…to think it’s a bit tight & embarrassing to haggle on some things?

[NellesVilla]

Hello all,

I was due to cat and dog sit over Xmas for about 3 x weeks. It had been booked since last Xmas. I’ve worked for the for years and already offer them a mates’ rate discount- relevant.I was also their nanny several years’ ago whilst at uni.

Last night the family called me to ask for another discount just over 2 weeks’ before the start date, plus asking if I’d contribute to bills for my ‘stay’. Not that it matters but they are loaded, are flying to the states to a v expensive Christmassy city, and will be spending shitloads- they do every year.

So they want a discount on the already crazily reduced bargain rate I give them; money that I need and forms part of my meagre current income. Additionally, they’d like something towards bills- when they have asked me to care for their home and cherished pets.

Wtaf? Is this normal? Do I tell them to take a long walk off a short pier or what?! Please vipers; I need to grow a pair as I find this type of thing- money-orientated issue- challenging at the best of times!!

Well done @NellesVilla , it was sensible to block her if you didn't want any extra contact. What more was there to say?

Well done!

What's next for you then? Some mindset work to get over these money and confidence issues and a spot of business strategy planning?

And thank goodness this family don’t know other families I currently work for (I work around most parts of Surrey & London outskirts so large area).

Thanks for the positivity. I’m normally good at sticking up for myself- apart from payment issues. Some great advice here regarding the finances; now will have my price-list to hand if/when future haggling commences!

Brilliant, good for you! And it'd be a great idea to get a deposit in future too. Hope you have a lovely Christmas.

Very well done! It's not easy to stand up to this kind of fuckery, so - well done you! I'm glad you cancelled them, they've mucked you around horribly and I was sure they'd muck you around on their return. Now they can't. Again - very well done!

Just join a website like Rover.com and bookers need to book and pay through the site in advance.

@NellesVilla well done and can you message me with your contact details I know someone in that area who may be interested in your services!

Very well done for telling them to stick it. Chancers!

Am sure some other people have mentioned this and maybe you already do it, but have you considered a commercial site beginning with R and ending in R?! Clients pay up front and around me (it sounds like same area you are in) £50 per day/night is absolutely standard for in home care of multiple pets. I always offer my sitters use of everything in the house and garden, tell them to turn the heating on as much as they want, and leave wine and treats because good pet sitters are very hard to find! And I am in no way rich. Definitely no transatlantic Christmas holidays for me. Their poor kids, being raised with such entitlement.

What rookiemere says! If I didn't have my own caring responsibilities I would sign up with them myself. They take 20% on bookings but... Ahem... If you subsequently exchange actual phone numbers with clients then in future things can be more lucrative for you (although I guess you may not get upfront payment)

Well done op.

Well done 👏
They tried to cheat you and you made sure they knew that was unacceptable! Might stop them treating others like that again.
Just a thought, do you have a contract for clients? Laying out terms like cancellation fees, when payments are due, notice period etc... ? If not, it is probably worth it.

Perfectly handled OP.

Well done.

If you print out a page with your rates, terms, etc.photograph it well, you can quite easily forward it to all queries via text or WhatsApp.
It couldn't be easier and will prevent any need for discussion.
Likewise any email enquiries.

It is so much easier to forward your terms and conditions to enquiries, no need to explain them.
No room for confusion.

Payment 14 days in advance is very reasonable.

I have paid for 10 piano lessons in advance always for 15+ years.

This is your income.
You have every right to protect it.

This is a great advice.

Oh and the cheek of the husband, you "upset" his wife who tried to screw you.

The presumptuousness thinking he can TELL you that you have to speak properly to his wife...so she can vent.🙄

I really hope they end up being gouged by whomever they manage to find.

Blocking them is perfect.
This type can't cope with being denied their right to reply🙄😁.

Oh the outrage😁

yeh, no self-reflection. No ''hang on, we were hardly going to pay her at all''' just the absolute assumption that you do the job for half nothing. And by declining that offer you upset his wife.

You owe them NOTHING

I reckon finding a house and pet sitter for how ever long they need at this point will be very difficult and very expensive!

This

The nerve! You've upset his CF of a wife by not paying her house bills for her while watching her dogs and home for her? FFS. You couldn't make it up.

Like clearly married like.

You're well rid, OP. Well done for saying no and laying it out for her.

Of course she's upset she's going to end up paying at least double or have her holiday cancelled and serves her too right for being a cf in the first place! Well done OP!

Cancel and call them back the day before they leave offering to come back for double your normal rate.

Well done OP! You are well rid of them!

For the future state your non negotiable rates, expectations if staying over at someone's house, and crucially payment in full is due 48 hours beforehand for new clients at least though many pet sitters do seem to ask in arrears. We pay £12 per day for a single visit!

NellesVilla

First it’s pay towards our bills on a lower fee then its emotional blackmail Thank Goodness you have blocked them.
You might have to have a no friends in business policy just to distance the emotion a little you have to get your good nature and protect it :-)

Bravo!!!

Who cares if she is upset that you're not willing to work for peanuts and have the piss taken out of you?

I don't think it is cowardly to block them in this context - you've said no. You've spelled out why. There is no point them discussing anything with you from there as you won't be working for them again, the relationship is over.

What they want to do, is bully you into doing the job anyway, ideally for as little money as possible - I'd be willing to bet they've spoken to the people they thought would do the job for free, and discovered that won't be happening, and looked at other sitters and found that won't be happening either.. and are now shitting themselves...

Tough titty.

Well done OP!