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:01/16/2024

  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.

  On the week of January 8, ****, H&A Meza Tree Service rang our doorbell to notify us that a tree in our yard had fallen over and asked if we wanted it disposed of. We agreed. In addition, I explained that six *********************** trees in our backyard were a bit overgrown and needed a trim. The **************************, said he had unique expertise with trimming these kinds of trees and that he could take care of it. We agreed on a price and H&A **** began working. We later discovered to our horror that rather than simply trimming our crape myrtles, ***** and his crew chopped them in half, permanently destroying them. The crape myrtles were over 30 years old and beautiful. After one hour with a chainsaw, H&A **** destroyed them forever. ***** claimed that I told him to "top" the trees, which is completely untrue. I asked him to TRIM the crape myrtles, but that we were considering topping a different tree in our yard closer to the summer. He confused the two. We alerted ***** to this enormous mistake and he did not care at all. While talking to ***** and his crew, I noticed that they all had bloodshot and glossy eyes and were a bit incoherent, indicating that they were high on some kind of drug. Additionally, one of the crew members broke into our tool shed when there was absolutely no need at all for any of them to be rummaging through our shed. Finally, one of the guys fell asleep in a hammock in our yard when he should have been working. I raised all of these concerns with the business owner, *******, who refused to accept responsibility for anything or give us a refund or reimbursement. H&A **** is an extremely dishonest company and should not be marketing themselves as having any unique specialties with respect to crape myrtles. I also learned that H&A **** deletes all online ****** reviews that are anything less than 5 stars, which is an extremely deceptive business practice.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/19/2024

  On Wednesday, January 10, ****. H&A **** Tree Service arrive to ***************************** house to let him know that he had a tree that had fallen, he agreed for us to do the work including some big branches that he had in his front and back yard that we had to pick up too. In addition, he wanted H&A **** Tree Service to take care of six *********************** trees that were near his pool that were about 20 feet tall. **************** asked ***** how far he planned to cut and he was shown and ****** agreed and he said do it, those crape myrtles trees are now about 15 feet tall, at the end of finishing the job ****** and his wife went out and he said that his wife didn't like it because they were too short, it was explained to him that those trees will grow back in spring. Those *********************** are not destroyed forever. ***** apologized and ****** said he was fine. He never said he wanted a refund that day and he never said it was horrible how they had been cut, after 2 days he called me explaining that they wanted a refund because his wife didn't like how the crape myrtles turned out. 
  I told him that it had been done just as it had been explained to him where they were going to be cut and that he had said it was fine. We have worked for **************** 4 times in one year including this time doing different tree jobs. It is a lie that our workers had bloodshot eyes or that they had consumed any drugs. None of our workers interrupted at ****************** shed in any way, our workers collected big branches in their back yard near his shed because a storm had passed the day before. One of the workers lay down in his hammock because they had a break. I apologize for that if he didn't like it, but many of our clients don't mind us using chairs or anything to take a break. We have worked in that neighborhood for a long time and have never had any problems with any customers. 
  Finally, H&A **** Tree Service is not a dishonest company. H&A **** Tree Service does not delete the reviews that our clients make on ****** because the review that ****** wrote is still there.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/24/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the offer and/or response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  H&A **** continues to assert false claims in connection with their mistake.  I explained to ***** that we simply wanted him to trim our six crape myrtles, not chop off the entire tops of them.  Contrary to the company's false assertion, ***** never showed us where he was going to cut.  In fact, he showed up right before I had to join a work call, so there's no way he could have showed me anything (I have evidence that I was on that call while ***** started cutting).   The company's response also indicates that I told ***** that him destroying our trees was "fine," which is absolutely not true.  I confronted ***** outside after he caused the damage, and told him he completely misunderstood what I had requested.  I told him that I had asked him to trim the crape myrtles, but that we were considering topping an entirely different oak tree in the backyard in the summer.  He clearly confused those two things, for which he refused to accept responsibility.  He simply said "Oh well, they will grow back."  ***** could not have cared any less.  Further, after reaching out to the Company owner (******* ******************************************), it became clear that the Company would not be accepting any responsibility.  Not once did ******* apologize for this colossal s**** up.  She simply accused me of being dishonest and that the thousands of dollars worth of damage her employees caused was not her problem.   

  Any reputable tree trimming company would know about the term "crape murder," which H&A clearly does not.  Crape murder is where a tree trimmer chops off the top of a *********************** because it's cheaper and easier to do than actually correctly pruning the tree.  The trees will not in fact grow back to how they were; contrary to the Company's claims, our trees are permanently destroyed, which the Company should pay us for.  

  H&A **** conducts fraudulent business practices, in that they tell prospective customers that they have special expertise in trimming crape myrtles (which requires very specific pruning), when in fact H&A **** simply chops crape myrtles in half.  H&A **** should not ever tell any customer that they understand the specific pruning requirements for these trees, when they in fact do not.  That's akin to a car mechanic telling a customer that they know how to fix a minor engine sensor issue, and then destroying the entire engine in the process.  H&A **** should not be let anywhere near other customers' trees.  

  I would ask that the BBB make this information public to warn off potential customers from dealing with this dishonest and disreputable company, and also make it known how dishonest and unscrupulous ******* ****************************************** is.  ******* should absolutely not be in the customer ********************** business. 

  
  Regards,
  
  *********************
  
  
  
  

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/02/2024

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates that the business has not responded to you directly.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  At this time, I have not been contacted by H&A **** Tree Service regarding complaint ID ********.
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************