Service smart

[wootie]

Beware of this company. Had them for two years formally stellar lawn. What a sh-t job they did. We come down 4 times a year and every Time we had to call them to clean up our property. We would be here for a week when we get home in Connecticut I would get an invoice stating services they were proforming while we're there never seem them It became a joke of my family maybe while we were there they were taking care of someone else property Fact is if you are not here full time they will rip you off

[Barry1]

Hear Ya Loud and Clear.

Everyone using this company should "Get Smart" and run away from them fast. I remember same issues when they were a "Stellar Company" "PUN".

These types of companies should know by now, "Changing Names" don't work.

[RickeyD]

Hear Ya Loud and Clear.

Everyone using this company should "Get Smart" and run away from them fast. I remember same issues when they were a "Stellar Company" "PUN".

These types of companies should know by now, "Changing Names" don't work.


They were merged not name changed.

[nyclicker]

My neighbor is away for 2 months. Service Smart is taking care of his lawn.

[NYGUY]

They were merged not name changed.

Not even merged, but rather the father of Steller owner's wife (owner of Service Smart) took his daughter and company back!!

[RickeyD]

My neighbor is away for 2 months. Service Smart is taking care of his lawn.


Looking real good

[village dreamer]

yours looks soooooo much better than my lawn,you must have the best crew that smart has????????????

[SisalPhil]

Terrible company I am still trying to get the lawn back in shape.... When they tried to sell me another year I told their salesman he should look for another job.. People are quitting them by the dozens..

[kenkard]

Yes, I don't know many people in the Villages but I know 2 that have real issues with them, like being builled for a lot of work which was never done. They should be baned from the villages.

[normandy]

service STELLA] smart both suck and they are together again. some poeple do not learn, they suck!!!!

[Kahuna32162]

I posted this on another Servive, not so, Smart thread

Welcome to the landscape game we all play! Way too many who signed year long deals with Stellar got screwed when SS took over. BTW, more complaints that you can count with Seniors vs Crime, but there is nothing they can do about it.

Many of us have learned the lesson the hard way...NEVER NEVER EVER SIGN A YEAR LONG CONTRACT FOR ANY SERVICES IN THE VILLAGES!! The extra free month is not worth the aggravation of having to wait out a contract to expire.

If you are looking for an all service company that does everything and will let you pay monthly and cancel at any time if you are not satisfied, we went with Fertigator. So far the grass looks pretty good, it took quite a while to recover from the condition is was left in by SS believe me. BTW, try to written confirmation of your cancellation of SS, they kept showing up for over a month after I called several times and canceled. I actually had to ask them to leave my yard.

[doodah]

Service Smart is a very smart company. They hook you, take your money, and never have to do any work unless you call and call and call. If you complain, they send someone out to smooth things over, and then nothing is ever fixed. Our yard was terrible until we decided to tell them not to come back. Specifically, they waited too long between mowings, they never mowed grass to recommended length, and they allowed weeds to grow untouched. We had thistles growing in the front yard!! This is with us living in the house. We forfeited nine months worth of money, but we would be paying more than that to fix the problems they were causing if we had waited out the full year. Now, with the new hire, the yard is looking so good. It's getting mowed regularly and weeds are gone.

[Dr.Jim.B]

SERVICE SMART actually didn't do a horrible job for me. I did, however, have to call and complain quite a bit - but, usually when I did call... they would send a technician the next day or two. I hired a new service to take care of my lawn and bushes, etc and when I asked for the remainder of my prepaid 1 year fee(s) to be refunded from Service Smart... they jacked me around for 90 days and then (after 3 mos) they tell me that they have a "No Refund Policy" - IF this were true, they could have told me right up front - however, I am told that the State of Florida will NOT permit them (or any other contractor) to keep monies for services which are "NOT PERFORMED." I WILL NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH SERVICE SMART AGAIN and others would be SMART to avoid this outfit like the "plague." What a bunch of RIP-OFF artists these people are.

[FlamingoFlo]

I have to say, they do a great job for me. We were gone 5 weeks and came back to one of the best looking lawns in the neighborhood. It's not perfect as most are not right now but compared to others we are happy. If I need them in between scheduled trimming and weeding I call an they are out within a few days. Anyone that comes out to the house is always very nice. They are always pleasant on the phone. Perhaps it is because I don't pay a lot in advance. I pay quarterly in the middle of the quarter so it's only about 1 month in advance. Not sure how we got so lucky with them.

[photo1902]

Weeds are going to happen...what was the watering pattern of the lawn? Its been dry here. Who is responsible for checking the neighbors irrigation timer?

