Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/14/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Dawson Lawn Service failed to provide the lawn service we requested. When they arrived, the crew decided to ignore our request to trim to a lower height. When we contacted them to ask why they failed, they admitted they chose not to because they believed it would "do more harm than good". After pointing out that they should communicate with their customers before making executive decisions on providing service, they offered to return and provide the service as originally requested. After finally completing the service as requested, they billed us for both visits, despite their own failure to execute with the first visit. We made it clear we will only provide payment for one service - the service that was completed as agreed. Despite this, the company has continued to harass for us for payment for both visits, and has even passed this over to collections. We will not comply with demands from incompetent service providers, and have already paid for all services that were completed as agreed. To settle this to our satisfaction, Dawson Lawn Service must nullify all charges related to their failed service visit (service charge and subsequent late fees), and contact ********** ************** ***. (debt collector) to immediately withdraw pursuit/harassment for payment, and cease all future attempts to collect payments for their failed services.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/15/2024

  As it can be read in the email feed that Mr. **** provided. Mr. **** requested mowing services to start back up in the spring. Only this time he wanted us to start maintaining the lawn at a lower cut. It was explained to him that this would cost more due to the extra clean-up that it would take. The first service was not to the height that Mr. **** wanted and it was explained to him that the team leader made the decision that it would do more harm than good and end up costing more to Mr. **** if we cut it so low on the first visit. Instead we cut it on the next visit on the desired height and did not charge Mr. **** any more than what a normal mowing visit cost. However, Mr. **** decided that he never asked us to mow more than the first time even though he lead us to believe we would resume mowing for him this year like we did last year. He claimed it was not his intentions and that it was our fault for assuming that. To me this is a clear case of someone trying to get something for nothing. We will never work for Mr. **** again but we expect full payment for the services we provided.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/20/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  Dawson Lawn Service (DLS) is reporting a fraudulent amount to the debt collector and is continuing to avoid taking responsibility for their own failure to provide service as agreed on 3/27/2024. Please see attachments of statements, check payments, and collection letter.
  
  In response to DLS's message: "It was explained to him that this would cost more due to the extra clean-up that it would take." - This is not in dispute. DLS has always charged $75.00 for "Lawn Service" on this property. They charged $109.00 for the service performed on 3/27/2024, which is clearly more than the regular cost. This amount was paid in full on 4/29/2024 with check #112 and cashed by DLS on 5/6/2024.
  
  In response to DLS's message: "The first service was not to the height that Mr. **** wanted and it was explained to him that the team leader made the decision that it would do more harm than good and end up costing more to Mr. **** if we cut it so low on the first visit. Instead we cut it on the next visit on the desired height and did not charge Mr. **** any more than what a normal mowing visit cost." - This is the $75.00 charge on 4/3/2024 that is in dispute. Had DLS provided the service as requested on the original service date of 3/27/2024, a return visit would not be necessary. This is not the fault of the customer, by their own admission, and DLS should not be charging the customer for their own failure to provide accurate service.
  
  In response to DLS's message: "However, Mr. **** decided that he never asked us to mow more than the first time even though he lead us to believe we would resume mowing for him this year like we did last year. He claimed it was not his intentions and that it was our fault for assuming that." - Regardless of DLS's assumptions, all services provided after the disputed 4/3/2024 were paid in full with a $152.18 check on 5/19/2024 which was cashed by DLS on 5/29/2024. DLS's assumption is irrelevant, as both the 4/18/2024 and final 5/1/2024 "Lawn Service" were paid in full.
  
  In response to DLS's message: "To me this is a clear case of someone trying to get something for nothing. We will never work for Mr. **** again but we expect full payment for the services we provided." - Full payment has already been made on all services with the exception of the disputed 4/3/2024 charge, which is when DLS needed to return to the property to fix their mistake of not providing the agreed service. The sentiment that this is "someone trying to get something for nothing" is preposterous considering $1,402.00 was paid for services rendered in 2023, and this is a minimal dispute of $75.00.
  
