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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Dog walker didn’t pick up my dog

266 replies

Drummend01 · 04/09/2023 12:54

I’ve been using this dog walking company weekly for just over a year, they’ve been great and my dog loves going.

I’ve had no problems except in May, because of the bank holiday the dog walk was cancelled for the Monday so it was agreed to walk on Thursday instead but then my dog wasn’t picked up. I text the company owner, she apologised profusely and said it was a mix up and wouldn’t happen again. It wasn’t the end of the world and I just said no worries, these things happen but I did have to leave work an hour earlier as my dog had been at home without a toilet break.

Anyway, today he was due to be walked as I’m at work. August has completely run away from me and I got into work, logged on and realised it was the 4th already! I was due to pay the dog walker on the 1st so straight away paid her and text to say really sorry (I’ve paid on time every time before this). I didn’t get a response, his usually pick up time came and went but I left it for a bit, after an hour I messaged again to ask if the walker would be coming soon, she replied with
“In keeping with our policy, a reminder will be sent on the day a payment is due. If payment is not received, a late payment charge of 2.5% will apply for each subsequent day of delayed payment. We then consider the contract to be paused until payment is received and will not honour any services scheduled during this time. We apologise for the inconvenience and hope you understand that prompt payments are vital to the success of our business”

I understand I was late paying and therefore owe the charges, but to not tell me they would not be picking my dog up seems really unfair, this is the only time I have paid late and the reminder they sent was via email (which I didn’t think to check) when all other communication with them has been over text. Im confused because they have been so great in the past. I didn’t make a fuss when they forgot my dog in May, but now it’s such a hardline approach to my delayed payment. AIBU?

OP posts:
PuddlesPityParty · 04/09/2023 13:30

Why do you think you’re being reasonable? You didn’t pay. If you did pay me, I’d assume you no longer wanted my services and act accordingly. Now you do want the service but haven’t paid in line with what the contract says. Don’t be bringing up the bank holiday nonsense. If it bothered you so much you’d have changed the dog Walker by now.

caban · 04/09/2023 13:32

Seems harsh but unfortunately when running a small business you have to be strict or people take the piss.

Original poster
Drummend01 · 04/09/2023 13:33

cheezncrackers · 04/09/2023 13:25

I had actually paid and messaged to apologise by 8:30am, he doesn’t get walked until 11.

But that assumes that a) they're checking their phones regularly to see if people who've forgotten to pay on time have finally got round to it and b) that they have the time to belatedly add your dog's pick up and drop off into what may well be an already fully booked schedule. I'd assume a dog walker was already out and about walking dogs at 8.30am. Just because yours isn't walked until 11 doesn't mean that they don't do a whole set of early walks for other people. Your post shows quite a lot of naivety about how businesses work.

This is a decent sized company, the owner and her sister do the admin (they don’t walk the dogs) and they have 6 people that work for them which do the walking. Every single previous contact has been via WhatsApp, the reminder email on the 1st is the only email I have ever received from them, hence why I didn’t think to check.

He goes on a group walk in a predefined group (based on dogs personality, size etc). So it wouldn’t have been that they booked another dog in his place, it’s a group walk that went without him. They don’t just add another new dog in a disrupt the pack, its part of their policy to do introductions etc first which we are told about.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 04/09/2023 13:33

YABU. You didn't pay in time for your dog to be walked today, it's as simple as that.

Frabbits · 04/09/2023 13:33

Cashflow is crucial for small businesses. Totally unreasonable to expect them to pick your dog up if you haven't paid.

You don't walk into Starbucks and expect a coffee before you've paid, do you.

EyesEars · 04/09/2023 13:34

Given animal involved they should have texted to inform you they were pausing. Move walkers.

HelpMeGetThrough · 04/09/2023 13:34

I think they should cut you some slack, an animals welfare is much more important than a late payment, especially as im sure the company knew you would pay.

The successful running of the business is more important to them and the welfare of the animal is only their concern, when in their care. It certainly would be for me.

