Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

It's a NDN CF one....

109 replies

hopefullyhelpfully · 17/08/2019 14:30

5 months ago we had some work done on our house which created dust. We told our NDN that we would pay to have their back windows and conservatory cleaned- asked them to book someone at their convenience and we'd pay.

They didn't do anything and after reminding them twice and volunteering our window cleaner we forgot about it.
They then started doing lots of work on their house which has created huge amounts of mess and dust- lots more than our work did, and which has left all their windows filthy. Our garden and windows are also now mucky with detritus from their work, but we didn't bother saying anything as we're about to start work on the garden and there didn't seem to be any point.

Anyway, they have just posted an invoice for £65 through our door for getting their windows cleaned! To add insult to injury the invoice indicates that it was more expensive due to the terrible state of the windows, caused by THEIR building work.

I'm fairly certain no one will tell me IABU to call them rude, BUT AIBU to still pay? I know it's wrong, but I don't want neighbour issues and CBA to start a row over £65. My mum (who is much much feistier than DH and me) is outraged with us (the word pushovers was used!) but we did tell them we'd pay and set no timescale or conditions....

OP posts:
SavingSpaces2019 · 17/08/2019 16:16

Post an invoice for window cleaning through their door for £65 and suggest you call it quits?

This!!!!!!!!!!
Come on OP!!!!

Do it for us?
Pleeeeeeeeeeese?.........Smile Wine Cake Flowers

Original poster
hopefullyhelpfully · 17/08/2019 16:37

I'm regretting posting this. You're all a lot more forceful than me.... 😃
I am aware I'm a bit wet but I do hate confrontation. I think I'll nip round with the cash and mention the mess in our garden and see what they say.

Takes deep breath.....

OP posts:
ThanosSavedMe · 17/08/2019 16:40

Yabu to pay.

7yo7yo · 17/08/2019 16:41

Wtaf. This is why we have CFs in the world. Because walkovers like the op lie in the floor like doormats and say please wipe your feet.

Limt · 17/08/2019 16:54

I go to great lengths to stay on good terms with my neighbours.

But I wouldn't pay them the £65, I just couldn't.

greenlavender · 17/08/2019 16:57

I agree with @DoulaDaisy. Although in real life I'd be more like your Mum.

MQv2 · 17/08/2019 16:58

YABU

I'm even a bit annoyed you'd consider paying.

amusedbush · 17/08/2019 17:00

They won’t say anything about your garden because they are CFs and this is exactly how CFs continue to get away with this bullshit. I’m actually annoyed that you’re rolling over on this.

anguauberwaldironfoundersson · 17/08/2019 17:05

Jesus Christ. I'm beyond words, mainly due to their cheeky fuckery but in part because you're being a total doormat.

Just go round and say they've had five months and now their bill is cancelled out by the fact your windows now need cleaning because of their work.

Why pay? You're opening the doors to all sorts of cheeky fuckery.

But you're just going to pay it, aren't you? Then seethe with resentment about it. Then come in here moaning when they up the CF ante.

WildfirePonie · 17/08/2019 17:10

YABU to pay for this...

pepperpot99 · 17/08/2019 17:11

Yep you are officially pathetic, OP. Do let us know what your ndns say when you hand over the cash like a total weed.Wink

DragonMamma · 17/08/2019 17:13

Jesus OP. Your mum is right - grow a bloody backbone. If you let them ride roughshod over you this time, they’ll take the piss forever.

CleverLoginName · 17/08/2019 17:14

Why on Earth are you paying it. Grow a backbone OP

Roussette · 17/08/2019 17:14

No one likes confrontation but honestly, you just have to man up and stand up to this sort of nonsense! I just don't get why you would give in like this.

Mentioning the mess in your garden will get you nowhere if your doormattery is anything to go by. I doubt you will even get your words out and if you do it will be prefaced with 'sorry' and end with 'sorry'

No wonder people try it on when they've got a ready audience

Keepitup · 17/08/2019 17:15

If you can't face them, write them a note saying why you won't be paying the invoice as it cancels out you needing to get your windows cleaned now too. Even if they are CF NDN they must be able to see the logic in the two invoices negating each other?

seven201 · 17/08/2019 17:15

Don't pay!!!!!!! Post the invoice back through explaining that their building work is messier and much more recent and has caused mess for you. Say you won't invoice them, everything is quits.

TheInvestigator · 17/08/2019 17:18

Oh Jesus Christ. Grow up. You're 48... and you can't stick up for yourself? Stop being so wet and grow a back bone.
You really have made yourself sound so very pathetic.

Roussette · 17/08/2019 17:19

There's the odd thread on MN where I just want to bang my head repeatedly against a wall. This is one of them.

Why post OP?

You've obviously always going to pay this, and 100% posters saying don't do it, isn't going to make a blind bit of difference

Your Mum, by the way, is totally right.

ElleDubloo · 17/08/2019 17:20

Maybe you could pay half of it, or whatever it would have cost if the job had been smaller?

Ginger1982 · 17/08/2019 17:24

Don't be such a ducking doormat!! You offered numerous times to pay. If they had taken you up on your offer at the time it would have maybe cost £30. Now they want £65 to cover their own mess, plus you will be out of pocket for cleaning your own windows for their mess?

Fuck that. Go round and say that you're not paying and as you'll have to now pay to clean their mess from your windows then you should just call it even.

Ginger1982 · 17/08/2019 17:25

Fucking! Obviously!

Roussette · 17/08/2019 17:27

OP... do people regularly walk all over you?

Because this is not normal behaviour.

Send your DH round if you can't do it.

SoupDragon · 17/08/2019 17:29

As a PP said, I'd point out that the dirt came from their own building work and I would not be paying.

I can't believe you are considering paying!

greyspottedgoose · 17/08/2019 17:38

Hi neighbour, we offered window cleaning to deal with the dust caused by our work, which clearly didn't bother you as it was X weeks ago, we did not offer to clear up after your own work, nice try though 👊

itswinetime · 17/08/2019 17:39

I would pop through the amount you were expecting to pay for the windows after your work with a note saying this is what we paid for our windows after their work we had done, which is what we agreed to pay for.

And leave it at that you will regret giving in this will be a blank cheque for them!

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.