Neighbors keep asking for money for work done.

Questioner

I moved 2 years ago and wanted to have some work done on my garden. I saw that the neighbour was good at putting up garden fences in his own garden and asked him if he could do the same for me. I told him what my budget was and he said he would stick to it. He came up with a whole story that it ended up being more expensive. His wife helped him put up my garden fence and when I saw it I agreed to the higher amount. It really touched me to see how much she was helping. Then I asked the neighbour if he could also make my back gate to the garden. After a lot of letters back and forth it finally worked out and I paid his requested amount, which also turned out to be more expensive. Now I would only give something for the labour costs. As the neighbour himself said, I could decide for myself when and how much. Unfortunately, he and his wife keep sending me letters in the letterbox, saying that they are in financial need and have family problems and asking me to put money in an envelope in their letterbox immediately. I now regret asking the neighbor to help me with my gate, because it seems like I can't get rid of it now. They keep pushing with money etc. I work very hard to pay my rent and all expenses and have also told them that I have debts. But apparently it doesn't get through enough. I don't know what to do now. Give money anyway with the message that this is the last time or something else?

Lawyer

Legally, if there is no explicit agreement that you owe them more money after the work is done, you are not obligated to pay any more. It can be helpful to document what was discussed and agreed upon, such as payment terms, circumstances, etc. This will serve as evidence in case this escalates further. On a personal level, it is awkward because they are neighbors. You might consider having a conversation with them and explaining that you are also financially strapped and are not in a position to support them any further financially. It is understandable that you want to help them, especially since they helped you with your garden, but it seems that this is also beyond your own financial limits. It also seems wise to seek legal advice to be sure of your rights and obligations in this situation. Although you are not obligated to pay any further, it may be helpful to have an expert explain your options, just to be safe. --------------- Stichting Rechtswinkel.nl is a national organization with students and volunteers. The above advice is based on limited information and may be incomplete or even incorrect for your situation. Always consult a lawyer or attorney for your further steps. Read disclaimer: https://rechtswinkel.nl/disclaimer I would like to invite you to rate the above answer so that we can learn from your response.