Who's unreasonable - me or window cleaner?

[HugATwat]

My dog is petrified of the window cleaner.

The reason I started using my current window cleaner is because he always texts so I know in advance when he's coming.

On Friday evening, WC text to say he was coming on Saturday morning. But I was going to be out Saturday morning so I texted him back and said to leave it for this month because the dog would be home alone and wouldn't cope. I said I'd still be happy to pay but please don't clean the windows.

No reply.

I texted again first thing on Saturday morning. No reply.

I called him on Saturday morning. He didn't answer. I left a message. No reply.

I texted him again before we went out saying please don't clean my windows today.

I went out because I couldn't avoid it. I'd asked a couple of friends if they could sit with the dog but they couldn't, far too short notice. When I came back, the windows had been cleaned. The dog was in a right state and had pissed and shit all over the floor.

So I spent an hour or so calming the dog down. Then another couple of hours cleaning everything up. And the living room carpet will need a professional because the piddle has stained quite badly.

I texted the WC to tell him I wouldn't be paying because I'd specifically asked him not to clean the windows.
This time, he texted back. Quelle fucking surprise.

I'm holding firm and not paying. Needless to say I've told him to take me off his books for the future.

It's a weird situation because I was actually willing to pay him for NOT doing the work. But I'm not willing to pay for work that he's done that I specifically asked him not to do.

Am I being unreasonable here? I'm still so pissed off.

OP: "The reason I started using my current window cleaner is because he always texts so I know in advance when he's coming."

OP has now fired this window cleaner and is seeking a new window cleaner.

I'm suggesting what she could do if she can't find another one that texts in advance.

As I pointed out, this is not related to the main question.

He managed to read the one saying OP wasn't going to pay him.😆

I'm not sure where to begin with this suggestion TBH...

Firstly, I still need a WC who texts so that I know when to stick the dog in this prison cell-like room of which you speak.

Secondly, I don't have a room in my house like that.

Thirdly, even if I did, I wouldn't shut my dog in there on the off-chance that the window cleaner might decide to drop by. Aside from the fact she'd howl the house down, it's a shitty thing to do.

Fourthly, if said prison cell room has a window, then how does that negate the issue? Surely the WC will clean that window which will send the dog into meltdown but 10 times worse because she'd had nowhere to escape to.

Fifthly, the WC isn't doing me a favour. I'm a customer. I'm paying him. If my plans change then he has to adapt to that (within reason).

The dog's not particularly bothered about fireworks. She's not keen on going outside for a wee while they're going off but she does. Once she's in the house, she doesn't care. A super loud one might get a bit of a bark but that's it. She mostly sleeps through them. I'd never leave her alone on BF night or NYE just in case but I'm confident she'd be okay.

The dog is only scared of window cleaners and the pole so I don’t think she has to worry about fireworks.

Im quite sure she has thought of all options. People don’t tend to have small unused rooms with washable surfaces and no soft furnishings unless they live in a former prison or asylum.

True - but in my imaginary scenario, he might have had someone next to him at that moment who read it to him😆

You are right not to pay. Our window cleaner texts the day before I sometimes say to skip us this month if my husband is on nights as it sets our dog off. It's never been a problem but it was something I confirmed would be OK before we started with him.

If you went out and left the dog in the house alone where does your dog normally do it's business? Surely you don't just leave your dog to wonder your entire house when you are out?

He clearly didn't pick your messages up before hand, why else would he go out of his way to clean your windows? I don't think he should have to run his business around your dog anyway.

YANBU. You owe him nothing.

Invoice him for your time spent cleaning up shit. It’ll be a lot longer than the time he spent wiping your windows.

Ah, I see now. Thank you for taking the time to explain.

My dog shivers constantly if she hears even a distant firework, so I place her in the prison-like cell that is a tiled bathroom :) I am far from the only person to do this when there are fireworks outside. She finds the smaller room more comforting, too - this will obviously not aply to all dogs but it's pretty well known among pet owners that many dogs are less anxious in a smaller "safe space".

My dog usually does her business in the garden. She's house-trained.

She only shits and pisses in the house if she's extremely stressed. She hasn't done it for years and years.

Yes, I leave the dog to wander around the house while I'm out. She has the run of the house, can go where she likes.

@Anotherturnipforthebooks

id pay if that was included in premium!!

What?! You mean you actually treat your dog like a member of your family? 😁

Of course YANBU.

What if the reason for you not wanting your windows cleaned was something other than a pet. Perhaps just you've just had all the outside lintels painted, and they need to be left 24 hours to dry fully. He texts and says he's due in 12 hours, you reply straight away and say no thank you, please don't as this will ruin all the paint work, still happy to pay you though. He ignores this, turns up anyway, does the work you have specifically said will cause damage, then demands payment. You wouldn't be asking if UWBU, you'd be looking into taking him to court for the cost of repairing all the damage he's caused.

OP, I'd be furious in your shoes.

Jesus, another one.

It's not running a business around a dog, its running a business around your CUSTOMERS. If you've been told your service is not required, and not to come, it doesn't matter what the reason is.

OP had no contract with this service, no regular appointment. She had a loose relationship based on text communication. She is not obliged to have her windows cleaned at any time, let alone at a time he prefers.
He was told multiple times not to come, he came anyway.

He's not entitled to be paid for work not only not requested, but specifically refused several times. Dog or no dog.

Bettyboop3
I do hope not, because that would mean she sends her family out into the garden to shit and piss 😁

I've read stranger things on this thread 🤣🤣🤣

😂All bets are off at this point.

Of course you do.
They dont call you 'contrary mary' for nothing you know 😂

Wait, are we not meant to do that?

Only when the wc's coming 😬

I think he is correct legally. You should pay him because you have a verbal contract for him to clean the windows monthly with him giving you 12 hours notice and you agreed to pay if he skipped cleaning this month BUT he should pay for any damages caused by his cleaning the windows after you told him not to clean them because the dog was home alone. I'm guessing that would mean he owes you money or, at least, cancels out what you owe him.

Does he have a cancellation policy? Did you follow the policy ie is texting him to cancel an acceptable way to cancel the appointment? Saying that you realised he might not be getting the text messages gives him an out for being responsible for the damage if you can't prove that he got them and didn't know that you didn't want him to clean. If texts/voicemail are the correct way to cancel according to his policy, then it's on him.

I would text him and say that you are willing to pay him but he needs to pay for the damage caused by him cleaning when you told him not to, so he owes you XXX. However, you are willing to compromise and accept just a refund of his charges instead of the the full cost of carpet cleaning as a goodwill gesture.

😂 😂 😂

How did he not realise your dog was going crazy once he as there. Surely after setting up he could hear your dog barking? Why didn’t he then try to call you and then see your numerous messages. I’m guessing he farms out his jobs and the person who came didn’t know anything about your dog an

The windows is one issue, but why do you leave the dog where he can make such a mess? Why not put a baby gate up and leave him in a room where it's easy to clean? Mats, wooden floor, etc etc.