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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:
LoisLane66 · 23/03/2023 18:28

Tell him to do one...politely. 😂

Blondie1024 · 23/03/2023 18:42

So he made the cock up and wants you to pay for it 😆. Its hardly your fault that he can't tell which house is which and didn't have to common sense to knock and heck.

Blondie1024 · 23/03/2023 18:43

#check

jannier · 23/03/2023 18:45

vivainsomnia · 23/03/2023 15:31

You are very naive and very vulnerable to scams. Be careful
But this wasn't a scam it was a genuine mistake. Scammers don't do to jobs in the hope to be paid unless they are very stupid ones!

Yes they do, they pressure you into paying and once they see a chink in they go upping the fee going to the bank with you etc.

Hippoh · 23/03/2023 18:48

I'm going to go against the advice here.
The lad is obviously doing his best, he is not asking for something he hasn't done. The amount you give is totally up to you, but I would give something as he has saved you a job... even if you didn't prioritise it plus you don't know what circumstances led him to where he is.

Make sure he knows never to try this again but give him something. Life is shit enough as it is without mums getting involved.

Littlepicker · 23/03/2023 18:48

I can’t believe he even has the cheek to ask you to pay for HIS mistake! You did the right thing, he can do one!

AllyArty · 23/03/2023 19:01

He’s a chancer. Take a picture of him if you can and ask him for his business card.

NewCarOldCar · 23/03/2023 19:06

Hippoh · 23/03/2023 18:48

I'm going to go against the advice here.
The lad is obviously doing his best, he is not asking for something he hasn't done. The amount you give is totally up to you, but I would give something as he has saved you a job... even if you didn't prioritise it plus you don't know what circumstances led him to where he is.

Make sure he knows never to try this again but give him something. Life is shit enough as it is without mums getting involved.

Thank you @Hippoh I too am doing my best, like this young scammer lad, yet find myself - a celebrated and respected Nigerian Prince - running short of funds due to a cheque that I am waiting for.

I PROMISE I am telling you the truth! I am waiting for a cheque for £24.3 million pounds. Could you possibly please, please lend me £10,000 until I get the cheque? Then I will repay you and give you £10 million as a thank you.

Please contact me for the bank details at IReallyAmNotAScammer@BeKind.com

May your family all be blessed Hippoh

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 23/03/2023 19:07

Hippoh · 23/03/2023 18:48

I'm going to go against the advice here.
The lad is obviously doing his best, he is not asking for something he hasn't done. The amount you give is totally up to you, but I would give something as he has saved you a job... even if you didn't prioritise it plus you don't know what circumstances led him to where he is.

Make sure he knows never to try this again but give him something. Life is shit enough as it is without mums getting involved.

This way of thinking confuses me a bit tbh. Why should I go without because of his mistake?

I don't have a gardener because I can't afford one, so because I have one forced upon me I now need to pay for it? It's literally forcing money out of my pocket and I already live pay to pay so it's not like I have the money just sitting around to throw away.

Also if this thread is anything to go by, he was trying to wildly over charge me. I don't believe it took him 2 hours. I don't believe his rate is £40ph (considering my neighbour paid him £50 for grass cutting and odd jobs). I don't believe it was a mistake either.

OP posts:
IfYoureGonnaBreakMyHeart · 23/03/2023 19:15

Our bin cleaner once cleaned next doors bin instead of ours and still wanted me to pay him.
And now I've typed that out I realise how ridiculous I sound 🙈😂
Op no. His mistake.

SarahsHoneydew · 23/03/2023 19:19

He’s having a laugh! What a cheek, don’t know how he’s got the nerve to even ask! Don’t pay him and warn your neighbours about how cheeky he is!

Hippoh · 23/03/2023 19:21

Ok Cool...

I'm a sucker. I just have the understanding that sometimes things go wrong, wasn't your fault so you can chill. You were there the whole time, so you know exactly how long he worked on you garden.

