I reduced my rating from five stars to one due to Mitchell's increasingly inappropriate and erratic behavior. Instead of acknowledging that what I wrote is true and apologizing, he posted an incoherent reply, then replaced it with one full of falsehoods. He even sent me some texts threatening to put a lien on my house unless I took down my review by "noon". Since I had already paid him to "walk away", that would be a fraudulent lien.
All this in response to what I thought was a relatively kind review. Since he has replied dishonestly, I'll have to give more details. I had mentioned that Stephanie B's April 8, 2018 one-star review fit with my own experience. Here's an example: he sent me some bizarre texts, one of which claimed that Stephanie is his ex trying to ruin his company.
I share her sense that Mitchell is a "loose cannon". He took it upon himself to talk to my neighbor without giving me a chance to talk first. I've never had a negative encounter with the man, but Mitchell says his went badly. That's part of why I don't want Mitchell EVEN DOING WORK FOR FREE (something he offered to do in exchange for me taking down my review).
I also wonder if he is soliciting or writing some of his own reviews. Several look very suspicious to me. For example, on June 9th, the same day that he replied to my review, a five star review from "Heather D" was posted. An August 1, 2017 review suggested that he is close with someone named Heather.
Even if Mitchell were appropriate and honest, I've seen him become increasingly unreliable. A month ago he asked for a partial payment in advance, explaining that he needed to come back the next day with hired help. In fact, he came back four weeks later, without bringing any help. When I asked him if he had done work for any other customers during the month that he was absent, he refused to answer.
As I recall, most of the time he didn't show up when he said he would, and didn't call to tell me. Sometimes he just showed up and did work without an appointment -- a huge privacy concern, since he climbs around in trees outside my window. He tells me that he spent four days here and did most of the work he promised to do, but I only see a small part of it completed -- not more than a few hours of work. If he was really here for four days, I have no idea how he spent that time. He must be extremely slow. All I see is cigarette butts on my driveway.
He raised the price of the job after he started, saying he had underestimated how much needed to be done. While my first experience with him was good, in recent years he has increasingly delivered *less* than promised. For example, around May 2017 he agreed to cut limbs to a distance from the house where I wouldn't have to call him back for a couple of years. (Other arborists have told me they shouldn't have to come back more than every 2 or 3 years.) When Mitchell told me he was done, I thought he hadn't cut enough. He assured me he would prune again for free if there is too much growth in the next 18 months. But 13 months later, he charged me.
Upshot: I finally paid Mitchell to "just walk away". He took the money, but again didn't keep his word. He trespassed while I was out the next day, climbing outside my windows to retrieve a cheap strap that he had previously told me he would leave on my tree for strength. He describes that as having to retrieve his "tools". Note that my review, which had upset him, had complained about his coming onto my property without an appointment. He just doesn't respect privacy. I've since discovered that he put under my house a lot of the brush he cut. I guess he respects the privacy of brush. :) read more
