Livery Yard Contract Advice

[SO1]

I wonder if the stable has been already filled a lot more quickly than expected and she needed it cleaned immediately ready for the new horse.
8
It could be that she has a horse in there already and therefore getting your livery payment for next two weeks plus the new horse.

I do agree that unreasonable for YO to go back on what was agreed in that you would return to clear out stable next day.

 

[HashRouge]

I think this is a slightly odd situation. Are you sure you aren't just misinterpreting her texts a bit? I know sometimes it can be hard to understand someone's tone via text. Or has she actually said "you aren't welcome back" (as opposed to say, "hi I've done the stable for you so you don't need to come back. Outstanding livery plus cost for cleaning stable + £X")?
I cleaned my stables out the day before I left (end of December). YO had sent a text to remind me but I was going to do it anyway. No way of disinfecting as we didn't have running water but they were as spotless as I could get them, along with my space in the barn.

 

[Welshchestnutmare]

I wonder if the stable has been already filled a lot more quickly than expected and she needed it cleaned immediately ready for the new horse.
8
It could be that she has a horse in there already and therefore getting your livery payment for next two weeks plus the new horse.

I do agree that unreasonable for YO to go back on what was agreed in that you would return to clear out stable next day.

She has 6 other empty stables so for her to need to fill mine would seem unlikely. It's very upsetting that she has chosen to behave in this manner as I thought we had a good relationship with herself and husband. Unfortunately we were warned that she did this but we honestly didn't think she would.

 

[SO1]

I expect she has another horse in the stable and does not want you to come back and say you will not pay the remaining amount due as she has filled the stable.

Either that or she thinks you may tell other liveries how great the new place is and she may loose customers.

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

If you had agreed with the YO that you would be back to clear up and she hasn’t given you that opportunity then I do think it is wrong to charge you for cleaning the stable and she wouldn’t be successful in getting the money from you.

To be honest it’s not unusual for YO/ YM to totally change after you give notice and or leave even if you thought it was amicable.

 

[Red-1]

She hasn't kindly done it, she wants to charge me for doing it!!
It's not that I want to go back but surely she's in breach of the contract not allowing me access

If she had agreed a time scale for you to clean and disinfect, then I would pay the notice but not the cleaning fee. This would be as long as the stable was left mucked out, but not disinfected.

I'm afraid I won't even go for a ride without mucking out and leaving the stable tidy, and the livery yard I use for training/holiday livery would also expect poo picking when I ride, even though it is full livery. If the stable was left with poos in it, then I would simply pay the fee.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Were you all paid up livery wise? Is it just the cleaning fee?
It is quite a difficult one actually …
Personally as soon as I knew I was moving I gutted my stable but.. it was may and he wasn’t in at that time.
however if you have paid up till that date then you are quite within your rights to clear out your stable within an adequate timescale.

I am however not sure what the right answer is ?

 

[SO1]

I think it is very clear. She agreed with YO she would return the next day to clean out the stable. She had given notice and was committed to paying the two weeks notice. During the notice period she should have access to the yard as she is paying for that privilege.

YO if she wanted the stable clear on the day the client left should never have agreed to her coming back the next day to do it.

Were you all paid up livery wise? Is it just the cleaning fee?
It is quite a difficult one actually …
Personally as soon as I knew I was moving I gutted my stable but.. it was may and he wasn’t in at that time.
however if you have paid up till that date then you are quite within your rights to clear out your stable within an adequate timescale.

I am however not sure what the right answer is ?

 

[PeterNatt]

The yard owner has in this instance breached the contract and the livery is not responsible for paying for the cleaning of the stable. In fact the yard owner has asked the livery not to return to the yard
and in effect owes them monies for the notice period.

 

[Surbie]

I don't think it's reasonable to charge you for cleaning if they have agreed that you would go back on a certain day within your notice period and do it. Personally I wouldn't pay the charge on that basis.

 

[Welshchestnutmare]

I think it is very clear. She agreed with YO she would return the next day to clean out the stable. She had given notice and was committed to paying the two weeks notice. During the notice period she should have access to the yard as she is paying for that privilege.

YO if she wanted the stable clear on the day the client left should never have agreed to her coming back the next day to do it.

