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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to not want to pay for this

82 replies

BanKittenHeels · 24/09/2019 18:54

Our dogs go to doggy daycare a few days a week (I can see you at the back rolling your eyes, Sharon) and it has always gone well. They are well looked after, clearly adore the staff and the price suits.
It’s a fairly big operation now (but started from home and we’ve used them since about 6 months after they opened) and the woman who runs it has gone off on mat leave, leaving a family member in charge, including billing.

Usually our dogs are picked up at 9am and dropped home at 4:30 - so when we are all out of the house. If the dogs are wet they are usually lightly dried off (but generally just seems to be drying their paws) and their coats etc. are hung up.

We have had the first monthly bill since the switch in staff and it is sky high compared to normal. I checked their social media and their prices per day have gone up £1 a day per dog which I knew in advance and was fine with but we now have an extra £22 A WEEK on top of the additional £1 per day - which isn’t mentioned anywhere.

When queried, it turns out we are now paying for the privilege of them running a towel over dog paws. I said I didn’t want to pay this and was told “it’s not our fault your dogs go in mud!” err well it kind of is.

The woman now in charge is threatening to “withdraw service” from us, despite us using them for 7 years and giving them thousands of pounds worth of business.
She is now slating us on social media for being “tight” and “uncaring owners”.

AIBU not to want to pay this charge or have I completely missed the mark and this is something I should be paying for?

OP posts:
ZenNudist · 24/09/2019 19:51

Id move them and tell owner of business why.

Muddledupme · 24/09/2019 19:56

Probably not very helpful but I trained our dogs to dry their own feet. We basically have a large square doormat and they go on it and chase their tails on it in both directions.they do about thirty seconds in each direction then leave the mat covered in mud and go off with clean feet.

DoctorAllcome · 24/09/2019 20:01

Well, I think the charge makes sense. It’s not about the time or effort, but the cost of buying and washing towels. Your are dirtying ten towels a week minimum...it will cost them extra money ti have those towels washed.
And it’s not their fault your dogs get muddy....I presume you have doggy day care so the dogs can go outside and run around? If you want their paws to stay clean and dry, just lock them in a crate or concrete kennel all day....

Windydaysuponus · 24/09/2019 20:01

I would expect a choice of nail polish and manicure for that price.
Move your ddogs and slate them back on sm and trip advisor.
They are piss takers.
Email the boss - they are risking her business.
Wonder if the extra goes through the books?
Wouldn't trust them with your ddogs now....

JoxerGoesToStuttgart · 24/09/2019 20:11

Your are dirtying ten towels a week minimum.

The dogs weigh 4kg each. One facecloth could dry both of their feet! Also, they don’t go 5 days a week.

messolini9 · 24/09/2019 20:19

Your are dirtying ten towels a week minimum.

Irrelevant,
The increased fees were imposed on OP without consultation or forewarning.

Br0kenB0ne · 24/09/2019 20:19

What an unprofessional attitude. I’d remove the dogs, OP. I run my own doggy daycare and to charge extra just because I didn’t keep the dogs clean, is ridiculous. If she wants to destroy the owners business, she’s going the right way about it. I bet she’s always been an interfering family member, who thinks running a business is a piece of cake and she can do it better. If you can drop a line to the owner, wishing her well for the future but that you will no longer requiring her business due to the extra charges, that should sort it out, one way or the other. There’s a very good chance the owner knows nothing of this extra charge and the family member is trying earn extra for herself.

Birdsfoottrefoil · 24/09/2019 20:20

Using your data in that way (putting details about you on SM) is surely in break of GDPR. I would ask to see their data/privacy policy.

MiniMum97 · 24/09/2019 20:30

If they didn't tell you about it in advance with reasonable notice then it's not a reasonable charge. And massively unprofessional for them to be slaying you in social media. For tat alone I'd be making new arrangements. And I would refuse to pay the additional charges as I was not notified of them.

Mummyoflittledragon · 24/09/2019 20:36

They can’t charge you for a charge, which was previously included with no notification. Were you informed verbally or in writing about the £1 increase? Just wondering how you’re being communicated to.

Are you sure they’re talking about you? Do they name you in person? I can’t imagine you aren’t the only customers to be massively pissed off.

