…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!!

I’m a dog sitter, in my own home, and the amount of people that take the piss is ridiculous. I’ve got really tough now, and ask for a deposit and payment in advance, and those that value my time and effort are more than willing to pay. The deposit system really gets rid of the time wasters!

I was like you, hated the money side of things, and almost felt guilty asking people to pay- but since being a bit more business minded by business has gone from strength to strength!

If it was me, I’d tell them I’d already reduced the price, but that they were more than willing to find someone else. This close to Christmas id be surprised anyone reputable would have availability! Stand firm!

Second reply nails it. Just send that.

Hi. That won’t be possible. I have already reduced my rate for you. Let me know if you still want me for our agreed rate. Cheers.

Breezy, friendly, polite, factual, unyielding. Perfect.

Yup yup yup.

It is difficult to find housesitters over Christmas. They’re cheeky, wanna-be exploitative fuckers.

Paying something towards their bills for your ‘stay’. That they’ve worded that so carefully is the worst, most revealing bit here. They’ve strategised their approach and are subtly implying it’s you who’s benefitting from the arrangement. They’ll be asking you to pay them rent next.

@BobLemon of course we all want to know that now .....how much is a house sitter for 3 weeks over Xmas??

And is it local to your own home and family? Will you see other people over this time or be isolated in their house?

LOLO what a bunch of cheeky feckers. Tell them to jog on @NellesVilla YANBU obvs!

If you can take the hit I would cancel and tell them you feel insulted.
If you can't (or don't want to) then what GrazingSheep said in the first reply is spot on.

God, I'm cringing for them. Are they sitting there thinking they are in the right?

No, simple. I have a client that has owed me money for six months. He has been on holiday twice in that time.
Payment up front or contact the poster who has people waiting. Cheeky feckers.

It is five weeks till Christmas Eve
They have known since last Christmas that the plan was for you to house/pet sit
They will have booked their holiday .

So 2-3 weeks before they drop this CF bombshell.

Seriously you should just tell them "No" you have an agreement and they cannot change the goalposts at this late stage .
I wouldn't increase the price but I would remind them they are getting a good discount and if they want to employ you then they honour this .
And pay upfront .

They won;t be able to find a sitter that they trust without paying high agency fees so I'm guessing they won't sacrifice the holiday .

After Christmas if they ask you again, just reply "I don't think so, do you?"

They probably think they're giving you a holiday in their lovely house , hence the CF paycut .

If you desperately need the money I would tell them simply - it was all agreed last year.

Same rate (payment in full in advance/when you arrive) so they can't pay you less afterwards AND no discount for staying at their house.

Everyone is trying to save money but if they can still afford their holiday, in my opinion they're not that hard up!

At the end of the day you have to feel happy and not feel like a mug!

I used to house and pet sit via a well known agency. They should be grateful they can get someone to do it over Christmas. Maybe send them a link to a professional agency so they can get a quote for their needs. Unless you are desperate, I would cancel. They might not even pay you or argue the toss over it afterwards - that is a risk I would not be prepared to take.

@mummytippy

Everyone is trying to save money but I think most want to do that while retaining as much of their quality of life as possible.

Cancelling the holiday would be a big hardship but getting more cost-effective provision for pet setting less so.

They might have cold species pets, like siberian husky or candian eskimo dog or Alaskan malamute who could overheat easily.

Although saying that my half siberian who has a massive thick double fur coat cries like a bloody baby if the heatings off for a bit, my triple furred full siberian is fine though.

If you can afford to - just cancel.

Seriously tell them to fuck off, there are loads of people that are desperate for pet sitters

A deal's a deal. If they went for an agency petsitter it would set them back a whole lot more, I think they're being CFs squared.

@FriedDuck

So they should not be reneging on the agreement with @NellesVilla that was agreed last Xmas. To ask to pay bills to stay in their home too.
Sorry but they are not from my planet and are going the right way to lose someone they have used before that they know they can trust. That is a small price to pay for peace of mind. Think about it.

You must tell them their suggestion is insulting because you have already agreed your heavily discounted rare.
They already know this, but are trying it on.
Also tell them that if they changed their mind, they must tell you ASAP because you have other clients in need of your services.
Insist on at least 50% deposit.
And never work for them again.

OP, your work is very valuable to a pet owner, stop selling yourself short.

The lady that looks afterwards my dogs is my life saviour. I would never, ever debate her charges and I always pay her upfront. Because I need her, I trust her, her service is worths every penny and I want to be at the front of the queue. I look upon her as an absolute professional and respect her. I need her more than she would ever need me.

Put yourself in the shoes of the pet owners and you'll realise how important and valuable your services are.

Absolutely shocking. I would be inclined to cancel altogether.

You do right, there.
The only customers you'll lose by it are ones you wouldn't want anyway.

Tragically I can't tell if @FriedDuck is having a laugh or not😂

Love the assertiveness. I do stick up for myself (and others) for many things but I’m always ridiculously ashamed re money- possibly because I’m always in the service provider/slave/downstairs position rather than the client/merchant/upstairs one!

Definitely not budging on price (I couldn’t look at myself in the mirror otherwise) but don’t think I will proceed even if they ‘kindly’ stop quibbling over the original deal. As others have said- knowing my luck- I’d be promised money at the end of the sit, only to have a bill for utilities on their return.

Just to add: when I was a NQT, I worked for a very wealthy family during the school
hols as a tutor. They agreed on £40 per hour (which I was delighted with as a youngster). Anyway, there was no quibble at any point; they paid in full at the end of each week. Amazing. This experience has never been repeated though.

I actually- as another poster mentioned- had another nanny job where I took the kids to the cinema and had to pay for my own ticket. You couldn’t make it up!

We pay our dogsitter £35 per day when we are on hols. Dog stays with him in his home. We pay in advance, in full when we book him, even if its 10 months away. He only has 1 dog at a time.
Seriously, stand up for yourself.

Wait til 2 days before the trip and tell them you’ve decided you need to do it at full price + inflationary increase due to the cost of living situation…

probably wont work for them again afterwards but they are worst kind of CF / tightwads / Tory voters.

This is a great response.

honestly, I’d cancel them and take a more lucrative job. A PP mentioned some people in London needing help and London is magical at Xmas.