Teen agreed to pet sit for neighbors 1st time 3 days they paid $20/day as agreed. 2nd time last week she sat 6 days assuming same pay but they only paid $80 for 6 days. No explanation. Noticed when helping her their house is a shambles and a virtual shrine to drinking with hundreds of wine corks and hundreds more bottle caps saved in containers (literally).

do we:
1. Ask them if they were satisfied and inquire about the unannounced rate change.
2. Say nothing but never work for them again.
3. Say nothing, pay my daughter the $40 she was stiffed out of pocket and lecture her on written employment contracts and 'trusting' people paying you.
4. Discuss alcohol and how it makes people unreliable and generally not the greatest people to do business with.

I know she did a good job going 3x a day spending 1/2 or more each visit walking, cleaning up after, feeding, grooming and playing with the animal. They have little ones and there is the promise of baby sitting in the future.

My personal feeling is ask them if they were satisfied and if they do not cover the difference with an apology (or explain dissatisfaction) to tell my daughter to never work for people that stiff you, ever again. Fool me once.

fool me once Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Teen agreed to pet sit for neighbors 1st time 3
> days they paid $20/day as agreed. 2nd time last
> week she sat 6 days assuming same pay
>
> do we:
>
> 2. Say nothing but never work for them again.
> 3. my daughter lecture her on written
> employment contracts and 'trusting' people paying
> you.
>


(added emphasis)


From #3, I gather you, her or all of you realized a little too late what happens when you AssUme. While for something like this, usually the verbal agreement would suffice, in the case of these people, if she ever does work for them again, I would get it in writing or money in advance.

If they ask again, I would politely decline without giving a reason. If they press, you can tell them she did the task for $20/day the first time. Since they cut her pay to $13.33/day, a pay cut of close to 36% without notice, she can't work for people who do business like that.

They can say what they like about no agreement the 2nd time, and you can acknowledge that, but keep it on them by telling them they paid her the $20/day the first time, so it's up to them to let her know there's going to be a different pay scale from now on, so she can accept or reject the job. If they do offer to make up the chiseled funds, she can work for them, but, again, with aritten agreement or full payment in advance.

Pointer outer of things Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> fool me once Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Teen agreed to pet sit for neighbors 1st time 3
> > days they paid $20/day as agreed. 2nd time
> last
> > week she sat 6 days assuming same pay
> >
> > do we:
> >
> > 2. Say nothing but never work for them again.
> > 3. my daughter lecture her on written
> > employment contracts and 'trusting' people
> paying
> > you.
> >
>
>
> (added emphasis)
>
>
> From #3, I gather you, her or all of you realized
> a little too late what happens when you
> AssUme. While for something like this,
> usually the verbal agreement would suffice, in the
> case of these people, if she ever does work for
> them again, I would get it in writing or money in
> advance.
>
> If they ask again, I would politely decline
> without giving a reason. If they press, you can
> tell them she did the task for $20/day the first
> time. Since they cut her pay to $13.33/day, a pay
> cut of close to 36% without notice, she can't work
> for people who do business like that.
>
> They can say what they like about no agreement the
> 2nd time, and you can acknowledge that, but keep
> it on them by telling them they paid her the
> $20/day the first time, so it's up to them to let
> her know there's going to be a different pay scale
> from now on, so she can accept or reject the job.
> If they do offer to make up the chiseled funds,
> she can work for them, but, again, with aritten
> agreement or full payment in advance.

yea pretty much my thinking as well. Its not that big a deal but I agree with you. Not sure Id bother telling them the obvious if they ask why she wont work for them in the future. Reliable, honest pet sitters coming into your house (supervised by a parent) are very hard to come by.

I imagine boarding kennels for an older dog with special needs like theirs will charge more than 20 bucks a day. Anyway it will be a few good lessons wrapped in one. Nothing major.

#2 Say nothing and never work for them again.

There's no 'win' discussing it with them, you will look petty. (You're not being petty, this is how cheap people get away with stuff)

If they ask again, she's busy that week. No explanation required.

If she wants to work for them again, you (or she) can make it clear at the beginning what both sides expect.

TPWGD Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> #2 Say nothing and never work for them again.
>
> There's no 'win' discussing it with them, you will
> look petty. (You're not being petty, this is how
> cheap people get away with stuff)
>
> If they ask again, she's busy that week. No
> explanation required.
>
> If she wants to work for them again, you (or she)
> can make it clear at the beginning what both sides
> expect.

Also very good advise. Im torn thought that its not sticking up for herself. In business Id certainly call them out. This is a cross between business and neighbors though.

agree Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Pointer outer of things Wrote:
> -------------------------------
>
> I imagine boarding kennels for an older dog with
> special needs like theirs will charge more than 20
> bucks a day. Anyway it will be a few good lessons
> wrapped in one. Nothing major.

