Tuesday, August 25, 2015

I can't wait to dive into the latest warnings coming in from our friends at the Connecticut Better Business Bureau. The BBB has a key piece of advice for homeowners who utilize regular lawn or pool maintenance:

Do your research before choosing a contractor.

Consumer complaints about lawn care businesses include "phantom" lawn businesses that are eager to take your money but don't make scheduled visits as promised, poor customer service, difficulty obtaining refunds and being charged for services that were never ordered.

Complaints about pool maintenance contractors are similar, including technicians not showing up for pool cleaning and the markup on pool chemicals. Some of these businesses charge a flat rate for chemicals.

A flat rate hides the fact that pool chemicals have different costs. If pool maintenance contractors don't do their rounds as promised, it can cause health problems for anyone who goes into the water.

Better Business Bureau offers these tips to help avoid problems:

• Check their reputation - See what other consumers' experiences have been like with a given company and whether there is a pattern of poor marketplace practices.
• Close the door on high-pressure tactics such as encouraging you to sign a contract on the spot.
• Take control of the contract - Verbal representations should be spelled out in the contract - what you have hired the business to do, how often they will visit, the total cost of services, the refund policy, AND a stipulation about how to cancel your contract.
• Select your own payment method - You might want to avoid paying for several months of service in advance if you can pay on a monthly basis.
• Avoid automatic billing on your credit card in case you are dissatisfied with the service and don't want to have to fight to stop recurring payments.
• Ask potential hires if their work is guaranteed and get it in writing so you don't have to pay for incomplete or sloppy work.

Then, check out pool and landscape services at and find additional consumer tips at www.bbb.org.

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