We hired Wilson JEANVIL (786-521-8568) here in Miami, Florida to trim tree limbs growing to close…read morefor comfort over the top of our roof and especially a dead oak menacing the power line leading to our house, but we fell victim to this fraudulent, unlicensed, uninsured contractor.
Jeanvil introduced himself as working for FP&L. We agreed on the price of $1500 to be paid at the end of the workday.
As soon as his crew had arrived on Sunday 08/04/2019, he forbade us to take pictures of the trucks, oddly enough, particularly of the FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT contractors' logo painted on the doors: LEWIS Tree Service.
Soon, Wilson Jeanvil demanded larger payments than agreed: a thousand dollars extra for cleanup; another thousand dollars extra for cutting a dead trunk that had been hit by lightning for which we needed the trim in the first place. This dangerous trunk was definitively part of the agreement. He refused to cut it unless we paid $1000 extra. His demands for more and more money soon sounded like extortion.
Jeanvil assured us permits and inspections are not required.
Jeanvil gave a verbal contract only. He refused to put terms in writing or issue a detailed invoice.
Jeanvil does not have proof of insurance.
Jeanvil refuses to discount for damages to our parking.
Jeanvil only works weekends, preferably Sundays.
Jeanvil asks to make checks payable to his person or "cash" rather than a company name and even threatened to stop all work unless we paid in full up front.
Jeanvil's advertisements, vehicles, cards, and so on do not display a license number.
Jeanvil owns no professional equipment.
Jeanvil makes unauthorized use of a bucket truck and mulcher that belong to the LEWIS Tree Service Inc., a subcontractor of FP&L. (See photos). His brother drives one of these trucks. His dad and sons are in the pictures. His mom brought hot lunch at noon. It is likely that the workers who were in uniform wearing white hard hats from FP&L with blue lettering, were supposed to go clear power lines that Sunday and were clocking overtime. Makes you wonder if the LEWIS Tree Family condones this enterprise? Or if FP&L knows what it pays LEWIS for.
To include clean-up, a check of $2500 was written and handed over to Jeanvil after noon, when the trucks departed to fleece other "clients".
The next morning, Monday, when licensed and insured tree service owner Bill Dixon (Affordable Tree service) came as scheduled to give us an estimate, he told us we had overpaid Jeanvil for clean-up. By going online, he showed us that Jeanvil is unlicensed. He pointed out that the trimming was done illegally and the clean-up unfinished. We decided to seek advice and called SunTrust Fraud Dept immediately. They told us to hold payment of the check, to not be part of a criminal activity. And Mr. Dixon said: "When you hire an unlicensed, uninsured contractor, you are aiding and abetting in a crime. If a laborer gets injured on your property, you as homeowner are liable and can be sued by the individual."
Finally, we hired the licensed contractor: Affordable Tree Service to redo the job for $1200 plus $25 clean-up fee. We asked Jeanvil to stop trespassing on our property. He keeps appearing uninvited late into the night with cohorts peeking thru the windows and childishly turning off our main water valve. We urge anyone to report Jeanvil to the police who can arrest him and his crew for illegally running a business without a license. In Florida, unlicensed contracting can be a misdemeanor or felony. The first offense can result in a first-degree misdemeanor that will include penalties or the person receiving 12 months of probation, up to one year in jail, and a $1,000 fine.
After consulting an attorney, we learned that:
Tree trimmers in Florida must have a Class A or Class B license to work on clients' trees.
The Florida Supreme court has ruled that unlicensed contractors cannot sue if a client refuses to pay part of, or all of the agreement, oral or written.
Florida Statute §489.128 bars an unlicensed contractor from receiving payment for his work, and he is required to return any payments received for services rendered.
Bill Dixon is a no-nonsense guy. He has a Class B license number printed on his contracts. He is insured, efficient and on the mark. He gives his crew specific orders and they execute them with the utmost quality and skill. They cut that perilous dry tree trunk immediately and expertly. As a matter of fact, they worked so well together, they finished in about 2 hours.
I highly recommend Bill Dixon's company AFFORDABLE TREE SERVICE. He is honest and knowledgeable. A fine gentleman. His crew is agile and effective, friendly and legal.
