ComplaintsforGarden Girl Company

• Initial Complaint

  06/13/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We signed a contract with Garden Girl to service our property (weeding, mulching, cleaning). The estimated amount was 7,470 dollars. Garden Girl showed up a month late to begin work and spent less than 2 days working on the property - the team left early due to rain one of the days. They then sent out a second round of payments due, which we assumed was for continued work. They went $536 dollars over their estimate, despite working less than the anticipated hours. We paid the balance and were sent an email 3 weeks later, stating that we were abruptly dropped from their client list due to worker shortage and that they didn't like that we mowed our lawn by the garden beds. The contract we signed, in good faith and in all capital letters, states that "THE GARDEN GIRL COMPANY WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO NOTIFY CLIENT OF ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN LABOR AND TIME." We were never notified of the additional costs of the first job, despite my husband being on the property the entire time. Despite a phone call and attempt to collect the difference, particularly due to the fact that we no longer can obtain a company to service our property, they were not receptive. We never received notice as to why the actual work took less time but was hundreds of dollars over the estimate, nor did they offer any explanation as to why we weren't contacted about a discrepancy in the estimate.

  Business response

  06/28/2022

  The Garden Girl Company received a complaint which we would like to address. The complaint references a contract which we never sent out. We send estimates, not contracts. The estimates outline the estimated scope of work for the season. Our estimates include the time and material we expect to expend at a client’s home during the specified season. You can find the client’s estimate attached for reference. The client mentions we were a month late to start work. This is not accurate. We emailed her saying her property was slated the first week of May (see attached). We try to not give exact dates we’ll be at a client’s home to perform their garden maintenance due to unforeseen and uncontrollable setbacks such as weather (as with any gardening/landscape company), and staffing issues which we’ve experienced to a much greater degree this season . We started her maintenance 2 weeks later than anticipated, the first visit being on Friday 5/20, and we came back that following Monday, 5/23 to mulch. Please see the attached invoice for reference. There wasn’t a second round of payments for work performed. Our clients pay a 30% deposit on their full estimate. Once we receive their deposit, they are put on the schedule. The client who filed the complaint paid $2,241 (30% of their estimate for the season). Once we were there and performed the Spring cleanup and mulch, we invoiced the client for the total hours and material expended less their deposit. We only ever bill a client for their total hours and material needed for the job, nothing more or less. The job took 57 hours over 2 days and included 6 workers on 5/20 and 5 workers 5/23. The client’s estimate shows 40 +/- hours for their cleanup and mulch and 20 +/- yards of mulch. We only used and charged for 8 yards of mulch and the 57 hours we worked on their property. Our estimates clearly notate the fact our clients are reviewing just that, an estimate, and that actual invoiced pricing may vary. Their estimate indicated a price of $3,120 for spring cleanup and mulch. The final bill was for $3,656. While that is an increase of $536 from the estimate, their entire season with us was going to cost approximately $7,470 which the client was well aware of and paid the 30% deposit on. The $536 would have likely been a wash when all was said and done. The client said less time was spent on the property than was estimated, but that is clearly not the case. We spent more time there, and then billed the client for that time. 
  
  As mentioned previously, we have been experiencing staffing issues this season, and also had a week where COVID went through the entire team. These setbacks in addition to the unforeseen inclement weather we’ve been having caused us to write to the client that we would not be able to service their property for the remaining season. That email is attached for reference. We did this because we felt this was what was best for the client. The client was only billed for the service provided by The Garden Girl Company and nothing more. The client mentions she cannot find anyone else to service her property. She had also mentioned that to us when she called our company within minutes of us sending the initial attached email indicating we would not be able to maintain their property leading us to believe they likely never tried to get another professional there, and are only wishing to add an additional complaint to falsely strengthen their accusations against our company. 
  
  We are happy to provide invoices from Indeed to show we’ve had consistent job openings for gardeners throughout this season to rectify our staffing issue. We make every effort to service our clients in the most efficient way, and would like to reiterate, the dissolving of the relationship with our company and the client occurred because it was in the best interest of the client. 
  
  Please reach out anytime with any questions or if any additional information is needed. 
  
  Thank you,
  Jackie C****** 
  Jackie C******
  **** ****** ****
  Ottsville, Pa *****

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