[Hancle704]

Was contacted today by one of their reps offering to take over fertilizing and treating our lawn, after she noted what appeared to be Chinch Bug problem areas and some bare spots and weeds in our lawn. Just wondering if anyone else has been using their service. Said they treat lawn every 6 weeks and no annual contract required.

Anyone else on TOTV with experience good or bad, with TruGreen? I would love to hear from you before I give them the go ahead..

[getdul981]

Have not used them in TV, but did use them here in VA a couple of years ago. Like you said, no contract. When I called to discontinue the service they didn't like it one bit. They kept calling evey couple of weeks to see if I wanted to restart the service. I finally had to talk to the supervisor and tell him that I did not want the service and IF I decided to change my mind I would call them and DON'T CALL ME ANY MORE. That did the trick. I don't know if they are that way in TV, but I would be very cautious before I used them.

[njbchbum]

did not use them after we bought 'cause we had watched them ruin a friend's lawn. cinch bug is the magic word lawn services use to rile up the homeowner. i suggest that you get your lawn a second opinion.

our previous owner used leeco and i loved the lawn - except for the bare spots - caused by bad wintering. have given another outfit a year to make our lawn the pride of the block! they know they are finished if it is not. will get my report from friends when they visit in a few weeks. the co we use is heron - they are local. if we get a poor report, we'll go back to leeco.

[zcaveman]

I "inherited" Tru-Green when my original lawn care group sold their contracts to them a couple of years ago. They do a good job. I have had no problem with the exception of an occasional call telling me I need some special service (aerating, fire ant care, etc). I say to just provide me with what I am paying for and they do it.

I like the no annual contract.

[Talk Host]

I got an unsolicited call from a Tru Green rep who said something like, " Have you looked at your lawn lately? Have you noticed how nice your neighors lawns look, and how bad yours looks? We've prepared an estimate so you can get you lawn in shape."

I was so insulted by that approach that I hung up on him. He called back a week later and my wife gave him a piece of her mind too.

Hey Tru Green, have you noticed how distasteful your sales approach is? We've prepared a post on Talk of The Villages, so you can get your act in shape.

So, now, Tru Green, you may make insulting solicitation calls, but we get the last laugh by posting this here for all to see.



jlk

[normgreg]

I,ve used them in the past & will never use them again! The service that I received was mediocre at best. After one year of service I notified them that I wasn't pleased with them & I wanted to discontinue the service. I then sold the house. Now seven months later I still receive sales calls for "specials" & other promotions. I have used at times, logic, vulgarity, threats to report to BBB & the AG to get them to stop calling. The last call 5 days ago, to their corporate office, I was to be put on a do not call or solicit list. Lets see, the jury is still out.

[mulligan]

I had them several years ago here in Ma. Service was barely acceptable, but the solicitation calls for additional work became tedious. Switched to a locally owned business with great results, and I no longer send profits to japan.

[Hancle704]

Thanks for all of your comments. We have decided to stay with our existing service and not bother with TruGreen. We have been using Alliance and despite some problem areas in our lawn after the cold winter and some Bermuda Grass intrusion, they do return to re-treat shortly after I call. Same with their interior pest control service. Might as well stick with them and not fall for the instant lawn analysis by an "expert" with questionable knowledge.

[Sonny Craven]

Beware of TruGreen/Chemlawn

I had this service at my home in South Florida. Apparently, they work on commissions and sales quotas. The treatment isn't terrible..as South Florida lawns near lakes are plagued with Dollarweeds, which if left untreated, spread rapidly to all of your lawn, and your neighbor's too.. and this service can control it..somewhat and color-up a nice green St. Augustine.

After treatment, lawns generally prosper, but that's because TruGreen turns them into a chemical junky. Withdraw treatments, and watch how fast your lawn is reclaimed by weeds and begins to look ratty. The problem I had was any promise made about treatment frequency was always violated..often on purpose to increase their bottom line as the no contract policy doesn't boost their bottom line. If they can fiddle with the frequency and you don't notice, you'll be billed incessantly. I'm certain it's done purposely, hoping for non-vigilant customers, or those who are away from the property frequently as I was. After constant issues with route supervisors who promised the moon in terms of fixing "billing mistakes", duplicative treatments by "inexperienced" route techs, and reduced intervals between agreed on treatment plans, I tried to cancel-in writing and by phone. I started at the local office, and received assurances after assurances, but the billings and treatments continued.

Finally, a certified letter to the corporate headquarters and an email follow-up assuring me the local office supervisor would contact me had limited success. The local supervisor said past office problems had been cleaned up, he was new and wanted a chance to earn my business again. Don't be fooled. It's a scripted ploy. After months of this, the treatments and billings stopped (I always elicited an agreement when I called that I should ignore the most current bill)and treatment. But soon, they started cold calling again to restart my account. When I demanded I be removed form their database, they promised I would..and another salesperson would call weeks after. Another certified letter to their corporate office finally stopped them form calling.

Word to the wise..never begin a service relationship with TruGreen.

And my Dollarweed problem was finally handled by a local, honest company that used a technique of one granular treatment per year, and one spray. Problem solved--for a lot less money.

Now my quest-after trying all the supposedly biggest and best companies working in The Villages (tried five)..and your guesses would be correct-is to find one whose service lives up to its hype.

Picking a reliable company which produces other than dismal results is akin to experiencing "Mr. Toads Wild Ride".

[grayesun]

We started them a couple months back; after having pretty good luck with them years ago up north and seeing their signs on a few perfect lawns in neighborhood.

Results to date: On St. Augustine grass -

1) The fairly healthy areas have greened & thickened up nicely.
2) The bad areas (brown, dead grass) have gotten worse. They initially told me I didn't need plugs, that grass would pull together from healthy areas and fill in...it hasn't at all.
3) They told me to add topsoil to bare areaa and healthy grass would pull together...we added topsoil...hasn't worked.
4) They told me to rake and add more topsoil...this is in progress now.

Interactions with TruGreen tech & QA person & office:
1) After telling tech we didn't want any additional service besides lawn, they called a couple times trying to persuade to other services; I again declined.
2) The tech continues to try to sell me on shrub service about every other visit.
3) QA person stopped by a few weeks ago to try and sign me up for lawn service; not realizing I already have them working on the yard. She suggested plugs may be required and said she'd have her tech deliver some for us to install...we never received any.
4) Same QA person stopped by a few weeks later with same speil & also wanted to discuss shrub service; when I told her she'd told me all this a few weeks earlier; oops...she was embarassed and again said plugs would be provided...again no plugs ever arrived.

I've told TruGreen repeatedly that there will be no additional services until they show me they can get the lawn right...that they're working for me on a merit system basis & will be terminated if lawn is not satisfactory. Right now...we're on the cusp of cancelling the service & investigating converting to Zoysia.

Bottom line: We would not recommend TruGreen services.