Thehop · 24/09/2019 20:36

That’s ridiculous, my dog walker has always dried off as part of her service.

I’d leave for the social media behaviour alone, that’s so unprofessional.

Soubriquet · 24/09/2019 20:39

Hell no would I pay an additional £22!!

Have you any way of contacting the lady on maternity leave?

Maybe she can explain what’s going on

coconuttelegraph · 24/09/2019 20:44

Using your data in that way (putting details about you on SM) is surely in break of GDPR

I assumed the OP meant that the business owner made a general remark about arsey customers on SM not "MrsBadKittenHeals of 123 Main St has complained about the new charges" - that would be really shocking

JoxerGoesToStuttgart · 24/09/2019 20:51

I’m just imagining a children’s nursery sending the children home dirty because it costs extra to wipe their faces Grin

WombatChocolate · 24/09/2019 20:51

It’s only reasonable if you’re told in advance and given a choice about if to have this ‘add-on’ or not.

Providers should always give notice of changes to pricing structure.

Was the new charge for paw drying on the website and was your attention drawn to it? If so, you need to pay but you can cancel the add-on for future, giving notice of that if required.

It sounds like the operation has grown and the new person is trying to charge more. This could be fine if they handle it well. Advance notice and not slagging people off on social media are professional ways to do it. Randomly adding charges without notice and comments on social media aren’t.

I would put your issues in writing (email) and I would say that if it can’t be resolved easily, you will be going to the original owner, who you think will be horrified about adding charges without notice and the social media thing. Point out you’ve been a happy customer for 7 years and would be sad to leave and think the owner would be sad too.

If you don’t think this new manager can be reasonable and it’s a while until the owner returns, it might be best to regretfully leave......but I would definitely get in touch with the owner if that’s the way things are going.

croprotationinthe13thcentury · 24/09/2019 20:55

I’d just leave them at home for that length of time. They can cross their legs.

Lulualla · 24/09/2019 20:57

If the extra charge isn't mentioned anywhere, could the family member be adding it on and taking it for herself?

As for this bill, they cannot charge you if they didn't inform you beforehand. If they have named you publicly then that must be a breach of something. Get in touch with the owner of the business.

Cocobean30 · 24/09/2019 20:58

Do you have the contact details of the owner on Mat leave - tell her what is going on and a result
Of the unprofessionalism of this new person you’re taking your business elsewhere. If she hasn’t implemented herself she deserves to know as she will obviously lose client s

Aaarrgghhh · 24/09/2019 21:12

I wouldn’t pay it. One it seems ridiculously high, maybe a fiver a week extra I could maybe understand but it seems unnecessary. But also, you weren’t notified I’m advance or given the option to refuse, the slagging off is a final straw and I’d leave but be talking to the owner that’s on maternity leave.

Orangecake123 · 24/09/2019 21:13

Nope the extra charge sounds ridiculous. I wouldn't pay it especially if you weren't notified in advance.

Actaea · 24/09/2019 21:17

They can’t start charging you for a service they haven’t notified you about in advance or asked you to opt in to. The social media comments are disgusting, I’d share them on local pages to let people see how they’re behaving, show the owner on mat leave too, pull your dogs out and go elsewhere.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 24/09/2019 21:23

Your are dirtying ten towels a week minimum.

Do you really think they aren't just using the same towel for every dog - probably all week?

GabsAlot · 24/09/2019 21:23

Erm no-especially as they never gave you warning id email the owner-se what she says

the sm thing is completely out of order

SchadenfreudePersonified · 24/09/2019 21:30

I would put your issues in writing (email) and I would say that if it can’t be resolved easily, you will be going to the original owner, who you think will be horrified about adding charges without notice and the social media thing.

I wouldn't do this in case they took out their spite on the dogs in small but unpleasant ways. . . .

RightYesButNo · 24/09/2019 21:31

It sounds like they are trying to suck as much money out of the business while the other owner is on maternity leave as possible. As PP have asked, do you have any way of contacting her?

If not, your best option is sadly to leave. I definitely wouldn’t stay somewhere that had talked shite about you on social media; that’s more important than the charge itself. If they’re already that unprofessional, what’s next? This won’t be the end of the “new charges,” or them trying to emotionally blackmail and socially shame you into just shutting up and paying. What arsehats.

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