[JTW]

This company is nothing but a rip off.....I was NEVER happy with their service and dumped them as soon as I could! Wish I had done some research before I hired them!!

[Junior]

Similar issues. Switched to Heron and they are the best but a few bucks more

[Junior]

SERVICE SMART actually didn't do a horrible job for me. I did, however, have to call and complain quite a bit - but, usually when I did call... they would send a technician the next day or two. I hired a new service to take care of my lawn and bushes, etc and when I asked for the remainder of my prepaid 1 year fee(s) to be refunded from Service Smart... they jacked me around for 90 days and then (after 3 mos) they tell me that they have a "No Refund Policy" - IF this were true, they could have told me right up front - however, I am told that the State of Florida will NOT permit them (or any other contractor) to keep monies for services which are "NOT PERFORMED." I WILL NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH SERVICE SMART AGAIN and others would be SMART to avoid this outfit like the "plague." What a bunch of RIP-OFF artists these people are.

I had same problem. I stopped credit card payment and won the hearing Suggest you look into this and definetly report them to BBB

[dcronick]

They collect for a year up front. How do you get your money back?

[chiefjeff]

I recently bought a service from them for my sprinkler system. It was explained to me that they would come out quarterly and blow the system out to keep it from getting blocked by sentiment in the recycled water that is used. Made sense....until they did the first service. They called me and said that there was over $300 dollars worth of work that I needed to have done on a sprinkler system that is one year old. Heck, I can turn on my sprinkler myself and see if they are flowing correctly. What did I pay for? Pretty much nothing. Service is going to be cancelled. Anyone else have a similar experience with Service Smart?

[Jayhawk]

I have to say, they do a great job for me. We were gone 5 weeks and came back to one of the best looking lawns in the neighborhood. It's not perfect as most are not right now but compared to others we are happy. If I need them in between scheduled trimming and weeding I call an they are out within a few days. Anyone that comes out to the house is always very nice. They are always pleasant on the phone. Perhaps it is because I don't pay a lot in advance. I pay quarterly in the middle of the quarter so it's only about 1 month in advance. Not sure how we got so lucky with them.

You are clearly the exception. Wonder what your lawn looked like during the 5 weeks you were gone. Did it get cut regularly? Were the weeds removed?

Service Smart was around BEFORE Stellar came on the scene. SS had lost many customers, and Stellar had a decent reputation. So they signed up a lot of people who were running from SS. When SS didn't have enough customers to go on, they "merged" with the company fronted by the daughter and son-in-law of the SS owner. Then it turned to crap for the Stellar clients. Many were right back where they started and had no way out.

I was a big fan of Stellar. They had some good employees who seemed to care about doing a good job. I predict SS will be out of business within a year, and a "new" company with the same individuals running it will pop up.

As many have stated before, I will NEVER pay for a year in advance for any service ever again. And these guys will be fired at the end of the month as my contract is, thankfully, finally expiring.

[MikeV]

Just signed up for 6 more months with Service Smart. They do what we paid them to do so...

[cgraz24]

Service Smart has made my life miserable for the past 8 months. I should have consulted with the "Talk of the Villages" before I paid them up front for a years worth of lawn service. I have called so many times with no real satisfaction. I am ready to just ignore them for the next 4 months and hire a real company to take over.

[AriaGrandparents2013]

I used Stellar then Service Smart for approximately two years.........my lawn looked decent nothing exceptional. What turned me off was their fella that came to the house to provide quotes. He would give you a high quote than keep calling when you didn't react, lowering the quote each time he called. This past May we switched to Dean as that seemed to be the firm most of the surrounding neighbors were using and their lawns were looking pretty good.

[FOGEY]

Yes,l agree,Svc Smart is bad.We bought the whole lawn&trim package up front believing it made us a premium client.lt doesn't..lt makes you a hostage!They never come for fertilization unless you call.The hedge trimming..when they show up,is bad.We have a medium tree,15 footer,they haven't touched yet.The grass cutters do show up regularly,but not the best of service.can't wait till the year is up,unless we can negotiate a partial refund.

[THUNDERCHIEF]

I agree, stay away from this company-- anyone who wants to collect your money a year in advance stay away from

[Polar Bear]

...anyone who wants to collect your money a year in advance stay away from

Some companies give you the option of paying a year in advance for a significant discount. If they're reputable, nothing wrong with that.

[Jima64]

Yes,l agree,Svc Smart is bad.We bought the whole lawn&trim package up front believing it made us a premium client.lt doesn't..lt makes you a hostage!They never come for fertilization unless you call.The hedge trimming..when they show up,is bad.We have a medium tree,15 footer,they haven't touched yet.The grass cutters do show up regularly,but not the best of service.can't wait till the year is up,unless we can negotiate a partial refund.

