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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:
ColdHandsHotHead · 22/03/2023 14:38

To be fair, most plants don't look their best when they've just been pruned, but if you're not a gardener then you might not know that.

I agree with the people who think he's trying it on, though.

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 22/03/2023 14:39

Username24680 · 22/03/2023 14:38

I wish someone would “accidentally” cut my grass and tidy my garden 😩 it’s my least favourite job 🤣

Now if he'd accidentally folded and put my washing away I'd be divorcing DH and marrying this man....

OP posts:
Greeno999 · 22/03/2023 14:39

Nah. Absolute chancer

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 22/03/2023 14:39

ColdHandsHotHead · 22/03/2023 14:38

To be fair, most plants don't look their best when they've just been pruned, but if you're not a gardener then you might not know that.

I agree with the people who think he's trying it on, though.

They look naked....I feel bad for them.

OP posts:
2bazookas · 22/03/2023 14:41

What a chancer! and he didn't even do a proper job. It's a con.

I doubt very much your neighbours have ever heard of him. Let alone "prepaid" a stranger who had never cut their grass, never been to see the job, been to their house to get prepaid. (otherwise, he'd know which house and which lawn he was meant to cut, right? )

IF he arrived unsure which lawn to cut, he'd have knocked on your door and checked before starting .

And now he does know which lawn he's already been paid for, why isn't he round there cutting it?

I'd suggest he goes and does the work he's been paid for; and I bet you won't see him for dust.

As for you paying him, no way. Tell him, grass is green, you aint.

SabbatWheel · 22/03/2023 14:41

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 22/03/2023 14:34

I thought that was a thing of fiction tbf.

Oh god no, it was rife at major junctions in Cardiff in the 2000s. Keep windows up and don’t make eye contact or shout ‘Don’t touch my car!’ was the only way to get rid, it was a total ballache.

vivainsomnia · 22/03/2023 14:43

Sounds like OP is as much a scammer. Pretending she didn't know what was going on in her front garden (despite moving in the back of the house), letting her garden being cut, trimmed, what she herself admits is quite a bit of work, and then throw the guy out because he dared asking for something when she thought she'd het the service for free.

Surely if he was just a scammer, he would pick gardens that are easy and quick, not those overgrown.

Of course OP didn't need to pay for something she didn't ask, but maybe he genuinely did confused the two gardens and I prefer to give the benefit of the doubt when ultimately, I get some work done on my property that I benefited from.

MarchMadness23 · 22/03/2023 14:43

vivainsomnia · 22/03/2023 14:25

I can't believe the responses. What a nasty nasty world we live in. Here's a young lad who is cutting grass for a bit of pocket money, who made an understandable mistake that ultimately benefited you.

Are you that heartless that you can't give him at least something? I wouldn't have thought twice just because it's a nice thing to do to a young hard working lad.

@vivainsomnia

i have a bridge for sale

MyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 22/03/2023 14:43

If he comes back tell him you are going to press charges for trespassing and damaging your garden.

xogossipgirlxo · 22/03/2023 14:46

He can jog on.

vivainsomnia · 22/03/2023 14:46

He's done hers as well
Why would he do that if he was an obvious scammer! Not much to gain doing both and risking not being paid for either!

Emmamoo89 · 22/03/2023 14:46

Yanbu x

vivainsomnia · 22/03/2023 14:47

Maybe he'll come back and dump all the cuttings on your garden OP. Wouldn't want to be accused to take what's not is without permission!

ReedRite · 22/03/2023 14:47

vivainsomnia · 22/03/2023 14:25

I can't believe the responses. What a nasty nasty world we live in. Here's a young lad who is cutting grass for a bit of pocket money, who made an understandable mistake that ultimately benefited you.

Are you that heartless that you can't give him at least something? I wouldn't have thought twice just because it's a nice thing to do to a young hard working lad.

Can you DM me your address? Because I've got a funny feeling if I come round, I'll find you've got some loose tiles on your roof and the whole lot will need replacing. Or perhaps I could tarmac your drive? I'll just do it and knock on your door and demand payment (of twice the going rate) afterwards. I'm a nice, young, hard-working person.....

