[Rothgar]

Originally Posted by mikeandnancy1112

Report them to Seniors vs Crime on 466 and Morse Boulevard at the Sheriff's Office.

We had prepaid a company in 2004 for one year and they quit mowing after 3 months. I reported them to Seniors vs Crime and was told there were 226 cases filed. Unfortunately, no money was returned but at least the company is on file.

Since then we have never prepaid for a service in TV.

Kessler did our lawn for a number of years, but stopped showing up.
Did a visit to Seniors Vs. Crime today. They will collect complaints by filling out a Request for Assistance form backed by an invoice and proof of payment for services not performed. Our case will be joined by others in their attempt to contact Mr. Kessler. It is then up to The Sheriff's Office whether to issue a warrant for his arrest. Just complaining on this site will do no good, even though our chances of recovering funds is slim. However, Sumter Seniors Vs. Crime has been able to recover over $2,000,000 for their clients. It's worth the effort, as he can be stopped.

[normka76]

I also have filed a complaint with the Seniors vs Crime Office at the the Sumpter County Office at the intersection of 466 and Morse Blvd. It turns out I was the 6th complaint against Mr. Kessler of Kessler Lawn Management.

[uline2]

Yes, we and our neighbors have had the same experience. Keene has disappeared after taking our prepayments of three months. We used him for years and when he went to the prepayment plan we never dreamed he would just disappear. His voicemail box is not full so someone is checking his messages. I have personally left 4 messages and our neighbors have left at least two. We have had no choice but to move on.

[Investment Painting Contractors]

The Better Business Bureau is a licensed (NOT FOR PROFIT)
Membership dues are around $300 For a small business. $1300 to $1800 would be for a very large business,over $1,000,000 in sales or more. Most painters,plumbers,lawn mowers would not be in this catagory.

Every complaint shows up even if you are a menber. A complaint is processed, and a copy is sent to the offending party they are given a chance to respond, or settle the complaint. This record is then accesable to the public.

The complaints to the BBB, Seniors against crime, TOTV Etc. are only Effective if you bother to (CHECK THE CONTRACTOR) before you use them, and report any complaints to prevent other people from the same fate.

I am not an authority on the BBB just a small businessman since 1966

Thanks for listening Len

[jimbo2012]

Len going to disagree with you on this one, sounds like you bought into the myth.

this is from here also the LA Times last Smart Money

Myth: not for profit
Fact: The BBB franchises are privately owned, choose to be treated as a “Non Profit Organization” in order to cultivate and strengthen the wrong myth that they are “government” or a charity organization.

I personally spoke to the owners of the local franchise and they confirmed this.

myth" The BBB is impartial and non biased as its funding comes from the government.
Fact: The BBB income is generated from selling memberships to businesses and collecting yearly membership fees.
The BBB has nothing to do with any governmental body and does not receive any financial assistance from the government.

Myth: All the BBB franchises follow the same rules and directions as set and published by the CBBB.
The Truth: Each BBB franchise is a privately own business responsible for its income, costs and expenses.
Being a “Not for profit” is a marketing choice, which cannot stop the franchise owners from drawing pay and or benefits from their business, the amount of such “benefits” is totally at their discretion and ability.
The BBB franchises do not have to publish their “Tax Return” to the public, allowing the owners to conceal how lucrative it is to own a BBB franchise.
The BBB franchises minimize their costs utilizing staff which does not possess the qualifications that will enable them to judge which complaints are valid and which are not.
The public and thousands of businesses are faced with unprofessional and wrong decisions made by unqualified staff with the “authority” and capability to damage one business enormously through their ignorance.
Decisions and judgments are made against the CBBB’s own published explanations of how complaints are handled.

Whatever the initial idea was when the BBB started many years ago, none of its good intentions and merits survived the changing times.

The business community and the public are faced now with a bunch of corporations “Not for Profit” but for personal gain to their owners, with inadequate staff, cultivating wrong myths and providing misleading information.

