I am reviewing this company's business practices, not their tree work, as no service was ever…read moreperformed.
We hired them to trim one mature beech tree for $5,000 and paid a 50% deposit ($2,500) to secure a spot on their calendar. However, we never actually had a specific date scheduled. No crew was assigned, no equipment was reserved, and no timeline was ever confirmed.
After signing, we obtained a second opinion from a certified arborist and decided to cancel. As per their contract, we forfeited 50% of the deposit ($1,250), despite the fact that they incurred zero costs related to our project.
I take responsibility for not scrutinizing the cancellation clause more closely. However, a 50% penalty is wildly excessive at this preliminary stage. The contract even includes a clause offering a "full credit" if we rebook later, which proves they are willing to apply this money to future work rather than absorb a loss. If they can give 100% credit for future services, they are not suffering a 50% financial hit by issuing a cash refund.
When I asked the owner to negotiate a reasonable administrative fee (e.g., a few hundred dollars for their time writing the estimate), he refused to engage in good faith. I would have happily paid for their time, but keeping $1,250 for zero services rendered feels punitive, not compensatory.
Advice to future customers: Read the cancellation clause very carefully. I would ask this specific question: If I cancel before you assign a specific work date to my job, what is the actual cancellation fee? Don't assume a deposit is refundable just because they haven't done any work. Get the answer in writing before you sign.
Bottom line: This is a $1,250 lesson where one needs to read every line and get cancellation terms in writing before paying a deposit.
