Pay or Not Pay Gardening Invoice?!

Gracie99

Hi All,

I am looking for some advice regarding some basic work we had carried out in our garden last year.
We wanted to have our garden landscaped and made more manageable; however, it needed to have some weeds killed/cleared before work could start.
We contacted 3 different companies for quotes, but the one we chose seemed the most friendly & competent.

It took some time to book them in and they weren't particularly good at keeping in touch, but they eventually came out and cleared the garden and advised a second application of strong weed killer may be required in a few weeks. They came back, as promised a few weeks later and sprayed the garden to kill off any regrowth. Then we didn't hear from them at all!

Three months later we still hadn't heard from them and we employed another gardener to clear the weeds that had since regrown and construct a retaining wall (we have quite a steep bank in our garden).

Then towards the end of last year, we received an email from the gardener we originally employed to undertake the clearance/landscaping. They apologised for the delay in contacting us, advising that they had been very busy and they attached an invoice for the work carried out earlier in the year.

I am in two minds whether to pay (the full amount), as yes, they did complete the works stated on the invoice; however, as we hadn't heard from them, we had to employ another gardener and have technically already paid for the work! Do we pay and put it down as a bad experience? Do we try to negotiate a partial payment, as they didn't follow the job through the various stages as initially discussed/planned? Or do we just refuse to pay at all? I am not keen on the last option, as they did carry out some work, even though we had to employ someone else to complete it.

Any advice regarding this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks

visidigi

Is the invoice for more work than they actually completed? Or did they only invoice you for the work they completed?

Hintza

Grudgingly pay it.

(Perhaps have a moan and see if he will give you some money off.)

Dr._Shoe

Suppose you went to a restaurant and had a meal then a few hours later felt hungry so bought a pasty at Greggs or somewhere, would you begrudge paying for the earlier meal?

Weeds grow, that's what they do. Ask any gardener and they will tell you that the world's most powerful weed killer will not completely irradicate them. Grass even grows at nuclear bomb test sites and there are still trees at Chernoble.

As long as the original gardener did the job he said he would do then you should cheerfully pay him.

forgotmyname

Even if you have a bonfire in the middle of your lawn the weeds will soon come back.

Weeds always win.

Gracie99

They only invoiced for the work they carried out and my gut instinct is to pay it, as they did complete the work stated. I just think it's poor customer service on their part; we attempted to contact them by phone after they'd completed the second weed killer application, but they never answered (presumably busy working, which I understand).

We had hoped they would complete all stages of the work (actually landscape the garden after the initial clearance), as the 'project' was verbally discussed and agreed.
We just assumed they'd forgotten all about us, hence why we employed another company. I appreciate that weeds/plants etc grow!

I don't really have any issues in paying it as such, I think I'm just disgruntled due to their lackadaisical attitude. Oh well - live & learn!

Thanks all!

arcon5

Imo
negotiate partial payment to represent the work they did do

As before replacing them you should have made efforts to resolve the situation and see they completed the rest of the work as agreed

edit: just seen your reply and that you did try contact them

halibut2209

Dr._Shoe wrote: »

Suppose you went to a restaurant and had a meal then a few hours later felt hungry so bought a pasty at Greggs or somewhere, would you begrudge paying for the earlier meal?

A somewhat false analogy. Imagine you went to a restaurant, and ordered a 3 course meal. After the second course, they didn't bring out the final course and the waiters and staff just ignored you when you asked for the remainder of the food. What would you do then?

sinizterguy

If the invoice is for completed work, which by all accounts was satisfactory, why would you not pay it ?

If it is not paid, they can take you to small claims court.

photome

sinizterguy wrote: »

If the invoice is for completed work, which by all accounts was satisfactory, why would you not pay it ?

If it is not paid, they can take you to small claims court.

Exactly how i see it

sheramber

halibut2209 wrote: »

A somewhat false analogy. Imagine you went to a restaurant, and ordered a 3 course meal. After the second course, they didn't bring out the final course and the waiters and staff just ignored you when you asked for the remainder of the food. What would you do then?

Pay for two courses