Gardener takes my tools and equipment without asking

Sawsage2 waiting for the replacement wheel to come. There have been supply problems. When you have a big house or bungalow tradesmen tend to double their prices and maintenance gets expensive. On the plus side we have fantastic views and I have bluebells in a wooded area which I wouldn’t swap for anything. We are lucky thanks to my late disabled son who we moved her for. His spirit is in the garden. He loved it. He did his City& Guilds in Horticulture and I was his hands. It’s where I find peace.

Welbeck I don’t see how I am an awkward customer. I have said nothing to the gardeners. I am polite which is another reason why I haven’t mentioned anything to them. A wheelbarrow is not very practical on our steep terrain and with a broken wheel is even worse. Only an idiot would use it. From personal experience a ground sheet is much easier to use. I will offer them one. They don’t need a barrow for grass cutting. I just wanted to find them a job when others jobs dry up at this time of year.

what's easier for you may not be easier for them.
why keep a dog and bark yourself.

Welbeck a wheelbarrow you can hardly push is easier? The rest doesn’t make sense.

My garden so not a problem if expected of me to provide the tools and have the means of storage.
I recall on one occasion being given two prices. Using his equipment or mine. I had no hesitation in making my choice when observing his garden tools compared to mine.

If you'd rather something were not used by your gardener - lock it away in the shed.

Sandelf for the umpteenth posting YES we lock our tools away. It was just the barrow with the duff wheel. I just wondered if it was common practice for gardeners to use others tools. My dad was in the building trade see and he would never touch anyone else’s tools and nobody touched his. It was an ethical code never to take another’s tools.

A wheelbarrow is hardly a tool - it's on a par with a mop & bucket, or dustpan & brush, garden waste bin, etc.

If it's in your garden, I think it's fair game for the gardeners to use it.

A tradesman's tools are a different matter.

Oh 25Avalon I didn't mean you were spying on your gardener. I was making a joke about you peeping out at him and did put up a smiley face to that effect. Sorry, I didn't mean to offend for one moment.

What a comfort it must be for you to feel your son's spirit in the garden. You must have many warm memories of working there with him. I brought some of my mother's plants to my garden and feel that a little bit of her is there with me still. I hope your gardening and gardeners go smoothly now and wish you many happy springs of enjoying those beautiful bluebells.

Thank you Scones. No offence taken although some replies have been less than kind. To have my own English bluebells is worth more than gold to me.

I would expect a qualified gardener to provide all their own equipment and to be insured. But they come at a price. So for a cheaper rate, yes, you will need to provide equipment.

I just wish I had a cleaner and a gardener!! All my married life I have been both. Sulk, sulk.

What does it matter whose tools they use as long as the job gets done and they don’t nick any!

What strikes me as strange is a husband and wife each having their own gardening tools. We have one set we share.

HillyN nothing strange really. Dh has more expensive tools with extra long handles, or very old ones he inherited from his grandad with sentimental value. He can’t do digging so I do it with my trusty plastic handled ladies spade with its stainless steel blade which is a necessity as the ground is stone, stone and more stone with red clay, then further down yellow clay with blue clay containing blue lias stone. We bought topsoil for the vegetable plot. Otherwise I have loppers, light weight clippers, pruning saw and secateurs which are mine. I keep them by the back door as I am out in the garden a lot doing stuff dh can’t. I like my own tools, well worn as they may be.

If he’s a professional Gardner he should have all his own tools and not have to use yours, I’ve used several gardeners and cleaners and they have always used their own

I don’t know why anyone posts on here. Hardly any empathy. I think I’m off.

'When you have a big house or bungalow tradesmen tend to double their prices and maintenance gets expensive'.
So you're expecting these people to ask you for the same amount of money as they would ask of someone with a much smaller house or bungalow, and the garden, too?
You're sounding like an old fashioned lady of the manor who expects to not pay full wages for staff to clean her large house and maintain her large garden because the lesser minions in their smaller houses with smaller gardens pay less!!!
All this over a blimmin wheelbarrow with one wheel!

You are wrong Ali

I expect to pay pro rata. If my job should cost £300 fine but not have an extra £200 stuck on top because they think I can afford it. The discrepancy in quotes is colossal as all my neighbours agree. If a gardener charges by the hour are you suggesting I should pay more per hour than someone who lives in a smaller house? Maybe I should pay twice as much for my groceries, television, etc if we take your argument to it’s final conclusion?