I could put my dog up at the Red Roof cheaper than what kennels charge.
When my wife and I drive to the midwest on vacation we drop him off
at a kennel in Winchester where the rates are far cheaper.

It is as much your daughter's responsibility as it is the family's responsibility to clarify what the rate is going to be. If your daughter failed to indicate what the price was, then she cannot complain if the family thought they should pay her less than what she was expecting.

At this point though what is done has been done, and it is time to figure out what to do going forward. If there is the prospect this family is going to give your daughter other work in the future and your daughter wants this work. Then both you and she need to say nothing further about the low payment. Any other course makes it more likely the family will take their business elsewhere. Your daughter should remember though in the future to always make it clear what the rates are.

j6yyy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It is as much your daughter's responsibility as it
> is the family's responsibility to clarify what the
> rate is going to be. If your daughter failed to
> indicate what the price was, then she cannot
> complain if the family thought they should pay her
> less than what she was expecting.
>
> At this point though what is done has been done,
> and it is time to figure out what to do going
> forward. If there is the prospect this family is
> going to give your daughter other work in the
> future and your daughter wants this work. Then
> both you and she need to say nothing further about
> the low payment. Any other course makes it more
> likely the family will take their business
> elsewhere. Your daughter should remember though
> in the future to always make it clear what the
> rates are.

So appreciate the input but a couple things.

1. They paid her $20/day only 3 weeks ago based on a verbal agreement at which time they also asked her to sit this last week as well - the verbal agreement was for both sitting assignments.

2. She sits for other neighbors for $25/day on verbal agreements and never has had a rate unilaterally reduced.

3. As to their 'bringing their business elsewhere' - they are more in need of the services than she is the business. They have urged her to kid-sit for them and seemed relieved to have an in-home option for their dog. The dog is older and needs a fair amount of TLC and is frankly kind of gross.

Im glad your post reminded me that the verbal agreement was made for both sittings at the same time and therefore for the same rate. Maybe they just did the math wrong.

Nobody cares about your little snowflake. Post this crap elsewhere.

The family came back and the mom partially paid my daughter. She said she would pay her later in the week. If wasn't much, so I gave my daughter the money, with the understanding that when she finally received it from the neighbor she would give it back to me. I was actually planning on letter her keep it.

One week goes by, two weeks, then three. I guess she won't be getting the rest of the payment. I know people are busy, but she shouldn't have to track down an adult for the money she earned.

The same thing happened 2 my kid Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The family came back and the mom partially paid my
> daughter. She said she would pay her later in the
> week. If wasn't much, so I gave my daughter the
> money, with the understanding that when she
> finally received it from the neighbor she would
> give it back to me. I was actually planning on
> letter her keep it.
>
> One week goes by, two weeks, then three. I guess
> she won't be getting the rest of the payment. I
> know people are busy, but she shouldn't have to
> track down an adult for the money she earned.

Sucks right. I think these people forgot or dont care. None of this is more than a life lesson/business lesson. You have to stick up for yourself in life and especially in business. I sent a text letting them know if it was a rate change no problem but we wanted to make sure they were satisfied with the service.

My kid has more business than she can handle at $25/day so why mess with someone cutting her agreed upon $20/day rate to $13/day?

fool me once Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Teen agreed to pet sit for neighbors 1st time 3
> days they paid $20/day as agreed. 2nd time last
> week she sat 6 days assuming same pay but they
> only paid $80 for 6 days. No explanation. Noticed
> when helping her their house is a shambles and a
> virtual shrine to drinking with hundreds of wine
> corks and hundreds more bottle caps saved in
> containers (literally).
>
> do we:
> 1. Ask them if they were satisfied and inquire
> about the unannounced rate change.
> 2. Say nothing but never work for them again.
> 3. Say nothing, pay my daughter the $40 she was
> stiffed out of pocket and lecture her on written
> employment contracts and 'trusting' people paying
> you.
> 4. Discuss alcohol and how it makes people
> unreliable and generally not the greatest people
> to do business with.
>
> I know she did a good job going 3x a day spending
> 1/2 or more each visit walking, cleaning up after,
> feeding, grooming and playing with the animal.
> They have little ones and there is the promise of
> baby sitting in the future.
>
> My personal feeling is ask them if they were
> satisfied and if they do not cover the difference
> with an apology (or explain dissatisfaction) to
> tell my daughter to never work for people that
> stiff you, ever again. Fool me once.

she drank $20 worth of wine and the other $20 she's holding out on you

rough the bitch up

Hey OP, tell them you found a suitable replacement since they don't want to be consistent on their pay.


Tell them that I will gladly sit on their pet for free.

Hence, they will never need another pet sitter.

Saves tons of money and a hefty future euthanasia fee to boot.

Great deal if you ask me.