They couldn't possibly know for sure that payment would be made. They have terms and conditions and stuck to them.

itsmyp4rty · 04/09/2023 13:35

I think it was just unfortunate OP and a bit of a mix up on your part. If they're good I'd chalk it up to experience and make sure you always pay in time in future.

SoupDragon · 04/09/2023 13:35

They sent you a reminder on the email address you gave them which gave you plenty of time to pay. It's not their fault you haven't bothered checking your emails!

Willmafrockfit · 04/09/2023 13:36

so if you dont pay that is the agreement over?

Original poster
Drummend01 · 04/09/2023 13:37

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz I have never received a payment reminder from them in the past because I’ve always paid before the due date, they emailed me a reminder on 1st which I didn’t see because it was over email. All other communication with them has been over message. So yes I did miss it, but I didn’t know they even communicated with customers via email

OP posts:
Willmafrockfit · 04/09/2023 13:37

no discussion?
no communication?
no notice?

RoyalGala · 04/09/2023 13:37

If a service is not paid for then it’s to be expected that the service ends. If everyone paid a few days late, they’d run the risk of losing their business.

AmIOverthinkingItOrNot · 04/09/2023 13:39

A tale of two halves here OP.

YABU for not paying on time, and fully agree with the comments here that stress how difficult it is running a small business and that they can’t work for free. An email reminder was sent, which you missed. I admit it does seem silly they didn’t text you even once to say the dog wouldn’t be picked up, but hey ho. Lesson learnt and you’ve set yourself reminders. Not the end of the world. Perhaps suggest to them that they do this in future for missed payments if the majority of their comms is via text, to minimise the impact on the dogs.

But, as you say, they have forgotten to pick up your dog before and you didn’t kick up a fuss. Apologies if answered previously and I have missed it, but did they refund you for the missed pick up? If not I would be messaging back sending your apologies for late payment and noting the associated charges, but asking them to be taken off the cost of the missed session.

shockthemonkey · 04/09/2023 13:39

"Your post shows quite a lot of naivety about how businesses work."

I disagree, @cheezncrackers . Why so keen to put the boot in?

OP knows very well how businesses work - there is absolutely no indication here that she has failed to grasp the basics. Money in, money out, tight schedules, people who regularly pay late, people who miss their payment by a day - yada yada.

I agree with those saying this was unwarranted and harsh. A dog is sitting at home legs crossed, possibly getting stressed. They know this is a good customer, one who was understanding in the past when they cocked up. For god's sake show a little flexibility.

Sorry OP. I would be looking for a new dogwalker.

NM12345 · 04/09/2023 13:39

Gymmum82 · 04/09/2023 13:03

When you’re running a business that affects animal welfare then you can’t just not turn up or cancel last minute.
I would find another dog walker. I wouldn’t want to pay someone who so readily dumps an animal because of a late payment. Especially when you have already messaged apologising and paid. They should have collected the dog or messages to say you haven’t paid can you pay please otherwsie we won’t be picking up the dog

Agree.

As a dog owner, my walking company would grovelling and offering a free walk at the very least if they 'mixed up' and forgot to pick up.

On the other hand, if they see stopped payment, they should text a heads at the very least. Animal welfare is before cold hard profit margin, this isn't an ordinary unpaid invoice and delaying delivery of goods for Gods sake.

OP, dog walkers are a plenty and I'd find a new one on the sly, give them a trial and once happy, drop the current ones, they have messed up , big time.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 04/09/2023 13:39

My arguement is when they deviated from the contract we have by forgetting to pick up my dog, which I had to tell them because they hadn’t realised they’d even forgotten him and caused me inconvenience, I wasn’t angry or rude, I was very understanding. But when I breach the contract, it’s black and white to them. I had actually paid and messaged to apologise by 8:30am, he doesn’t get walked until 11

Just because you chose to be tolerant about their error does not mean they have to deviate from their contract. They are a business, and it is prudent not to exchange favours outwith the contract, which is essentially what you are suggesting they do.

andrainwillmaketheflowersgrow · 04/09/2023 13:40

Drummend01 · 04/09/2023 13:37

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz I have never received a payment reminder from them in the past because I’ve always paid before the due date, they emailed me a reminder on 1st which I didn’t see because it was over email. All other communication with them has been over message. So yes I did miss it, but I didn’t know they even communicated with customers via email

But it's not their fault you didn't check your e-mails either.

