AIBU not to pay this? WWYD?

[InALonelyWorld]

I just want to know if IABU here or what i should do.

I have come home from work today to a note from a gardener saying I owe them £10 for de-weeding my garden. To note my garden is mainly paving slabs/stones so there isnt much weeding that needs done in the first place so not sure how it would even be £10. However, this isnt a service i arranged, I do not know this person and I obviously was not around at home to speak to them or even give permission for them to do anything with my garden but they have gone and done it anyways.

I am a lone parent household and am now worried I will be pestered by this stranger for this money i apparently owe. I do admit I may be overreacting here, but i, like many people, am financially strained at the moment. I was recently burgled which added to my financial issues and has probably made me quite sensitive to receiving this note.

I would contact victim support and ask what they suggest. They may even contact the phantom gardener for you. Personally, I would text the phantom gardener to point out you had never asked them to provide any services and request they don't enter your premises again.

The note is demanding money for work she didn't ask for and it sounds they haven't done - if they have they have been trespassing.
Would you think the same if the note was put through your grandmother's door and she was worried and paying it, over and over
He's a conman - the police can certainly do something

Not sure if anyone's mentioned this, but as soon as saw your post I wanted to reply. I saw on notices posted in Chelsea about a year ago that a group if scammers were doing this and then going back to houses if vulnerable people demadinding payment of much more than the original sum, up to around £100. Do not reply. Report it ASAP. Hope it all works out for you and they get caught!

ABSOLUTELY NO! Do not pay this scammer! It's outrageous.

It's a trespassing conmanthat's all you need to know. If he shows up to collect I'd snap a photo and tell him you have already alerted the police and now will be forwarding a photo to them. Tell him to get the hell off your propertyASAP. Be aggressive. They prey on vulnerable and hesitant women.

Being burgled does make you distrust everyone. I was burgled and met the b***d when I came downstairs thinking a cat had got in. A few days later a handyman came round to look at the house as it was in a grant improvement area. He was very offended when I asked if he would come back when my DH was there, even though he'd been told of the burglary.
I would definitely let the police know about the note. It's not on in any shape or form. Hope you can feel better soon.

If there's any contact details I'd reach out to 101 and discuss it with them. We had similar years ago. The previous owner hired a window cleaner. He moved out house was empty 6 month then I moved in. Next thing I know a 23 year old little scroat with his Pitbull was demanding money that the previous owner had owed as well as claiming he'd cleaned my windows weekly since then. He left a letter like you with demands and said "If put the windows in, that I cleaned if you don't pay" I rang 101 he was arrested. Supposedly police found out he's never cleaned a window didn't own ladder and he instead watched for empty properties and started on the new owners deliberately. Hoping they'd pay.

Surely they were trespassing if in your garden without permission??
No obligation to pay for unsolicited goods or services.
Sounds like a computer chancer. I would not contact as then they’ll have your number. Just ignore.

I would think this could be a possible case of something like trespass. A complete stranger has crossed the boundaries of your house and touched your property.

If this person does come back get a photo of the them.

Why on earth are people saying not to report it to the police, no one is saying ring 999

my mum completed an online form about some threatening behaviour from a bloke. He didn’t actually do anything but she felt scared. Next day the police was at her door for more details

they said the were building up a case of incidents and every single report helped them and they wish more people would do it. Raising an online report or ringing 101 isn’t going to impact actual policing

as people have said a vulnerable person might pay £10 as it’s not a lot and not wpr5 the hassle complaining. This would then put them on a hit list of someone who could be scammed for a lot more

You did not ask for this and you don't pay for unsolicited work. Tell police.

I am a bit concerned that they managed to go round the back, I had assumed it was front garden.Definitely sinister

Yes, because its sinister,he went to the BACK garden, which is an invasion of privacy as well as trespass and demanding money!

Absolutely do not pay. Call the number, with holding your number and see if he's made a mistake about the house number. If he hasn't tell him you won't be paying as you didn't agree anything with him and do not require his services. It may be a misunderstanding. If not, tell him you will call the police and any future attempts at contact will be deemed to be harassment.

Trespass,invasion of privacy( going into back garden) and demanding money. All offences!

Yeah someone else answered that yesterday. Although generally trespass is a civil issue.

The work was unsolicited - you don’t have to pay. If he starts threatening call the police.

If they contact you again be really patronising. Say they've clearly gone to the wrong address and that they should have checked before starting and regrettably you already have a gardener so are unable to see any work that may have been done.

If they press you for money just stay strong and reiterate you're not going to pay for someone else's mistake — especially as you can't see any evidence.

What type of idiot would work in a garden without checking unless it was a scam?

Ignore .. if you didn't ask for the service they had no right going on your property.

I'd keep the note and show to police or a family member who could tell them to back off !!

Fuuuck no. What a chancer

Photo of garden and photo of note and yes report to police. Then ignore.

Don't pay for any work you didn't commission, unless it is part of a maintenance charge.

I think being afraid is very natural and appropriate. You should not pay for something you didn't ask for.. if they come back ask them not to return. If they make threats then phone the police with descriptions and reg numbers.

That’s a BRILLIANT idea! I was recently visited by police looking for security footage from my camera relating to a similar issue (which I was fortunately able to provide!) Someone had targeted my elderly neighbour and his vulnerable daughter with learning difficulties in a similar fashion. Unfortunately it had escalated and reached £100s /£1000s - not sure - and although they got some money back it’s going to court. The above is a perfect solution, I can understand it feeling scary xx

You presumably didnt employ them to do this? If so no contract so they dont have a leg. Ring police. Sounds well dodgy.