I am not sure if the village counties are in the areas that restrict fertilizer applications during the year. Some counties are really tough on when you can use it and what kind. Not making excuses for a company that gives bad service in any way.

[77kenkard]

They have a history of charging for work never done even when the owners sitting in their yard watching. Dumb dumb dumb.

[vinricci]

Paid them in advance $310 for bi-weekly mowing last September. Now they are trying to bill me $49 a month for mowing and my year isn't even up yet. Also bookkeeper named Mojo (not sure if that's made up) and owner Kevin Smith will not return my calls. I plan to visit their Ocala office when I return to The Villages next month. Very bad business practices.

[Barefoot]

Some companies give you the option of paying a year in advance for a significant discount. If they're reputable, nothing wrong with that.

I'm not defending Service Smart because I think their service has gone downhill since they acquired Stellar's customers.
However neither Stellar nor Service Smart ever demanded advance payment from us.
They offered a discount for advance payment, but it was optional.
I'm not sure what they're doing now because we no longer use them.
It looks like a lot of people went for the advance-payment plan that offers a discount, and then regretted it.
Or perhaps SS wasn't clear about the options.

[jake3457]

Bought a new villa over a month ago....signed up with service smart and paid 1yr in full....They have yet to cut my grass....Have called 2x and told I was scheduled the next day...grass so overgrown embarrassing....I signed the contract with owner Roy who I have asked for a return call to no avail....Have lived in the villages over 3 yrs and my first negative post regarding contractors...

[biker1]

There is a lesson in all this; don't pay in advance. Also, don't pay in full until the jobs is 100% complete. I am sorry to hear of your problems. Check your paperwork and see if you can get a refund. If so, drive to their office and don't leave till they cut you a check.

Bought a new villa over a month ago....signed up with service smart and paid 1yr in full....They have yet to cut my grass....Have called 2x and told I was scheduled the next day...grass so overgrown embarrassing....I signed the contract with owner Roy who I have asked for a return call to no avail....Have lived in the villages over 3 yrs and my first negative post regarding contractors...

[doodah]

I was fortunate enough to get a refund from Service Smart. They insisted that refunds are not allowed if you ask more than three days following the contract date. I insisted that I was unhappy with their work and had documented everything they had failed to do per the contract, and based on Florida law, I was allowed to cancel and receive a refund. They refused, but my last word to them was that I'd be contacting the authorities. Within two weeks, I received a check--not a full refund--but about 70% of what I had paid.

[Barry1]

Yup! you are correct not a name change, just a merge. Kinda like pushing the flush handle, everything merges. Same or bigger results.

[Jayhawk]

A Service Smart manager(?) came to my house a week or so ago and asked for a "second chance" at doing our yard. He offered FREE MOWING FOR A YEAR and a $500 discount off annual maintenance. I declined. As I told him, it's a pretty bad statement on a business when you can't even give your service away for free.

I checked their website this morning and this is what it has:

Site Offline (http://www.servicesmartowl.com/)

Site Offline

This website has been disabled for technical reasons. Please contact the site administrator for more information.

[jake3457]

Village resident for 3 yrs...just bought a new villa and hired service smart 1 month ago....great pre paid annual price....they never came once to cut lawn!! I kept calling and they said each time tomorrow....Salesman Roy was at my door with great initial sales pitch..,,Could not get him or anyone to call me back..They promised lawn ( now totally over grown ) would be cut thurs..,,they never showed up ....I called visa card bank and they credited my account and will remove charge paid to service smart...Yesterday at 8 am I called sevice smart to cancel....woman said she could not cancel and someone would call me back...I then told her not to bother as I had account cancelled with credit back to me from my visa account.,,She asked if they agreed to cancel and I said yes..,She basically hung up...1 hour heard my yard being mowed and talked to the lawn cutter.,l told him I had called office and cancelled...He admitted he got a call from the office to immediately cut my lawn and this was not even his route....I called the office and same womapn told me that he was there from previous scheduling...I told her she knew that was not true and that the lawn cutter confirmed he just received the emergency call to cut lawn...She then hung up on me...This is the only contractor in 3 yrs I have ever had a problem with...They are a total fraud with the utmost unethical standards....I have sent formal complaint to the higher ups to put a stop to their business practices....

[Jayhawk]

Their website is still offline. Probably didn't pay the web host.

[mulligan]

Who would the "higher ups " be ?