You have to live with your decisions though xx

PS: lol at NewCarOldCar
What's he going to do... re-grow the grass?

neelhtak · 23/03/2023 19:35

"O my God! We were treating the lawn with an expensive grass feed and it was supposed to be left unmown until next week!" This means we have to do the whole procedure again! What on earth did you think you were doing?"

HappiestSleeping · 23/03/2023 19:36

TheRookieMum · 22/03/2023 14:08

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

This 👆

Snazzysausage · 23/03/2023 19:39

A short,sharp response is required here, à la Princess Anne
"Naff Orf"

Crumpetdisappointment · 23/03/2023 19:40

in this weather?

Hippoh · 23/03/2023 19:41

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'.

You are the scammer here!

Are you just getting validation for your shitty life choices here. Have a word with yourself before posting poor me... someone did my garden and I let them, but morally can I refuse to pay?

Lovely13 · 23/03/2023 19:43

What a creepy chancer! I’d log it on police online thing, stating what’s happened and that he’s damaged treasured plants!

PrettyMaybug · 23/03/2023 19:45

Hippoh · 23/03/2023 19:41

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'.

You are the scammer here!

Are you just getting validation for your shitty life choices here. Have a word with yourself before posting poor me... someone did my garden and I let them, but morally can I refuse to pay?

You are NOT being serious? 😂 If you are - fucking hell!!! 😆

PrettyMaybug · 23/03/2023 19:46

NewCarOldCar · 23/03/2023 19:06

Thank you @Hippoh I too am doing my best, like this young scammer lad, yet find myself - a celebrated and respected Nigerian Prince - running short of funds due to a cheque that I am waiting for.

I PROMISE I am telling you the truth! I am waiting for a cheque for £24.3 million pounds. Could you possibly please, please lend me £10,000 until I get the cheque? Then I will repay you and give you £10 million as a thank you.

Please contact me for the bank details at IReallyAmNotAScammer@BeKind.com

May your family all be blessed Hippoh

BRILLIANT! 😂

Prettypenelope · 23/03/2023 19:50

Hahaha - no I would not pay! If he can knock on your door to ask for payment, he should have knocked on your door before commencing the work! I might also throw in that I had a rare wild orchid growing in the long grass and now its been decimated by his rash cutting!

Crumpetdisappointment · 23/03/2023 19:50

i had my car washed in sainsbury's car park!
i paid a little bit but not the full amount because they were also chancers

pettysquabbles · 23/03/2023 19:51

Hippoh · 23/03/2023 18:48

I'm going to go against the advice here.
The lad is obviously doing his best, he is not asking for something he hasn't done. The amount you give is totally up to you, but I would give something as he has saved you a job... even if you didn't prioritise it plus you don't know what circumstances led him to where he is.

Make sure he knows never to try this again but give him something. Life is shit enough as it is without mums getting involved.

It's likely a scam rather than a mistake and OP owes him nothing.

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 23/03/2023 19:52

Hippoh · 23/03/2023 19:21

Ok Cool...

I'm a sucker. I just have the understanding that sometimes things go wrong, wasn't your fault so you can chill. You were there the whole time, so you know exactly how long he worked on you garden.

You have to live with your decisions though xx

PS: lol at NewCarOldCar
What's he going to do... re-grow the grass?

Have you read any of my followup posts?
I have no idea how long he worked on my garden for because he came after he had done both to ask for money.

I can also definitely live with myself for not paying a scam artist. I think my morale compass will remain intact.

OP posts:
dexterslockedintheshedagain · 23/03/2023 19:53

plus you don't know what circumstances led him to where he is.

And he didn't know what the OPs circumstances were either. For all he knew she might have just filed for bankruptcy.

And did you not read the bit where she said she heard the mower so moved room so she could focus on her work? It's not a huge leap to see how she didn't realise it was her lawn, and the word here is HEARD. She didn't see. If she had she'd have stopped him.

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