Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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:
OneTC · 04/09/2023 18:07

I think you can't really complain if you've been taken off the rota. You hadn't paid, the schedules would likely be done and you can't expect a last minute change.

Enforcing the late payment on a regular good and timely paying customer, who took an inconvenience on the chin previously I think is poor though

ZadocPDederick · 04/09/2023 18:08

andrainwillmaketheflowersgrow · 04/09/2023 17:54

If I'm being honest, yes, I can afford to lose a customer who only uses me once a week. I've been fully booked for months now and have a long waiting list for customers who would be more than happy to take up a space.

I was exaggerating with my comment about eating, but the point is the same - if someone works for you, bloody well pay them on time. It's really disrespectful to make them chase you for money.

Show quote history

Do you leap immediately to attributing disrespect, even for customers who have been totally reliable for a year and have been nice about your cock-up?

My concern would be not only losing that customer, but also knock-on effects if they start publicising your conduct on local social media. Something quite similar happened in our area, when word got round on local Facebook about the fairly bloody-minded approach a local business took in its business practices, including in relation to payment. They didn't deny it, but took a similarly defensive attitude. It wasn't helped by the fact that someone else had just started up a similar business. The original business has disappeared, the new one is flourishing.

saltinesandcoffeecups · 04/09/2023 18:14

I can’t believe the people who are disparaging business owners for wanting to get paid.

Yes shit happens, customers make mistakes, life gets in the way… you apologize and pay your damn bill. You don’t make it the business owners fault or pass blame to them.

RandomMess · 04/09/2023 18:14

They have a poor business model, why are the walks paid for in arrears?

andrainwillmaketheflowersgrow · 04/09/2023 18:15

ZadocPDederick · 04/09/2023 18:08

Do you leap immediately to attributing disrespect, even for customers who have been totally reliable for a year and have been nice about your cock-up?

My concern would be not only losing that customer, but also knock-on effects if they start publicising your conduct on local social media. Something quite similar happened in our area, when word got round on local Facebook about the fairly bloody-minded approach a local business took in its business practices, including in relation to payment. They didn't deny it, but took a similarly defensive attitude. It wasn't helped by the fact that someone else had just started up a similar business. The original business has disappeared, the new one is flourishing.

Show quote history

But they haven't been disrespectful - they've just enforced their policies in line with the contract that OP signed when she agreed to use their services.

It's not disrespectful to expect your customers to pay you on time and to enforce that. It's business.

andrainwillmaketheflowersgrow · 04/09/2023 18:16

saltinesandcoffeecups · 04/09/2023 18:14

I can’t believe the people who are disparaging business owners for wanting to get paid.

Yes shit happens, customers make mistakes, life gets in the way… you apologize and pay your damn bill. You don’t make it the business owners fault or pass blame to them.

Exactly - it's not the business owners who have an attitude and are being disrespectful!

Willmafrockfit · 04/09/2023 18:31

andrainwillmaketheflowersgrow · 04/09/2023 18:02

Well, you'd be wrong.

I'm a self-employed dog walker and my policy is very similar to this - basically if you don't pay me, I won't walk your dog. Payment is due on Friday (in arrears) and I will send one reminder. If I haven't received payment by Sunday night, I send a message saying that walks are now suspended until payment is made in full. I've only ever had to do that once.

If it did happen again, that customer would get a message telling them that they now need to pay upfront for all their walks if they want to remain on my books. I've never gone to that stage but if a customer chose to drop me over it, it wouldn't really bother me - especially if they only used me for one walk a week.

I've been fully booked for months now and have a ridiculously long waiting list in operation - the last time I lost a dog (due to the owners relocating) I filled their spot in less than half an hour.

Show quote history

the difference is you let them know you wont be walking their dog

Mumof2teens79 · 04/09/2023 18:32

Drummend01 · 04/09/2023 13:41

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.

Show quote history

So in the past you have paid before the due date, and you pay on (or by) the 1st for the previous month?
I had assumed you were paying in advance but this is important.

On 1st you were already "late" hence the reminder on rhe 1st. At that point you owe them for 1 month already, and they would be stupid to continue to provide a service you owe them money for.

On Friday they would have cancelled the future walks.

When you paid this morning you don't know that they either received or saw the payment (most payments are immediate these days but some banks take longer)

So no, they are completely within rights to stick to policy. You made a mistake, that's fine, they aren't critiquing you, but it was your mistake not theirs.

andrainwillmaketheflowersgrow · 04/09/2023 18:33

Willmafrockfit · 04/09/2023 18:31

the difference is you let them know you wont be walking their dog

Show quote history

So did OP's walkers - she just didn't see the e-mail!

ZadocPDederick · 04/09/2023 18:40

saltinesandcoffeecups · 04/09/2023 18:14

I can’t believe the people who are disparaging business owners for wanting to get paid.

Yes shit happens, customers make mistakes, life gets in the way… you apologize and pay your damn bill. You don’t make it the business owners fault or pass blame to them.

OP did apologise and pay her damn bill. That didn't stop them sending an arsey message some time later.

ZadocPDederick · 04/09/2023 18:43

andrainwillmaketheflowersgrow · 04/09/2023 18:15

But they haven't been disrespectful - they've just enforced their policies in line with the contract that OP signed when she agreed to use their services.

It's not disrespectful to expect your customers to pay you on time and to enforce that. It's business.

Show quote history

And customers voting with their feet is business. Your problem then won't be late payments, it could be no payments.

Can you really not see any circumstances when it might be a good idea to allow for a bit of flexibility with your customers when you run a business?

ZadocPDederick · 04/09/2023 18:46

andrainwillmaketheflowersgrow · 04/09/2023 18:33

So did OP's walkers - she just didn't see the e-mail!

