Sudden cancellation I'm not very pleased

[PissedOffPetSitter]

I was booked for a job from 23/12 to 14/01. The guy has gone to his home country to visit family. When I went today there was someone in the house. I assumed he'd got back early and decided to contact him but I got a text from an unknown number which turned out to be his girlfriend.

She said he's not able to talk to me but has asked her to tell me to drop the keys off tomorrow because as she's there I'm not needed. I've lost £160 with this. I'm so cross.

I can't really expect him to pay. I've gone over and above with them before and I'm so annoyed.

I also agree with PPs that your contract is with him, so don;t hand over keys or ignore your obligations unless you get a message directly from him.

Our cat sitter requires 50% payment in advance to secure the booking, then the rest the day the sit starts.

I think you need to make sure that cancellation information is included in the terms of payment in your invoices going forward. It’s unlikely that you would be challenged, but make sure you keep the email trail for when you prepare your accounts so that you can explain why you didn’t receive the payment that you had been expecting.

You need to take payment in advance.

Written T&Cs don't guarantee payment. Clients can ignore them.

The only way you can claim them (if the client signs the T&Cs and doesn't pay as they should) is by going through the Small Claims Court.

Even if this is just a 'hobby' type of job you need to be professional because people will muck you around.

I’d have been so tempted to reply to her text saying that she’d lost her job with “”apparently I’ve lost my job too!” Although don’t really do that!

Don’t waste your time drppping off keys if he’s not going to pay you. Make him come to you. Then don’t be there at the time you said. See how he likes it!

As far as we know so far though he hasn't done anything wrong has he?

ChatGPT will write/amend terms for you. They’ll need to be checked but I’ve done this a number of times and it’s much quicker and cheaper than a solicitor.

Brian got back to me. Full of apologies.

Mavis lost her job (I don't know what it is or any other details) but it sounded sudden. She contacted him on the 27th to ask if she could move in / housesit. He told her to give me a week's notice. She didn't, and he should have contacted me himself in the first place. He's very apologetic but the damage is done.

A cancellation policy has gone out to all customers now, and the cat is fine.

I feel sorry for Brian actually as I think he's being taken for a mug and he's lost a reliable pet sitter.

Your update is good news. I’d take that to mean you can continue to check on the cat for a week and invoice him for it. He said it so you do it. Just message back saying, I’m happy to check on the cat for 6 more days and will cancel the rest. Ignore the woman living there.

Is he going to pay you the weeks notice? I would be pushing for that at least if he has said that's what he said to her

He's admitted that you should have had a week's notice? So ask him for it to be paid

The girlfriend's message doesn't actually make much sense. It's not even explicitly cancelling your service. Either way your contract is with Brian so don't listen to what she says. Speak to him.

I guess you can't get a cancellation fee but you can update your t&C's so there is one next time.

I think it’s disappointing that he cancelled with limited notice and he should have offered some amount of money as a goodwill gesture at least but this relies on behaving with decency and there is little of that around today. Get it in your Ts&Cs.

I’ve just changed my holiday plans and informed my house sitter that we will be home early. I always pay her for the time agreed so as not to inconvenience her.

Given you actually turned up I'd ask for payment. That's just rude.

If they push back, say you'll accept 50%

Brian's messaged me again saying he's embarrassed and he wasn't expecting Mavis to move in, he's not happy with how she did it. Apparently she had a key though to let herself in last night. The plot thickens! I'm wondering what job she had to lose it suddenly over the Christmas holidays. I don't think she lives here. I think she's making a mug out of him.

If he felt that bad he would compensate you? He isn’t losing anything as he isn’t paying someone else to do it!

You can't take instructions from someone who is not the client! Dont give his keys to anyone unless you speak to.hin directly.
Unless he personally cancels your arrangement holds

Sounds like Mavis has decided to move in whether or not Brian likes it! What’s the female version of a cocklodger?!

Tell Brian "I still expect payment for the booking as you are cancelling far too late for me to replace this business."

Don't back down! Because if he doesn't pay he isn't the kind of client you want anyway. Ah him for the money, if he doesn't pay then blacklist him and never work for him again without at the very least taking (inflated) payment from him in full in advance.

How can you run a business without proper T&Cs?

Firstly get some Ts&Cs in place, you could try asking for payment and if they refuse tell them you cannot take any further bookings unless they pay a cancellation fee (i dont expect them to pay up but at least they know not to bother you again) are you a member of a local group for pet sitters? You can talk to eachother and get him blacklisted in the local area. As a pet groomer I had some woman mess me about sending messages from her mum/son (really from her). Turns out she has form and is known in the area for being a time waster. Should have also said take deposits from now on. Genuine clients will understand

Earlier this year I was going away for 2 weeks and booked my usual cat sitter. not long before I left my poor cat had to have his eye removed due to a trauma. My Daughter decided to come from Uni for one of the weeks to be with him. I still fully expected to pay the cat sitter for the 2 weeks, I didn't even look at their policy. I booked them and I made the changes so it was tough shit for me.