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AIBU?

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Original poster

Neighbour wants paid?

235 replies

kb16 · 10/07/2021 13:52

Looking for advice on wether this is cheeky or not
The boy across the road from us is 12 (or there abouts) year 7 in school.
We have a dog who has a dog Walker that we pay for when we are at work, the boy across the road has started in the evening in the last eeek when he's bored coming and asking if he can take our dog out for a walk. They are normally away about 15/20 mins. This has been going on for about a week now, however he has started saying we should be paying him and asking how much he's getting paid.
I've said in a jokey way that he's the one that Is asking if he can take the dog out as he's bored and not the other way around and that we already pay a dog Walker but it's becoming uncomfortable now,
Thing is I would have picked him up some sweets or something to say thanks but now I'm thinking should I be paying him? He's not really doing me a favour as I could do it myself. Again, last night he was at my door asking how much he's getting paid
It's becoming really awkward!

OP posts:
QueenBee52 · 10/07/2021 15:00

@RamItBunty

Give the kid £20 and call it quits, he did actually walk your dog,job done.you didn’t negotiate terms for goodwill give him a bung I don’t think he’s a chancer in the least
He didn't either 🙄
HollowTalk · 10/07/2021 15:01

I'd speak to his parents about it, OP. He's incredibly cheeky. Nobody does something and then demands payment - if you were paying him then you'd agree terms beforehand. If I were his parents I'd want to know what he was up to.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 10/07/2021 15:03

Stop letting him take the dog.

Of course he shouldn’t get paid - you’re doing him the favour!

The poster who said “I was thinking of charging for the loan of the dog” was bang on.

It’s like coming and tarmacing your drive!

RamItBunty · 10/07/2021 15:03

He’s a kid. 12yo the adult should know better,and she got a nice wee freebie .it’s a lot of front to let a kid walk your dog for free and think op is doing him a favour. Pay as a goodwill gesture and stop the arrangements

GoWalkabout · 10/07/2021 15:03

I expect his parents suggested it 'go offer to walk xs dog and maybe she'll start paying you some pocket money' and he has approached it rather clumsily. If you want him to do it and save you some money over the summer (he will be off school soon and available daytime) then tell him exactly what you require and negotiate a price and standard /reliability expected. But otherwise explain to him that you don't require a dogwalker as you have a reliable polite one already. And give him some gentle feedback about his entitled comments brushing you up the wrong way if you think you won't cause world war 3. He needs the guidance.

GiantHaystacks2021 · 10/07/2021 15:06

What a CF.
Tell him no from now on. Do not give him any money.

RamItBunty · 10/07/2021 15:11

The op is a chancer too, free dog walking from eager 12yo
Lesson learnt for both being, be explicit about expectations and remuneration
As a adult I think the onus is on op todo the right thing,pay the kid a one off
Kid need to understand how to be savvy and not to be exploited

CastawayQueen · 10/07/2021 15:13

@Cabinfever10

He's an enterprising young man who deserves 10/10 for effort
This boy will surely become a hedge fund manager, CEO or tech multimillionaire
HollowTalk · 10/07/2021 15:13

Why is the OP a CF? A 12 year old asks if he can walk her dog and is out for 15-20 minutes. Why is she being cheeky to say OK and not expect to pay for that?

Thiscantreallybehappening · 10/07/2021 15:14

I agree with @GoWalkabout, I think his parents probably suggested he offered to walk your dog and said maybe you would give him some money.

Due to the fact these are neighbours and you know the boy well, I think I would probably give him £10 - £15 and say "thank you, it has been great but we won't be needing you to walk the dog anymore. If I need anything in the future I will let you know". He will probably come knocking again and just repeat, "No, thank you as I said we don't need you to walk the dog anymore, I will let you know if we do. Why don't you see if any of the other neighbours need any help" and keep repeating until he gets the message.

He is being cheeky but he is probably looking to earn some extra pocket money and his parents have seen that you have a dog walker and thought their DS could do that for you.

Tistheseason17 · 10/07/2021 15:15

Nah - he's a CF trying it on.
Just say, "oh, you're so funny - you asked us to walk our dog - we should be chardign you! But seriously, we already have a dog walker and do not need another one. You are welcome to walk our dog if you want spend time with it to but it is not on a paid basis"

Hankunamatata · 10/07/2021 15:15

Just tell him straight that you wont be paying him and if he asks to walk the dog that's up to him

hannayeah · 10/07/2021 15:15

I’d tell him you didn’t hire him to walk the dog. If he wants to be paid to do something he needs to make that clear before doing the task.

