Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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:
WaterSheep · 25/09/2019 07:55

If this is your total cost to be honest I'm shocked your complaining.

Op has said this is about right for where she lives. To imply she shouldn't be allowed to complain about additional charges, because it's cheaper than what others may pay is daft. Confused

coconuttelegraph · 25/09/2019 08:07

I would ask your BIL what he thinks

I can't see where the OK has mentioned her BIL, am I missing something important?

IDrinkAndISewThings · 25/09/2019 08:11

I'd be concerned that this acting manager has gone a bit rogue in the bosses absence, and if you have a good relationship with the original boss I'd be very tempted to bring it up to her, despite the maternity leave

BanKittenHeels · 25/09/2019 09:28

If this is your total cost to be honest I'm shocked your complaining.

Bluntness I expect you’re trying to make it your brand that you can just wade in and tell people why they are wrong/give an opposing opinion and be the cool one on any given thread but let’s be honest you’re not pulling it off with aplomb

That charge is perfectly normal in the city I live in and is actually about £3 dearer than any of the other nearest services. The £36 is no issue whatsoever, it is the added extra for a silly reason (IMO) and without them giving us warning that I have issue with.

I do feel uncomfortable contacting the owner whilst she is on mat leave but I do worry that this could cause a huge amount of damage to her very successful business. I’m going to put a note through her door, similar to the one outlined above, thanking her for looking after our dogs for so many years and how they clearly love her and her service but that we are unable to continue using it whilst the maternity cover is so drastically changing things.

We have found a dog walker to come in and walk them and from there we will look into alternative doggy daycares in the coming weeks.

As to my BIL (I had a thread about my BIL recently to anyone who is confused and can’t find my reference on this thread) he would be possibly very put out but also want cuddles from the dogs. Grin

OP posts:
katkit · 25/09/2019 11:30

oh! i see.... the social media post is cowardly and inept.

I think the owner would be horrified to find out how her business is being run in her absence. if it were me, i'd probably keep my dogs home until she returned.

businesses can't put their rates up without prior notice. It's not on.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 25/09/2019 13:02

put a thank you card through the owners door, saying you’re finding a new daycare centre and you wish to thank her for the last 7 years, of taking such good care of your dogs and that you wish her all the best with her new baby.

I like it Tiger

Subtle.

hellsbellsmelons · 25/09/2019 13:51

This is basic animal care...
Well yes indeed and this is what you are already paying them to do.
So they've scuppered themselves with their own argument, surely!???

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread