Yard Owner gone mad? Advice pls!

dianchi

dianchi

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Hi Guys,

As you may have read before I am in the process of moving (thanks Kombikids for the recommendation!)
However i arrive at the yard today after being away on business for two days to find-
An eviction notice on my door demanding that thursday be my last day. Also demanding this months rent be paid before i leave inc. hay and straw used-fair eno!
She has also taken my tack due to me "owing her money"- and is refusing to give it back until this is paid and calling me a fraud.

Now as per her letter i have paid her this money she wanted this evening=plus £40 for an extra's weekd rent and hay as they yard said next sat i could have the stable.

She asked for this months money last week as other people have left before without paying so i gave her a chq saying please dnt bank this until im paid on the friday-so she banked it on the tuesday instead!!!!! Then has a go for it not clearing after i clearly wrote her a letter explaining everything!!!!

So what do i do now? My OH want me to go to the police and report it as she is refusing anything until she gets this imaginery money!-which is blackmail!

Cookies if you get to here.
Any suggestions welcolm!
 
I'd certainly get advice on what she is doing, maybe citizens advice rather than the police initially.

Is there any reason you can think of as to why she's decided Thursday is the last day rather than the agreed time?
 
Its the end of the month! Other than this "missing money" is claims i dnt know.
She didnt mention any of this in her letter and i have done exactly what she wanted and she has gone mental!
 
I would definately get some advice on this. I really don't think she can take your belongings and personally its her tough luck if the cheque didn't clear if you explained to her you don't get paid til Friday. I'm not sure whether the police can help or Citizens Advice. However I found the police very helpful recently when I rang for some advice about problems I was having with a neighbour. Poor you and good luck.
 
My OH is a police officer and has said that her claim of missing mony would be seen as "civil dispute" where as taking my tack is theft-which is a criminal offence.

Problem is i half feel like paying this money just so that i can have my tack back and move the next weekend as planned.

What would others do?
 
Is there a contract between yourselves stating what happens on unpaid monies?

If NOT then she has effectively "stolen" your tack....

I am no police office but she is out of order in my opinion.

Good Luck in resolving this.
 
No contract at all-such a regret now!
On viewing yard things were said about rules that just never never happened and costs then appeared that were never explained.
Rules dont seem to exist there!
 
Pay her exactly what you owe her, no more, no less.
If she doesn't give you the tack back, tell her you'll have no choice but to get the police as you need a police theft report number before you can claim it back on the insurance
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Presumably she has rugs and other things lying around that you could hide til the tack is returned?
Oh, and never, ever give a yard notice - YOs are all as unprofessional as hell, sadly - just pay what you owe and leave without saying a word.
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If your OH is a police officer then go with what he tells you. She is definately wrong in taking your tack, maybe she needs a reality check and might think twice about walking all over someone else if you make a stand! I know its slightly different but my neighbour stopped us having deliveries a couple of weeks ago by blocking the road and acting in an agressive manner. He soon wound his neck in when the police arrived!!
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[ QUOTE ]
Its the end of the month! Other than this "missing money" is claims i dnt know.
She didnt mention any of this in her letter and i have done exactly what she wanted and she has gone mental!

[/ QUOTE ]

Tis a leap year so Friday is the end of the month
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I would do as Shilasdair has suggested. Be pleasant, polite but firm.
 
Taking your tack is still theft and contract or no, the tack situation is theft/blackmail!!! I would definately ring citizens advice, I don't know about you but I would be FUMING!!
 
Shilasdair thank you just needed telling i am being sensible and not mad!
I know but i wished i hadnt know but up until handing in my notice all had been fine and dandy-her daughter is my instructor so worried on that side-though she says that it may just be the distance that is a fact for her coming to teach me now :-(
 
firstly don't pay anymore than you owe because even if you pay what she is now asking for just to get your things back she will then continue asking for more. Also if your OH is a police office I agree with happybus and i would take his advice.
 
Sorry but I think I'm missing something somewhere. You owed a certain amount of money, you gave her a cheque which bounced so tonight you have paid her the money owed plus the rent for next week. So. She has her money so why don't you take your tack back?
 
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Taking your tack is still theft and contract or no, the tack situation is theft/blackmail!!!

