What to do?

[Tom_B]

Ok so about 3 years back i started cutting this lawn next door,Its owned by one man and rented out by another.There are 2 lots one that a lawyer was renting (but moved last year) and the rear lot was rented by a young man (28-30yo) and he was never out side and he never left anything on the lawn except a garden hose one time.

Now we have a problem,A lady about 45-49yo moved into the rear lot,Now i thought she was normal (looked alittle crabby) and so i didnt have any problem,So about 3 nights ago at 3:30am she came bare foot through my totally muddy yard (construction) and started to bang on my door,She kept saying she wanted her mother and wanted in the house.Well i called the police and they came and took her home and thats the end of that but we found out shes really Mentally off,I really dont want to cut the grass now because she started to run around in the yard and lay down and fall asleep and she does it every day,She lives alone and dosnt have a car but she likes to wonder in the street (hwy159 pretty crowded) and im afraid she will be in the way.Plus i just dont like the idea she tried to get into my Home,If the door was unlocked she would have been in because she was kicking the door and hitting the windows and even trying to twist the door knob but luckly it was locked.

Now im in a bind because the grass is almost in need of cutting and im looking for some advice,Do i call the owner and tell him my feelings or just call and tell him i wont be able to cut the lawn this year w/o letting him know why?

Thanks for any help.

[Pro-Cut Lawns]

Hey Tom
Sounds like a tough situation. I personally wouldn't walk away from the work without talking to the owner of the property. I would call him and explain the situation and tell him your are really nervous about mowing the property with the lady living there for safety reasons. I dont think he would want anything to happen on his property. It's hard to concentrate on mowing when you have to watch for people getting in the way.

I had a situation last week mowning the first time on a new account. A young boy next door kept coming across a side street while I was mowing. I would turn the mower and he would be within few feet of me. I asked him several times to go back across the street and watch because I was afraid he would get hurt. He wouldnt. I shut the mower down and walked across to talk to the Mother. She was outside the whole time and plainly heard me ask him to go back across the street. I finally convinced her to keep him home. I told the owner of the property I was really concerned about this childs safety and she was going to contact the parents and ask them to keep him off the property while I am there mowing.

[Russo]

Take your clothes off and go to her door at 3:30 am. Start kicking in the door and screaming " MOMMY'S HOME, MOMMY'S HOME. " Then just pass out in her lawn for a while. Come on, man, this one's easy....FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE !

Seriously, I would call the owner and simply mention your concerns. Then ask him what he thinks. Any reasonable person would understand your position.

[MJ]

Tom_B, if a person is that mentally ill, generally there will be another person who has some kind of responsibility for that person. Might be called a "conservator", "legal guardian" or "case manager". Find out who that person is and let them know that there was a problem. If there isn't any such person, notify the police (she's just acting stupid). Don't put up with any more similar behavior - if she is a danger to herself or someone else she belongs in an institution. I wouldn't give up the job just because of her - let her or the guardian know that you're not going to put up with that kind of behavior (trespassing and entering your home). Don't try to be friendly - she might misinterpret it and you'll have a "friend" for life.

[JimLewis]

I definitely wouldn't work there any longer until she was out of the picture. The coming-to-your-house issue alone is crazy enough for me to run away from something like this.

I'd call the owner and explain that as long as she resided there, you wouldn't be able to continue working there - no exceptions.

[John Allin]

And I thought I had problems ????

[awm]

my friend, you are dealing with mental disorders. the fact that she is living there ,means either she has been deemed sane enough to live alone ,OR no means are available to give her the care she needs. theres a lot of that out there.
while i sympathise and think u should deal with her as best u can,as shes still a fellow human being.i dont believe i would like having her that close to my family.mowing her yes, close neighbor no.i believe id do a check on her record.good luck in solving the problem,and keep your eyes open. my sympathies go to her also.
sad situation

[gogetter]

No way. I would call the owner/landlord and explain why I would be discontinuing service.

Put out a hundred flyers or so and pick up another customer to replace that one.

I'd be annoyed enough as it is just having to live near her and witness her behavior, let alone having to cut her grass! No thanks.