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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Someone has cut my grass and now wants money

384 replies

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 22/03/2023 14:07

I'm working from home today today and heard the noise of a lawn mower out the front. I didn't really give it much thought and just moved into one of the back rooms.

I've just had a young bloke knock on the door and he explained that he's accidentally 'done my garden' instead of my neighbours. We live in a semi and it's the neighbour we are attached to. Our front gardens are separated by a knee high wall. Neighbour is out (car is gone and they aren't answering their door so I assume they're out) but the lad wants paying for cutting my grass. Since neighbour pre-paid him and they're aren't in, he's now saying that I owe him money because he has provided me with a service.

Neighbours garden is just grass surrounded by the wall. My garden is a bit more wild with plant boarders all around and a couple of small trees and bushes. The lad has cut my grass, trimmed the edges, tidied some of the bushes etc. It's obviously a bigger job than what he was hired for.

I don't want to pay because I didn't ask him to do this. Nor am I too happy with the job he's done anyways. He's saying that his time needs compensating and if our houses were clearly marked then the mistake wouldn't have happened. He's also saying that since I'm home and could hear the lawn mower, I should have said something instead of 'letting' him carry on 'doing my garden'.

AIBU?

OP posts:
WestwardHo1 · 22/03/2023 14:07

Ha ha ha! No.

TheRookieMum · 22/03/2023 14:08

The brass neck!! I'd not pay and tell him to fuck right off.

MarieRoseMarie · 22/03/2023 14:08

Say no. Call police if he won’t leave. Mowing a lawn takes 15 min. I’d be more sympathetic if he’d painted your house or something. He’s a scammer and once you give in, he’ll probably be round again.

WhisperingAutistic · 22/03/2023 14:09

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VickyEadieofThigh · 22/03/2023 14:09

Absolutely not.

AngelDelightUK · 22/03/2023 14:09

He’s trying it on. Say no and don’t think anything else of it. Plus, if he’d been paid to cut the grass why did he tackle the plants?!

Do tell your neighbour though when they are back.

ReadersD1gest · 22/03/2023 14:09

Tell him to do one. He's wasted his own time, you had nothing to do with it.

BunnyMum2000 · 22/03/2023 14:09

So where is he while you're writing this - has he left? Waiting outside?

autumnboys · 22/03/2023 14:09

Absolute chancer. I wouldn't pay him a penny.

Greydogs123 · 22/03/2023 14:10

Nope, tell him that he chose to do a garden that was clearly not part of the job he was hired for and you will not be paying him anything. If he got shirty in any way I would tell him I was going to call the police.

Poppyblush · 22/03/2023 14:10

No!

dietcokelime · 22/03/2023 14:10

YANBU

hearing a lawn mower could mean anything - could be your neighbour! Surely he realised he was in the wrong garden by either noticing a house number / realising it's not the same garden he visited for a quote etc?

It's his issue entirely, he's been cheeky trying to see if you'll pay - but just stay firm. You didn't ask for a service, you don't need to pay for his mistakes. He needs to chalk it up to experience!

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 22/03/2023 14:10

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Dunno. I shut the door in his face and went back to work (and mumsnet). Can't see his van so I presume he's moved onto the next job?

OP posts:
Timeforabiscuit · 22/03/2023 14:10

No! He's trespassed on your garden!

Allmyplantsdie · 22/03/2023 14:10

Sounds like a scam

WhisperingAutistic · 22/03/2023 14:11

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 22/03/2023 14:10

Dunno. I shut the door in his face and went back to work (and mumsnet). Can't see his van so I presume he's moved onto the next job?

Good
I wouldn't be paying him. Cheeky sod.

TomeTome · 22/03/2023 14:12

I’d be furious. Didyouwantyour plants cut?

Coffeecoffeeinmytummy · 22/03/2023 14:12

I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s nothing to do with your neighbour. I’m sure this is some sort of scam where they go and do work that no one’s asked them to do and then try to make out it’s some sort of misunderstanding and get paid for it. If he’d have knocked on your door and asked if you wanted your lawn doing you’d have probably said no, whereas instead he has actually done it and now you’re considering paying. So I think it’s on purpose.

Xarrie · 22/03/2023 14:12

I would charge him for your garden access Grin

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 22/03/2023 14:13

I've got no idea what was discussed with neighbour. I have no idea if he came out and gave a quote.

I don't think he's from a proper company or anything (no logos or branding anywhere). He's just a young bloke with a lawn mower and a van from what I can tell.

OP posts:
southernbelles · 22/03/2023 14:13

We've had something slightly different in that a man came to our door and said he washed our windows while we were away & asked for the payment!! He did appear to have done it but we didn't even have a window cleaner!

Milkand2sugarsplease · 22/03/2023 14:14

I'd have asked him how much he's expecting and then say "funny that, that's how much I charge for trespassing on my garden".

TheRookieMum · 22/03/2023 14:15

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 22/03/2023 14:13

I've got no idea what was discussed with neighbour. I have no idea if he came out and gave a quote.

I don't think he's from a proper company or anything (no logos or branding anywhere). He's just a young bloke with a lawn mower and a van from what I can tell.

Cash in hand job that he's trying to extend maybe? Absolute chancer. You did right to shut the door in his face.

Nimbostratus100 · 22/03/2023 14:16

charge him compensation for damaging your grass

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 22/03/2023 14:16

TomeTome · 22/03/2023 14:12

I’d be furious. Didyouwantyour plants cut?

I'm not that arsed tbf!

They probably do need doing and the lawn definitively needed a cut BUT we usually do these ourselves. The garden came this way when we bought the house and we aren't green fingered folk so we don't really know/care what the plants in the garden are. That said, they looked better before he tackled them.

OP posts: