Crazy Neighbor!

[Jeds_Lawn_Care]

OK, I mow a guy's yard that is right up next to his neighbors' driveway. No privacy fence or anything. This guy notices two blades of grass that get onto his drive, so I am leaving allot of grass uncut to keep this guy from getting the redaxe (i'm trying to keep it clean here). At his request, when I blow the grass off of the drive and into the street, I have to blow it back into my clients yard. Because if I don't the cars will drive by and blow grass up into his drive:dizzy::mad: .......BTW his yard is spotless

Should I send this guy a bill for like $40 a month, for having to blow the grass all over the place? I mean it is a service for him, not my client. My client says "It keeps him off my back so it is a service for me".

Ya know, its people like this that make lawn mowing misery.

There is that verse the says "Be at peace with all man".:waving:

Just let me hear what you guys think.

[CLARK LAWN]

he wants you to clean up your mess ,whats the problem?

[topsites]

he wants you to clean up your mess ,whats the problem?

Unfortunately I had to learn this lesson the hard way...
Yes, even 2 single blades of grass on someone else's prop, if you put it there, clean it up.

In time, I learned how to cut and trim more efficiently so that it makes less of a mess in the first place, but there are many times I run my blower over the neighbor's drives without them saying a word... A lot of times I run the air over their cars as well to get rid of that layer of dust that likes to settle (even if I didn't put the dust on there, this helps put a smile on their face).

There are pita neighbors who will make your life miserable over nothing, but I think this is not one of those cases, even if he is a jerk about it. There is something I learned, and that is to do what I can to keep them off my back, so if they don't want me to park in front of their lot or whatever, yo if it makes them happy and it's just that one thing, do it.

Now if they like to come out every single time and waste 20 minutes of my time with their miserable attitude then that is another story, but first do your job. sux, but such is life :laugh:

[Roger]

Be happy you have a customer, take pride in doing a job completely and being able to leave the property looking the best. Oh yes, be thankful that these trivial matters are the most troublesome to operating your business.

[chimmygew]

Leaving grass in the street looks unprofessional anyway.

[jwscroll]

Charge Him.

[mblackburn]

always blow back into yard or pick up anyway here

I also blow anything i distribute or that you might think i did ie..neighbors drive if adjoining...we have a lot of zero lot line accounts and my customers yard will touch neighbors driveway...I will actually edge neighbors drive also then blow it off...makes both people happy..remember the neighbor could one day sign up and make you able to cut two without moving your truck (i love those)

[hoskm01]

Should I send this guy a bill for like $40 a month, for having to blow the grass all over the place? I mean it is a service for him, not my client. My client says "It keeps him off my back so it is a service for me".


Sure, send him a bill. If he replies to you at all, expect it to be ugly and rude and don't ever expect to get a dime of your money. Then, you can take him to court for the unpaid bill and the judge will ask for a copy of the contract or when the "agreement" was made and you'll say"I don't have one sir because he only asked me to clean up after myself in the first place.

Grass in the street is a big no-no. But if there was little enough, like just what caught in the wind while mowing, tell the neighbor to shove it cause you're not the street sweeper. Is it that hard to blow around the property back into the grass you just cut? There cant be that much loose grass around, and if there is, then you have bigger fish to fry.

[mblackburn]

I think the work is expected but on the billing issue if you bill anybody for the extra effort it takes you to do your clients lawn to his satisfaction add $5 to your clients billing in a rate increase...if you have $40 worth of clippings to blow i can only wonder if you are bagging it and dumping the bags in your clients neighbors drive....lol

be honest do you even charge the client 40 for the mowing?

[LONEMAN]

Jed, can you blow the grass off the driveway into your client's yard? I never blow clippings down the driveway to the street- I always blow from the street into the grass or driveway, then from the driveway to the grass. Doesn't leave a mess at all, even on the grass because you can barely see the clippings. If I make a mess on someone else's property, I clean it up without argument, and that includes blowing off vehicles and other things like furniture, etc.

[jacough42]

I agree with the your mess clean it philosophy. I also blow dust off of cars and clean the street. In my opinion its a hack job to leave a mess in the street. In most cases the curb in front of my client's houses are the cleanest on the street and I like it that way.

I have dealt with dopey neighbors in the past, usually during leaf season. Here are a few key phrases to use on people getting up into your face. Stay calm, get this serene, peaceful look on your face and say things like: "I know...I know...Probably so...Maybe...I don't know...That's so sad....Not my problem...I know." They either chill out or get madder. It's great. Works on kids too.

[Jeds_Lawn_Care]

be honest do you even charge the client 40 for the mowing?

$30 per mowin'. That includes trimming and edging and blowing.

[Jeds_Lawn_Care]

[QUOTE=topsites]...if you put it there, clean it up.

.....I run my blower over the neighbor's drives without them saying a word... A lot of times I run the air over their cars as well to get rid of that layer of dust that likes to settle (even if I didn't put the dust on there, this helps put a smile on their face).[QUOTE]

Ok I can understand the If I put it there clean it up part.

But even sometimes when I have cleaned it up he gets mad. The grass just kinda sticks to his drive. I use a eb7001 to blow w/ and even when I get right up on the grass it still won't totaly come off. Well, such is life. This is a great way to learn how to deal w/ people though.

[Jeds_Lawn_Care]

Jed, can you blow the grass off the driveway into your client's yard? I never blow clippings down the driveway to the street- I always blow from the street into the grass or driveway, then from the driveway to the grass. Doesn't leave a mess at all, even on the grass because you can barely see the clippings. If I make a mess on someone else's property, I clean it up without argument, and that includes blowing off vehicles and other things like furniture, etc.

I really appriciate this tip. You guys are right I should clean up my mess. But it seems like even when I have tried to clean it up he still gripes! HE DOESN'T EVEN WANT ME BLOWING OFF HIS DRIVE.

[LONEMAN]

I see... Sounds like he doesn't want anything at all touching his property even if you clean it up. I am very thorough with my work, and my customers know that, but a fuzzy neighbor like that would really make me mad even when it's obvious there's nothing that can prevent little messes like you described. I try to talk to people like that and find out what I can do to make them happy first, and see if it is even possible to do so. If they are still on your case, then I just come to the conclusion that something's wrong with the person- considering there was no miscommunication. What also makes me very mad is that people like that will say negative things about you and your company which spreads faster than you can get business.