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TruGreen Chemlawn

TruGreen ChemLawn • New Jersey Sues TruGreen Chemlawn --- Consumer Complaints • Too Much Service • Not Enough Service • Pricing • Happy Insider • Unhappy Ex-Insider --- • What You Can Do

A part of the ServiceMaster empire, TruGreen Chemlawn proclaims that it "will give your lawn the nutrients it needs to produce a thicker, greener carpet of grass." Maybe so, but we hear from many consumers who would give anything to stop TruGreen from showing up again. Then there are those who would like a little more service rather than much less.

A brief sample of representative complaints is below; for more, click on any of the cateogories to the right.

Bob of Atlanta, GA February 8, 2010

I've used Chemlawn at my previous address. They did not kill my weeds but they did manage to spray some of my bushes and kill them.

Recently they have started sending door to door salesman to solicit business. The last guy, Tom in Suwanee actually opened our door and dropped off his literature. Needless to say I called the police. I spoke with his manager who shrugged it off and said they are trying to make a living. Based on my experience and all the complaints on the web I would recommned steering clear of TruGreen in Suwanee GA.

David of Keyport, NJ February 2, 2010

They provided unauthorized services without my written or verbal consent. When I called to adjust the bill, they refused. I have canceled their service now, but they are still billing me for the services I did not authorize.

Iwan of Plainsboro, NJ January 27, 2010

We have been using trugreen chemlawn for almost 20 years since 1991. In general they did a good job with the "lawn" service. They start offering shrub service several years back, which we subscribe. They did reasonable jobs for few years, but the 2008 winter they have done a very poor job which resulted in significant burn damages to the shrubs.

We have complained numerous times in spring 2009. While the phone reps said they would notify the manager - nothing happened. When we try to bring this up again recently, the rep, Rose, was insisting they did the application - and that's what matter, not the result; this type of response really frustrated me, the customer. Poor shrub work and customer service.

Hector of Coral Gables, FL January 16, 2010

We have been Truegreen customers for 15 years plus. We have had several instances during these years when we complaint about the condition of our lawn and it has always been difficult to get any answers or actions on our complaints, but been very busy with our own business and lifes, we tend to let it go.

Begining October 2009, I called the Trugreen office that services our area, and left a message complaining about the really bad condition of our lawn but no one either called me back or came to see the problem. Only when I called the Corporation and spoke to some one there did I get a person to come see the lawn; he indicated they needed to do some treatments and since that date we have been invoiced for several visits and treatmentes but the lawn has gotten even worse.

I have called the local offices several times in the past 4 weeks and left messages with he receptionist since no one else is said to be available, and to this date, 1-16-10, no one has called or come to see the disaster. On my last call to the local place on 1-13-10, I told the receptionist not to provide us any further treatments or services before someone called me and came to see the problem. Still no calls yet so I hae decided not to pay any of their pending two invoices and to make sure they never again do anything for us. I strongly suggest to others not to ever work with TruGreen, this is a company that does not do a good job and is not responsive at all to their customers.

Kevin of Fort Lauderdale, FL December 23, 2009

In December of 2009 I signed up for a yearly treatment. The company would come out once per month for twelve months. The initial application was a at a special price of 29.95. On December 9th, the company came out and for service and left the receipt on the door for 29.95 which was an auto-pay. Less than two weeks later, the company arrived again for another application for the regular price of 46.

When I contacted the company to ask them why, the representative on the phone could not get his story straight. He asked whom I spoke with to confirm the application for the day in question. I was never called. And, what does that matter! He began to split hairs on what an application was and that I actually needed two for December. I asked why they could not do them at the same time, they stated that was not possible. I agreed to a once-a-month service and that's what I should have received!

So in one month's time, I had two applications for over 70. IT's almost as if the initial 29 application is an enticement and they will do the second application within the same month to meet the margin - no ,matter what month you start the service. I immediately cancelled the service!

Ricardo of Clarksville , TN December 22, 2009

I received an unauthorized sevice and TruGreen is trying to charge me for the service. I stopped them once and I received a call from a salesperson and was talked into not stopping the service and to give them another chance. I did and now I am soory I did because I cannot get the issue resolved. I have even spoken to a company rep from Dallas. I did not authorized a Lime service for my lawn. They did a lime service and now are trying to charge me for it. One big problem is they have a high rate of turn over on their salespersons and when you want to complain they tell that person does not work there anymore.

