ComplaintsforSavATree, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  06/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Sav-A-Tree cut down a diseased birch tree for me late last fall (*****). I was told that because it was so late in the season, they may not be able to come back and grind the ***** for me until spring. I was also told that they out-source ***** grinding because they don't have the equipment. (admittedly that should have been a red flag for me. Who's ever heard of a tree removal service that doesn't have the capability of ***** grinding?) I didn't mind waiting until spring but this has become ridiculous. It's now mid-June and the ***** is sprouting prolifically. I would like this company to get their sub over here to finish the job! If they are incapable I would like a full refund. I've contacted them a coupled of times and only get a brush off. I would never do business with this company again and would absolutely never recommend them. Please help! Thank you! *****************

  Business response

  06/28/2024

  We apologize for the delay in completing your ***** grinding. Unfortunately, this happened at a time of transition for both our arborist and our ***** grinding contractor plus there was a clearance issue on site the first time our ***** grinders arrived to perform the work. All of this caused delays we do not normally experience. We have confirmed you are on our contractor's list and your ***** grinding will be completed promptly. We appreciate your patience and understanding. If you have any further concerns, please contact us directly. 

  Customer response

  07/02/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************
  
  
  
   
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  05/28/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Savatree indicated that they work directly with the insurance company MAPFRE and I would have no out of pocket expenses for the tree service. After completing the the job the insurance company paid HMI the parent company of Savatree $784 for the services. this payment was made immediately after services on 2/14/24. the reprensentative from the **********. branch acknowledged the insurance companies confirmations of payment (which were sent by email on 2 occasions, March 18 2024 and May 3 2024)I continue to get invoices to pay a balance of $938, which includes higher than agree upon price and payment penalties. I am now receiving threatening letters signed by the vice president of credit *************************.

  Business response

  06/12/2024

  At SavATree, we are committed to providing the highest level of customer service, so we sincerely apologize for the billing issue you experienced. We have investigated the matter to resolve it as quickly as possible and ensure it does not happen again. Our office manager recently contacted you directly to let you know this has been resolved and address any further concerns you may have. Please call us if there are any other questions or concerns.
  

  Customer response

  06/13/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************
  
  
  
   
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  03/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 3/11/24 sub contractor (Savatree) ********** ** office took job to remove fallen tree . He told me I had to give him $1000 for insurance deductible .I told him I didnt have it then he told me them hed leave tree until I had the money. He took my card information but refused after to show me email from my ***************** saying I had to pay him a deductible. He told me the money was not taken off my account. However 3 days later I signed forms for insurance company to pay them for the job and they still went ahead and took the money off my account .

  Business response

  03/27/2024

  Hello,

  We'd like to inform you that we have processed your refund for the deductible. A confirmation email has been sent to you by our team regarding this transaction. Kindly allow a few additional business days for the refund to reflect in your account.

• Initial Complaint

  06/22/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I signed contracts with SavATree (their Huntington Valley, ** location) for lawn and plant maintenance (feeding, fertilizing, pest control, disease prevention, etc.) for 2022 and 2023. Prior to that time, these services were provided by Giroud, which SavATree acquired. SavATree offers discounts if you prepay for the services prior to the season. SavATree currently charges ** sales tax on the contract total before the discount is applied. According to the ** tax code, sales tax is not to be charged on a prepayment discount if the original price and the discount both appear on the invoice/contract, which they do. I have contacted the company several times about this issue and they refuse to explain why they believe their practice is correct, even though it contradicts the tax code. SavATree remains adamant that their current practice is correct but is unable to explain why. I have contacted the ** ********** of ******* and received a written response that they agree with my interpretation of the code. I shared this information with SavATree's CFO, who stated that the company would contact the State and get a written response (a tax determination letter) in support of their practice that she would share with me. Now the company refuses to provide that document, which I suspect that have not been able to obtain. The dollar amount involved is not significant. While refund of the wrongfully collected sales tax would be appreciated, I am most concerned with the practice being corrected in future years. I have gotten good service with SavATree and intend to remain a loyal customer. I just want this sales tax practice corrected, or at least explained why it is correct. (Just so there is no confusion, the ** tax code also address prompt payment discount. Prompt payment discounts relate to paying a bill quickly for services already rendered, such as a 1% discount if paid within 10 days. In this case, the sales tax is charged on the original contract price.)

  Customer response

  07/16/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  At this time, I have not been contacted by SavATree regarding complaint ID ********.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************
  

  Customer response

  03/11/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  At this time, I have not been contacted by SavATree regarding complaint ID ********.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

   

  I have contacted SavATree mutiple times through email and phone calls.  I have contacted the PA ********** of ******* three times and every time the State has agreed with me on my interpretation of the sales tax laws.  My State representative also contacted the PA ********** of ******* on my behalf and the State gave her the same response, that I was correct in regard to the law.  SavATree's first CFO told me that she would get a tax determination letter from the State in support of the company's position and share that with me.  SavATree's new CFO refuses to share that correspondence, which I have been led to believe does not exist.  Everybody contacted in regards to this matter, with the exception of the company, agrees with me that the company is incorrectly calculating and collecting PA Sales Tax.  This issue is not going away until it is addressed by the company.

  
  

  Business response

  04/01/2024

  Please allow this to serve as SavATree’s response to the complaint of Bradley Harris regarding SavATree’s calculation of PA state sales tax on services where our customers receive a prepayment discount.
  
  First and foremost, we have attached SavATree’s December 15, 2022 inquiry to the PA Department of Revenue (“DOR”) regarding the sales tax rule for the current situation in which a customer receives a discount if he or she prepays the services by a certain date. Notably, SavATree provided all the necessary details: the renewal invoice sent to customers contains the original price, lists the prepayment discount amount, and lists the prepaid discounted price.
  
