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

Not paying for garden work

808 replies

gardendramas5 · 16/05/2025 09:24

I’m pretty sure I’m not being unreasonable but I just want to see what other people think.

I purchased my house December last year. It was empty for at least 2 years (ex rental)

The previous owners kept the front and back garden tidy whilst it was on the market, no idea if it was them that did the work or if they paid someone. Both gardens are quite large. I started doing all of this myself when I took ownership.

Anyway, I’ve been away for the last week with family and came home on Wednesday to freshly cut grass, weeds pulled etc. I asked my neighbours if they had seen anyone but they were at work. It turns out that the previous owners hired a company to do the work and hadn’t notified them that they’d sold the house last year. I only found this out yesterday as the gardener turned up with the invoice. I explained I wasn’t aware of this arrangement and that he would have to invoice the previous owners for the work (I was polite and apologised for the inconvenience but made it clear I hadn’t asked for this work to be done and wasn’t prepared to pay for it either)

He knocked on again this morning and explained that he’d spoken to them yesterday and that they agreed to pay half (because it was their error) but that I should pay the rest because I’m the one benefiting from the work. I told him no sorry I’m not paying and he needs to take it up with them.

I do feel bad for the gardener, but it’s their fault. I didn't ask for this. They were awkward during the conveyancing process too so this doesn’t surprise me. AIBU?

OP posts:
ThirdStorm · 16/05/2025 09:31

I think this is your call if you want to pay as a gesture of goodwill. He didn't have a contract with you and you didn't ask him to do the work. The previous owners have admitted their mistake he can take it up with them.

JojoM1981 · 16/05/2025 09:33

The previous owner needs to pay as they should have cancelled him.

DinoLil · 16/05/2025 09:33

I think you ABU. If this happened to me, I'd be happy to pay half and ask the guy when he was free to come again! But, I hate gardening, so...

The gardener shouldn't have to be put in an awkward position. It's fair that the previous owners pay half although you are benefiting.

MagpiePi · 16/05/2025 09:36

The previous owners should pay him in full.
If they want you to pay them back half then they should get in touch with you directly, not expect the gardener to be their messenger.

AlteredStater · 16/05/2025 09:36

I think you should pay half, to be honest.

heldinadream · 16/05/2025 09:36

OP is not 'benefiting' as she's a person who is happy to do her own gardening! This is totally on the previous owners. They didn't cancel the service, they owe the fee.

Nicebottleofred · 16/05/2025 09:38

No I don’t think you should have to pay for a service you didn’t agree to. The gardener’s “contract” is with the previous owner

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 16/05/2025 09:38

YANBU. The gardeners contract was with the previous owners - there's no question it's their bill to pay. It was their responsibility to cancel, it's literally nothing to do with you.

In their opinion you're 'benefitting' but you didn't want or need it done. I'd be upset if someone came in and did things to my garden, even if it was mowing and weeding. I've got all sorts of things someone else might consider weeds that I actually want to keep.

rwalker · 16/05/2025 09:38

This is 100% not on you
but the guys going to lose out through no fault of his own I’d probably offer to pay 1/2

Anxioustealady · 16/05/2025 09:39

How much would half the bill be?

MoreChocPls · 16/05/2025 09:40

Previous owners need to pay!!

littlemisssunshine247 · 16/05/2025 09:40

For me, the issue sits with the previous owners AND the gardener. The POs should have informed the gardener they were moving, and the gardener should have sent them a reminder text/email to say what date he was coming, which would have prompted a ‘oh we don’t live there any more!’ response. Not your circus, not your monkeys.

Idontjetwashthefucker · 16/05/2025 09:40

AlteredStater · 16/05/2025 09:36

I think you should pay half, to be honest.

Why?

S0j0urn4r · 16/05/2025 09:40

I feel sorry for the guy but it's not on you. Previous owners' had the contract. He needs to chase them.

Upsetbetty · 16/05/2025 09:40

DinoLil · 16/05/2025 09:33

I think you ABU. If this happened to me, I'd be happy to pay half and ask the guy when he was free to come again! But, I hate gardening, so...

The gardener shouldn't have to be put in an awkward position. It's fair that the previous owners pay half although you are benefiting.

I beg to differ, I think @gardendramas5 is the one that has been put in an awkward position. The contract was not with her she shouldn’t have to pay. What if she doesn’t have the money?

Mindymomo · 16/05/2025 09:40

As a gesture of goodwill, I would pay the half, it’s not the gardeners fault the previous owner didn’t contact them to cancel and if anyone can tackle taking out all weeds and cut 2 large lawns professionally, I would be happy, but I understand you not wanting to pay.

Barrenfieldoffucks · 16/05/2025 09:40

It isn't on you at all. But if it wasn't a huge amount of money and I could afford it, I would pay half. Simply because the gardener is likely to be a one-man band who can do without potentially losing out on income. Not your problem by any means, but perhaps think that it has saved you a job for a half price fee.

HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend · 16/05/2025 09:42

I would also pay half as even tho it wasn’t requested the man is in the middle of no fault of his own.

AnSolas · 16/05/2025 09:43

Its the prior owners responsibility to cancel the contract. The gardner did the work per the contract so they owe him the whole amount of the money.

DPotter · 16/05/2025 09:43

I too would refuse to pay.

The previous owners had the contract, they forgot to cancel. They can't decide on your behalf to split the bill. They should have contacted you first to discuss this, before telling the gardener.

However I'd be contacting the previous owners myself to tell them this and that they are behaving badly. I would offer to support the gardener in a claim through small claims court.

TheSwarm · 16/05/2025 09:43

This shouldn't be your problem OP, but to be honest it's the kind of thing where if you can afford it, maybe just pay half of the bill - you are still getting a service, after all - and forget about it.

Espressosummer · 16/05/2025 09:43

rwalker · 16/05/2025 09:38

This is 100% not on you
but the guys going to lose out through no fault of his own I’d probably offer to pay 1/2

The gardener doesn't need to lose out. He just needs to take previous owners to small claims court.

msbevvy · 16/05/2025 09:43

How much gardening have you been doing yourself? If this is the first time he has been since you moved in back in December it should have been obvious to him that someone else was now doing the gardening.

How much do you benefit from his work? In your position I would be upset by the intrusion. For all he knows you might have been observing No Mow May.

I feel sorry for him but I think the previous owners should be footing the whole bill.

K0OLA1D · 16/05/2025 09:44

I can be a proper pushover, so would probably agree to pay half. But you shouldn't have to at all

How much do they want you to pay?

Tryingtokeepgoing · 16/05/2025 09:45

Contractually the original owners owe him the whole amount. He is at liberty to discount that by 50% for them, but that doesn’t place an obligation on you to pay the balance.

But…IME good gardeners are (a) hard to find and (b) useful sometimes, so if I thought I would need them for something in the future and the 50% was good value for what had actually been done I would be inclined to pay, knowing that I’d now got a reliable gardening contact. If however there are no circumstances where you will even need a gardner then push it back to the original owner.