Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 5, 2015/09/03) */ The customer was sent three letters before the start of season to confirm that they are on an auto-renewing program, and if they wish to cancel service to please contact the office via email/mail/phone or online portal. Our company did... not receive any correspondence and the services were then renewed for the 2015 season. The first service was performed on April 28th, 2015 and an invoice was left for the customer, the customer was also sent email confirmation of the first service. On April 29th, 2015 our Customer Service received a phone call from the customer to cancel services, at which time the account was cancelled and a confirmation letter and email were sent to the customer. The customer was advised at that time that the first service was performed and that there is a balance on the account. Statements are sent the first of every month, the customer was sent one on May 1st, 2015/ June 1st, 2015/ July 1st, 2015. On July 28th, 2915 our Customer Service received a phone call from the customer stating that they refuse to pay, to which our Customer Service advised that the balance was reaching a collections status and offered to settle on half. The customer again refused to pay. On August 1st, 2015 and August 16th, 2015 the customer received a notice that the account was reaching a collections status and must remit payment soon or contact our office to pursue other options. After a month of no communication from the customer, the account was then turned over to our collection agency for profit recovery. Initial Consumer Rebuttal / [redacted] (3000, 7, 2015/09/10) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) First, I would like to start from the beginning. My husband agreed to lawn treatment for the summer of 2014. I believe it was for approximately 6 treatments and a total amount due was agreed upon. We NEVER agreed to a monthly contract and the sales person that we worked with also NEVER mentioned continued service the following year. This was a set contract for a certain amount of treatments at a set price. No further lawn care was ever discussed or agreed upon. Second, Lawn Doctor's response that: "customer was sent three letters before the start of season" that Lawn Doctor is referring to were ADVERTISEMENTS! These were not letters to inform us that service was going to continue. If it was written somewhere on those ADVERTISEMENTS, it was in very small print and not the subject of the flyers. Third, as I said earlier, we agreed upon a set negotiated price for our lawn care. When Lawn Dr. came and treated our lawn in April 2015, they set their own rate monthly rate without notifying us of that rate or notifying us of a service date. We had no intention of using Lawn Doctor again this year, as we had already started a contract with another service. My last complaint is regarding our communication attempts with Lawn Doctor over this current bill. During my first phone call in April, I was told it was taken care of. You can't just tell someone on the phone that is all taken care of and then turn around and continue to bill them and then send them to collections. We made several attempts to rectify this bill. During my second phone call, after we received our second bill from Lawn Doctor, I asked for a call back because no management was available to speak to me and no one got back to us. Instead, we continued to receive bills and collections notices. When my husband called most recently, he was told that it was out of their hands and in collections. We tried to contact the "collections company" that Lawn Doctor is apparently working with, Transworld Systems, and they don't accept calls or emails. When you try call TransWorld Systems, the automated response that answers the phone just hangs up on you after their automated voice message. It appears as if it is a huge fraud! These are terrible business practices. Our neighbors, who also had a similar service contract with Lawn Doctor of McHenry County during the summer of 2014, are going through the same thing. We are also aware of other people having similar complaints. We plan on bringing light to this issue if it is not resolved. Final Business Response / [redacted] (4000, 9, 2015/09/11) */ Please note that the letters that were sent out during the winter months could not be mistaken for advertisements as they have written on the outside of the envelopes-"RENEWAL CONTRACT ENCLOSED" and within the letter explains the renewed services along with the following statement "Remember that our services are continuous from year to year, unless we receive written notification of discontinued services" This same statement is written on all of our Invoices (which are left after each service) and Statements that are sent out on the 1st and 15th of every month. We give our customers ample opportunity to cancel services or make changes to their accounts. We have also tried to work with the customer, as all our calls are monitored for quality assurance. We received one phone call on 4/29/15 in which the customer cancelled the service. We then received another phone call on 7/28/15 in which the customer refused to pay the bill. No other correspondence was received by our company. In good faith, we have removed the customer from Collections. However, the charges will remain on the account for future reference. We understand that the customer feels that they have been part of a fraud, however we assure you that every attempt was made to contact the customer before the start of the season, as well as settle the debt that is owed. Our management takes great strides in working with our customers, to reach amicable terms . We also ask that the consumer stop submitting multiple complaints under another's name, as this would be considered fraudulent activity.