  On January 6, 2023, the DOR clearly classified this as a discount for prompt payment of bills, so “[t]he original purchase price is subject to PA sales tax.” SavATree has relied upon that response from the DOR in continuing to use the original price for computing sales tax when prepay discounts are offered.
  
  SavATree has engaged in this computation practice in good faith in an effort to comply with PA sales tax law. All sales tax charged to our customers has passed through directly to the State of PA; SavATree has not profited in any way from charging sales tax based on the original price of services in prepaid situations, as directed by the DOR.
  
  We respectfully disagree with *** ****** characterizing this discount as an on-the-spot cash discount. *** ****** has never paid his SavATree invoices in cash, and the discount is only applied to payments made by a certain date before they would otherwise be due. Moreover, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania recently rejected the notion that “‘on-the-spot cash discounts’ operate[] as a catchall such that all discounts or coupons qualify to establish a new purchase price.” See Meyers v. Commonwealth, 289 A.3d 915, 927 (2023).
  
  Therefore, SavATree has been properly calculating sales tax for prepaid services on the original purchase price. This practice is in compliance with he current laws in the state of PA as confirmed by the DOR and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Thank you for your consideration.

• Initial Complaint

  02/23/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Savatree came on March 29, 2022. Company had come on January13, 2021, paid w/credit card on Jan. 13 2021 for #*** to treat trees. I had wanted to remove a tree but they talked me into treating them. I don&#**;t think I signed a contract. I don&#**;t have any paperwork. I wasn&#**;t informed that they would continue coming w/o notice. They notified me w/an email but I dont get notifications for email, and dont check them. I wasn&#**;t home when they came to treat trees. I could not afford that at that time and wouldn&#**;t have consented if they asked me ahead of time. I paid w/check on 6/1/22 for $203

  Business response

  03/20/2024

  Hello, we wanted to touch base regarding the services provided on your property. Our records indicate that the last time we performed any services was in 2022. It appears that you requested a cancellation of services on 4/1/22, which we promptly processed and confirmed. We understand there may be some confusion regarding the renewal of services. As outlined in the initial estimate provided to you when we agreed upon the services, there is an evergreen clause indicating that these services automatically renew. We apologize if this was not clearly communicated or if there was any oversight on our part.
  

  If you have any further questions or would like to discuss this matter in detail, please don't hesitate to contact our office directly by phone at **************. We're here to assist you and address any concerns you may have.

• Initial Complaint

  12/08/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Company removed tree from properties on 11/30/2021. The fee was $3700 which I paid by check and which was deposited on 12/3/2021. On 12.5/2021, the company charged my credit card another $3700 because their corporate office wasnt aware I had already paid and I did not owe them anything. I contacted local office and Huntington Valley as well as President of company, *******************************************, and only received an email that they will attempt to return funds either through my credit card or maybe a check. My account is overdrawn, payments have been denied and insufficient funds fees have and will be levied.

  Business response

  12/08/2021

  The refund was already processed and we already tried to reach the customer. We left a voicemail this morning and we are waiting to hear back from the customer.

  Customer response

  12/09/2021

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  i have not received any refund.  Aware of phone message.  As no action taken, further communication, as with previous communications, are fruitless.

   

   

   

   

  In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ******  
  

  Business response

  12/13/2021

  Proof of refund attached.

• Initial Complaint

  08/09/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We hired SavATree in the spring of 2020 to apply tick/mosquito treatment to our lawn. We received a proposal/estimate from them and we authorized and paid for one treatment. We did not hire SavATree this year 2021, nor do we have a contract with them. However, without our knowledge/authorization, SavATree applied a tick/mosquito treatment to our property in May of 2021. When I called their office to inquire, they told me they send reminders to past clients and if they don't hear from them, they come do the treatments from the previous year. We paid for the service (in hindsight, we should not have). They sent me an email Aug 5, 2021 at 2 PM stating we were were due for our second tick/mosquito treatment. They also recommended we respond with questions or concerns. I emailed them back the same day at 5 PM, advising them we were not interested in any of their services. They showed up Aug 6 and applied the tick/mosquito treatment. I will not be paying for this service.

  Business response

  09/16/2021

  To ensure the proper treatments at the optimal times of the year and insect life cycles our programs are continuous, but can be cancelled at any time.  The client was a continuous customer with two treatments on her program. The arborist applied the first treatment and the customer didn’t say anything until after the second treatment was applied. The customer is being refunding for the second service and we apologize for any misunderstanding.

  Customer response

  09/20/2021

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# ********, and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  [Your Answer Here]

  Savatree's statement that I didn't say anything until after the last treatment is false, and I am happy to provide emails from Savatree that state otherwise. I contacted Savatree on June 3, 2020 via email and made arrangements with them to have services performed as I deemed needed. Savatree's responded to me, via email, stating I can call back as needed. I am happy to provide this email exchange. I also received an email from Savatree on December 16, 2020 asking if I wanted to proceed with services and I responded back on December 17, 2020 stating I am not interested in treatments. Again, I am happy to produce this email exchange. I also responded to an email Savatree sent to me on 8/5/20 stating I do not want my lawn treated. SavaTree showed up and treated my lawn the next day. I notified them multiple times that I was not interested in their services.
  
  Also, despite their response here stating they are working on a refund to me, I have not received a refund to date.

  I also no longer want any contact with this company, meaning I do not want them showing up to treat my lawn. I am not interested in their services.

  
  
  
  

   

   

   

  In order for the BBB to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

  
  Sincerely,
  **** *****
  
  
  
  
   
  

  Customer response

  09/24/2021

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *****
  
  
  
   
  
  

  Business response

  10/05/2021

  The credit was entered yesterday to clear the balance for the customer.

*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. ↩