ComplaintsforA & R Tree and Landscaping LLC

• Initial Complaint

  09/15/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  8/25/22 A & R Tree came to inspect disease on my 65' North Ash tree Over the next 6 months, they were unable to identify the disease in the North Ash tree, while claiming they had taken cuttings and submitted them to the CSU Extension Center Arigucultural Department for review. Many telephone calls and text messages ensued during the next six months between myself and A & R Tree, the dates, times and exact transcription of the text messages have been documented. 2/23/23 This is the last time I spoke with A & R, explaining how disappointed I was and that I was going to pursue other means of care in determining the disease of the tree. I contacted other services in the area and also reached out to the CSU Extension Center for confirmation of my case. 5/4/23 CSU, in writing, confirmed that they had no knowledge or record of my case or of anything being submitted to them from A & R Tree concerning my case. CSU did offer, at that time, to send a "Tree Team" from the CSU Boulder County Extension to review the trees. 5/28/23 The "Tree Team" of four individuals met at my house and reviewed the trees, offering an opinion of the disease, but suggesting retaining a different Arborist to complete a new tree sample submission. They noted the disease had now spread to the South tree as well. 6/14/23 Velte Forestry and Arboriculture was engaged to reassess the trees. 8/22/23 Almost one year after my initial meeting with A & R Tree, through Velte Forestry, the CSU Extension Center was able to confirm, in a report to me, the cause of the disease. 9/7/23 Using Velte Forestry, I approved a tree trimming and treatment plan for the trees. At this point, I am very concerned that, because of the lack of due diligence from A & R Tree and their indecisive manner and their assurances of their ongoing promises of working on my case, I may have to remove these beautiful 80 Year Old trees from my property.

  

  Business response

  10/19/2023

  from: Bobby Fairow <[email protected]>
  to: Marcy Look <[email protected]>
  date: Oct 18, 2023, 6:02 PM
  subject: Re: BBB regarding urgent complaint message

  We provided a small services for Mark but was not under any contract to assist in any sort of remedy for his trees., We did have our first interaction with Mark on 08/25/22 as stated on the estimate for trimming both trees at the time.   We did not provide a remedy nor solution to his trees as his trees were being treated by another company for many years, Healthy Trees.  He asked about the north tree as it looked under stressed and the west side branch was loosing leaves at the time. He stated he had another arborist up in tree and he thought it looked like cystophora canker. I said possibly but I have not seen that in Ash trees. We have seen EAB ( Emerald Ash Borer) , his guy was treating it though. I said I could send one of climbing arborist over to collect samples to send to CSU in Denver. As they provide this service for free. I would charge 125.oo for the climbing arborist to collect samples.  We provided this services sometime in Sept, 2022.  We sent in leaves, small branch and small bark samples. This is were in hindsight , I would have done differently. I sent this in by United states postal services, without a tracking number so I did not track or have a way too. I spoke with some other colleagues at the time that was experiencing similar issues in Denver. In fact, one colleague mention going to the location in Denver with no prevail.  I did speak with other colleagues on my findings thought it could be Ash Yellowing. I had expressed this to Mark on occasion in November 2022, as I felt trimming that tree would spread the diseases if it did have that or cystophora canker. . We spoke again and set up for trimming the south ash on Dec 16, 2022.  I still had no word and called a few times to the Denver location with no answer or new information. I let mark know on 12/23 by text . We speak in Feb , I inform Mark I have not heard anything from CSU , so  i am concerned that the samples got lost. I was frustrated and not sure if I could help any further but would stay persist in calling them.  I offered to get another batch of samples and send them in to 2 different labs , cost is involved  to get them inspected by the lab, not for me .  I also mention that this is still something he would need to get his guy to treated once we found the problem going on with the trees. I have not charged anymore and was not sure what to do but stated will reach out to them and a colleague.  So still o   2/23/23 , we text each other for information. 
  By this time, feb 20, I have reached out to my friend, Stephanie Adams PHD professor at University of Chicago, she specializes in tree biology. I sent over pictures that I had taken when I took samples from the tree in sept 2022. We spoke, I reached out to Marks PHC guy several times finally responded to me on April 3,2023 , spoke again with Stephanie. Conclusion was EAB from the pictures and the treatments being given was the right direction.
  I spoke to Mark by phone sometime  April 7-9 to inform him of the results I found through that directions. He wanted to continue to pursue CSU and samples that no one ever contacted me or knew about apparently.
  