HurryShadow · 22/03/2023 14:49

I can only assume this happened to me once.

Got home from work to find my front lawn cut (it was a bit unruly!). Asked the neighbours either side if they saw what happened (neither of them had lawns) and had no note through my door.

Never did find out who cut it, but I can only presume that a gardener got shirty with another neighbour who didn't pay for their grass being cut, and said neighbour got shirty with their gardener for not cutting their grass!

Either than or there was just a very generous gardener going around cutting grass that looked out of control!

Stravaig · 22/03/2023 14:49

'So you destroyed my wildflower habitat, damaged my shrubs and stunted my hedgerows? I'd say YOU owe ME compensation. Shall we say £1000?'

'Wait! Where are you going?' Van speeds off ...

Ktime · 22/03/2023 14:49

You should tell him you will sue him for trespassing and damaging your property.

KnottyKnitting · 22/03/2023 14:49

He actually damaged your plants? I would be asking him for compensation not paying him!

Naunet · 22/03/2023 14:49

vivainsomnia · 22/03/2023 14:25

I can't believe the responses. What a nasty nasty world we live in. Here's a young lad who is cutting grass for a bit of pocket money, who made an understandable mistake that ultimately benefited you.

Are you that heartless that you can't give him at least something? I wouldn't have thought twice just because it's a nice thing to do to a young hard working lad.

He’s got a van FFS, he’s not a little child earning pocket money 😂 You’d be a right mark for scammers though.

MarchMadness23 · 22/03/2023 14:50

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 22/03/2023 14:39

They look naked....I feel bad for them.

If he comes back, tell him he'll be lucky if you don't sue him for trespass, the damaged he's caused to your plants cutting them at this time of year, ruining your 'natural' lawn & harassing you due to his incompetence!!

no idea if you'd get anywhere but he won't know either!

give him @vivainsomnia 's contact details.

Doesthepopeshitinthewoods · 22/03/2023 14:51

vivainsomnia · 22/03/2023 14:43

Sounds like OP is as much a scammer. Pretending she didn't know what was going on in her front garden (despite moving in the back of the house), letting her garden being cut, trimmed, what she herself admits is quite a bit of work, and then throw the guy out because he dared asking for something when she thought she'd het the service for free.

Surely if he was just a scammer, he would pick gardens that are easy and quick, not those overgrown.

Of course OP didn't need to pay for something she didn't ask, but maybe he genuinely did confused the two gardens and I prefer to give the benefit of the doubt when ultimately, I get some work done on my property that I benefited from.

You are such a wind up 😆

Woodywasatwat · 22/03/2023 14:52

Well, that’s tough shit for him then, isn’t it.

Maybe next time he’ll be more careful.

Nooyoiknooyoik · 22/03/2023 14:52

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 22/03/2023 14:34

I thought that was a thing of fiction tbf.

No, it seems to have stopped lately but it used to be very much a thing.

Random102 · 22/03/2023 14:53

Tell him you will sue him for damages as you liked your grass the way it was and he has damaged it by cutting it!

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 22/03/2023 14:54

vivainsomnia · 22/03/2023 14:43

Sounds like OP is as much a scammer. Pretending she didn't know what was going on in her front garden (despite moving in the back of the house), letting her garden being cut, trimmed, what she herself admits is quite a bit of work, and then throw the guy out because he dared asking for something when she thought she'd het the service for free.

Surely if he was just a scammer, he would pick gardens that are easy and quick, not those overgrown.

Of course OP didn't need to pay for something she didn't ask, but maybe he genuinely did confused the two gardens and I prefer to give the benefit of the doubt when ultimately, I get some work done on my property that I benefited from.

You're right!

My scam is I stay home and when innocent people do odd jobs on my house without being asked to I then don't pay them! It's great BUT it is quite unpredictable.

I heard a lawn mower and moved away from the noise. Funnily enough this was not consent to then cut my grass and demand payment.

OP posts:
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