dogs. I didn’t ask her to go back a second time, she offered to do so because she claimed my dog had run off when in fact he was in the garden. The £5 was suggested to me as an appropriate sum for what was a small favour during her working hours at my neighbour’s house. I have paid gap year / school kids in the past to look after my dogs and always pay them generously but it grates that I had to cut short a really special day because she thought she had lost my dog Confused

OP posts:
Original poster
FattyFatCakes · 07/03/2019 18:40

Good advice Two and Buttery thank you

OP posts:
ElleDubloo · 07/03/2019 18:41

I’d give her the extra £5. Poor lady. It was supposed to be a quick favour but took her a lot more time than she expected. If your hourly rate is £££ compared to hers then don’t be so stingy.

Original poster
FattyFatCakes · 07/03/2019 18:44

I’m a SAHM and work part time but we can afford the extra £5

OP posts:
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