Housesitting gone awry. Advice, please.

[Sara]

[QUOTE=Retribution][size=1]However, I urge you to be mathematic in your money division (I think $66.66 is the common agreement here). But since they screwed you over, a nice one-up to them would be including a $15 service-charge just like a store's restocking fee.

Of course, if you'd like to take the moral high-ground, just give them their $66.66 and leave a guilt tripping letter.[/size][/QUOTE][color=#b0000b][size=1]I very much doubt that these people are guilt-trippable. If they were, this wouldn't have been a problem in the first place.

My favorite math problem:

[indent]Days scheduled: 12.
Amount paid: $400
$400/12=$33.33 per day

Normal days worked: 9.
9 x $33.33= $299.97

"Overtime" days: 1.
Overtime pay rate: Time and a half.
$33 x 1.5=($49.995 rounds to) $50.00

Event: Cancellation of contract
[i]results in[/i]: Forfeiture of half pay for each remaining day.
Days remaining after cancellation: 3.
Money forfeited by cancelling contract: ($49.995 rounds to) $50.00

[b]Out of $400[/b]:
[indent]-$299.97 for normal pay.
-$50.00 for extra day.
[u]-$50.00[/u] for cancelled contract
$ 00.03 owed[/indent]

But only because of our limitations with repeating decimals and money. Basically, the math works out that we're even. :p[/indent]

In the end, yeah, I think I'm just going to write them a check for sixty-six dollars. I talked with my dad last night, and right now all signs point to "defensive, manipulative whack-os." The [i]last[/i] thing I want is to have to deal with these people again.[/color][/size]

[Delta]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=#656446]Naw, you're doing it wrong, Sara.

[COLOR=Red][b]1[/b][/color]
They paid you $400 to sit the house for the next few weekends, and I'm assuming that both parties didn't have an agreement that $X = your services for a day. As long as you do your job in the set dates, you've covered your part of the contract.

[COLOR=Red][b]2[/b][/color]
That they expected you to work for them outside appointed days for practically nil means that they can't call up "daily wage" as basis for demanding so-and-so amount of rebate from you. If they still want to go by division of twelves, demand to be paid for the extra hours you put in plus additional compensation for the inconvenience they caused.

[COLOR=Red][b]3[/b][/color]
Think of yourself as an employee set for a 6-month contract and the couple, a company. If the company closes down 4 months after accepting the employee, the employee is still entitled to her pay for the remaining two months [i]in accordance with contract[/i]. Fact is, [u]they closed the opportunity for you to work for them (and effectively fulfill your end of the deal) [i]before[/i] the agreement expired[/u]. Had they not done that, you would've been able to complete them 12 days and give them what would probably be a satisfactory job.

So, [COLOR=Red][b]NO[/b][/color]. Give 'em nothing but jack squat back.

[COLOR=Red][b]4[/b][/color]
Also, tell them that they made you work overtime at the expense of your own interests and plans and they must give proper compensation. This is when you throw the phrase "whatever you think is fair" back at them. ;P

In summary,[INDENT]Amount paid = $400 [COLOR=Red][b]SET, NON-NEGOTIABLE[/b][/color]
Days scheduled =12 [COLOR=Red][b]IRRELEVANT![/b][/color]
$400/12=$33.33 per day [COLOR=Red][b]This wasn't in the contract, ergo INVALID.[/b][/color]
Demand for overtime pay. Your call
--------------------------
Final amount = [COLOR=Red][b]$400+[/b][/color]
[/INDENT][/COLOR][/SIZE]

[Gavin]

[SIZE=1]Interesting, most interesting.

As much as I wanted to tell you to tell them to go to hell Sara for what they've put you through, I think you're right to send them back the $66.66. While everything they did was underhanded, and you were perfectly within your rights to tell them you'd have liked more notice, they obvious don't have any problem with going after you in principle for what they've seen as a wronging. At the end of the day, they get back their money, but you keep your self respect in knowing that you gave a pair of babies what they wanted, and most people can't put a price on self respect.[/SIZE]

[Sandy]

Uh, why can't people just [I]get along[/I]? ;P

If I were you, Sara, I'd go and sort things up with them personally, face to face. It would be much harder for them to put the blame on you, and you wouldn't have to burn the bridges behind you.

Just explain why you felt unjust by the sudden call, and ask why they hadn't said anything about the dishes/curtains before if they were bothered by it.

I'm sure you'll come to a reasonable solution, and avoid law suits and other further problems. :)

[Mimmsicle]

[B]Ask your mom to send them a reply :][/B]

It's abominable to know good people are being treated this way, especially you, Sara.

