Service Smart - Out of Business?

[Lisabeck44]

I have been using Service Smart for several years for pest control outside and inside my home. They haven't been the best with keeping up with the weeds in my lawn so I have been trying to get them on the phone and the phone just rings and goes to voice mail and then the voice mail box is full so I can not leave a message. Did they go out of business?

[Bjeanj]

Have you read previous posts about them? You may want to do a search here for their responsiveness to phone calls and other things.

[Bryan]

You may want to rethink your relationship with Service Smart. They are not out of business YET! To me, it looks like the handwriting is on the wall though. On May 8th they were sued by their fuel supplier for failure to pay their fuel bills (Case 2018-CA-330 in the Fifth Judicial District) and lost a $32,.618.41 Final Judgement. On May 17, 2018, they lost their building and property to another company (Case 2018-CA-0815, Fifth Judicial District). On June 6, 2018, the City of Ocala cited them for violating Ocala building codes (Case COM18-0190). They were assessed several hundred dollars in Cost of Prosecution and face over $1000/day in fines if noted zoning violation go uncorrected after min-July. The wise homeowner may decide to move on to someone else for their lawn maintenance needs.

[Kahuna32162]

Couldn't happen to a better bunch of Thieves!

[Ingenuity]

When we moved to Fenney in Nov. 2018, this company was everywhere. I ran them off my property when they came by for the 3rd time. Something must have happened recently because I was driving through the neighborhood today and I saw a lot of Massey(that who we have), Deans, and a company that I had not seen before with an alligator on the sign and begins with an "F". Suddenly Service Smart signs in the yards are not prevalent.

[MikeC]

Biggest liars and thieves in the business. I swallowed their story hook-line-sinker and cancelled my service with Deans for a lower price. Paid for a year in advance with the promise of full refund if unhappy. This was for lawn weed fertilization and mowing. Signed in February and they never came to the house in the next 2 months for either fertilization or mowing. I called and cancelled and ask for my money back. They said they would send it in the mail. Today as of June 28th, I have not gotten any refund and when I call they say it is being processed. I have given up and just write it off as a very bad decision on my part and will eat the $1000. I am usually not a sucker for these schemes but they got me. I hope they go out of business and go to jail for fraud. Back with Deans and very happy. You get what you pay for and then sometimes you don't.

[Barefoot]

You may want to rethink your relationship with Service Smart. They are not out of business YET! To me, it looks like the handwriting is on the wall though. On May 8th they were sued by their fuel supplier for failure to pay their fuel bills (Case 2018-CA-330 in the Fifth Judicial District) and lost a $32,.618.41 Final Judgement. On May 17, 2018, they lost their building and property to another company (Case 2018-CA-0815, Fifth Judicial District). On June 6, 2018, the City of Ocala cited them for violating Ocala building codes (Case COM18-0190). They were assessed several hundred dollars in Cost of Prosecution and face over $1000/day in fines if noted zoning violation go uncorrected after min-July. The wise homeowner may decide to move on to someone else for their lawn maintenance needs.
In spite of many negative posts on TOTV, Service Smart seems to still be popular with some residents.
Bryan, thanks for the comprehensive information!

[MikeC]

They are crooks and thieves and do not do what they promise, take your money and run. Hope they all end up in jail.

[cbv0211]

I understand that the owner of Service Smart had owned a landscape service called Once a Year. Once a Year also had a terrible record and horrible customer service. Once a Year went out of business and Service Smart was born. He changed the name of the company from Once a Year to Service Smart. Same horrible business practices and customer service.

[Fraugoofy]

I understand that the owner of Service Smart had owned a landscape service called Once a Year. Once a Year also had a terrible record and horrible customer service. Once a Year went out of business and Service Smart was born. He changed the name of the company from Once a Year to Service Smart. Same horrible business practices and customer service.I think he owned Stellar and they changed to Service Smart after a merge of some sort...

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[Henryk]

Biggest liars and thieves in the business. I swallowed their story hook-line-sinker and cancelled my service with Deans for a lower price. Paid for a year in advance with the promise of full refund if unhappy. This was for lawn weed fertilization and mowing. Signed in February and they never came to the house in the next 2 months for either fertilization or mowing. I called and cancelled and ask for my money back. They said they would send it in the mail. Today as of June 28th, I have not gotten any refund and when I call they say it is being processed. I have given up and just write it off as a very bad decision on my part and will eat the $1000. I am usually not a sucker for these schemes but they got me. I hope they go out of business and go to jail for fraud. Back with Deans and very happy. You get what you pay for and then sometimes you don't.

I like to use Amex. They will reverse the charge almost immediately.

[xcaligirl]

You’re right. I heard they’ve changed hands several times. I used them for taking out plants and putting in new plants, mulch. They did show up which was a shock! Didn’t do half of what they were suppose to do. They left the landscape lights all disconnected in a pile in th middle of the lawn. When I asked the supervisor about the lights, he told me they were in the same place as when they arrived. Purée B.S. I showed him pictures of before and after. Horrible company, worst service and management. They need to be out of business forever.i

[davefin]

Out of Business? Sure hope so!

[diamond2005]

They are the pits! They said they would refund my money, and never did.
Seniors vs crime has a big folder on this sorry bunch of crooks.

[FlamingoFlo]

Oddly enough we always had great service from them. Our lawn was one of the nicest in the neighborhood. Plus when we moved they didn’t charge us for the last month. The first year we paid up front but after that went to quarterly because of all the complaints. Plus they had given us a good price to keep up. I never understood why they were good to us but awful to so many people.

[ColdNoMore]

I think he owned Stellar and they changed to Service Smart after a merge of some sort...

I used Stellar after moving here 6 years ago...mostly based on neighbors recommendations.

Shortly after they started calling themselves 'Service Smart,' quality went down the drain and voice mails went unanswered...so I fired them.

[Coal Miner]

they are crooks. They used to operate under the name Steller, then came back as Service Smart. They will probably come back as a different name.

[Nikki1093]

Service Smart had been handling our house for 4+ years but I won’t be renewing. They have really gone downhill. They don’t show up. They don’t return phone calls.

[Jayhawk]

Thieves.

[retiredguy123]

They are the pits! They said they would refund my money, and never did.
Seniors vs crime has a big folder on this sorry bunch of crooks.
So, what are they doing with the big folder? They sure have plenty of evidence against Service Smart, and they are supposed to have the Attorney General as their partner. But, they don't seem to have been very effective here.

[Jima64]

Last year I believe I saw them advertising in OTOW's monthly newsletter about the full service , money back guarantee, whole lawn, yard and mowing home care.

[NotGolfer]

Call Seniors Againest Crime

[retiredguy123]

Call Seniors Againest Crime
Unfortunately, I think Seniors vs Crime is on the decline and not effective. Last year, they spent about $400K of taxpayer money, mostly for government salaries, and only collected about a million dollars for complaints statewide. This is down from $2.7 million collected 4 years ago. According to one poster, they have a "big folder" on Service Smart. This is a company that has so many valid complaints, that Seniors vs Crime should have put Service Smart out of business years ago. Why don't they do their job?