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:03/20/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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.

  Bartlett charged far too much money for terrible service. 1. Bartlett Tree Experts charged me $340 for work I never ordered and did not authorize.2.Killed several or my plants. including a 22-year-old climbing hydrangea by spraying so much pest chemicals on trees that the spray fell on my plants and killed them. My plants that were not covered in the spray thrived.4. The regional manager sneered at me and said the dead plants died because I did not water them sufficiently. Only the plants directly under the sprayed trees were dead or dying.5. Bartlett workers laughing at me when I came out to tell them to stop shredding the tree limbs I wanted for firewood; they shredded all the limbs. They later brought me about 1/4 of the wood that would have been from the limbs.6. Trimming two trees so badly that bare half limbs just stuck out.7. Selling me a very expensive system that was supposed to keep neighbor's bamboo from my yard. The bamboo is still invading my yard.They charged me 340$ for feeding the trees. I never ordered this service. Nor did I authorize it. They performed the services while I was not home and then sent me a bill for things which I didn't ask for. They sent a refund check for 2100$, but then said that the check was a mistake and asked for the money back. Their service was incompetent and worsened the situation in my back yard as well as killing old and valuable plants of mine.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/21/2025

  Never got a refund for the $314.  I paid the bill even though I had not ordered or authorized Bartlett Tree Experts to apply "Bartlett Boost + Fortiphite to my 2 cheery trees or ***** tree on 12/30 2024, because I did not want to have a fight over a bill; I was afraid they would take me to small claims court. The dead of winter is not an appropriate time to give fertilizer to the plants.  They had already provided such poor service that I would not want them working on my property in any circumstance.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/10/2025

  `On September 17, 2024, I showed ***** from Bartlett ************ the damage his company caused in my backyard garden, including killing several plants, especially a 30-year-old climbing hydrangea by killing it with plant--killer spray. I also showed him the poor trimming job his company had done in the spring and summer of 2024 on my two cherry trees.  The company did retrim the cherry trees so they did not have half=chopped limbs anymore, but they did nothing e to pay for the damage they.  He charged me $314 for feeding tree in late December, which I had not asked for or ordered.  

  At the least Bartlett Tree Experts should pay for a mature climbing hydrangea to replace the one they killed and pay me back the $314 for unauthorized work in my yard.

  I was unable to answer you sooner, because I am the caregiver for my husband who has a very agressive and often fatal lymphoma, since December, 2024.  He is undergoing chemotherapy, is a fall risk, and is unable to take care of himself 

  Business Response

  Date: 04/12/2025

  Fall and early winter is an appropriate time to perform fertilization services as long as ground temperatures are below freezing. However, we are willing to refund the $314 for that service, I will have that processed next week and apologize for your feeling that we took advantage of you, we were merely fulfilling our contractual obligations to provide service that you authorized via email. We wish you all the best in your tree care needs in the future. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/16/2025

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.  Except for the climbing hydrangea replacement, which was killed by an employee of Bartlett sprayed with plant killer; I believe that they need to replace the hydrangea as well.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/12/2022

  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.

  I hired Bartlett Tree Experts to treat several trees on my property that were showing signs of deterioration. A representative visited the house, and I showed him which trees I was concerned with. He said the trees were suffering with Gloomy Scale and needed to be sprayed twice with at treatment. The company sent out a technician to spray the trees and from the description given of the trees treated I was doubtful the correct trees were sprayed. I emailed the representative who visited the property the first time. He assured me the correct trees were sprayed. The next visit from the technician I asked him to show me which trees he was planning to spray and none of them were the correct trees. He said he didn't even realize that one side of the house was our property. Meaning the first treatment was all in error. I contacted the original representative to let him know my suspicions were correct. He said he would come back out and never did. I paid for the first treatment. I told him that I would like him to hold off billing me for a second treatment until it was done correctly. I have contacted the office and left a message that I was told would be escalated to the manager. However, I have received no follow up from anyone. I have gotten several notices saying that the 2nd payment is due. I would like them to cancel the 2nd payment and refund me for the 1st treatment that was done incorrectly. At this point I have no faith that they will do the job correctly.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/07/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 17, 2022/11/11) */ Thank you for informing us of the mistake made by our specialist. Identifying the proper trees for treatments is essential for any treatment plan. I set up a meeting to clarify what trees were to be treated and reviewed the issue, this greatly helped resolve the confusion. We refunded the full amount of the invoice. I resent the client a new map and tree location with the appropriate trees to be treated with a proposal for treatment next year. The trees should benefit from our service and apologize for the confusion. I hope this resolves your concern and you can trust us for future care of your trees and landscape.