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No actually, for it to be theft there would have to be an intent to permanently deprive the owner of it, or at the very least show some evidence that the person taking it was assuming some of the rights of owner (using it on a horse, borrowing money against it as collateral, etc)

It is just the YO being silly and over reacting and I am sure the moment any money is due has been paid it will be returned
 
Well in your parting words I would advise her to have a proper contract for her livery clients in future, which would avoid much trouble!
 
the watcher- i have paid what she asked for in her letter and is now demanding more.

Dieseldog- Trying to but moving into a space that comes up next friday- new YO is trying her best for me but no promises.
 
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Oh, and never, ever give a yard notice - YOs are all as unprofessional as hell, sadly - just pay what you owe and leave without saying a word.


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Are you joking? Thats a bit harsh if you're not. I'm on my third yard now because of changing circumstances and have always left the yard on good terms having given notice. I treat people that I do business with with respect and have been lucky enough to get it in return. I was told when I left both that I would be welcome back if I ever wished to return and I still feel comfortable enough to go back and visit old friends. There are plenty of nice, professional YOs out there, if we want them to treat liveries well the least we can do is show them some respect in return for what is after all a pretty demanding job for often very little financial return
 
In that case, yes, demand your tack back first thing tomorrow morning. She has no reason to hold it any longer (if she was waiting for another cheque to clear that might be different)
If she refuses to return it then enquire how long she intends to hang on to it and what her reasons are - having witnesses to that conversation would be good - and go from there. Hopefully she will have slept on it and hand it over (take it home with you) or she may claim she is holding it against any damages over the course of the next week - that technically wouldn't be theft, just extremely annoying and a civil dispute
 
OMG! As usual Shilsadair is spot on, stop worrying about it - you are in the right. Phone the YO now (who is clearly insane) and tell her to return your tack. If she says no, explain you will speak to the police in order to obtain a crime number so you can report the theft.

I know its an uncomfortable thing to do, but you have done nothing wrong and you need to put a stop to this now.
 
i'd tackle her when there are lots of witnesses around, ideally all the other liveries. i'd try to have your OH or another big bloke there too if pos! ask for your tack back, as you have paid her in full as requested, if she refuses, say you are calling the police immediately to report a theft.
 
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Oh, and never, ever give a yard notice - YOs are all as unprofessional as hell, sadly - just pay what you owe and leave without saying a word.


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Are you joking? Thats a bit harsh if you're not. I'm on my third yard now because of changing circumstances and have always left the yard on good terms having given notice. I treat people that I do business with with respect and have been lucky enough to get it in return. I was told when I left both that I would be welcome back if I ever wished to return and I still feel comfortable enough to go back and visit old friends. There are plenty of nice, professional YOs out there, if we want them to treat liveries well the least we can do is show them some respect in return for what is after all a pretty demanding job for often very little financial return

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No, not joking.
I have seen both sides of this, having been a YM and also a livery.
I have seen countless people who gave notice that they were leaving in a month be told to get out there and then....I've seen them left standing outside the gates, holding their horse and phoning to get someone to pick them up - these were good liveries whose only 'crime' was wanting to leave.
I have never left with anything other than my own possessions, I leave a month's livery pay in lieu of notice, and I clean everything I have used.
But why should I risk some unprofessional fool turning my horses onto the road?
I agree this doesn't apply to all yards...the one I'm at just now is fairly professional, and a while ago I kept my horse at a very good yard up north.
But I think you'll find it is not uncommon for YO to behave like spoilt brats the minute you tell them you're going....
S
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[ QUOTE ]
i'd tackle her when there are lots of witnesses around, ideally all the other liveries. i'd try to have your OH or another big bloke there too if pos! ask for your tack back, as you have paid her in full as requested, if she refuses, say you are calling the police immediately to report a theft.

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Yep done that this evening-apparently doesnt care.

My concern is like above i dnt want to left at the gate with my horse!!!!! Just cos i want to leave!

Have found transport-at a cost for 8am on sat. now need yard to say yes there is an empty box!
 
The quote: 'Oh, and never, ever give a yard notice - YOs are all as unprofessional as hell' - Shilasdair

Bit of a sweeping statement there and a little unfair. I have been a livery customer and have experienced this a bit at various yards. Now as a YO, I absolutely strive to be as professional as possible and make the service very clear to customers. If everyone failed to give notice, YO's would end up feeling they had to take 4 weeks deposit in advance to safeguard their income but who wants that!!!!
 
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