We hired Massey for a few services and get a discount for paying in advance.

For our lawn and weed control we pay the guy the end of each month. Little guy we are happy with but no reason to pay in advance.

We pay 3 months in advance and have never had a problem.

We've been paying a month in advance to the same guy for 12 years...

Like the other guy said its 75 dollars.... not hundreds

I have it set up with my bank to send my lawn service a check for each month about mid-month. So half my mowing is paid in advance, half in arrears. I have done this for years.

Personally, I wouldn’t do it again. I did it once. He lasted 4 months. He was going through a divorce, didn’t come. I felt bad for his situation, but……I had already paid him. I had to call HIM and beg him to come. Why should I have to beg anyone to take my money? If you decide to try out this person, pay by the month. When things aren’t going well….find someone who bills you.

I leave cash under the mat once a month and when I’m away I pay for how long I am away . I think in all the years I’ve had lawn services I’ve lost out 2 or 3 months . I think most of these guys are honest some just fall behind and then they take off . I always give these guys a couple of hundred at Christmas most aren’t getting rich and I sometimes ask them for a little help, as far as the major pest and lawn companies I always pay them up front just like any other bill . I also think these guys would much prefer cash then any other type payment

We do pay in advance for our lawn service which we have had for 3 years and no problems!!! If they come recommended you should feel more comfortable!

We use Tony Landscaping. Carlos is professional, reasonable, timely and provides an excellent service. He serves my next door neighbor, my sister who is around the corner and my niece who is in St. James. I can’t say enough about him. His price is great! I pay as needed for bushes trees etc. He is just a hard working small business. I have even thought of backing my recommendation with a guarantee to reimburse for the first month if he doesnt do a good job as I hope he grows his business. I am a little afraid of someone taking advantage of something like that. I would suggest talking to Carlos and feel free to tell him i recommended him. His number is 352-470-2856. Any questions don’t hesitate to contact me.

We have paid Massey Services in advance, and it has worked. We also pay our lawn cutting service in advance on a monthly basis. No problems there either. I relied on
our neighbor, who vouched for them.

Depends on which service you use. I use the same person that 3 of my neighbors use. I pay one year in advance and our lawns are always cut at the same time, service is reliable. But they only work in select areas to make it worth their while.

But, why does he need to be paid a year in advance? When I worked, I never got paid until after the end of the pay period. That is the way most people are paid for the work they do.

Isoms I use, they are great. Emails my invoice beginning of each month and I have the whole month to pay. I pay right away though. They do a great job and clean up.

We pay the lawn service three months in advance. They email the bill. They do seven adjoining (or across the street) yards with push mowers. Hasn't been a problem and, as others said, it is not a big gamble. But I wouldn't go beyond three months in advance.

The posts seem to have evolved off the original question. We have been in the villages for 8 going on 9 years. We have always paid the last week of the previous month for the following month. So essentially they are one month ahead. Paid in advance.

Reliable? In eight years, the first guy decided he didn't want to do it anymore. He recommended a nice young guy all went smooth. After a couple of years he just disappeared. He, as we paid in advance STOLE three weeks from us. We hired another guy, recommended by neighbors. Family issues? He just stopped coming. He too was a nice guy. We liked him. Work quality not as good as the first two but, good enough for me. I phoned him and he gave us a refund. We now have a forth guy in eight or nine years. Also a nice guy. Work quality probably the worst yet.

It may not sound like it but I am an easy customer. Stuff left behind, I just rake it up and say nothing.

I do the weeding. The pruning. The chemistry-fertilizer-fungicide-insecticide. This is the first time in my life that I hired someone to edge and mow. Perhaps, it is time to start that again.

Had a bad experience with paying up front for lawn services. Myself and a few neighbors had the same person for a few years. Always paid 3 months in advance for services, one day at the start of the payment cycle he collected everyone’s money and was never heard from again. New service invoices mid way of the 3months, much better!

My neighbors and the homeowner I bought from all used his system for years, I did the same as everyone else. So far it has worked out just fine. I just continued the previous contract.

Run, don't walk away from this guy. Never pay in advance!

My previous lawn guy fired me because I had the gall to ask for an invoice so I knew when and how much to pay!

Well, my lawn person is a vet, and if he takes off with a year’s worth of lawn mowing money... I know, I know, but I’d have given it to him anyways. As I said before, I don’t like property tax increases that benefit others because that is enforced charity, but this guy I know and he seems worth it. That being said I am not recommending my way to other people.

Paying in advance. Hmmm... I did that once with a roofing contractor. I learned my lesson - NEVER PAY IN ADVANCE!!!

We pay quarterly, but got good references beforehand and he also does work for many in our neighborhood. So far in the last 6 months he's been just great. Guess getting references would be best. I would think monthly should be just fine if people in your neighborhood recommend and he's been doing this kind of work for awhile. Good luck!

pay up
 

If your neighbors are happy paying a month ahead shouldn't be a deal breaker

If you have cable, I believe you pay that "service" in advance.

This is not a 15,000 contract. It is lawn mowing. I do not receive a bill. For four years I have paid the same person in advance 100 every two months. He does a wonderful job and is very reliable. If your neighbors recommended him then trust your neighbors.

I am in the habit of paying the lawn service (a one man operation) at least three months in advance..my wife and I are going away for three months so we pId him 'six' months in advance. I also give him a Christmas bonus and a Thanksgiving turkey.

Just a thought, if he doesn't trust you for a measly 75 bucks in advance why should you trust him?

I pay for the month starting, which means I pay him in advance. Figured if he took me for my money, I would not longer use him, and I’d back-talk him. He has never let me down.

He also told me to pay to his PO Box, but we make a point of seeing him the last week of the month to pay him for his following month. If I have extra work to be done, I ask him to do it. He usually does it by the following week, if he’s pressed for time. I pay him for that, too, on the day I request the work, once we’ve settled on a price. Not because he asks me to, by the way, but I figure I would continue the pay-in-advance process he requested at the beginning.

I started using him because, like you, my neighbors were using him. I prefer doing business with the little guys, rather than big companies, cause actually I’ve had more problems with the big companies than the smaller enterprises. I would trust the word of mouth of your neighbors regarding the person’s integrity and professionalism. And, by the way, I figure the reason the person asks for money in advance, because he has been taken advantage of by the customers. I know for a fact that my guy has. Neighbors are here part time, “forget” to pay him when they’re heading out, get a different person when they come back. Dishonesty runs both ways and both parties are wanting to protect themselves.

It’s a reasonable request to ask for 1 month. It’s not like he’s asking you to pay for a year. I just started with a lawn service and they billed me before their first visit.

I am billed one month in advance for lawn services rendered by my lawn services contractor; no issues.

Mine was recommended by my next door neighbor when I moved here. I pay him a year in advance. Easier, in any case. I pay for swimming pool care a quarter in advance.

My lawn man bills me for service rendered. So easy now with email.
Then I just mail him my check.

Apples and oranges. A cable company is not going to be a "no show". And no, I don't have cable TV, but I do have Century Link for internet. I don't think Century Link is going to stop my service, as long as I keep paying. Can not compare the two.

That’s the way my yard person does it and he has 5 of my neighbors as customers as well. I Just put an autopay in my bank account the 1st of the month and never worry about it.

Pay my guy since 2009 every other Month. He's never missed a week period. Always have a cold beverage for him and his helps if they're with him. Only been him and 1 other person since Covid. Does 1/2 my block.

WOW $15k
 

$15,000? Was that a lifetime mowing agreement?

Deans cuts our lawn and then they bill us by email and then they get paid automatically.