Viviennemary · 10/07/2021 15:16

Cheeky little so and so.

CastawayQueen · 10/07/2021 15:16

@RamItBunty

The op is a chancer too, free dog walking from eager 12yo Lesson learnt for both being, be explicit about expectations and remuneration As a adult I think the onus is on op todo the right thing,pay the kid a one off Kid need to understand how to be savvy and not to be exploited
But some people do enjoy going out with dogs. The way he put it the dog was benefitting him. There’s an app where you can borrow someone’s dog to take on walks for free (called borrow my doggy). It’s like one of those ‘lambing experience days’ at farms (pardon the somewhat dramatic analogy) where people pay to shear sheep. But shearing sheep is actually a job that paid farmhands do
RamItBunty · 10/07/2021 15:18

Cheeky because op accepted the free labour,let kid walk her dog and wasn’t explicit that she somehow considered it a perk for the child. Sure the child should have been clear he expected remuneration, however the power imbalance favours the op. I expect the child hoped op would pay

RamItBunty · 10/07/2021 15:21

An experience day is a clearly laid out experience that one undertakes and pays for. It’s a bookable event where one experiences some aspect of a role eg zoo keeper for a day. There is absolutely expectation of remuneration for being a zoo keeper for day

lakesummer · 10/07/2021 15:24

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll
My dc once lived in a country with an annual children's day.
They were most disappointed when they returned to the UK and discovered that it wasn't a day there.

Original poster
kb16 · 10/07/2021 15:24

@RamItBunty

Cheeky because op accepted the free labour,let kid walk her dog and wasn’t explicit that she somehow considered it a perk for the child. Sure the child should have been clear he expected remuneration, however the power imbalance favours the op. I expect the child hoped op would pay
I wouldn't say it's labour, he likes our dog and often asks to play with him. Now he's a bit bigger he's asked if he can take him out as he was bored. I pay £50 a week for an hours walk by a dog Walker 5 days a week. To then pay a further £10 or £20 for a couple 15 mins walk in the last week I can't justify. hence why I would have gone to the shop and picked up some sweets for him. I would hope if he wanted to earn some money he could ask his parents if there's any chored needing done round the house rather than wanting me to pay him for money I don't really have spare right now.
OP posts:
TheSilveryPussycat · 10/07/2021 15:28

Do not pay! If you do, what will he learn from that?

SheldonesqueTheBstard · 10/07/2021 15:28

2bazookas

Explain "You volunteered to walk the dog and volunteers don't get paid. That's going to stop now because you asked for money. I will explain this to your parents when I see them".

He's demonstrated a lack of integrity that I would take as a warning, and not entrust the dog to him again.

This pretty much says it.

I’m all for enterprising but he should have been honest from the start about the money situation.

Doing something allegedly for your benefit then chopsing off about wanting money? Cheeky at best.

As you say OP, you’d be right to stop the walking but do not put your hand in your pocket. That was never the agreement. Explain why though. It might stop him doing it to someone else.

2020nymph · 10/07/2021 15:31

@2bazookas

Explain "You volunteered to walk the dog and volunteers don't get paid. That's going to stop now because you asked for money. I will explain this to your parents when I see them".

He's demonstrated a lack of integrity that I would take as a warning, and not entrust the dog to him again.

I think this sums it up nicely.

godmum56 · 10/07/2021 15:32

Be really careful. Anything that happens with the dog while he is out with the child will be your responsibility. I hope that your professional dog walker is properly insured as well?

gillysSong · 10/07/2021 15:36

Yes, you should pay him.
You should have said, no thanks, we already have a dog walker.
Give him what you owe him and then tell him his services are no longer required as you don't need two employees to walk your dog.
Does the child have insurance in case someone makes a claim against him, are you?

FeatheredHope · 10/07/2021 15:36

There’s no way I would be letting a 12 year old take my dog out in the first place, I dread to think what would happen if anything went wrong.

But yes, time to explain that wasn’t the agreement and you won’t be paying or needing his help in the future.