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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:
DoTheNextRightThing · 10/07/2021 18:48

There was a kid in my primary school who bought sweets at the corner shop and sold them for profit in the playground. Sometimes kids are CF.

Original poster
kb16 · 10/07/2021 18:49

[quote RamItBunty]@kb16 you’ve constructed this thread to your advantage. Neighbour? Neighbour suggests an adult He is a child
The thread has gathered a momentum unfavourably portraying a child as sneaky
Your the adult you should have been clearer and explicit from outset. You were not[/quote]
That's your interpretation of neighbour, a neighbour is actually anyone that lives near you regardless of age, I have been very clear about how old my neighbour is. I have told the story how it happened I've not constructed it anyway.

OP posts:
MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously · 10/07/2021 18:51

I think this is a misunderstanding, with the child clumsily assuming you understood that he was asking for a paid job (albeit doing a task he enjoys) and you assuming that he wanted to do it just because he was bored.
With that in mind, and for good neighbourly relations, I'd give him a tenner but then not allow this in future, since you don't need it and it's risky. I don't think he's trying it on or anything more sinister.

LettersLettuceLight · 10/07/2021 18:55

I’d give him £10 and say you don’t need him to walk him anymore, but thanks

SchrodingersImmigrant · 10/07/2021 19:03

I am assuming that some posters have their own little "entrepreneurs" at home by the reactions here😂

Youdiditanyway · 10/07/2021 19:06

I’d give him a token amount or like you mentioned, a big bag of sweets for the walks he’s already done but tell him you no longer need him to walk your dog because it’s already been walked.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 10/07/2021 19:08

Don't use the word "need" you never needed him to walk the dog. Say "can't" or something. Need would make it aound like he was doing you a favours

MaryBoBary · 10/07/2021 19:15

YABU to use the phrase "wants paid".

YA also BU to consider paying him anything. He asked to walk your dog, you're doing him a favour. Give him some feedback to let him know that customers need to know they are customers before they will give him money.

Anotherlovelybitofsquirrel · 10/07/2021 19:16

YABU with the title. Reminds me of the SM posts " needs gone"

Neighbour wants to be paid.

pinkcircustop · 10/07/2021 19:20

I do think you’ve got yourself into this mess by not being clear.

The first time he mentioned payment you should have explicitly said “oh no sorry, there won’t be any payment. If you would like to continue to walk the dog for fun you can, but I’m afraid it isn’t something I can pay you for.”

You skirted around the issue and made it awkward and uncomfortable, so now he doesn’t know where he stands.

asdfsadfasdf · 10/07/2021 19:23

Not what you asked, but kids shouldn't be walking dogs without adults present. Your dog might be fine, other dogs might not be.

HunterHearstHelmsley · 10/07/2021 19:26

At the absolute most, I would give him £5. If you give him £10 for two 15 minute walks then he's getting more per hour than the professional dog walker! Personally, I wouldn't. I would still want to give my dog a proper walk so it would be more inconvenient to me, not a favour.

Are you absolutely sure he isn't joking? It's very bizarre to ask to walk someone's dog and then expect to be paid. Even at 12. What do his parents think?

SheldonesqueTheBstard · 10/07/2021 19:32

OP has been sneaky and mean spirited?

He said he was bored and wanted to walk the dog. OP was doing him a kindness.

The fact that he then asked for money? That’s sneaky - if not also mean spirited.

I’m all for a bit of entrepreneurialism - but make it clear at the outset.

I would not pay because he’ll think what he did was ok.

What next ‘oh I’ll carry in your messages for you… they look heavy. Then . That’ll be £5 please’

Life doesn’t work like that.

Tell him gently. Give him some sweets. Then don’t entertain it.

As others said, if an adult did it, it is a scam.

Bonjourfern · 10/07/2021 20:25

@RamItBunty

This child is being portrayed like a Dickensian crim. As if the op is the naive and being exploited by a shady child.

In fact the power imbalance favours the adult and op took the free labour and hasn’t made any attempt to make a financial remuneration. Allowed an unsaid expectation to form unchallenged. Only after the free walks when he spoke up to request payment did she make it clear she thought she was getting a freebie

He is a 12yo child, known to op for years. He walked her dog, and 12yo are not usually adept at striking verbal deals for a job done . Op has been sneaky and mean spirited

You sound unhinged you poor thing.
RamItBunty · 10/07/2021 20:30

One cannot sound unhinged
You’ve gotten a bit muddled in your fervour to be pithy.
Poor you..

CastawayQueen · 10/07/2021 20:30

@kb16 @RamItBunty is a bully... take no notice of them

RamItBunty · 10/07/2021 20:33

I am many unsavoury things according to this thread, I’ll add it to list
For sure I don’t exploit the naïveté of children to get free dog waking

QueenBee52 · 10/07/2021 20:35

@RamItBunty

I am many unsavoury things according to this thread, I’ll add it to list For sure I don’t exploit the naïveté of children to get free dog waking

OMG it was your KID .. you sent to your kid to that neighbours door to Scam money hahaaaa

Sussed

Madethisjustforthispost · 10/07/2021 20:38

So the child came over to the OPs house to ask to walk the dog because he was bored and the OP Is cheeky for not paying him? OK, yeah, makes sense Confused

Madethisjustforthispost · 10/07/2021 20:40

@SheldonesqueTheBstard

OP has been sneaky and mean spirited?

He said he was bored and wanted to walk the dog. OP was doing him a kindness.

The fact that he then asked for money? That’s sneaky - if not also mean spirited.

I’m all for a bit of entrepreneurialism - but make it clear at the outset.

I would not pay because he’ll think what he did was ok.

What next ‘oh I’ll carry in your messages for you… they look heavy. Then . That’ll be £5 please’

Life doesn’t work like that.

Tell him gently. Give him some sweets. Then don’t entertain it.

As others said, if an adult did it, it is a scam.

Exactly this! Well said 👏
wjg65ka · 10/07/2021 20:40

I would've just said no to him walking the dog in the first place

VinylCafe · 10/07/2021 20:43

@RamItBunty

I am many unsavoury things according to this thread, I’ll add it to list For sure I don’t exploit the naïveté of children to get free dog waking
That's hilarious. Op didn't exploit the kid - she didn't go round asking him to walk the dog and making vague promises about seeing him right.

I think the boy, being bored, wanted to go for a walk but didn't want to go alone so he asked his neighbour if he could take their dog with him. The being paid bit was probably suggested to him by a friend or family member.

rosalie11 · 10/07/2021 20:44

Everyone has given good advice here also though a lot could go wrong with him walking the dog. I use to walk a neighbours dog as a child and we thought it was a good idea to let her off the lead, she saw a cat and booted was looking for her for ages, we did find her but she could have been run over or someone stole her

I wouldn’t let anyone who isn’t professional take my dogs

RamItBunty · 10/07/2021 20:45

OMG it was your KID .. you sent to your kid to that neighbours door to Scam money hahaaaa.Sussed
@Queen is that your killer line? Is that your big tah-dah moment. How very flat

Helenluvsrob · 10/07/2021 20:47

Off topic but I wouldn’t let a 12yr old walk my dog full stop because of the rising dog thefts.

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