Yes!! If I'm going to be paying for my two weeks to be able tobhave access to the yard amd arena then surely she can't stop me from going? She knows me well enough to know i wouldn't have just left and not gone back to do the stable.

 

[Welshchestnutmare]

The yard owner has in this instance breached the contract and the livery is not responsible for paying for the cleaning of the stable. In fact the yard owner has asked the livery not to return to the yard
and in effect owes them monies for the notice period.

Now this is what I wanted answering!! As she doesn't want us to return to the yard she is in breach. I just wanted to know if I was correct in this thinking. Thank you ?

 

[Barton Bounty]

I think it is very clear. She agreed with YO she would return the next day to clean out the stable. She had given notice and was committed to paying the two weeks notice. During the notice period she should have access to the yard as she is paying for that privilege.

YO if she wanted the stable clear on the day the client left should never have agreed to her coming back the next day to do it.

Are you the OP ?
Oh no , I was giving my opinion to the original poster! really not sure why you quoted my post?
As some other people have said they are or have been yard owners themselves and were glad to see the back of some people. Animosity does arise when a contract ends especially with huffy horse world people. We are hearing one side of the story. Neither of which I said was right or wrong! And from your post above you said maybe she needed the stable?
however there was 6 other stables empty, I hardly think there was a desperation to fill them ! However I didnt feel the need to quote you and point out your error ?

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

If YO agreed to you coming back at a later date instead of cleaning the stable on the day of your move, but has cleaned it before the agreed date then no I would not pay for the cleaning.

If they had asked you to do it on the day of your move and you didn't, or you had not come back on the agreed day to clean then yes you need to pay.

You still need to pay the notice either way.

 

[ester]

I've moved yards with two and three horses quite a few times. I always clean the stables immediately prior to leaving, or within a couple of hours while horses are turned out in a paddock or turnout area. It's like leaving a dirty house when you're moving.
Some liveries leave their mess behind and fail to keep promises to return. The stable stands festering while the YO waits. I don't blame your YO.

I've moved house plenty of times and gone back and done the cleaning within my notice period, much easier when there's nothing there.

 

[nagblagger]

Just wondered, why if you are not welcome back, do you have to pay the 2 weeks notice. Just musing out loud.
(For a 'quiet life' i would just pay and put it down to experience).

 

[Fred66]

There are a lot people being unfair to the OP.

She followed the contract and gave the required notice. She is still currently in that notice period and therefore the Yard Owner has to either waive the notice period and payment or allow access. Charges for not leaving the box clean are not applicable until the expiry of the notice period, unless the contract says there will be a charge when you leave.

If I were OP I would go to the yard and say sorry I know you said there was no need to call back but I always like to make sure for myself that I collected everything and left it clean and tidy. Then I’d take pictures of it all and then text her to say I’m pretty sure I have collected everything and left it clean and tidy if there is anything you think I’ve missed let me know and I’ll call back to sort it. Many thanks for the time me and pony have been there.

 

[Palindrome]

I had the same happen but with a house I was renting. We moved away in advance but were still paying the notice, the landlord asked permission to come into the house while we were away (to check appliances) and we gave it to him, he then cleaned and tried to charge us/keep some of our deposit money.
OH had to come back for work anyway and some of our stuff was still there.
This landlord was very controlling and fairly annoying, we were glad to be gone. We got our deposit back in the end.

 

[Rowreach]

The yard owner has in this instance breached the contract and the livery is not responsible for paying for the cleaning of the stable. In fact the yard owner has asked the livery not to return to the yard
and in effect owes them monies for the notice period.

This (from a YO of some 25 years).

Trust me, I know about awful liveries and batsh!t YOs, but a lot of you are being very harsh here. And nobody has noticed the bit where the YO agreed that the OP could move back if her pony didn't settle in the new yard during the 2 week period.

YO has broken the contract and negated the need for the OP to pay the two weeks' notice, and by refusing the OP access to clean out the stable, has no right to ask to be paid for that job.

 

[Hepsibah]

If you are a livery you are paying for the use of the stable etc. Your stable belongs to you until your paid for period expires. Your yard owner has no right to do anything to your stable until the notice period is up. It's no different to renting any other place or car or whatever. It is exclusively yours until your paid for time is up. I'd be telling the yard owner to take a long walk off a short pier.

