Not paying for garden work

[gardendramas5]

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?

I'm tempted to sue him myself for the anxiety I've now got from reading this whole thread.

I feel sorry for the guy doing all this running around. Can you contact your solicitor and tell them what has occurred and to contact the other party to get it sorted…?

You know she’d have to pay for that, right? And that the previous owner already knows they didn’t cancel the services of the gardener because he’d billed them and they said they’d only pay half. Even though it was their fault?

my garden is more private to me than my house.

Why, in the name of God, why?

I'm not sure it's intended as a legal question, more one of acceptable form. But then it really comes down to breeding.

No I doubt they always do that.

so what does this mean? If you let yourself be suckered you are well bred?

That doesn't really make sense. The chap apparently mowed the lawns and did some weeding. What do you think she does with her new lawn mower and garden tools ? You're being a proper lawyer about it. If she's hard up, could be viewed a bit differently, otherwise the argument is technocratic mean spirited one to not want to pay half the cost. If you've got to have the concept explained to you, your beyond being conducive to my argument. Just goes to show the importance of breeding.

Ah, you're a troll. Have fun with it.

I can’t believe anyone is this obtuse, ignorant and dim.

I own three lawn mowers and a large shed full of tools.

Nevertheless my front and rear garden are unmowed and un “weeded” because that is how I, the actual property owner, prefer it to be at this time of year. Strongly prefer.

Any trespassing arsehole who thought they were doing me a favour by vandalizing my garden would be fortunate to escape without a costly lawsuit.

Troll is giving the benefit of the doubt that cognition exists.

Do most people actually have their own solicitor - along with their own gardener?

Are these standard things for 'decent' people that we working class ignorami will just never properly appreciate?

Why are so many people saying that, if you're well-off, you should just hand out your money to anybody who unilaterally decides that they've earned it from you, as a basic moral standard?

On a completely unrelated note (can't be bothered to start my own new thread), I'm conducting a, erm, scientific study of the link between people who have lots of money and people who are easily taken in and a soft touch - if you consider yourself to be both of these, please PM me your name and address and when you're out at work and I'll let you know when the next, um, study group meeting is.

We moved into a first floor flat... We were in and out sorting stuff... It was quite clear that we were. Moving /only just moved in... Stuff everywhere... Packing boxes going out for recycling.

We returned to our flat after a few hours with pals to find a window cleaner on doorstep demanding £40... He'd already cleaned the pretty OK level of cleanliness windows ('as I always did the other other lady").. I refused (nicely) to pay... We always cleaned ourselves and no way did I have the interest /means to pay this mad amount... It was literally 6 windows... Up a ladder... But still a huge amount 10 years ago... And more to the point we didn't want a window cleaner!

He got sarky and siad he'd never return.... Good!

He even said he knew it was new tenants... Seems he was just chancing his arm on new customers!

Where I live, it’s common practice for property sale and purchase agreements to go through a solicitor who coordinates with banks and the other party.

The gardener himself is to blame. Who turns up in May to do the first cut of the year? The first weeding if the year?

no communication to indicate when he was coming? in all these months?

he would have seen the lawn cut and flowers/weeding. No. I don’t buy this as oh poor gardener.

on another note, similar happened to me except I was home when the gardener turned up (and it was end of March), a week or so after we moved in. In my case, also empty rental prior to our buying, the gardener was looking for past payment for work prior to my completing and moving in.

I said no way. That I knew nothing about his arrangement with the previous owner and I did not own the property then.

I did, however, ask him his rates and hired him for the occasional work for things I couldn’t do or had difficulty doing. This didn’t really work out though because he didn’t show up as agreed and if he didn’t like flowers/bulbs I planted, he dug them up. Particularly, I had planted hundreds of daffodils and he pulled up all the bulbs and put them in the bin.

the gardener I have now texts before coming over at least the day before.

the window cleaner I use texts at least day or two before coming over as well.

I do not buy it a gardener just comes over without any communication in over 5 months (and also this late into the season). He was chancing his luck with you.

Really I think anyone who says " Just goes to show the importance of breeding." is just trying to play a character, with a bad script they wrote themselves. No human being would actually say that; it's a line from a "posh" character in a low-brow sitcom.

"Particularly, I had planted hundreds of daffodils and he pulled up all the bulbs and put them in the bin."

OMG that is terrible behaviour. Did he try to offer any explanation or was it purely that he just didn't like them?

Yes, of course you engage a solicitor for specific significant transactions such as property purchases, for the period whilst the purchase is going through until completion.

But going by a lot of what you read on MN, you'd assume that most people generally retained their own all-rounder solicitor permanently on hand, all ready to jump in for every single little neighbourhood quibble or very minor legal eventuality at a moment's notice!

Particularly, I had planted hundreds of daffodils and he pulled up all the bulbs and put them in the bin.

OMG

According to some posters on here though, you'll have had the "benefit" of a tidy garden and should be grateful to the "poor" gardener...

If you pay any monies you are entering into a contract - so don't pay. It's unfortunate for the gardener but it is to do with the previous owners.

No thats not true.

Ah , a parting cheap shot as you concede the debate. Have fun being sharp elbowed and mercenary.

May is late to do the first lawn cut, but not really late for the first weeding. There will be plenty of weeds to go at in May, so it was probably quite alot of work. I suspect he was on a retainer. Somebody should have phoned somebody, but does that still mean the gardener shouldn't be paid ?