It reads to me like you're still pissed off about what happened in May and now expect leniency on their part - otherwise why mention it? It was months ago - it's irrelevant to what happened today.

Willmafrockfit · 04/09/2023 13:41

it does seem harsh to me

Original poster
Drummend01 · 04/09/2023 13:41

AmIOverthinkingItOrNot · 04/09/2023 13:39

A tale of two halves here OP.

YABU for not paying on time, and fully agree with the comments here that stress how difficult it is running a small business and that they can’t work for free. An email reminder was sent, which you missed. I admit it does seem silly they didn’t text you even once to say the dog wouldn’t be picked up, but hey ho. Lesson learnt and you’ve set yourself reminders. Not the end of the world. Perhaps suggest to them that they do this in future for missed payments if the majority of their comms is via text, to minimise the impact on the dogs.

But, as you say, they have forgotten to pick up your dog before and you didn’t kick up a fuss. Apologies if answered previously and I have missed it, but did they refund you for the missed pick up? If not I would be messaging back sending your apologies for late payment and noting the associated charges, but asking them to be taken off the cost of the missed session.

They didn’t charge me for the missed walk in May, we pay on 1st of each month for the previous months walks. So on 1st June I just transferred the money for 3 walks instead of 4.

OP posts:
Willmafrockfit · 04/09/2023 13:42

so you pay after the event not even before?
so what are they playing at?

cheezncrackers · 04/09/2023 13:43

"Your post shows quite a lot of naivety about how businesses work."

I disagree,@cheezncrackers. Why so keen to put the boot in?

I disagree that I put the boot in. The OP is adamant that she is right and the company are wrong, but she's expecting them to jump to it and make sure her dog is walked when she paid three days late and not until 2.5 hrs before her dog was due to be walked. And she's pissed off that they didn't have someone monitoring the emails and payments all the time who was prepared to quickly add her dog into the schedule. You pay, you get your dog walked. You don't pay or you pay late and your dog isn't walked. It's pretty simple. I wouldn't plan to walk someone's dog if they hadn't paid either.

andrainwillmaketheflowersgrow · 04/09/2023 13:43

Willmafrockfit · 04/09/2023 13:42

so you pay after the event not even before?
so what are they playing at?

Because payment wasn't up to date as per the contract.

I've had people do this before - not pay me and expect me to still come and walk their dog. It takes the piss IMO. You wouldn't be happy if your boss paid you three days late and expected you to just suck it up!

Mazza7412 · 04/09/2023 13:44

I can understand your frustration, but unfortunately, she’s running a business.
if you were paid 4 or 5 days late I’m sure you probably wouldn’t want to work in your position. She has done everything stated in the contract regarding non payment. Harsh as it sounds, she’s not at fault.
Im self employed and non payment causes me massive issues. If you’ve been paying her for a year on time and forgot, maybe worth putting an alarm on your calendar so it doesn’t happen again.

Original poster
Drummend01 · 04/09/2023 13:44

andrainwillmaketheflowersgrow · 04/09/2023 13:40

But it's not their fault you didn't check your e-mails either.

It reads to me like you're still pissed off about what happened in May and now expect leniency on their part - otherwise why mention it? It was months ago - it's irrelevant to what happened today.

Show quote history

I’m not annoyed about May, I was totally fine with it and understand mistakes happen. I am only annoyed now because when it’s their mistake (which was a breach of the contract we had) that inconveniences me, they apologise and all is forgotten, but when I made a mistake they deal with it very harshly in my opinion

OP posts:
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