So peeved- pet sitter

[Nicsmom]

I am so angry right now, mostly at myself for being so stupid. I hired a house-sitter/pet sitter for a week, since we were going on vacations and needed someone to take care of our dog. I met her through my dog's veterinarian (she works for her). She charged me $30 a day, for 7 days, $210.

Anyhow, we came back from our vacations and we found she had been locked out of the house,and without consulting with us, she had decided to call a locksmith who charged her $180. When we came back she told us this and my DH paid for half of the bill, meaning he payed her $210 + $90. Even though it was her fault,I felt bad that my DH had only paid for half the bill and called her to say I was going to give her a check for the other half. My thinking was: she is a student, she needs the money, and even if she should have asked us, she did what she could to keep taking care of our dog.

So I call her, and -without any apologies or thank-you -- she tells me to drop the check at the vet's office. Now I am starting to get pissed... Why can't she pick up the check? She also left a fan in my house which she also asked me to drop at the vet's. This, to me, is very rude.

Since she has no hurry to get the check, otherwise she would pick it up herself, I have posponed going to the vet's office. Plus she clearly told me there was no hurry. Today I got a call from the vet's office asking if I had dropped the check - which they know I have not, but probably she told them to call and ask me. GRRR

I am going this afternoon to drop the check and the fan, but I am seriously pissed. In addition, she did not write any report of her stay here, when and if our dog ate, when and if she watered our plants etc, as most sitters do.

[Marisa6826]

How old is this girl? If she's just a teenager, I'd chalk her behaviour up to immaturity and lack of professionalism. If she's an adult, well, then, she's just obnoxious.

Why did your DH pay for half the locksmith fee? It's not his/your fault she locked herself out. She could've easily called you to see if one of your neighbours had a key.

I could understand your sympathy toward her - she's young, needs the money, etc. Well, she doesn't need the attitude.

I would be tempted to only write the balance of what you feel is fair (I would NOT give her the additional $90), and then include it with a note outlining why you feel the way you do about the situation. I would also point out the lack of report, etc.

I know that it might make things a little weird at the vet when you need to visit there next, but I suspect that this is going to happen either way. She certainly doesn't seem to offer up any graciousness about what happened.

Please keep us posted!

-m

[Nicsmom]

She is 22, old enough to know better. I really feel that the more I gave her, the worse she behaved. Thanks for your advice, I completely agree with everything you say. Unfortunately yesterday, before reading your answer to my post, I went to my vet's office and dropped the $90 check. I just wanted to be over with it and not have to think about it anymore. I just wish I had confronted her, at least say something. But well, that's me. We'll see how the weirdness at the vet's office plays out when I go back.

Thanks,

Ana

[katydid1971]

If I were you I would complain to my vet. If she is recomending her she should know what kind of service she is giving. I would have expected much better service from someone recomended by my vet. I feel for you, I hate it when I feel I'm being taken for granted.
Sarah