Pay, or Complain?

[Car-Guy]

Seems like a lot of money for a little work but I don't know how much landscaping is really involved. Regardless, the "contact/agreement" is 250 for 4 visits... They had the nerve to bill you for all 4 visit when they only came 3 times. Then it's a no brainier IMO, that you should only pay them for 3... I'd tell them why, either verbally or in writing but I would not argue... Any pushback and I'd find another landscaper... Maybe one that speaks English this time.

 

[ATX78701]

Yes, indeed, I do know how to be polite I called when they missed Christmas week, remember.

But, frankly, there are communication issues. There is only one person to speak to, the owner. His English is not great and my Spanish is rudimentary. When I call with a question or concern, he just seems to want to get me off the phone as fast as possible. He talks faster and faster until I'm not sure what was said, and if I politely ask him to repeat himself, he talks even faster.

So how do you handle such situations?

Use Google Translate to translate what you want to say from English to Spanish. Copy and paste the translation into a Word document and print it out and hand to them. If he is talking faster and faster perhaps you are, too, and his rudimentary English skills cańt keep up.

When you meet with him in person have your smartphone or iPad on hand and Google translate up. He can do the same. Íve used this approach when traveling in Mexico or even with my maid here in the US.

 

[street]

If me I would complain and pay what you feel is a fair shake. That is only fair to both of you.
If he argues back and doesn't understand your concern then I wouldn't have him back on the grounds.
I help out two elderly ladies do their yards etc.. I do it for the exercise and takes about 2 hours each week for the both of them for about 4 months. I charge them 20$ for an hour of work and do all kinds of maintence or landscaping tasks.

 

[latexman]

It depends on your "contract", either written or understood. If you pay $250/mo. every month for a well trimmed yard and shrubs 24/7/365, pay the $250 if your yard and shrubs did not become "untrimmed" during the holidays. If the bill can vary due to piece work or seasonal reasons, then deduct what you think is fair and explain it on a copy of the invoice. Be prepared to find a new landscaping service, if needed.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

We pay 140 a month and our shrub trim / mowing / tree trimming is quite big. $250 seems like Daylight Robbery!

We are in FLA so 12 month Growing/Trimming Season.

 

[Chuckanut]

We have a landscape company that trims our small lawn and shrubs once a week on Wednesdays for $250 a month. They did not come Christmas week, and didn't come till late Friday the following week. When I called the owner, whose English is slightly better than my Spanish (meaning I don't always understand him), he didn't apologize - just said they were not coming on Christmas week.

I got the bill for $250 today. Is it worth complaining and trying to get a 25% reduction, or should I just pay?

It depends on your contract. Our HOA's contract with the gardening service makes it clear that over the Winter and on a few holidays, they may skip service some weeks. During the Summer, they may spend more time on the property. The monthly payment stays the same as it all works out on a yearly basis.

 

[Sojourner]

I don't understand this logic. You say that it's next to impossible to find a reliable, high quality, reasonably priced landscaping company in your area. The OP is apparently happy with the service person they are using but should be prepared to get fired for not paying a bill in full. Wouldn't this then subject the OP to the task of locating another service provider that they can trust and does quality job? This could take a long time and require a ton of effort and may end up going through several before a quality provider is located. It just doesn't seem logical for $62.00. It would be much easier to make a simple phone call and see if a resolution can be reached.

As OP has pointed out (see below), a phone conversation has already taken place and didn't yield any results. So not sure how it would be "much easier to make a simple phone call" at this point. But I do agree that if OP is generally very happy with the service (other than this one issue), it might make more sense to let it slide rather than risk losing this landscaping company... but ONLY if it's difficult to find other reliable, high quality ones.

Yes, indeed, I do know how to be polite I called when they missed Christmas week, remember.

But, frankly, there are communication issues. There is only one person to speak to, the owner. His English is not great and my Spanish is rudimentary. When I call with a question or concern, he just seems to want to get me off the phone as fast as possible. He talks faster and faster until I'm not sure what was said, and if I politely ask him to repeat himself, he talks even faster.

I imagine this might be a tactic. Especially if there is high demand for landscaping companies in the area, and he knows that most people will just pay rather than deal with the repeated aggravation of incomprehensible, unproductive telephone conversations.

 

[ocean view]

OP I understand that you feel cheated as you only received service 3 days in December, however, do you pay more during the 4 months a year when there are 5 Wednesdays in the month? I think not.

 

[ziggy29]

Hard to say. On one hand I would feel annoyed, but on the other hand, if you live in places (like I do) where reliable, dependable and reasonably priced lawn/gardening services are in very short supply (and the ones that are around are not taking new clients because they already have enough work), I'd probably just consider the extra payment as their Christmas "tip" and leave it at that.

 

[badatmath]

I would just consider the price $250/month and pay it. Think of them as salaried employees rather than time card people who must account for every single minute.

 

[RobbieB]

Pay.