Show quote history

I don't think it's clear that they did that, is it? They just sent a reminder about payment.

Willmafrockfit · 04/09/2023 18:49

they absolutely should have text or whatsapped to say as the bill had not been paid there would be no walk

it is not as if they were cleaners just not turning up due to non payment.

saltinesandcoffeecups · 04/09/2023 18:52

ZadocPDederick · 04/09/2023 18:40

OP did apologise and pay her damn bill. That didn't stop them sending an arsey message some time later.

Show quote history

No… she paid the bill not the late fee. Then she came here to cry woe is me and slag off the business

SoupDragon · 04/09/2023 18:58

Maybe the OP will actually check her emails regularly in future to make sure that there are no important ones.

Clymene · 04/09/2023 18:59

I think a lot of people think animal businesses should exist on hot air and love of animals.

They don't.

You didn't pay and you agreed the T&C. They have to apply the rules fairly to everyone.

Check your emails, pay by direct debit. This is on you.

andrainwillmaketheflowersgrow · 04/09/2023 19:09

ZadocPDederick · 04/09/2023 18:43

And customers voting with their feet is business. Your problem then won't be late payments, it could be no payments.

Can you really not see any circumstances when it might be a good idea to allow for a bit of flexibility with your customers when you run a business?

Show quote history

Sure - but this isn't one of them. I don't feel like I should be flexible when people don't pay me what they owe.

I'm flexible in lots of ways - but not when it comes to being paid for my work. My clients appreciate how flexible and reliable I am and don't piss me about.

andrainwillmaketheflowersgrow · 04/09/2023 19:10

ZadocPDederick · 04/09/2023 18:40

OP did apologise and pay her damn bill. That didn't stop them sending an arsey message some time later.

Show quote history

No, she didn't.

She paid for the walks, not the late fee that she owed them for being four days overdue with payment. Payment wasn't up to date which is why they didn't walk her dog.

onestepfromgrace · 04/09/2023 19:15

I communicate with my dog walker by text (and in person) She invoices me by text. I pay a month in arrears. If I had overlooked or missed a payment and/or she suspended me I really would be expecting any reminder to be by text. I might easily miss an email if it wasn’t our usual communication method.

I have a week to pay though. @Drummend01 how many days do you get your invoice or payment notification before 1st of the month?

My walker also plans her walks on a Sunday evening if my week was up on Friday and her T&C’s said no payment no walks she would not check her account Monday morning.

JanieEyre · 04/09/2023 22:19

andrainwillmaketheflowersgrow · 04/09/2023 19:10

No, she didn't.

She paid for the walks, not the late fee that she owed them for being four days overdue with payment. Payment wasn't up to date which is why they didn't walk her dog.

Show quote history

The late fee itself is of dubious legality. Any penalty charged in circumstances like this must be.a genuine pre-estimate of the loss suffered. A delay of one working day in payment does not by any stretch of the examination cause loss at 2.5% per day. It sounds a bit of a dodgy-set-up generally, to be honest.

ZadocPDederick · 04/09/2023 22:24

andrainwillmaketheflowersgrow · 04/09/2023 19:09

Sure - but this isn't one of them. I don't feel like I should be flexible when people don't pay me what they owe.

I'm flexible in lots of ways - but not when it comes to being paid for my work. My clients appreciate how flexible and reliable I am and don't piss me about.

Show quote history

Do you really feel that slightly delaying a payment once in over a year is pissing you about? Especially when you haven't used your normal reliable means of communication in reminding the customer? Most business terms allow at least 7 days to pay invoices, and many allow 28 days.

If that is pissing you about, how about completely failing one day to do the work you've contracted to do? Is that pissing the customer about?

andrainwillmaketheflowersgrow · 04/09/2023 23:39

Do you really feel that slightly delaying a payment once in over a year is pissing you about? Especially when you haven't used your normal reliable means of communication in reminding the customer? Most business terms allow at least 7 days to pay invoices, and many allow 28 days.

Yes, it is pissing me about. Payment (for me) is due on a Friday. That means they need to pay me on the Friday - not whenever they feel like it at some random point over the weekend. I don't want to have to spend my weekends chasing people and making sure I'm paid what I'm owed.

However, I accept people do forget which is why I send out a reminder on Friday mornings which generally solves the problem.

If that is pissing you about, how about completely failing one day to do the work you've contracted to do? Is that pissing the customer about?

Well, yes - but if OP wasn't happy with the service provided she didn't have to keep using the company. As it is, they apologised and she accepted and continued to use them.

In this scenario she forgot to pay - they didn't walk her dog as per the contract, she paid and then service can continue as normal.

I don't know why she seems to have taken it all so personally 🤷‍♀️ it's just business.

SemperIdem · 04/09/2023 23:51

The refusal to accept that late payment is not fine throughout this thread is staggering. More so from other posters than the op.

SoupDragon · 05/09/2023 08:20

ZadocPDederick · 04/09/2023 22:24

Do you really feel that slightly delaying a payment once in over a year is pissing you about? Especially when you haven't used your normal reliable means of communication in reminding the customer? Most business terms allow at least 7 days to pay invoices, and many allow 28 days.

If that is pissing you about, how about completely failing one day to do the work you've contracted to do? Is that pissing the customer about?

Show quote history

They used the email address the OP provided. How are they supposed to know she doesn't check her emails? It's hardly an arduous task - most phones do it automatically.

TheBarbieEffect · 05/09/2023 08:39

to not tell me they would not be picking my dog up seems really unfair

They did tell you. It’s in the T&Cs that all services are suspended.