Michelle of Oklahoma City, OK November 29, 2009

On November 28th a TruGreen service person entered my gated backyard and began applying a chemical treatment to my lawn. This service was not authorized. We follow an organic lawncare routine and did not request any treatment whatsoever from TruGreen. We have never done business with them and did not give permission to have our lawn chemically treated. I am pregnant and have a 2 year old child. I have made a specific consious effort to avoid potentially dangerous chemicals such as those used by TruGreen and was furious to see the lawn where my child plays being doused in chemicals. My family also eats organically and had planned a small backyard garden for the spring where we could grow our own organic produce. That is not possible now that my yard has been chemically treated.

I noticed the TruGreen service person in my yard and rushed outside im my pajamas to stop the application. I received no apology or explanation. I called the TruGreen Corporate Office to file a complaint and was told a representative would return my call within 24 hours. That has not happened. The person I spoke with did apologize, but had a rather nonchalent attitude and attributed the application to mistaken address. I undertand that not all addresses are clearly marked, but that is certainly not the case with my home. It is disturbing to say the least that the service person who is responsible for handling and applying dangerous chemicals can't even be bothered to double check an address and that such irrisponsibility and neglegence is apparently acceptable. I understand that mistakes happen, but for someone who has invested the time, effort, and expense into organic lawn care this mistake is devestating. Unfortunatley once applied the chemical damage has been done and this mistake cannot be fixed. TruGreen needs to understand how serious this mistake is and ensure that employees are better trained.

ernest of Colleyville, TX November 24, 2009

I contacted TruGreen to come look at my lawn since I was frankly getting tired of dealing with chemicals myself. I signed up with TruGreen and expected weed control, fertilizer and pest control. After a couple of applications I noticed that my lawn was yellow. I asked that the professional come to review the situation. They said I needed another application.

They put down the application and still yellow. They then put down weed control. Many weeds. They reapplied. Still more weeds. I canceled. They came out two more times. I called to tell them that I canceled earlier. They said there was no record. Now - I am in collections - My lawn is yellow and I have weeds. TruGreen is a bad company with rude service and no manners. TruGreen is to be avoided.

Jerry of Lakeland, FL November 24, 2009

I assume Tru Green that services our lawn is based in Lakeland Fl however my checks go to a Plant City Fl address I,m getting a average of several calls a week from Tru Green advising more treatments I agreed to treatments every 2nd month now getting more persistant calls advising for more treatments & a special aeration with plugs being removed FOR A SPECIAL PRICE of 132 for our small lot our double wide just fits on- I agreed to a special winterizing treatment even though we just had a treatment done two weeks ago So tonight TruGreen called our house to try to schedule a treatment in December plus the agreed treatment to winterize our lawn

It,s not a matter of just telling the caller no but I'm asked what they can do " To Work With Me Because I,m a Valued Customer " Hanging up on the caller only leads to more calls from them Does the Home Office encourage this ?

James of ALBUQUERQUE, NM November 14, 2009

My cancellation letter of May 15, 2009, received no response from TruGreen. However, no service call was made to my home at any time in May which led me to believe that my service had indeed been cancelled. Without prior notice, a technician performed THREE services in one 15-minute-170-visit on June 10, 2009. TruGreen had NEVER performed three services in one visit at any time in the previous years of my experience with the company. Additionally, two of the services performed on June 10 were NOT part of the limited-service, four-application program that I had agreed to and had been receiving in 2007 and 2008. My service plan was upgraded without my permission to the most comprehensive, most expensive service plan that TruGreen offers. I was NEVER asked, notified, or given a chance to decline this service plan for 2009. I have copies of the service-plan confirmations from TruGreen for both 2007 and 2008. TruGreen NEVER sent similar confirmation for the 2009 season.

Besides the letter of May 15, I also sent a letter of complaint to my credit-card company and a copy of that letter to TruGreen on June 25, 2009. Again, I received no response from TruGreen, yet, over the past few weeks, I have been called with increasing frequency by their outbound sales personnel, attempting to lure me back into a service plan with the company. These calls culminated with SEVEN calls to my cell phone on Wednesday, September 23. Apparently, TruGreen has the time, personnel, and resources for their outbound sales-solicitation effort, just no time, personnel, or resources for any customer-service calls to notify clients in advance of upcoming lawn-application visits. I sent a third letter of complaint to the Region Vice President by certified mail on September 25; the letter was accepted and receipt was confirmed by signature on Monday, September 28, 2009, however, I have NEVER received the courtesy of a reply or a formal response to my three major points of contention from anyone at TruGreen. Their Colorado Springs office manager has never addressed my complaints, even though the Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado has been handling my complaint and had escalated the case to the level of mediation--where it remains in limbo.

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