 

[teapot]

I'd be asking for her to take the cleaning charge out of the notice period payment you've paid

 

[MissTyc]

I would never take a horse away from a yard having left things unfinished.

But why not, if notice period (and therefore livery paid) runs until 26th January. It's only 15th today. OP still has time to go clean, disinfect, paint, search for missing belongings. If YO is denying access, then she should return the final week's payment ...

 

[mariew]

I'd be tempted not to pay her notice period as she isn't allowing you access back on the yard. I'd definitely not pay the cleaning fee if she agreed you can do this but then on effect blocked you from doing so.

 

[Starzaan]

But why not, if notice period (and therefore livery paid) runs until 26th January. It's only 15th today. OP still has time to go clean, disinfect, paint, search for missing belongings. If YO is denying access, then she should return the final week's payment ...

Maybe because I have been a yard owner for a long time. I won’t leave a dirty stable, ever. I am really fussy, have ludicrously high standards, and the team know that if I see an empty stable with a dropping in it there’ll be hell to pay. Some would say I’m mad, but I charge a premium and therefore feel I need to offer a premium service.

 

[dottylottie]

am i correct in thinking your main issue OP is that you can’t move the pony back within the 2-week period if it doesn’t settle?

personally, i’d be willing to pay the 2-week notice if i was still allowed on the yard, or if the YO is saying you’re no longer welcome on the yard from today onwards i’d pay the cleaning fee and not the notice period - i wouldn’t be paying for 2-weeks of livery on a yard i’ve been told i’m not allowed on.

in retrospect, i’d probably pay both fees and move on for an easy life, but i’m assuming you aren’t as soft as me lol.

 

[bouncing_ball]

I’ve typically tried to move ahead of my notice period snd run a little overlap. I can then set up stuff in new yard, bed Etc. Figure out arrival plan.

On move day, I’d typically turnout first thing, muck out, move fairly early, try snd hack / school at new place, and get turned out. Once horse all good I’d dig out stable and fully clear it and sweep everything out at old yard. Probably next day as settling me horse is priority. But if I’ve mucked out before leaving, coming back to gut and sweep whilst I’m still paying for use wound seem reasonable.


OP I’d reply that you’re a bit confused. You’d agreed you’d be back to clear stable out next day after horse was settled. You weren’t sure if expecting her to do it. And you are hurt at the dont come back part of the message as you thought you were all friends. You’d planned to come back and tidy up next day and give her a thank you for having us present. (Assuming you were, I’d normally give gift leaving on good terms).

 

[Palindrome]

Maybe because I have been a yard owner for a long time. I won’t leave a dirty stable, ever. I am really fussy, have ludicrously high standards, and the team know that if I see an empty stable with a dropping in it there’ll be hell to pay. Some would say I’m mad, but I charge a premium and therefore feel I need to offer a premium service.

Good for you but there are different yards and different people. I do not like my horses shut in a stable but I am not saying nobody should be using a stable.
If OP had agreed with the YO to clean the next day, they should be allowed to do so and it seems fairly reasonnable.

 

[AmyMay]

Maybe because I have been a yard owner for a long time. I won’t leave a dirty stable, ever. I am really fussy, have ludicrously high standards, and the team know that if I see an empty stable with a dropping in it there’ll be hell to pay. Some would say I’m mad, but I charge a premium and therefore feel I need to offer a premium service.

To be fair to those on livery, unless it’s the summer and horses are out, logistically it’s easier to remove the horse and then return later or the next day to empty and clean your stable and collect the remainder of your kit.

 

[Rowreach]

Maybe because I have been a yard owner for a long time. I won’t leave a dirty stable, ever. I am really fussy, have ludicrously high standards, and the team know that if I see an empty stable with a dropping in it there’ll be hell to pay. Some would say I’m mad, but I charge a premium and therefore feel I need to offer a premium service.

If you’re offering a premium livery service at a premium rate then presumably you clean out a stable after a livery leaves, and not the owner? I certainly did when I did full liveries.

Slightly different set of circumstances for the OP, I think, and the arrangement with the YO was to go back the next day, so …

 

[Sossigpoker]

If I'd said that I was coming back to clean it and the YO had said this is fine, I wouldn't pay the cleaning fee.

Edit. There's usually another side to these stories. It's a bit odd for the YO to say fine for you to come back the next day and then do this. So I suspect there's something else going on.