Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/07/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  A tree fell on my roof due to the 3/14/25 storm. I reached out to Madcow Outdoor Service for removal of the tree. Booking was easy given the situation. They said they work with the insurance company and do not charge their customers at the time of **********************. Little did I know this company would invoice the insurance company for OVER $27K for this 1-2 hour job. Parts of the tree were left in my roof. After 3 days of reaching out to the company, ***** from Madcow told me that this was done because it would cause more damage to my home if they removed all the tree from my home. He alluded to the roofer cutting the tree out when they replaced the roof. Although I was invoiced $2,500 for tarp, it did not even cover all the holes in my roof allowing for more water to get in my home due to subsequent storms that followed this sever weather event in ***. I am also being invoiced for leaf blower, chainsaw, and hand tools that should already be owned by any reputable tree company. For $27,300, Madcow left the tree on my front lawn for the city to come and dispose of. Once the insurance company refused to pay the full invoice, ***** began to threaten me with a lien and foreclosure of my home if I did not pay or help with collection by use of a Public Adjustor. It hasn't even been 30 days since the tree fell on my home. Needless to say, I paid him what the insurance company allotted (should be delivered next week). I am washing my hands of this company. I STRONGLY do not recommend use of this company. He has made an already stressful situation more stressful.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/08/2025

  While our company has never collected a single ***** from a homeowner when they assisted in our attempt to collect from the insurance company yours will be the first that goes to court.

  The money that the insurance company paid you for some reason thought it was going to be okay for you to get to keep the money and it wasn't The only thing I requested was that you might have to make a couple phone calls to the adjuster. I also informed you that due to the lack of the adjuster attempting to work in good faith to settle the claim his payment was in no way close to a fair settlement, so I let you know that you may need to get a public adjuster so that the rest you're home can get repaired and you not have to be out of pocket because that wouldn't be fair for them to treat you that way. What's your status quo for State farm.

  Along with our invoice to the insurance company we sent them dozens of pictures along with the list of comparables that the third party company that we use put together with real world figures instead of made up figures that the adjuster was attempting to use. Our real world figures takes our public pricing along with ***** other tree services that use the same company All of our pricing is public and it takes a snapshot of how much it would have charged had any one of those other tree services did the work for you. 

  You was very happy with the work that we did and until it was time to send a check from the insurance company to us you then became irate and upset that we charge X amount of dollars. Again it's standard industry practice to charge the way we do and that is why our comparables showed us being right in the middle of the average cost.

  When you questioned the invoice to the insurance company I assured you that we do not collect any money from the homeowner as long as they're cooperative in the billing of the insurance. You had your mom on the phone and she was yelling and couldn't understand what a time and materials bill is which is the exact same type of billing that doctor's offices use, auto repair shops and everything else like that. 

  We stopped doing what we was doing on our regularly scheduled jobs to come and take care of yours immediately and even told you such, so that we could get your roof tarped in an appropriate amount of time for your sake not for hours. We have lost jobs in the past because we went and took care of a tree that was on somebody's home and so our pricing reflects numerous different things. And above all it is industry standard for emergency storm work. 

  When your mom and you then told us that we would not collect any more money from the insurance company and you wouldn't make any phone calls or anything like that which is a breach of contract. Which makes you entirely responsible for the whole bill as my contract is with you ********************* is supposed to indemnify you by making you whole again. Which would have happened We would only needed one or two phone calls from you to the insurance company.  And then you would not have had to pay any money out of pocket. As I've said we do not collect any money from the homeowner unless they are not willing to help us collect the money from the insurance company. 

  I know that most people do not understand how the insurance billing works but if you would have ever gotten a copy of your insurance bill from them showing an explanation of benefits your doctor's office bills them three or four times what they actually get paid and they along with others just find a middle ground which we would have attempted to do however when you stated that you was no longer going to help us now you always the whole amount. 

  Yes there was a small branch that was punctured into the interior attic area of your home however when one of the guys knocked on the door to see if they could get access inside the home to inspect it to see if there was anything that they needed to do nobody answered the door which led us to believe that nobody was home. Without us knowing the predicament that the branch was in we could not hook anything to it with the crane to lift it up out of the home because just like a fish hook and a fish it'll cause a whole lot more damage We could have nearly ripped off your entire roof with the crane because of that. I'm posting pictures here of the tarp covering the entire roof or almost the entire roof It was definitely the only area that would had any damage in it and the pictures show exactly that.

  In My opinion you're just upset that you didn't get to keep any of that money from the insurance company. Even though we haven't received a check we shall see I suppose but I am not holding my breath. I attached photos of the majority of the comparables from numerous tree services but the BBB program will not allow me to upload more than five photos. Of the ones that are on there if you see the *** that means that they don't even own the equipment so they had to average how much it the other companies in the area charged for that same equipment and the program just input it in. 

  The Lien was filed yesterday, And we'll be going to court ASAP. Copies of the lien are also being forwarded to your mortgage company as is required by law and to inform them that we will be filing **** for a complaint to foreclose mechanics lien. I've never had a tree service job go this horrible and all we did was want to come out and help you out. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/26/2025

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On May 28th, 2024, I had a substantial size tree limb fall on my garage. ***** ******, the owner of MadCow, reached out to me about it and recommended I go through my homeowners insurance and he would take care of the branch plus the rest of the tree taken down "free of charge" in his own words. I still have the texts between him and I from that day. The following morning his crew came out and addressed the tree branch on my garage and left. Again, he said at a later date he would come out and take the rest of the tree down for no additional cost and we were on his schedule. In late August I received the insurance check in the mail and promptly got it to him. In fact, he was in my driveway waiting for it before I got home from the bank. Once handed the check of $4000, he said he would be over next weekend to finish the job, since he had been paid finally. We are now heading into March of ****************************************************** fact, he said on a phone call he owes us nothing except the tree branch removal. Funny how his own texts say otherwise. this is a case of FRAUD and I want my tree removed like HE SAID! I would have never went with his company if he didn't offer the full tree removal for that price. i think the "free part of the tree removal" is watching him drive away with your insurance check and only doing half of what he promised. Again, I want what was promised to me in writing, which is that tree GONE for no additional cost to me.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/27/2025

  Rather than resolve it peacefully, he said he was going to file a mechanic's lien on my home.  He sent me an email that he was threatening to put a  $15,960.00 lien on my home just from trimming a tree branch on my garage.  They are claiming that they were not paid in full.  He was paid in full and was happy with this and he said he would come back and finish the job but he did not do it.  The tree was to be taken down, hauled off and the ***** ground up.  He was paid through my insurance company.  I never received a bill since last May 2024 and now he wants to do this to me.  It doesn't seem right.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/03/2025

  On the date we came out to do the emergency storm work. We spoke in regards to the remainder of the tree which was not a immediate danger to the homeowner or any property. We told you that We could and would return to do the remainder of the tree if our invoice was paid in full by the insurance company. This was not as a part of the tree job but was being done for free and was stated to you that we were not obligated to do this as portion of the job billed to the insurance but something we were gonna do for free if our bill was paid.  However the insurance company refuse to cover the remaining portion of our bill as they essentially said they did not owe for the balance owed due to your policy. The work that we performed to remove the portion of the tree that was on your garage has only paid for 20% of the bill owed. We told you that we would continue to argue on your behalf to collect the remainder of the bill however they have refused to contact us according to our contract.  Not before hand it was stated to you then that I didn't think the insurance would cover what you were asking us to do.  We have never collected a dime from the homeowner when the insurance fails to indemnify them for the full amount even though our work was done in full. However in this circumstance we will be going to court to collect in full. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/10/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Madcow outdoor services sent me a bill dated 10/02/23 for a 20% ($247) cancellation fee for a proposal that I signed on 09/29/2023. The proposal does state that a 20% cancellation fee will be charged due to "the cost to maintain our schedule". I signed the proposal at approximately 9:30pm, received a response stating that I would be entered in to the schedule on Saturday morning around 8:10. I cancelled the contract on Monday, 10/2 at approximately 1:00 pm and received a response stating that I would be removed from the schedule about 10 minutes later. At no point was I informed what time I was scheduled for. No services have been rendered and no money has been exchanged so far. I find it hard to believe that I have had such an impact on their business for me to be charged that much for absolutely nothing. I would like this business to drop this charge and consider modifying this clause to clarify that the fee will only be charged if the customer has been informed of their place in the schedule. I consider it an unsavory business practice.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/02/2023

  You're complaining cause you made an agreement to do work, we did what was necessary costing us thousands every year to maintain our schedule. If you cancel a contract under any other business they will likely be the same charge. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/07/2023

  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I will not pay a business for nothing. If you added me to the schedule on Monday morning like you said, lets say 8AM on the dot you added me, I would have been on your schedule for 5 hours since I cancelled at 1PM. You are attempting to bill me about $47/hour for no work performed. Where I come from, we call that a rip off. You did not inform me of my scheduled time, so it's likely you didn't even add me on there, yet you are trying to charge me. Yes, your schedule costs money to maintain as you have stated several times, but it also brings in every penny you make, so its part of the cost of doing business. If you had rolled trucks out to my house and I cancelled at that point, I would have fully understood the cancellation fee. And yet you are attempting to charge me for just the privilege of being on your schedule for 5 hours, which I can't confirm. Also, for anyone reading this, *** **** ****** limits any cancellation fee to the lesser of 10% or $50, and you would need to show some kind of damages in order to attempt to collect. So I would strongly encourage you to drop your fee and move on. 
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  **** *******

  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/13/2023

  I understand your upset. That may be the case. But the contracts are clear. There are times we work the whole weekend to make sure we.are on time. We do what we say we will and also give a great deal to the community. Perhaps you shouldn't sign contracts you have no intention of honoring. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/14/2023

  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I am running out of ways to tell you I will not pay you for doing nothing. Look, I understand that you think that you are entitled to my hard earned money for nothing, but you're not. Your contract is not enforceable as written. Perhaps you shouldn't put out contracts without some kind of legal review. *** **** ****** limits any cancellation fee to the lesser of 10% or $50, so you need to update your contracts to be in compliance with the law. If you don't, I will take it as a sign that you try to swindle your customers with illegal business practices and intimidate them into paying what they don't owe. And I will make sure the whole community knows the experience I've had with you.  Looking forward to your response
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  **** *******

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/15/2023

  
      (*** **** ******)
      Sec. 35. Cancellation and refunds.
      (a) No service contract may be issued, sold, or offered for sale in this State unless the service contract clearly states that the service contract holder is allowed to cancel the service contract. If the service contract holder elects cancellation, the service contract provider may retain a cancellation fee not to exceed the lesser of 10% of the service contract price or $50. The service contract cancellation provision must provide that the service contract may be cancelled:
          (1) within 30 days after its purchase if no service
  has been provided and that a full refund of the service contract consideration, less any cancellation fee stated in the service contract will be paid to the service contract holder; or
          (2) at any other time and a pro rata refund of the
  service contract consideration for the unexpired term of the service contract, based on the number of elapsed months, miles, hours, or such other reasonably applicable measure which is clearly disclosed in the service contract, less the value of any service received, and any cancellation fee stated in the service contract will be paid to the service contract holder.
      (b) In the event of the cancellation of a service contract that includes the coverage described in paragraph (6) of the definition of "service contract" in Section 5 of this Act, the service contract provider is not required to, but may, refund the purchase price of the vehicle protection product. The coverage described in paragraph (6) of the definition of "service contract" in Section 5 of this Act may not be offered as or within a service contract unless the service contract clearly states whether the service contract holder is entitled to a refund of the purchase price of the vehicle protection product and, if applicable, the terms of such refund.
  (Source: **** *******, eff. ******.)
  The contract is unenforceable as written

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/02/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We hired this company to do some tree removal at a rental property of our. They did the work, but they didn't finish, and they didn't clean up. There was a limb that landed on the roof of the house due to a storm and they said they would take it off the roof. They haven't done it. We have called them several times and they say they will create a work order but we haven't heard from them. (The address of the rental property is *** ****** *** ** ****** ***)

  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/19/2022

  we came out and gave you a quote, on another date you accepted that quote and signed it( which is included here) . You told us a branch broke off subsequently and asked if it would be the same price, our estimator went by and seen the small branch on the ground and told you yes, it would be the same price. We were not made aware of anything on the house until the time of your complaint, nothing with which we did, or quoted work for as shown in the contract you signed which is also included in the response here. At the time of service you asked if they could do some extra work and was told then that the guys would if they had extra time. They in fact did NOT have time as they didn't even get back to the lot at until 6:30 that night. You are essentially mad that we did not do free work for you. Then you lied and said we didn't even clean up. The pictures before and after are included showing perfection. Perhaps next time don't lie and you might get somewhere.