ComplaintsforEast Coast Tree Care, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  02/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We had tree removal services done 2/20 the removal service was good the guys worked great we did have a issue after the fact. One tree fell on the fence and a steel compressor. This is the only thing that saved the bulk of the fence. Emailed the office about the damages. They said they would send Carlos out to inspect the damages. So I took off work Thursday 2/²4 waiting for a guy who I guess arrived and didn't let anyone know he was here not a ring on the door bell or knock on the door. The the camera picked him up for like 22 seconds then he left. How can I explain damages about what was done when Carlos never even check with the tenant. So I recontacted the establishment about this. 2/²4 stating we never seen him or could explain the damages. So I received another call from the office yesterday 2/²5 I would have Carlos back out Saturday 2/²6 I took off work again. For a scheduled appointment with Carlos at 8 am. Go figure never showed again. This is getting very frustrating and I just need the items repaired or replaced. This is just the Start I have pets if a pet gets out due to my fence being broken and not able to latch or lock they will be responsible if the animal is hurt due to the damages not repaired. I will be going against them for this if this happens and I truly hope not. No reason to keep giving me the run around and time and not honer then. At least call and say something came up. If you can't make it. Just getting tired now losing my time and money waiting for someone who seems not to care about the customers.

  Business response

  03/06/2023

  This work was completed on Mon, Feb 20. The customer did send an email stating the job was great, however there was damage to his fence and compressor. We did arrange for our estimator to come to the property on Thurs, Feb 23, to look at the damage. We did not inform the customer of a timeframe, just that he would be out. Our estimator informed us that we needed to repair the damage to the fence, which was completed on Sat, Mar 25 (pictures attached). The estimator also looked at the compressor but could not tell by looking at it how it was damaged because the compressor looked like it had been outside for a while. We arranged for a meeting at the property with the estimator and the homeowner to look again at the compressor. Our estimator arrived early and was prepaired to wait, however the customer's father came outside and contacted our customer by phone. The father would not allow us to start the compressor to assess the damage.  We do not know if the compressor was even working prior to the work being started. I've attached pictures of the compressor that show rust in the area that was damaged. Also note from the customers pictures, the work area was outside of the fence, so the tree that did hit the fence would have hit the fence before hitting the compressor.  

  Customer response

  03/09/2023

  I amount I truly am not sure I am up to offers as stated I emailed the. Again even saying this the compressor is a year old purchased from ****** ** ***** *****  for 900 I do not expect to get this back out of it. I am up for reasonable offers like I told them in the email I have a smaller tree they could remove at a discounted price unless they prefer to do cash. I see what they offer. 

• Initial Complaint

  09/08/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 6/27/22, East Coast Tree Care arrived at our property to perform agreed-upon services, which, among other things, included lot clearing of the rear-most part of our backyard. Besides flattening al the overgrowth and tree stumps, they were to remove any pre-existing dead logs/branches and debris from the "floor" that would hinder our future lawnmowing. All the work took much less time than anticipated, but I hoped it just meant they were really efficient. I wrote them a check for $2,250 (of which $1200 was for the aforementioned work). Approximately 7-10 days later, I received a call from their office (Kristen) checking to ensure we were happy with the work. I told her my husband and I hadn't taken a thorough tour of our property yet, but that we'd call her back. We did so and informed her that Julio (crew leader) and his men had not removed any of the large dead branches/logs in the back, nor had they done any raking, which posed a major problem because it would prevent me from being able to mow/maintain the area. She offered to send Carlos (original estimator) back out to discuss the incomplete work. He came on 8/2 and informed me that everything I showed him was from "recent storms" he assumed had taken place. I replied that that was impossible, as most of the wood was half-buried in mud and two years worth of autumn leaves. He just kept repeating that it was all recent and it was our job to keep the area in shape - ridiculous and frustrating. We called Kristen on 8/15 to complain; she told us that Carlos was on his way into the office and she would speak with him and her manager and give us a call back. We heard nothing, so we called the next day, and the next, both times being told by a receptionist that Kristen was "busy" and would call us back. Still nothing, so two days later, we left one last voicemail saying if we didn't hear from them, we had no choice but to file a complaint.

