Money Moral Dilemma: Should I contribute to my grandfather's new garden?

pugsydog

When you are old and less able to get about, spending time sitting in your garden, watching the plants grow and seeing wildlife is a joy. I know. Give what you can afford. Visit your grandad and sit with him and enjoy it too.

Bellisima

A garden makeover by a professional landscape designer will cost thousands. I recently had my garden paved by a builder in sandstone paving and it cost £3000, and that didn't include the plants, garden furniture or fencing. The costs can be huge if the landscapers design as well as carry out the work. You don't need permission to landscape a council house garden, my brother has done his himself and it has been a great improvement. I wonder if the person who originally suggested this gift truly knows the cost? I hope there's a lot of you!

badmemory

Gill141 wrote: »

Chances are it would be possible to purchase the house at a knock down price. Get your relatives to invest in this instead. No more rent payments for granddad and all will benefit.

My thoughts exactly - then they can do the garden for his 81st!

Bellisima

Buying a council house is not so cheap anymore. Maximum discount is approx £72,000 and value of the house depends on where you live. My brother tried and he just couldn't afford it even with the discount - house value £300,000, less the discount meant he had to find £228,000. People on benefits/low incomes may be entitled to help with the rent. I'm also saddened that it will be one more house off the council list..........��

Shaz34

Your family has put personal thought into his present. Regardless of how long your grandfather has to enjoy the garden, if he loves his garden surely it is worth it. My father was terminal and needed a stairlift and even though we knew he wouldn't get much time with it and it was expensive, it was worthwhile as he had the knowledge that he had more time to stay at home in his last weeks. If it spreads a little joy, why not?

Anna1664

Imagine that you are getting to the end of your life and the thing that will bring you joy....no matter for how long...is a garden make-over....it will also make it more manageable to maintain - giving you peace of mind and is a lovely thing that your family have clubbed together to finance it and made the effort to make it happen. Now imagine the one person who doesn't think of this but thinks that 'it will only benefit the new tenants' - well your Grandad is lucky that the state has provided for him over the years by giving him a council house and you and your family haven't had to finance his accommodation...is it so bad to help pay for this garden renovation that will then go onto bring happiness to the next person/family who lives at the property?

Disclaimer - obviously only contribute what you can stretch too...not everybody is 'made of money'.

hazyjo

Impossible to answer without knowing the grandfather's circumstances.

1. Did he once enjoy gardening?
2. Has the garden become too much for him to handle?
3. How fit and able is he?

If he has never shown any interest in it, improvements are not suddenly going to make him love gardening.

If it's become too much for him, how on earth is he meant to maintain it once it's been improved? Give it a month in summer and it'll be a nightmare again.

Gardening is bloody hard work. If he's not particularly fit, don't presume he's up to maintaining it.

I don't think it's a question of him not owning the house/the next tenant benefitting. It's more to do with the fact he might not want the responsibility of looking after it.

My FIL's garden is basically now a jungle (literally growing in through some windows). You could have the whole Groundforce team in tomorrow and he'd be peed off they did it and probably have a go at someone. (He was recently hospitalised and the family tried to smarten up his almost-derelict council property and garden) and he wasn't too happy about it!)

System

Give what you can afford to give or what you would normally spend on his birthday but no i wouldnt spend any more.

Pollycat

Gill141 wrote: »

Chances are it would be possible to purchase the house at a knock down price. Get your relatives to invest in this instead. No more rent payments for granddad and all will benefit.

If the Grandad is on certain benefits he may be paying very little rent.

silvercar wrote: »

Possibly because they are flaunted around social media and the weekly email.

More than possibly, I'd say.

Shaz34 wrote: »

Your family has put personal thought into his present. Regardless of how long your grandfather has to enjoy the garden, if he loves his garden surely it is worth it. My father was terminal and needed a stairlift and even though we knew he wouldn't get much time with it and it was expensive, it was worthwhile as he had the knowledge that he had more time to stay at home in his last weeks. If it spreads a little joy, why not?

The family may have put personal thought into the gift - but have they taken the OP's financial circumstances into account?

gloriouslyhappy

Sounds like a great idea - 80 is the new 60, your grandfather's probably got years ahead to enjoy his garden. If you can't afford a cash contribution, you could find out what the makeover plans are then visit your local garden centre to buy a couple of plants to go with the new scheme. Or offer your labour instead, either during the makeover or on a regular basis for maintaining the garden afterwards. Or buy a colourful house plant in a pretty pot for him to enjoy while the garden's being done. A little imagination, and you'll come up with a good compromise..