Money Moral Dilemma: Should I pay my colleagues £500 for looking after their house and cats?

cloughja

£500 for free utilities and saving on the commute? Seems a good saving. I'd pay up and avoid any drama.

keegan62

If they genuinely did not ask for payment before they went away, then it's unreasonable to now ask for payment. By looking after their animals & providing live-in security for them while they were away, you have helped them more than they helped you. It's not you that would be making things difficult at work - by doing this they have created the awkwardness. I would calmly refuse the request with a clear explanation why you're refusing. If the situation does become uncomfortable at work I'd explain everything calmly to your manager/ HR etc so that you are being open & clear about how reasonable you're being & how difficult they are being. 

TELLIT01

Tell them your normal pet-sitting rate is £15 per hour but you will reduce this to £5 per hour as it was long term.  £120 per day for 90 days = £10800.  Deduct the £500 they want for use of the accommodation and they owe you £10300.  See how they react to that.

asmcc

If this is a genuine question then the answer on several counts has to be NO!  You have maintained the security of their home, looked after their cats and inconvenienced yourself.  A cattery would have cost a great deal for two cats, an unlived in home is a perfect target for thieves and no money was initially mentioned or agreed. The shorter commute was a perk due to you for agreeing to do this for your colleagues.
Another respondent mentioned Trusted Housesitters - I'm a sitter on this site  and we are never paid for our sits.  Tell your colleagues, not friends I note, that you will not be doing this again and refer them to Trusted Housesitters where they will pay merely a year's membership fee and have as many sits as they like.

Benthebadger

I use Trusted Housesitters as I don't want to make our cat have to leave her home just because we are having a holiday! I also think it's nice to keep the place looking occupied. We don't pay the sitter at all, just an annual registration fee. We do always leave nice toiletries to use and a present and thank you. Sometimes food (though the agency hasn't really encouraged that for hygiene etc) but generally say use whatever is sealed and in the store cupboard.  The OP's "friends" are totally in the wrong and very cheeky. If any money was to change hands, it should have been discussed and AGREED beforehand. To decide on some arbitrary sum now is most peculiar. Don't even discuss it other than to say no.

Lazyfitter

Given the high cost of cattery fees and security guard charges, you should be charging them for the increased risk to your own property whilst you were at their house - less the saving to you for commuting costs if you are feeling generous - perhaps that may put into perspective for them the sacrifice you’ve made on their behalf!
If this the way your “friends” behave, perhaps you need better friends.

TELLIT01

Benthebadger said:

I use Trusted Housesitters as I don't want to make our cat have to leave her home just because we are having a holiday! I also think it's nice to keep the place looking occupied. We don't pay the sitter at all, just an annual registration fee. We do always leave nice toiletries to use and a present and thank you. Sometimes food (though the agency hasn't really encouraged that for hygiene etc) but generally say use whatever is sealed and in the store cupboard.  The OP's "friends" are totally in the wrong and very cheeky. If any money was to change hands, it should have been discussed and AGREED beforehand. To decide on some arbitrary sum now is most peculiar. Don't even discuss it other than to say no.

Friends of ours used to work either for Trusted Housesitters or a similar company, and did so for several years.  They didn't actually have a home of their own to go back to during that period.  Most of the time the system worked very well for them although they did have a cancellation in America just a few days before they were due to travel.  Fortunately they did manage to find another placement in the same area.  The only real problem they had was one repeat customer where they were 'sitting' for 3 months.  When they arrived they were told a log burner had been installed and central heating was no longer used, and they would have to buy their own logs.  This was for a December to February 'sit'.  They obviously weren't happy but simply refused to sit for them again.

Bigbaz52

Ex friends now. Tell them to do one !

ollythecollie

MichaelTL said:

There are too many unknowns and I suspect that may be deliberate. Do we have all the facts? I think not. 

Perhaps you could list these many unknowns which could materially alter the obvious conclusion, agreed upon almost unanimously by the members who have replied, to be drawn from the question as it stands?

Then again, perhaps you couldn't.

twopenny

You house sitted.

Cost of employing a house sitter

Saving on house and contents insurance (which would cost if no one was there over that period)

Cost of cat kennels

List it and in writing and present you bill.