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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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I've spent the last 2 days working on my neighbours car as they were desperate to have it fixed before going away for the Bank Holiday weekend. I didnt want to say no to doing the job and we didn't even speak about money before I started the job because I was more concerned about helping them out and getting them back on the road in time for their holiday. Any way upon completion they took the keys back and said they would sort me out for it. They've come back with a crate of beer and some chocolates and said that's all they can afford to give. Obviously I'm not very happy about spending 2 days in the pissing rain for effectively £20 and feel that I've been taken advantage of.
My question is how would you deal with this situation? I don't want to sound ungrateful but at the same time want paying for what my knowledge and skills are worth any help would be massively appreciated.
Thanks in advance.  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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You didn't discuss money beforehand. They've paid you with what they can. Chalk it up to experience or post shit through their letterbox. The choice is yours  |
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Learn yoir lesson
Legally there’s nothing you can do
So learn your lesson. Never do a job without discussing money unless your happy to do it for free
Had it done plenty of times to me. Especially mates. Do £1000s work on a house and get a few beers and a few £20s. “Mates rates”
Don’t ever sell yourself short, remember this quote
Even if the job takes 15 minutes. The reason it costs £300 is because I spent 20 years learning how to make it take 15 minutes and doing it perfectly. Your not paying for my time. Your paying for all the years I spent on shit money, all my tools, all the experience I gained by messing up and losing money.
Never sell yourself short! |
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By *rad670Man
over a year ago
South Lakes |
Just put it down to a lesson learned, I've done this many times due to my want to help nature mostly with nothing more than a thanks in return, I do believe in karma and I hopefully have a lot of positive karma coming my way when I'm in need. Unless money is discussed at the start you have to be happy with whatever you get I suppose, it's nice to be valued but also nice to have helped someone in a fix. |
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I think you have to let it go and not fall out with your neighbours. They may be under the impression you were just helping them. I often help neighbours and vice versa with no expectation of payment. If I did a job for them for payment, I would discuss it before like I would with any client. I am sorry as perhaps it sounds harsh but ... |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Experience has shown me discuss before hand. If it’s just labour, let it go and never help them again. If they ask, tell them it’s your trade and you can’t work for what they expect you to again. It’s your trade. Mates rates take the piss when you hardly know people.
My best mates give me beer, neighbours can pay the going rate -20a% |
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By *eeman1Man
over a year ago
liverpool |
Yeah just gotta take this one on the chin I think.
With mates and neighbours etc it’s difficult but to spend 2 days working and get a crate is a piss take. Different if it was a couple of hours.
Just let it go and make sure future work is given an all park figure or at least talked about you’ll do it cheaper for them than normal rate. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Learn yoir lesson
Legally there’s nothing you can do
So learn your lesson. Never do a job without discussing money unless your happy to do it for free
Had it done plenty of times to me. Especially mates. Do £1000s work on a house and get a few beers and a few £20s. “Mates rates”
Don’t ever sell yourself short, remember this quote
Even if the job takes 15 minutes. The reason it costs £300 is because I spent 20 years learning how to make it take 15 minutes and doing it perfectly. Your not paying for my time. Your paying for all the years I spent on shit money, all my tools, all the experience I gained by messing up and losing money.
Never sell yourself short! "
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"If you didn't quote them they probably thought you were just doing them a favour, and so the gift was more than they thought they owed you."
I agree
And as others have said, don't fall for it again |
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Commiserations there mate, I'd be royally pissed off too especially as they can afford to go on holiday.
My dad was very handy with cars and was always fixing colleagues cars for beers, eventually he stopped doing it. I've helped neighbors with various DIY projects and had nothing in return. They don't even say hi.
No good deed goes unpunished. |
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