  DLS has also fraudulently reported the amount owed to the creditor ********** ************** ***. in an attempt to collect more than the disputed amount of $75.00. DLS claims the amount owed is $255.00 as referenced in the attached letter. The attached payments and statement prove otherwise.
  
  DLS's response is rejected for the reasons mentioned above, and must withdraw their fraudulent debt collection activities immediately, as well as nullify any charges related to their return visit on 4/3/2024 to fix their mistake of not providing the agreed service during the 3/27/2024 visit.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ****

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/21/2024

  We reject the rejection. We are not fraudulently charging anything. We are only demanding payment for services provided. Had we cut the lawn to the desired height on the first mowing we would have had to charge at least an additional $75 or more for the extra clean-up it would have taken. Mr. **** is avoiding his responsibility to pay for services provided and leaning on his assumption that we work for free. We said we would cut to the desired height on the next visit but we never said we would do it for free. Mr. **** originally asked us to maintain his lawn one inch shorter this year than we did last year. We got it right on our second visit of the year. Mr. **** then decided that he did not intend for us to maintain his lawn this year or he knew that he would not have us maintain it ahead of time but failed to communicate his intentions with us. We expect full payment for the services we provided.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/27/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  In response to DLS's message: "We are not fraudulently charging anything. We are only demanding payment for services provided." - This is an objectively false statement. Please see the attached "DLS Charges 2024.pdf" file for an itemized list of all charges and payments made to DLS in 2024. The only disputed amount is $75.00. Next, see the attached "DLS Payments 2024.pdf" for front and back scans of checks deposited by DLS, posted to their own ******* **** account. Finally, see the attached "********** ************* Letter.pdf" where the collection company is attempting to collect $255.00. DLS lied to ********** *************, Inc. about the disputed amount in an attempt to collect $255.00 when the only unpaid and disputed amount is $75.00. This is called fraud.
  
  In response to DLS's message: "Had we cut the lawn to the desired height on the first mowing we would have had to charge at least an additional $75 or more for the extra clean-up it would have taken." - DLS admitted their own failure to provide the requested service and had been informed by the customer that no charges should be applied for DLS to return a second time to complete the job, given it was caused by their own failure to perform. DLS had the opportunity to reply or challenge these expectations and failed to do so.
  
  In response to DLS's message: "Mr. **** originally asked us to maintain his lawn one inch shorter this year than we did last year. We got it right on our second visit of the year. Mr. **** then decided that he did not intend for us to maintain his lawn this year or he knew that he would not have us maintain it ahead of time but failed to communicate his intentions with us." - Again, these statements are irrelevant because all services outside of the disputed $75.00 charge have been paid in full as explained in attachments "DLS Charges 2024.pdf" and "DLS Payments 2024.pdf". Perhaps DLS has not sufficiently investigated the payments they have received and deposited in 2024 before attempting to involve a 3rd party collector. If this is true, this is the result of DLS's negligence and incompetence.
  
  In response to DLS's message: "We expect full payment for the services we provided." - The customer expects DLS not to make fraudulent claims of amounts owed that were already paid. Further, the customer expects any reasonable service provider to take responsibility for their own failure to provide satisfactory service.

  Sincerely,
  ***** ****

  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/22/2024

  We sent $81.18 to the collection company as the balance owed by Mr. ****. We do not know why they are trying to charge $255. This is a mistake on the collection agencies part. Not a Fraudulent charge on our part. Attached is what we have on file that was sent to the collection agency.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/04/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I contacted the debt collection company ********** ************* today (12/4/2024) and confirmed the updated balance is $81.18, but they have not yet received communication or payment from Dawson Lawn Service (DLS) to negate the balance. Until this has been accomplished and the balance is taken to zero, this resolution is rejected for reasons as documented in earlier communications.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ****