ComplaintsforVelvet Green Organic Lawn Care

• Initial Complaint

  05/23/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  We spent more than $2,300 with Velvet Green since May 2021 for our lawn care. The lawn is in worse shape now than when Velvet Green started work. We have only dirt and weeds in our backyard. We paid for soil analysis, lyme application, grub control, fertilizer treatments, aeration, re-seeding, winter protection and more everything that the company recommended. They said it would take time to see results. Finally, this spring, after 2 years, we questioned why we were not seeing any results. A manager, ***, came out to assess. He agreed treatments were not working. We asked them to stop treating the lawn and said we expected some kind of remediation given how much we have already spent. *** agreed to give ** a discount on sod installation, saying our lawn was beyond repair. The sod quote came back at $4,000, which is more than we were willing to spend with a company that has not treated us right. If we had not contacted *** this spring, the company would still be sending technicians and charging us to apply treatment, effectively taking advantage of us since it has acknowledged that these treatments are not working. We would like some type of remuneration.

  

  Business response

  06/01/2023

  Velvet Green Organic Lawn Care prides itself on outstanding customer service and our ability to meet and exceed customer expectations. From the time a potential customer reaches out to us and throughout their experience as a customer, our team works diligently to communicate and work with each customer to meet their needs. Before a customer signs up and we take our first step onto their lawn,we discuss our process and how lawn care is a partnership between them and us.We also ensure that each customer understands our ********************** approach to lawn care and how it differs from a traditional lawn care program.

  
  To address Mr. ******** complaint. We followed the same process with him and his lawn as we do for the hundreds of happy customers we service. Before ***************** became a customer, it was discussed with him that his lawn was thin and needed additional services to improve it (discussed on 4/26/2021). Before fertilizer treatments began, soil samples were taken and sent out to be tested (5/4/2021). Upon receiving the results from the laboratory, it was found that Mr. ******** soil health was poor and not conducive to growing a healthy lawn.The soil test results were emailed to ******************, and made it clear that additional soil amendments were needed to improve the soil health and that improvements to the soil and his lawn could take several years (5/24/2021). It was also explicitly stated in the soil test results that if he was seeking to improve his lawn faster, he could reach out to Velvet Green, and we could provide him with a quote to install a new lawn with well-balanced soil. ***************** did not request a new lawn installation quote but instead received additional lime applications to help improve soil health over several years.Mr. Meriti did not sign up for the humic soil amendment also recommended in the soil test; this amendment would have helped improve soil health further and the growing conditions for his lawn.

  
  As was mentioned, lawn care is a partnership between the property owner and Velvet Green. Many factors influence the results a customer will see in their lawn.Most of these factors influencing a lawn are out of Velvet Greens hands.Factors controlled by the property owner include mowing practices, watering,opting to follow the soil test results, reducing heavy foot traffic, and finding the right balance of shade and sunlight. Velvet Green improves lawns by focusing on soil health, improving soil fertility, building a thick stand of turf through seeding, and reducing weed pressures. Natural factors affecting lawns include drought, heat, cold, and soil structure. We do our best to communicate these factors to our customers and have spoken with ****************** several times about the elements he could control, primarily his watering practices and compacted soil due to heavy foot traffic.

  
  Based on the many factors that influence the success of a lawn that are out of Velvet Greens hands and Mr. ******** poor soil health, that is why he did not see the results he was expecting in the two short years he was a customer. Our team at ******************************************* did all we could to improve Mr. ******** lawn by following our proven processes of identifying the soil health through a laboratory soil test,fertilizing the lawn, seeding, and applying amendments to improve the soil health. The communication from Velvet Green to ****************** throughout his time as a customer was exceptional, and we did all we could to ensure that ***************** understood our process and what to expect.

  
  Unfortunately,****************** was disappointed with the results he saw, and we are sorry he feels that way. His account is canceled, and we will no longer service his property.We hope he can find success with his lawn in the future and wish him the best. 

  Please read the attached PDF's.  

  Customer response

  06/06/2023

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********.

  Please address our main concern (in bold). In May 2023, our lawn was in worse shape than ever, despite two years of treatments. Before a scheduled treatment on May 5, we requested that ********************* of Velvet Green inspect our property. When he did so, he said our lawn was beyond repair. If we hadnt requested this inspection, Velvet Greens fruitless treatments would have continued indefinitely, leading to thousands more wasted dollars. Over the course of two years, no one from Velvet Green ever mentioned that our lawn was not worth treating. To the contrary, they proposed treatments that we agreed to apply. We even had two treatments in the spring of 2023 at a cost of $180. Why didnt *** or his technicians tell ** before administering these treatments that our lawn was beyond repair? At the very least, we would like a refund for the treatments administered this spring.
  
  Regards,

  Alket

   

   

  

  Business response

  06/07/2023

  Hi Al,

   

  We have notified our accountnant to refund you for the 2023 season.  The refund of $180.00 should take a few days to process.  

   

  Thank you 

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