Should my neighbor still be paid?

Question

Whenever we go on vacation, my mom asks one of the neighbor kids to water our flowers while we are gone for about $20 or so. This time when we got back, all of the flowers were dead and my mom was convinced that the girl didn't water them.

When the girl came over to be paid, my mom told her that her flowers were dead and she didn't think she should be compensated for it.

What do you think? Should she have been paid even though she killed the flowers?

Answer 1

Your mom did the right thing. The neighbor girl did not do the job she was supposed to do - so she shouldn't be paid for it.

Answer 2

To keep a good relationship with the neighbor, pay the girl anyway but tell her you are not happy with the result.  Don't hire her again.

Answer 3

NO!  Growing plants takes time and effort.  Twenty dollars is way over compensation for watering plants in the first place.  Irregardless, the girl didn't water the plants, thus killing them.  Heck no - don't pay her.

Answer 4

Was there a drought? If so she could have been watering and they still would have died. If not ask what happened.

Answer 5

You mom should have asked what happened first and if the girl couldn't give a good enough answer, then I wouldn't pay her. You mom should ask her for money to replace the plants.

Answer 6

No. If they watered them, the flowers would not have died.

I can't imagine paying a neighbor for doing a neighborly thing. We take care of each other's mail, yards, etc and no one expects to be paid.

Answer 7

No, she should not be paid for not doing her job. It teaches her to be irresponsible.

Answer 8

Plants also die from being over-watered. You should pay her and just ask her about it. If you don't like her answer or think she's not being honest, don't ask her to water your plants again. But do pay her-that was the deal.

Answer 9

Get her story. Make sure she didn't try too hard by drowning the plants. Her intentions may have been good.

But no, if she did not perform her job.

Answer 10

no dont pay her, unless she has proof that she really watered the flowers which is doubtful since they are all dead.  she didnt do her job and therefore she shouldnt be rewarded

Answer 11

no. she didnt do her job.

Answer 12

I would not pay the Kid anything !! She did not do what was asked of her.

Answer 13

Nope.  Her service was to keep the flowers alive.  She failed.  No money.  By the way, over-watering is still her not taking care of the flowers.  What if this had been a pet, and she underfed or overfed the pet to the point it died?  Would you pay her? No way!