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Wednesday, February 29, 2012 1937 - 2012 · Celebrating 75 Years Orono Weekly Times - 9 The grass is not always greener on the other side by Christopher W. Brown They promote their company as `The grass is always greener on the other side', but some customers are finding that their slogan isn't talking about green grass but green money. Weed Man is a multi-million dollar lawn maintenance company that has recently come under scrutiny for what some are calling questionable business practices. Non-customers and customers alike are being charged for services they say they never asked for or even wanted. Robert Phippard from the Port of Newcastle says he was mailed a bill for services from Weed Man while on vacation in Florida. Phippard says, "I used Weed Man last year, and this year they sent me a bill for services that I never asked for. What they are saying is that Weed Man considers every past customer to be still under contract." Phippard warns that unless the public becomes aware of this practise and opts out within the time-frame allowed, they will continue to be charged by the company for unwanted lawn care services automatically. According to Phippard to discontinue his Weed Man contract he would have to pay a charge of over $200. A CBC Market Place exposé on the Weed Man franchise which aired two weeks ago reported that unpaid charges for Weed Man services are passed by the company to a collection agency. Once this process is begun failure to pay can result in an individual's credit rating being adversely affected. A Weed Man representative interviewed for the Market Place program stated, "All calls in and out of the company are monitored to ensure all contracts are correct. Verbal contracts are a guarantee of our services as well." The spokesman also stated that contracts are sent out to every person who orders Weed Man services before the services are rendered. The Ontario Ministry of Consumer Affairs (OMCA) is responsible for overseeing any issues consumers might have with corporations operating within the province. The ministry put in place an investigation team that looks into all complaints filed by customers. All investigations are open to public scrutiny. According to OMCA investigation spokesperson Michael Cullen, "Under the Consumer Protection Act, which was brought into law in 2005, no contract is valid unless it is in writing." Cullen said that while Weed Man did provide a service to Mr. Phippard, it was not requested, "This is an offense against the Consumer Protection Act." OMCA investigations sent Weed Man an ordinance regarding their business ethics and informed them they were breaking certain parts of the consumer protection act. Bill Shane Chief Operating Officer of Weed Man in Scarborough, whose district covers all of Clarington, said that he and his company have complied with the investigation, and all business practices are, "To the satisfaction of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs terms." George Shepard, of Shepard Lawn Services in Bowmanville, says that he has had customers tell him about different practices other companies have used. "Some customers have stated they just ordered an estimate and the next day the weed company was there fertilizing their ground." Shepard says that other larger companies can be persistent about their billing practices, but explains that, "As a small business it's sometimes impossible to get hold of every customer in the spring." Shepard's policy is to come back with his truck and fertilize his customer's lawns once, and if they don't want it he won't come back again and the customer will not be billed. Asked whether Shepard's company only works with written contracts he stated, "I know some companies ask for a written contract, but being a small company I usually work off of verbal contracts." Asked whether the bad business practices of other companies have hurt the reputation of lawn care services in general Shephard said, "The major thing that hurt our line of work was the pesticide ban a few years ago. The first year was terrible, we would sometimes have to go out and hand picks the weeds." According to Shepard new organic pesticides have helped but the hearty weeds are still thriving. "We will have to go out and get those weeds a second time with the organic product." Local member of Provincial Parliament John O'Toole said that the issue isn't new to him. Like Mr. Phippard O'Toole says numerous residents across Durham have contacted his office to complain about the business practices of companies like Weed Man. O'Toole says he has raised the issue with the minister, and will do so again whenever constituents bring the issue to his attention. OMCA has released a list of top ten things to look out for when hiring a company, including checking the company's track record in order to help you decide which company to hire. If you need to file a complaint against a lawn care company, write to your local Ministry of Consumer Services. They need something in writing in order to take action. For Robert Phippard his bad experience has left him in the position of having to payout his contract with Weed Man to get them to stop servicing his lawn, or risk having his file sent to a collection agency. ORONO WEEKLY TIMES LOCAL EVENTS LOCAL NEWS LOCAL SPORTS Keeping you in touch with everything local since 1937! 905-983-5301