Advice on getting work completed from a deadbeat company

ChrisFrez

Administrator
Staff member
Heya Folks!

In May one of my Trees in my backyard went down in a wind storm (cracked in half). I found a local company in the Yellow pages that removes trees and they came out. They quoted me $375 for removal of tree as well as the stump. I said go for it. They came out the next day and removed the tree, however didn't remove the stump. They said they would be back in a few days to remove it. So I paid them by check (most of the work was done anyways).

A week goes by, and my stump is still there. I call the guy and he apologizes up and down and says "This weekend for sure, we'll be out to take care of it". Another week goes by, and my stump is still there. Call the guy, leave voicemail. No return call. Call the guy, no return call. This has now been going on since about May 15th! My wife and I have both been calling him multiple times per week, even from different phones - no response.

What options here? It will cost me another $50 to have the stump removed from another company. I don't know if it's even worth it to sue the guy for $50 - or if he'd even show up anyways. He already has complaints against him with the BBB. His ad in the yellow pages says he's Licensed and Bonded - hell if I can even find a license in the State of MI to file a complaint against.

Thanks for any advice in advance!
 
Call the Better Business Bureau

They will do all the leg work, it is gov't subsidised so it costs you nothing.
And they will get your stump out for sure...

I got new tires and all sorts of stuff through those guys....
 
+1 on the attorny thing. Also contact the Better Business Bureau. Do they have an office you can stop into? They may not return your phone calls, but it'd be kind of hard to ignore you if you were standing in their office.

EDIT: lol - AJ was one step ahead of me on the BBB thing. It's a good idea, though!
 
you paid him in full, before the work was completed. perhaps you're pointing the finger at the wrong person? sure its not right, but come on..
my vote is bite the bullet, $50 is $50. live and learn.
 
it sucks but i say just go with another company. i don't think 50 bucks is worth much legal action at all. obviously this guys not going to come back. spend the 50 bucks somewhere else and be done with it.
 
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