Unauthorised pruning

[Donttakeafence]

So here’s an interesting one…

we had a tree surgeon lined up to come on Monday. Didn’t show but haven’t had time to chase him yet. All arranged through DH so have been sort of keeping out of it.

today I came home to find the garden gate open and people wandering round with ladders. It’s the tree surgeons who were apparently working next door and thought they would hop the fence and do the work for us.

They couldn’t get hold of DH (at work) and decided to just crack on. I said that whatever arrangements they had made regarding what needed doing were with DH and not me. They then asked me about payment, and again I said that as I had not been part of the agreement for the works I wouldn’t be able to pay them. I did make contact with DH who has arranged another date with them.

This is where it gets really strange. They came to me to ask me to let them out of the garden. Turns out they had opened the side gate by unscrewing the bolt. When I suggested that since they did not have authorisation to be working in our property today that they had effectively broken in they did not agree.

Tell me .. AIBU?

The only strange thing is your communication with your own husband.

How is it strange that OP hasn't got all the details of this from her husband? I quite happily leave some tasks to mine, and he quite happily leaves other tasks to me. No need to fill both our brains with the minutiae of household chores

OP YADNBU

I"d make double sure that they are the same tree surgeons your husband booked, rather than some dodgy ones that have just decided to do the work and then charge you. Don't hand any money over. Any reputable tree surgery company will be happy to invoice you, there are plenty of unqualified ones out there. They should have absolutely not gained entrance to your property without your consent, and unscrewing the gate is nuts.

Although, why you can't just give your husband a call and ask him all of this I"m not sure....

Because he has a job that means that sometimes it’s not possible to speak to him. I did leave him a message outlining the problem and asking him to call me asap

Odd to demand payment, they usually just give you an invoice.

Don't pay them, take a card and ask them to send an invoice to your husband. If they are the company he booked they will have his name.

Yeah I haven’t paid them. They’ve arranged to come another time and I’m going to let DH handle it. Not my circus.

They broke in and damaged yuri property and trees. No payment due imo.

Yeah. Whilst I see this logic I’d be perhaps concerned that might cause other trouble