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/09/08) */
This customer was with our company at their first address from 2012-2014, cancelling at this address on 3/18/and after receiving their Season Renewal Letters they called to advise they are cancelling their service due to moving
into their new houseThe customer then called in August of to advise they would like to start up service again at their new addressThe customer again received Renewal Letters over the winter months advising of their Season Services, and if they would like to make changes or cancel to contact us before March 31st, We did not receive correspondence requesting change or cancellation from the customer, and the services were then renewedOn April 16th, the customer received their first application and at the bottom of the invoice the following statement "For your convenience service continues from season to seasonFor a change in service, please call our office" to which we did not receive any notification from the customer to do soThe customer then received statements advising of the past due amount of $41.00, along with Collections letters advising that we would like to try and settle the balance with the customerOur company never received any correspondence from the customer, and one once the balance reached over days, the account was then sent to CollectionsThe customer knew of the policy to which we continue season to season since they have been a previous customer for years, our company has given them ample opportunity to settle this debt and we have not received a response from the customer until nowWe would be more than happy to settle this debt with the customer at any time
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/09/03) */
The customer was sent three letters before the start of season to confirm that they are on an auto-renewing program, and if they wish to cancel service to please contact the office via email/mail/phone or online portal. Our company did...
not receive any correspondence and the services were then renewed for the 2015 season. The first service was performed on April 28th, 2015 and an invoice was left for the customer, the customer was also sent email confirmation of the first service. On April 29th, 2015 our Customer Service received a phone call from the customer to cancel services, at which time the account was cancelled and a confirmation letter and email were sent to the customer. The customer was advised at that time that the first service was performed and that there is a balance on the account. Statements are sent the first of every month, the customer was sent one on May 1st, 2015/ June 1st, 2015/ July 1st, 2015. On July 28th, 2915 our Customer Service received a phone call from the customer stating that they refuse to pay, to which our Customer Service advised that the balance was reaching a collections status and offered to settle on half. The customer again refused to pay. On August 1st, 2015 and August 16th, 2015 the customer received a notice that the account was reaching a collections status and must remit payment soon or contact our office to pursue other options. After a month of no communication from the customer, the account was then turned over to our collection agency for profit recovery.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/09/10) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
First, I would like to start from the beginning. My husband agreed to lawn treatment for the summer of 2014. I believe it was for approximately 6 treatments and a total amount due was agreed upon. We NEVER agreed to a monthly contract and the sales person that we worked with also NEVER mentioned continued service the following year. This was a set contract for a certain amount of treatments at a set price. No further lawn care was ever discussed or agreed upon.
Second, Lawn Doctor's response that: "customer was sent three letters before the start of season" that Lawn Doctor is referring to were ADVERTISEMENTS! These were not letters to inform us that service was going to continue. If it was written somewhere on those ADVERTISEMENTS, it was in very small print and not the subject of the flyers.
Third, as I said earlier, we agreed upon a set negotiated price for our lawn care. When Lawn Dr. came and treated our lawn in April 2015, they set their own rate monthly rate without notifying us of that rate or notifying us of a service date. We had no intention of using Lawn Doctor again this year, as we had already started a contract with another service.
My last complaint is regarding our communication attempts with Lawn Doctor over this current bill. During my first phone call in April, I was told it was taken care of. You can't just tell someone on the phone that is all taken care of and then turn around and continue to bill them and then send them to collections. We made several attempts to rectify this bill. During my second phone call, after we received our second bill from Lawn Doctor, I asked for a call back because no management was available to speak to me and no one got back to us. Instead, we continued to receive bills and collections notices. When my husband called most recently, he was told that it was out of their hands and in collections. We tried to contact the "collections company" that Lawn Doctor is apparently working with, Transworld Systems, and they don't accept calls or emails. When you try call TransWorld Systems, the automated response that answers the phone just hangs up on you after their automated voice message. It appears as if it is a huge fraud!
These are terrible business practices. Our neighbors, who also had a similar service contract with Lawn Doctor of McHenry County during the summer of 2014, are going through the same thing. We are also aware of other people having similar complaints. We plan on bringing light to this issue if it is not resolved.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/09/11) */
Please note that the letters that were sent out during the winter months could not be mistaken for advertisements as they have written on the outside of the envelopes-"RENEWAL CONTRACT ENCLOSED" and within the letter explains the renewed services along with the following statement "Remember that our services are continuous from year to year, unless we receive written notification of discontinued services" This same statement is written on all of our Invoices (which are left after each service) and Statements that are sent out on the 1st and 15th of every month. We give our customers ample opportunity to cancel services or make changes to their accounts. We have also tried to work with the customer, as all our calls are monitored for quality assurance. We received one phone call on 4/29/15 in which the customer cancelled the service. We then received another phone call on 7/28/15 in which the customer refused to pay the bill. No other correspondence was received by our company.
In good faith, we have removed the customer from Collections. However, the charges will remain on the account for future reference. We understand that the customer feels that they have been part of a fraud, however we assure you that every attempt was made to contact the customer before the start of the season, as well as settle the debt that is owed. Our management takes great strides in working with our customers, to reach amicable terms . We also ask that the consumer stop submitting multiple complaints under another's name, as this would be considered fraudulent activity.
Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 5, 2015/09/03) */ The customer was sent three letters before the start of season to confirm that they are on an auto-renewing program, and if they wish to cancel service to please contact the office via email/mail/phone or online portal. Our company did... not receive any correspondence and the services were then renewed for the 2015 season. The first service was performed on April 28th, 2015 and an invoice was left for the customer, the customer was also sent email confirmation of the first service. On April 29th, 2015 our Customer Service received a phone call from the customer to cancel services, at which time the account was cancelled and a confirmation letter and email were sent to the customer. The customer was advised at that time that the first service was performed and that there is a balance on the account. Statements are sent the first of every month, the customer was sent one on May 1st, 2015/ June 1st, 2015/ July 1st, 2015. On July 28th, 2915 our Customer Service received a phone call from the customer stating that they refuse to pay, to which our Customer Service advised that the balance was reaching a collections status and offered to settle on half. The customer again refused to pay. On August 1st, 2015 and August 16th, 2015 the customer received a notice that the account was reaching a collections status and must remit payment soon or contact our office to pursue other options. After a month of no communication from the customer, the account was then turned over to our collection agency for profit recovery. Initial Consumer Rebuttal / [redacted] (3000, 7, 2015/09/10) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) First, I would like to start from the beginning. My husband agreed to lawn treatment for the summer of 2014. I believe it was for approximately 6 treatments and a total amount due was agreed upon. We NEVER agreed to a monthly contract and the sales person that we worked with also NEVER mentioned continued service the following year. This was a set contract for a certain amount of treatments at a set price. No further lawn care was ever discussed or agreed upon. Second, Lawn Doctor's response that: "customer was sent three letters before the start of season" that Lawn Doctor is referring to were ADVERTISEMENTS! These were not letters to inform us that service was going to continue. If it was written somewhere on those ADVERTISEMENTS, it was in very small print and not the subject of the flyers. Third, as I said earlier, we agreed upon a set negotiated price for our lawn care. When Lawn Dr. came and treated our lawn in April 2015, they set their own rate monthly rate without notifying us of that rate or notifying us of a service date. We had no intention of using Lawn Doctor again this year, as we had already started a contract with another service. My last complaint is regarding our communication attempts with Lawn Doctor over this current bill. During my first phone call in April, I was told it was taken care of. You can't just tell someone on the phone that is all taken care of and then turn around and continue to bill them and then send them to collections. We made several attempts to rectify this bill. During my second phone call, after we received our second bill from Lawn Doctor, I asked for a call back because no management was available to speak to me and no one got back to us. Instead, we continued to receive bills and collections notices. When my husband called most recently, he was told that it was out of their hands and in collections. We tried to contact the "collections company" that Lawn Doctor is apparently working with, Transworld Systems, and they don't accept calls or emails. When you try call TransWorld Systems, the automated response that answers the phone just hangs up on you after their automated voice message. It appears as if it is a huge fraud! These are terrible business practices. Our neighbors, who also had a similar service contract with Lawn Doctor of McHenry County during the summer of 2014, are going through the same thing. We are also aware of other people having similar complaints. We plan on bringing light to this issue if it is not resolved. Final Business Response / [redacted] (4000, 9, 2015/09/11) */ Please note that the letters that were sent out during the winter months could not be mistaken for advertisements as they have written on the outside of the envelopes-"RENEWAL CONTRACT ENCLOSED" and within the letter explains the renewed services along with the following statement "Remember that our services are continuous from year to year, unless we receive written notification of discontinued services" This same statement is written on all of our Invoices (which are left after each service) and Statements that are sent out on the 1st and 15th of every month. We give our customers ample opportunity to cancel services or make changes to their accounts. We have also tried to work with the customer, as all our calls are monitored for quality assurance. We received one phone call on 4/29/15 in which the customer cancelled the service. We then received another phone call on 7/28/15 in which the customer refused to pay the bill. No other correspondence was received by our company. In good faith, we have removed the customer from Collections. However, the charges will remain on the account for future reference. We understand that the customer feels that they have been part of a fraud, however we assure you that every attempt was made to contact the customer before the start of the season, as well as settle the debt that is owed. Our management takes great strides in working with our customers, to reach amicable terms . We also ask that the consumer stop submitting multiple complaints under another's name, as this would be considered fraudulent activity.