  Business response

  09/23/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 7, 2022/09/16) */ On June 27 our crew completed work for this customer. Customer gave the crew supervisor a check in the amount $2250 to pay for the job. Our office called the customer on July 7 to make sure they were happy with the work that was done. Customer stated spouse was out of town and had not done a complete walk through. Two very intense storms occurred between July 13 and July 28. We sent the original estimator back to the property Aug 2 to look over the work done. He told the customer that the downed branches were from the recent storms that had taken a lot of trees and branches down in the area they lived. Our estimator relayed this information to the office, stating he had spoken with the customer. We called the customer again on Aug 15 to follow up. Customer returned our call on Aug 16 to say that what our estimator told her was not correct. We confirmed with the estimator again that the branches that were on the ground was from the recent storms. We feel if the customer had called us instead of us contacting them almost 2 weeks later, this would have not resulted in a dispute. Consumer Response /* (3000, 9, 2022/09/20) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Firstly, as detailed in my complaint, I disagreed with the estimator when he came out on 8/2, physically showing him how it was impossible for all the downed wood to be new (as evidenced by the attached photos). He restated it was all new; I disagreed again. This continued a few more times til I gave up on him and escorted him out. I'm not sure he was even listening to me or looking at what I was showing him. He had clearly been sent on a mission to avoid East Coast Tree Care taking any responsibility for our situation. In addition, their response to my complaint includes false information, and I have the phone records to prove it. They did not call us on August 15; we called THEM on the 15th to complain and Kristen told me she'd call me back (details in original complaint). Again, we called them on the 16th, 17th, and 19th, leaving a message either with the receptionist or on Kristen's voicemail each time (the last time saying we'd be forced to take further action if we didn't receive a call). Again, the photos attached SHOW examples of the wood/logs embedded deep in the dirt, as well as the depth of brush accumulation. The work that was contracted for an additional $1200 (see estimate photos in original complaint) included, "Add $1200 to remove all brush and clear everything in far rear." It is incomprehensible that East Coast Tree Care can claim that all the accumulated brush - several inches' worth - could have mysteriously appeared due to one or two storms, only a minimal amount of rain as evidenced by the attached report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) for Ellicott City during the post work period in question. You can clearly see that the thousands of tiny pieces of brush and twigs have been there for ages. Business Response /* (4000, 11, 2022/09/22) */ East Coast Tree Care believes we have completed the work as stated on the estimate and we do not feel a refund is due. Based on when the work was completed, our follow up, the destructive storms and the delayed complaint, we believe the information our estimator, Carlos, is true and correct.

• Initial Complaint

  12/28/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My husband contracted east coast tree care while they were working on a neighboring property. He was put in contact with an estimator and discussed the job. We received a verbal quote to drop 2 pine trees. The cost was explained as necessary due to the job being a half day of work to take the trees down in sections. This was necessary due to the proximity of the trees to the house, the fence line, and our well head. The crew showed up at 3pm the following day and used one cut and guide lines to drop each tree over our well head. This was despite my husband's objection and voiced concerns. The crew was gone by 5pm. I emailed the company the following day (12/1) asking if that was the correct action and if the price should be lower since the cot they quoted us was due to the extra labor involved. I received no answer. I emailed again on 12/6 and received no reply. On 12/13 I called during business hours and spoke to the answering service. The answering service sent a detailed message including the request to call me as soon as possible. To date (12/28) we have not heard from east coast tree. I do not recommend a company that will not respond to customer concerns.

  Business response

  01/18/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/01/05) */ Per the customers own words "We received a verbal quote to drop 2 pine trees". We give estimates to customers. Sometimes a job that should take 2 hours actually takes 6 to complete and other times an 8 hour job only takes 4, the price does not change. Each of our crews are aware of their abilities of getting a particular job done and how. If the customer agreed to the price of the work being performed and the work was completed in a shorter amount of time than anticipated the price of the job should not be called into question. After the job was complete the customer gave our crew payment for the job as quoted. I did a search of our email for the customer's last name to determine why they was no response from a company representative, and found one email in our spam folder from an email address that wouldn't have immediately caught our attention due to the last name of the email sender being different than the customer's last name. The email stated that the crew took precautions to protect the well head and that it appeared to be fine. We apologize for not explaining our individual crews working styles. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/01/06) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I still feel that my complaint is valid and was not fully addressed.I would still like an answer regarding the cost of climbing and cutting the trees in sections vs the one cut drop that was performed. My emails (there were 2) were not flagged due to the last name on the account. The subject of first email was "Estimate # *********** inquiry". The subject of the second email was "2nd email- Estimate # *********** inquiry". Regardless of the last name, these were valid job numbers. My phone message, which was never returned, would have included the necessary last name in question and at minimum our address if not the estimate number. During the estimate stage the office representative, Sharon, stated the paperwork would be emailed to my husband the day before the work. It was not. The first paperwork seen was presented to my husband by the crew. My husband was told the cost was based upon the difficulty of taking the trees down as it needed to be done in sections for all the reasons previously stated (proximity issues to fence, well, house). If the cost is based on the work deemed necessary, and the crew is allowed to make a different call that is certainly less costly why is there not an adjustment? It seems as if this is bait and switch. The estimate to take 2 pines down by climbing and cutting in sections is certainly higher than taking down the 2 trees using one cut each at the base. I am upset that the best answer is the crew can make their best judgement call on site despite what the estimator quoted and charged for. Business Response /* (4000, 11, 2022/01/14) */ If the price quoted to remove a tree seemed like a fair price and the work was completed without damage, we don't understand why there is an issue. The estimator gives an estimate, he does not perform the work. This is the case in almost all service transactions. We apologize for the lack of communication after the work was completed, however, as stated before, your email was sent to our spam folder. That will not happen again because we have added you to our contacts.

*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. ↩