[Aaryanna]

[COLOR=SeaGreen]No matter how I look at it, those people sound like stuck up jerks who are mad that you caught them trying to get extra work for nothing. :animesigh Besides, I absolutely love my dog and if I was asking someone to spend extra time to care for them, I'd make sure to let them know how much I appreciate them giving up their extra time to accommodate me. The last thing I would want is someone taking care of her who is upset because I was too much of a cheapskate to pay for an extra night of care. Besides it's wrong to cheat others and they know it.

Personally I think you don't owe them anything. However, if you do give some money back. I say you print a copy of this thread and give it to them along with the money. And if they need you to explain to them how even we total strangers can see what cheap underhanded ninnies they are, well there's just no hope for some people. :animesigh [/COLOR]

[Charles]

Write down your opinions on a slip of paper and tell them that it's only fair that you give them your two cents on the matter. Slip the note into an envelope and include two pennies.

[/end thread]

[Claire]

[FONT=Arial]While I don't have a reasonable solution to your problem, I would just like to enviously point out that I took care of my neighbors two puppies for a week, letting them out, cleaning their indoor messes, and making sure they had food. All I got was $20. ='(

Though, if for some reason this ends up going to court, I say you should appear in a neck brace and crutches [/FONT]

[Charles]

[quote name='Marsh][FONT=Arial']Though, if for some reason this ends up going to court, I say you should appear in a neck brace and crutches [/FONT][/quote]

lol, what?

Oh well, no worse than my joke. :D

[uchihagirl]

[QUOTE=Marsh][FONT=Arial]While I don't have a reasonable solution to your problem, I would just like to enviously point out that I took care of my neighbors two puppies for a week, letting them out, cleaning their indoor messes, and making sure they had food. All I got was $20. ='(

Though, if for some reason this ends up going to court, I say you should appear in a neck brace and crutches [/FONT][/QUOTE]


Court? Are you kidding? If you go there, the judge'll kick you out before you even utter a word. -_-

[Petie]

[QUOTE=Sara][color=#b0000b][size=1]Days scheduled: 12.[indent]Amount paid: $400

$400/12=$33.33 per day

Normal days worked: 9.
9 x $33.33= $299.97

"Overtime" days: 1.
Overtime pay rate: Time and a half.
$33 x 1.5=($49.995 rounds to) $50.00

Event: Cancellation of contract
[i]results in[/i]: Forfeiture of half pay for each remaining day.
Days remaining after cancellation: 3.
Money forfeited by cancelling contract: ($49.995 rounds to) $50.00



[b]Out of $400[/b]:[indent]-$299.97 for normal pay.
-$50.00 for extra day.
[u]-$50.00[/u] for cancelled contract
$ 00.03 owed[/size][/color][/QUOTE][font=Verdana][color=blue]While it would only serve to make them mad, it would be awesome if you handed them $0.03 with those exact calculations attached.[/color][/font]
[/indent][/indent]

[uchihagirl]

LOL! Too bad that would be quite harsh, I mean, $0.03 is like nothing.

[Guest -Yuna-]

They were wrong to ask you for some of the money back, thats just being petty because you showed that you weren't the doormat they wanted working for them. You are a young adult and you have a life!They cant expect you to just drop everything without advance notice just because they want to leave earlier for their convenience! Sending your mother the email to complain was very underhand and they should be sending the email to you or contacting you, as you're the one they were doing business with!!So they were acting very unprofessional.
Dont give them any money, and tell them to shove it. Thats all they deserve for their poor treatment and attitude towards you.

[DaSilva]

Sara, I have given your dilemma even more thought and consideration. And I still have to say, get your *ss to Minnesota! It is the only logical thing that I can find to do.

[nezzyjean]

Haha when i first read the post topic, I thought this was going to be some haunted house story :animeswea


People can be so rude & inconsiderate & selfish sometimes.

I have two dogs, & i have never in my life expected anyone to sleep over at my house to watch them for me when I go out of town. Instead, I'll hire somebody to come over and let them out to the bathroom 3-5 times a day and feed them once around 6 o clock. My family & I recently went out of town for a week and we payed my cousin 100 bucks to do just that..but we ended up coming back early because of extenuating circumstances, and payed him what we would of for one full week, because that is what he was expecting. & we didnt expect him to look after our plants or clean our dishes or any of that kind of bull.


These people not only took advantage of your service, but also cancelled those services and expect YOU to pay THEM for it.

No no no, life doesn't work that way. If you had cancelled the last two days, then you should pay them for it, but THEY fired YOU, so you get to keep the extra dough. I've had people simply cancel a babysitting job they needed me to do a day before the job, and, despite my genuine and earnest protesting, they gave me the money for it anyway.


But, i suppose since they are friends of your moms, you should maybe give them between 30 to 60 bucks (about the price of one day since you worked the extra night) back to be the bigger person. Plus, they sound like the kind that would slander your name around the neighborhood..so you might want to ease the bad blood as much as possible to keep them from jeopardizing any future gigs you might want in the baby/house/dog sitting business.

hope you figure out the right decision..thats a tough one to make.