EXTREME INFLEXIBILITY, UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT, AND ABANDONMENT…read moreI initially hired Mr. Kaus for bi-weekly lawn care, and attempted to be an accommodating and flexible Client: When he changed my recurring service day without advance notice, I accepted it in an effort to work together even though it was not as good for me. When his team member damaged solar lighting lenses (see pics), I forgave it rather than demanding replacement. On one occasion, Mr. Kaus had to return for work left incomplete or entirely undone.
THEN SOME RATHER DISTURBING BOTH PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SHORTCOMINGS BEGAN TO SURFACE:
SELF-ABSORBED DEMANDS & LACK OF EMPATHY: During a period of extreme illness, I informed Mr. Kaus that I was too sick at the time to write an online review for his business when he requested one, but promised not to forget in the future. Instead of respecting my health, he repeatedly pushed me to do it, condescendingly telling me he 'knew it was hard, but do it anyway'. This demonstrated a complete lack of empathy and a habit of putting his own demands over Client respect.
SAFETY CONCERNS & CUT HEIGHT: As an older adult living alone in an isolated area, grass height is a direct safety concern for me to prevent trespassers from thinking the home is vacant--an issue disclosed during our initial consultation when I let Mr. Kaus know that the Sheriff had been out more than once for people looking in my windows. While recovering from my illness and having had some time to properly evaluate the average growth rate along with weather conditions at the height he was mowing (somewhere between 2.5 and 3.25 as stated in his text messages), I requested the mower deck be lowered to around 1.5 inches and passes to be made a bit slower to maintain a clean, shorter and thus longer-lasting cut as the turf was looking very unkempt only 4 days after a service visit. This has been the practice on my property for bi-weekly service for years without issues.
REFUSAL TO COMPROMISE: Mr. Kaus claimed a lower cut would require extra passes, extra blowing, and risk brown turf spots. He stated that would cost $15 more, otherwise he would need to visit each week. Since that was not within my budget at this time, especially recovering from a very unexpected and long-term illness, I explicitly put in writing that I took full responsibility for my choices, waived extra labor on his part, and accepted any risk to the lawn's appearance. I stated that if extra cleanup were needed I would do it myself. I told him that I sincerely appreciated his professional advice and we could work toward that, but currently the compromise was needed. Despite my removing all risk for his business, he maintained an inflexible 'my way or the highway' stance, refusing to respect my priorities for my own property and my explicit security concerns as to why I had to make this compromise. My sense of safety has to take precedence over possible extra cleanup for me and perhaps a few brown spots in the turf because I cannot follow his strictest advice at present.
OVERNIGHT DISTURBANCE & UNACCEPTABLE BOUNDARIES: Following that exchange, MR. KAUS AWAKENED ME AT 1:55 AM TO TERMINATE SERVICE. Waking a Client in the middle of the night causes immediate alarm and severe distress thinking there is some kind of family emergency. When I emailed him to express how unacceptable and frightening this was, I received zero acknowledgment or apology.
ABRUPT ABANDONMENT & LEGAL ADVICE: Walking off the job without notice leaves the property completely vulnerable to overgrowth. Per legal advice from my Attorney, I am withholding the final payment as a financial contingency to cover the unplanned remediation and possible overgrowth fees required when I am able to find a replacement contractor. Any remaining balance will be settled after those expenses are determined.
Clients can't always follow strict advice; compromise is necessary if they accept the risks. I say this having run businesses myself. I'd rather hire someone more mature even if the work quality is slightly less.