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/09/08) */
This customer was with our company at their first address from 2012-2014, cancelling at this address on 3/18/and after receiving their Season Renewal Letters they called to advise they are cancelling their service due to moving
into their new houseThe customer then called in August of to advise they would like to start up service again at their new addressThe customer again received Renewal Letters over the winter months advising of their Season Services, and if they would like to make changes or cancel to contact us before March 31st, We did not receive correspondence requesting change or cancellation from the customer, and the services were then renewedOn April 16th, the customer received their first application and at the bottom of the invoice the following statement "For your convenience service continues from season to seasonFor a change in service, please call our office" to which we did not receive any notification from the customer to do soThe customer then received statements advising of the past due amount of $41.00, along with Collections letters advising that we would like to try and settle the balance with the customerOur company never received any correspondence from the customer, and one once the balance reached over days, the account was then sent to CollectionsThe customer knew of the policy to which we continue season to season since they have been a previous customer for years, our company has given them ample opportunity to settle this debt and we have not received a response from the customer until nowWe would be more than happy to settle this debt with the customer at any time
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/09/03) */
The customer was sent three letters before the start of season to confirm that they are on an auto-renewing program, and if they wish to cancel service to please contact the office via email/mail/phone or online portal. Our company did...
not receive any correspondence and the services were then renewed for the 2015 season. The first service was performed on April 28th, 2015 and an invoice was left for the customer, the customer was also sent email confirmation of the first service. On April 29th, 2015 our Customer Service received a phone call from the customer to cancel services, at which time the account was cancelled and a confirmation letter and email were sent to the customer. The customer was advised at that time that the first service was performed and that there is a balance on the account. Statements are sent the first of every month, the customer was sent one on May 1st, 2015/ June 1st, 2015/ July 1st, 2015. On July 28th, 2915 our Customer Service received a phone call from the customer stating that they refuse to pay, to which our Customer Service advised that the balance was reaching a collections status and offered to settle on half. The customer again refused to pay. On August 1st, 2015 and August 16th, 2015 the customer received a notice that the account was reaching a collections status and must remit payment soon or contact our office to pursue other options. After a month of no communication from the customer, the account was then turned over to our collection agency for profit recovery.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/09/10) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
First, I would like to start from the beginning. My husband agreed to lawn treatment for the summer of 2014. I believe it was for approximately 6 treatments and a total amount due was agreed upon. We NEVER agreed to a monthly contract and the sales person that we worked with also NEVER mentioned continued service the following year. This was a set contract for a certain amount of treatments at a set price. No further lawn care was ever discussed or agreed upon.
Second, Lawn Doctor's response that: "customer was sent three letters before the start of season" that Lawn Doctor is referring to were ADVERTISEMENTS! These were not letters to inform us that service was going to continue. If it was written somewhere on those ADVERTISEMENTS, it was in very small print and not the subject of the flyers.
Third, as I said earlier, we agreed upon a set negotiated price for our lawn care. When Lawn Dr. came and treated our lawn in April 2015, they set their own rate monthly rate without notifying us of that rate or notifying us of a service date. We had no intention of using Lawn Doctor again this year, as we had already started a contract with another service.
My last complaint is regarding our communication attempts with Lawn Doctor over this current bill. During my first phone call in April, I was told it was taken care of. You can't just tell someone on the phone that is all taken care of and then turn around and continue to bill them and then send them to collections. We made several attempts to rectify this bill. During my second phone call, after we received our second bill from Lawn Doctor, I asked for a call back because no management was available to speak to me and no one got back to us. Instead, we continued to receive bills and collections notices. When my husband called most recently, he was told that it was out of their hands and in collections. We tried to contact the "collections company" that Lawn Doctor is apparently working with, Transworld Systems, and they don't accept calls or emails. When you try call TransWorld Systems, the automated response that answers the phone just hangs up on you after their automated voice message. It appears as if it is a huge fraud!
These are terrible business practices. Our neighbors, who also had a similar service contract with Lawn Doctor of McHenry County during the summer of 2014, are going through the same thing. We are also aware of other people having similar complaints. We plan on bringing light to this issue if it is not resolved.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/09/11) */
Please note that the letters that were sent out during the winter months could not be mistaken for advertisements as they have written on the outside of the envelopes-"RENEWAL CONTRACT ENCLOSED" and within the letter explains the renewed services along with the following statement "Remember that our services are continuous from year to year, unless we receive written notification of discontinued services" This same statement is written on all of our Invoices (which are left after each service) and Statements that are sent out on the 1st and 15th of every month. We give our customers ample opportunity to cancel services or make changes to their accounts. We have also tried to work with the customer, as all our calls are monitored for quality assurance. We received one phone call on 4/29/15 in which the customer cancelled the service. We then received another phone call on 7/28/15 in which the customer refused to pay the bill. No other correspondence was received by our company.
In good faith, we have removed the customer from Collections. However, the charges will remain on the account for future reference. We understand that the customer feels that they have been part of a fraud, however we assure you that every attempt was made to contact the customer before the start of the season, as well as settle the debt that is owed. Our management takes great strides in working with our customers, to reach amicable terms . We also ask that the consumer stop submitting multiple complaints under another's name, as this would be considered fraudulent activity.