Update ~ got a response! OMG livid $150 bil for "Hurricane " cleanup from the landscaper

when I NEVER asked for it!?!? Now I have to call tomorrow. I pay $35 a week for my lawn mowed... Thats it! So angry! They came the Wednesday after the Hurricane. The same time the tree trimmers came to help me clean up. The landscaper left before the tree trimmers. Afterwards there was stilla mess b/c of trees that had to be chopped up and pulled down. Who does that?? Its even more awkward that he is my students dad. ugh.


*** He said basically not to worry about it! woohoo! lol ***

Message edited 11/16/2012 8:00:37 PM.

OMG livid $150 bil for

Do you have a contract?

Re: OMG livid $150 bil for "Hurricane " cleanup from the landscaper

Hmm I dont know. I just started with them 4 weeks ago to JUST have my lawn mowed. no gardening or anything. I dont remember signing anything and I have nothing in my files. This was the firs bill I got. 4 weeks of lawn maintenence and then "hurricane cleanup".

Message edited 11/13/2012 10:39:02 PM.

Re: OMG livid $150 bil for "Hurricane " cleanup from the landscaper

I would not pay for something I didn't ask for. I am angry for you!

Re: OMG livid $150 bil for "Hurricane " cleanup from the landscaper

My landscaper did the same thing last year without asking. We paid it. This year, the day after the hurricane, we went out and cleaned up ourselves so that he couldn't say he did a "hurricane cleanup".

Re: OMG livid $150 bil for "Hurricane " cleanup from the landscaper

Re: OMG livid $150 bil for "Hurricane " cleanup from the landscaper

Sounds like my landscaper too who I just fired. I have 2 under 2 and I made cleanup a priority so I didn't have to deal with a hurricane charge. I also cancelled fall clean up so I can pay myself $300 to take some leaves. I understand your position as my landscaper is someone we knew too. Awkward! Good luck!

OMG livid $150 bil for

I would be livid too if i didnt sign a contract... Even if you did, i seriously doubt its more than lawn mowing...

Re: OMG livid $150 bil for "Hurricane " cleanup from the landscaper

If you didn't ask for that I'd be FURIOUS.
And I would not be paying it.
Let him take my asss to court.

OMG livid $150 bil for

just for the record... If anyone needs a phone number to report Diaster Fraud (this could fall into that category) PM me.

Re: OMG livid $150 bil for "Hurricane " cleanup from the landscaper

That's ridiculous and bad business.. way to take advantage of a crappy situation.

Re: OMG livid $150 bil for "Hurricane " cleanup from the landscaper

Re: OMG livid $150 bil for "Hurricane " cleanup from the landscaper

This happened to us last year. THey came the morning after the hurricane while we were out and then sent us a bill for 250. We were FURIOUS! We complained and refused to pay the bill and they agreed that it was poor practice. I would refuse to pay it. This year, we went out the minute we woke up and cleaned ourselves so that it couldn't happen again! SO frustrating!

OMG livid $150 bil for

I would be furious too, especially since you didn't ask for a Hurricane clean-up. Our company better not try that, especially since we removed the big tree limbs ourselves!

Don't pay it. Tell them you didn't request that, and I would just pay what you ordinarily would for basic leaf clean-up this time of year.

OMG livid $150 bil for

If you didn't ask him to clean up after storms you are not liable.

You should make it clear to him that he shouldn't have done any work, other than lawn mowing, without checking with you first, and tell him that you had intended to do the hurricane clean up job yourself, precisely so you would NOT have to pay for it. He was looking for a way to make extra money, and he did the wrong thing ethically. He should not be paid for it. He should have called you first to ask if you wanted his help. If he couldn't reach you by phone he could have stopped by or left you a note.

His jumping in without your permission is no different than having a house painter hired to paint a bedroom deciding to also paint the outside of the house without asking, then billing for it, just because he thought the house needed painting.

Lawn mowing is lawn mowing, period. It does not include storm clean up. I called my guy before the storm to specificly ask for clean up, otherwise he wouldn't have come.

Fall clean up is the same. It is not a lawn mowing service, it is a separate charge as it is a separate job.

Message edited 11/14/2012 11:59:57 AM.

Re: OMG livid $150 bil for "Hurricane " cleanup from the landscaper

Re: OMG livid $150 bil for "Hurricane " cleanup from the landscaper

Re: OMG livid $150 bil for "Hurricane " cleanup from the landscaper

Before winter clarify whether you want automatic snow removal. Last year I saw our landscapers show up when it snowed and This specifically when I told the office admin that we did not want snow removal. I clarified with her again that unless specified that we don't want snow removal this season either

Re: OMG livid $150 bil for "Hurricane " cleanup from the landscaper

Posted by Eunified

That's ridiculous and bad business.. way to take advantage of a crappy situation.

Re: OMG livid $150 bil for "Hurricane " cleanup from the landscaper

Re: OMG livid $150 bil for "Hurricane " cleanup from the landscaper

Re: OMG livid $150 bil for "Hurricane " cleanup from the landscaper

I would absolutely not pay it and find a new landscaper...the day after sandy i saw landscapers here on my block bright and early. I thought to myself "hmm thats odd...why would they do landscaping NOW and not wait until after trees are picked up etc. now i guess i know why they rushed out before cleanup could happen...They'll probably be billing all their customers for hurricane cleanup. Thank god we do our own landscaping!

OMG livid $150 bil for

Please everyone - if you feel like you are being taken advantage of - report them. You might not think its a big enough deal but if they are doing this to ALL their customers, they are making money off a diaster in a way they shouldnt be. Again, if anyone wants it - I have a number to report fraud from Sandy.

Re: OMG livid $150 bil for "Hurricane " cleanup from the landscaper

Re: OMG livid $150 bil for "Hurricane " cleanup from the landscaper

My landscapers did this starting when we first moved in and there was a small storm. Since we'd never owned a house before, I just assumed it was normal practice and it's continued since then. I think they charged about $40 extra for Sandy, but it was way more than that for Irene. We probably would never clean it up, so I don't mind spending the extra money, but now that you say it, it would have been nice if they'd checked with us first.