It is time to spread the truth and let the public know.
With greater public knowledge – the BBB “asset” will diminish and so its capability to collect fees and cause damages.

---
If your a member there will never be a negative report they fix it right up for ya.
I have one of the worst competitors in world in the same biz he's written up in newspapers with his bad biz practices, on the local TV station, a really bad guy.

Guess what he has the best rating with the local for profit franchise of the BBB.

When I was first in biz over 30 years ago I was approached by their hard sell tactics and have since told numerous business to spend their money elsewhere. Now with the Internet you can likely learn more about the bad operators.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by jimbo2012

Len going to disagree with you on this one, sounds like you bought into the myth.

this is from here also the LA Times last Smart Money

Myth: not for profit
Fact: The BBB franchises are privately owned, choose to be treated as a “Non Profit Organization” in order to cultivate and strengthen the wrong myth that they are “government” or a charity organization.

I personally spoke to the owners of the local franchise and they confirmed this.

myth" The BBB is impartial and non biased as its funding comes from the government.
Fact: The BBB income is generated from selling memberships to businesses and collecting yearly membership fees.
The BBB has nothing to do with any governmental body and does not receive any financial assistance from the government.

Myth: All the BBB franchises follow the same rules and directions as set and published by the CBBB.
The Truth: Each BBB franchise is a privately own business responsible for its income, costs and expenses.
Being a “Not for profit” is a marketing choice, which cannot stop the franchise owners from drawing pay and or benefits from their business, the amount of such “benefits” is totally at their discretion and ability.
The BBB franchises do not have to publish their “Tax Return” to the public, allowing the owners to conceal how lucrative it is to own a BBB franchise.
The BBB franchises minimize their costs utilizing staff which does not possess the qualifications that will enable them to judge which complaints are valid and which are not.
The public and thousands of businesses are faced with unprofessional and wrong decisions made by unqualified staff with the “authority” and capability to damage one business enormously through their ignorance.
Decisions and judgments are made against the CBBB’s own published explanations of how complaints are handled.

Whatever the initial idea was when the BBB started many years ago, none of its good intentions and merits survived the changing times.

The business community and the public are faced now with a bunch of corporations “Not for Profit” but for personal gain to their owners, with inadequate staff, cultivating wrong myths and providing misleading information.

It is time to spread the truth and let the public know.
With greater public knowledge – the BBB “asset” will diminish and so its capability to collect fees and cause damages.

---
If your a member there will never be a negative report they fix it right up for ya.
I have one of the worst competitors in world in the same biz he's written up in newspapers with his bad biz practices, on the local TV station, a really bad guy.

Guess what he has the best rating with the local for profit franchise of the BBB.

When I was first in biz over 30 years ago I was approached by their hard sell tactics and have since told numerous business to spend their money elsewhere. Now with the Internet you can likely learn more about the bad operators.

Wikipedia agrees with your criticisms Jimbo.

Better Business Bureau - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[jimbo2012]

Gracie, I want a non profit biz too, all you need to do I guess is spend and take a big salary.

"The national CBBB receives franchise fees, which amounted to $4,884,226 in 2009"

All you need to do is shake a few business down.

"It has been reported that the BBB encourages and solicits money from the very businesses they monitor, which again, raises the question of neutrality"

As to their non profit status
"BBB accreditation fees/membership dues cannot be deducted as a charitable contribution for federal income tax purposes"

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Note: Admin will be on here shortly to tell us all that we've gotten off-topic with this one................

Bill

[sunlover]

There are many people who start their own lawncare business. Unfortunately, too many are here today, gone tomorrow. As many have already stated, it's not recommended that you pre-pay for this type of service.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by sunlover

There are many people who start their own lawncare business. Unfortunately, too many are here today, gone tomorrow. As many have already stated, it's not recommended that you pre-pay for this type of service.

You are SO right on that one.

[Moderator]

Thread closed. Over a year and a half old.

Moderator