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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be annoyed by invoice

58 replies

wondabar · 11/09/2022 20:34

Old lady in our village offered gardening services on a local site at £20 an hour. She is not a professional gardener but loves gardening and we were happy to use her services to help us make our garden pretty, planting plants and flowers according to soil etc. she came to meet us initially to talk about what we wanted, then came to measure for half an hour or so. She came back with a list of potential plants/ flowers after the summer which was a print out which she took to a number of other houses who are using her (just names of plants etc).
We received an invoice from her today for 10 hours work. AIBU thinking that this is taking the piss? We only bet her for the initial 'seeing if we wanted to take on her services' meeting, one other meeting and she did a tiny bit of measuring and web research. I now don't think I want to use her as she has charged us for hours that she did not mention she was going to work. I just feel that if we use her, she is going to spring all sorts of charges on us without preparing us.

OP posts:
Getofftheladder · 11/09/2022 20:35

So is the invoice for the work she’s not yet done or work done to date?

Piffle11 · 11/09/2022 20:41

If I understand this right, she came to see you to discuss working for you… Measured up for half an hour, and has provided you with a generic list of plants that she has also given to other people in the area (so hasn't done an individual plan for each job, so to speak). And she's wanting to charge you for 10 hours work, and £20 per hour? That's insane! We are having quite a bit of work done to our house: I've had people come and measure for blinds, carpentry work, decorating… And none of them have charged me for coming to see me and taking measurements or showing me colour charts/materials. I'm not surprised you no longer want to use her, I'd steer well clear. And I certainly wouldn't be paying her £200 for coming to see you and take some measurements. It sounds as though every garden she does will look the same, anyway.

PinkiOcelot · 11/09/2022 20:44

Wow she’s going to be making a fortune. I wouldn’t pay it.

vipersnest1 · 11/09/2022 20:50

Ask her for an invoice detailing what work she has done - just telling you she has worked for ten hours isn't good enough.

girlmom21 · 11/09/2022 20:55

Ask her to clarify what those 10 hours include.

Agadoodoododont · 11/09/2022 21:02

A gardening service is very different to a garden design service.
If she advertised as a gardening service I’d take that to mean someone digging, cutting down, planting etc…
A garden design service you give a brief and they come up with design/s at an agreed fee.
As pp said you don’t pay someone to come and measure up and quote you for supplying carpet, curtains, building an extension or painting your house.
You could mention the word misrepresentation to her.

LuckyLil · 11/09/2022 21:05

Did you actually agree that you would be paying her for what she was doing? Clearly she thought you were paying her for a service. Or did you just assume she was doing it for free?

surreygirl1987 · 11/09/2022 21:12

Wow. Yes, ask her for an itemised invoice, explaining exactly what the 10 hours are for. Could 9 of those hours be for work she hasn't yet done but that she hopes you'll hire her for??

PeekabooAtTheZoo · 11/09/2022 21:15

Wow. Awkward. You're going to have to talk to her but be prepared for the conversation to go in the direction of "I spent hours googling some plants now you owe me £200" rather than "this is a quote for work between now and Christmas." And have some counter arguments ready e.g. no contract was signed and you never asked her to do work. Maybe as a goodwill gesture reimburse the 30 mins or hour she was at your house if you think it's appropriate.

billy1966 · 11/09/2022 21:17

YANBU at all.

Itemised breakdown required.

I'd be wary of her.

summergone · 11/09/2022 21:41

Wow , £200 for not a lot ! I think that's really cheeky and she is chancing it . We had a decorator round who measured , advised on colours and went and bought the paint - no charge . ( obvs I paid for the actual paint ).

BattenburgDonkey · 11/09/2022 21:43

Have you agreed when she’s going to come and do the work? Are you sure she’s not invoiced you for that too? I’d ask for a breakdown of the invoice.

Hankunamatata · 11/09/2022 21:44

But isnt that for work it's going to take to but plants and plant them/do garden?

Flowerytoe · 11/09/2022 21:47

Has she sent you the wrong invoice?

AssignedSlytherinAtBirth · 11/09/2022 21:47

Yes, surely that's the time she will spend doing what you've agreed? But I'm surprised she's invoicing you in advance. Best to ask her what the ten hours covers.

autienotnaughty · 11/09/2022 21:49

Yes hopefully this is in lieu of work? Definitely clarify.

melj1213 · 11/09/2022 21:56

Is it actually an invoice for services rendered or a quote for future services?

If it's the former then surely you'd contact her to check she had sent the correct invoice as it shows 10hrs work and you have only received X service to date, covering Y hours.

If it's the latter then just contact her to say "Thanks but no thanks" if you don't want her services.

curlymom · 11/09/2022 22:03

Hopefully it’s for intended works. If not and it was me she wouldn’t be seeing that money!

Johnnysgirl · 11/09/2022 22:07

Has she perhaps estimated that there are 10 hours worth of work in your garden and is invoicing in advance? Still cheeky, but not as mad as charging for 10 hours when she's just popped round to size up the garden Confused

UrsulaPandress · 11/09/2022 22:20

Cheeky mare.

VictoriaConcordiaCrescit · 11/09/2022 22:24

I'm going to phrase this very carefully

I'd tell her to stick it up her arse

Oblomov22 · 11/09/2022 22:32

Blimey. Please ask for a breakdown.

Georgeskitchen · 11/09/2022 22:38

VictoriaConcordiaCrescit · 11/09/2022 22:24

I'm going to phrase this very carefully

I'd tell her to stick it up her arse

I would tell her to stick it up her arse and twist it round 3 times 🤣🤣🤣

mamatoTails · 11/09/2022 22:42

Are you sure it's not a quote and she's put it on the wrong headed paper?!

Most initial discussions are a no obligation quote!

HTH1 · 11/09/2022 22:44

As PPs have said, just check what it covers. It could be that she is billing upfront to cover the costs of buying the plants as well as labour (if not and she really is charging to Google a couple of plant names, obv would not pay!)