  So a few things, we did the best we could for a small family business of arborist. Not PH.D, forestry or biology majors, we do the best we can to source things if we cant do them ourselves or recommend someone.  I did several times feel the avenue with CSU was frustrating and I could have saved alot of headaches by tracking everything. Which I did not , and that I have learned a valuable lesson.  We did not have any contract binding us to Mark to solve the trees issues. It was a services that we did by getting samples and sending them in , which we did this and pursued it as far as I had the ability to do so.  
   
  I do have documentation of the original estimate that was completed on 08/25/22, over 50 pictures of the tree when we took samples, the texts to Mark, Healthy Trees , colleague as frustrated with CSU services same time I had sent in my samples, messages with Stephanie that assist me with her diagnosis by pics and description. I dont have documentation for the samples , nor calls to CSU in Denver which I should have and know how to handle this again. If need be.  If you need the documentation I will be happy to send those over. 
  
  Also, we want happy and healthy trees and glad that Mark was able to find a diagnosis for his trees. That we were unable to assist with,  I hope the trees response well. As there is never a guarantee , even with trimming and treatments for trees survival only that we are doing our best to assist them. 
  
  
  Sherry Fairow
  A&R Tree
  3038335212 
  [email protected]

  Customer response

  10/23/2023

  Complaint: 20609956
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Point 1:  A & R Tree Services seems to infer that they were not accountable for the diagnosis and subsequent treatment proposal for the North and South Ash Trees at my property.  If that were indeed the case, why did they continue to seek advice on the disease, even engaging a PHD Tree Specialist, Stephanie Adams a full 6 months after their initial inspection?  Our conversations and subsequent dialogue (phone and text) throughout the Fall of 2022 and into 2023 proves that the reason they were contacted was to diagnose and treat the trees.

  Point 2:  In the process, and after months of inaction, I offered A & R to contact CSU myself (see text), which was met with no response.  In the Spring of 2023, due to my own concern and frustration, I contacted the CSU Extension Center directly and they provided to me, in writing, that they had no record of anything submitted to them by either myself or on my behalf by the A & R Tree Services in 2022.

  Point 3:  When they could not get an answer from the CSU Extension Center, why didn't A & R return to my property, take another sample of the tree/leaves and personally deliver that second sample to CSU.  When I engaged a second Arborist in the Spring of 2023 (at the suggestion of the CSU Extension Center) after meeting with the CSU Tree Team, my Arborist was able to submit samples and receive a written report from the CSU Extension Center in a matter of weeks, not months.

  Point 4:  Throughout our months of discourse (verbally and via text messages, as documented), I was misled that A & R's efforts were ongoing and would yield results.  Because of their ultimate inaction for several months, the North Ash Tree continued to sustain additional damage from the disease and the South Ash Tree, which was healthy at the time of their initial inspection, became infected.

  I submit this information to show that, as a client in good faith, I was misinformed, misled and, due to their inaction and inability to identify the disease or provide me with a treatment option, my two Ash trees became more infected and diseased.

  Due to their failure as an Arborist and recognized Tree Service, I want A & R to completely compensate me for the expense of the tree trimming and treatment of my trees.

   

  Regards,
  
  Mark Fritz

  

  Business response

  11/06/2023

  from: Bobby Fairow <[email protected]>
  to: Marcy Look <[email protected]>
  date: Nov 6, 2023, 11:37 AM
  subject: Re: BBB regarding urgent complaint message

  I following up from Mark Fritz responds....
  
   i have already stated our side of this situation. that we were out on property, gathered leaves, pics and twigs and branches to send to the Denver location. Which we did.  however , i did not have any tracking nor did i hand deliver the samples. This is were i learned a valuable lesson moving forward.  document , document document. we did provide a pruning for the south tree in dec.. As of then, we thought to not trim on the north tree until we could make sure it was safe for the tree. As there are a few disease that spread if you trim trees.  
  We presue it further by sending pics to a colleague in Feb, and march to help us learn more about our trees and diseases around us. Also , to have some conclusion to this mystery. Which at this time we still dont have a definite diagnosis, which can be helpful for other arborist and tree owners.
  
  
  i understand that mark wants compensation for his cost of treatment and pruning. This is a service that would have been  completed and paid weather it was with us or another company by Mark.  We , as a company, want to make sure trees are happy and healthy. We feel we did our best but could have done better for Mark, by doing a better follow up with our samples. Lessons learned!
  We would be happy to compensate Mark for the cost of $350, this is avg cost for injection treatment.  We will send a check.  this is our resolution. 
  
  Again, we are happy that mark found someone that could assist him. As there is so many diseases, bugs and abiotic things that affect our trees, we do our best to be up to date and reach out to the knowledgeable tree community for the health of our trees. 
  
  Sherry Fairow
  Owner

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