[nanci2539]

You've probably heard of this lawn care/pest company where they install a system that fertilizers your grass with each watering promising a green and healthy lawn free of weeds and insects, etc.

We signed up with them for two years (the two year plan offered significant savings). Several friends had the service already and their lawns were beautiful and all seemed happy.

This is true for the first 6 months or so. After that time, there seemed to be a decline not only in the product but in their overall customer service.

Their local office is lacking significantly in terms of response so I started calling their home office in St. Louis. The sales manager personally came out to see us. He was a nice enough guy promosing me that they would address the weed issues, the fact that parts of my lawn were brown, etc. His cure for that, brown lawn, was I didn't have enough irrigation heads to cover the area where there was a problem. So, I had them install three heads at a cost of over $200. This seem to help that problem but the constant weeds were another issue. So after a month of phone calls and promises, I decided to cancel my contract and requested a refund. Oh, I cancelled after one year and where I still had another year, I was entitled to a refund.

This started a string of emails because I could never get them on the phone. I was finally told, after my third email, that I would have my refund mid November and the amount was $501.

Yesterday I received a typewritten letter on plain paper from the sales manger and in part read "Enclosed find a check for $101. I wish we could pay you the total now but Nov. is when we get insurance policy renewals which come wiht a hefty down payment. This is in combination with fall being a naturlaly slow time for our business so cash flow is weak". He went on to write "Our plan is to pay you $100 per month from Dec. thru March to clear the balance owed". etc. etc.

I was so outraged that I shot him off and email saying that this was unaccetable, etc. Of course when I called, all I got was voice mail.

I have since signed up with another Lawn care company and charged the initial down payment. I was going to use my refund to pay the charge when it comes in and now that he's made me responnsible for their cash flow issues, I have no recourse but to use other money to pay my charge.

Do I have options here? Is this something I can bring to Crimes against Seniors?

[Tbugs]

One of the main jobs of Seniors vs Crime is to "mediate" contract disputes. If you are in Sumter County, just go into the Sheriff's office on Hwy 466 & Morse Blvd on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday between 10 am and 2 pm and talk with one of the volunteers in Seniors Vs Crime. Fill out a report, bring all of your documentation and they will try and resolve the dispute.

[StarbuckSammy]

Thanks so much for your story (nightmare?) regarding the poor service of Ferigator. Information like this always helps.

[784caroline]

Your real issue was signing up with another lawn service. What makes you think the new service will be any differnt than the last!! They are all the same!

[teachnmo]

How are your friends yards?

[mikeandnancy1112]

In 2004 we hired a lawn service and paid them for a year's service but after 3 months they quit mowing. There were four of our neighbors who had the service and all of us lost money. Each of us filled out the paperwork and I submitted it to Seniors vs Crimes. I was told there were 220 cases against the same lawn service and probably would not see any money. As it turned out, none of us did. A lesson learned, never pay up front for services.

[Hancle704]

Folks, it just does not make sense to pay in advance or to sign up for a year or two contract, to save some money. If the service wont agree to a monthly payment arrangement, chances are, you will find as many others have, the company wont give you satisfactory service or try to make you a happy customer.

We have had the same lawn service for 12 years now and have never had a contract. If I see weeds growing where they shouldn't, I call them and they either re-treat or do spot weeding. Have same company for interior pest control and no contract. During one particularly rainy season we had too many earwigs in the house and it just took one phone call and they were back there there next day after I called to complain to re-spray.

[Floridagal]

I have Fertigator for two years now and never had a problem. I also never paid up front. I pay on a month to month basis and it seems to work ok with them.
Sorry to hear of your troubles. I did learn when I first moved here to never pay anyone up front especially anyone doing your lawn.

[l2ridehd]

I have Massey. They take ownership for zero, nada, nothing. No matter what pest or what lawn problem, what weed, what damage, it is always some other problem. Frost damage, never cinch bugs, a weed my mower service brought in, a bug from some alien planet, too much water, not enough water, never ever in a million years their fault. What is wrong with the pest and weed services there? No one accepts responsibility for doing the job right. It is the most frustrating service requirement I have ever run across. When I bought a home it had Ferigator, they came by and asked me to sign up to continue the contract. The lawn was awful. Again, not there fault. Some ghost came and peed on the lawn and killed the grass. So I sent them away.

Every one has a great sales pitch, but no one delivers.

[captain1202]

"The Lawn" is the biggest damn headache at our house. I have never had such issues with any lawn I've had. I have spent more on this stupid thing than I ever spent in 40 years up north. Why can't we just have some regular grass.

The locals claim Bahia is the "local" grass of choice. Not as picture perfect but a lot less troublesome. Between the copious amounts of $$$$$$$ water, the pests, the frost, and pain in the a-- lawn service companies, I've had it. We're thinking of selling the "grass farm" and downsizing to a CYV.

Maybe goats or sheep would help. They'd keep it trimmed AND fertilized.

[Talk Host]

Originally Posted by captain1202

"The Lawn" is the biggest damn headache at our house. I have never had such issues with any lawn I've had. I have spent more on this stupid thing than I ever spent in 40 years up north. Why can't we just have some regular grass.

The locals claim Bahia is the "local" grass of choice. Not as picture perfect but a lot less troublesome. Between the copious amounts of $$$$$$$ water, the pests, the frost, and pain in the a-- lawn service companies, I've had it. We're thinking of selling the "grass farm" and downsizing to a CYV.

Maybe goats or sheep would help. They'd keep it trimmed AND fertilized.

We have Bahia. It looks great when viewed from across the street. When viewed up close, its grass and all kinds of green weeds mixed in. No weed and feed for Bahia, it will kill the grass too. It's pasture grass.

JLK

[GeorgeT]

I noticed that most homes in Arizona don't have grass. They use white stone with some bushes and shrubs. Do The Villages allow this? My wife and I aren't down there yet but we do own a home and maintain it. Sometimes I wonder if it would be cheaper to let the lawn die and replace it when we move in permanently. The reason I don't let that happen is out of consideration for my neighbors.