Desert Tranformation LLC

Because Fernado had been referred to me by a gardener with whom had taken care of the same property for me for over 5 years, I failed to get this all in writing, of course. Fernado told me that he would be there the following Saturday at 12:30 PM. He arrived a little later than 1:30 PM but assured me that was plenty of time to do a proper job. Fernado and his crew went about quickly chain-sawing all the oleander bushes down by around 3:30. He then approached me to inform me that they had littletime to work on the stumps, as they wanted to get all the waste brush to the dump before it closed at 4 PM. He then asked if he could have $400 of the $750 so he could pay his crew. Fernadeo was so charming that I agreed and Fernado told me he would return the following Wednesday at 12:30. Fernado came out and he and I agreed to have him remove a twenty foot tree, as well, While he did this large tree I stood there watching him as he cut down a rather large branch (5 inches across) and allowed it to fall on my rot-iron fence. At first I didn't notice anything awry with the fence until he left and that's when I realized it was slightly bent. ...He again asked if he could come back in a few days to pick up the limbs and branches from the big tree in a few days because they, again had to get to the dump before it closed. He again asked if I would pay him the few hundred dollars so he could pay his crew. Like the fool I was, I payed him the remainder. When Fernado and his crew came back a few days later, they hurriedly put the branches into their truck and the rest of his crew quickly raked the existing gravel over each stump, none of which had been cut below the existing ground level. When I pointed this out, he said that to go lower, he would need to rent a "stump-chipper" to remove them lower and he would require more money for that. Also, at this point, he started accusing me of not showing him any of the bigger, preexisting stumps to be removed. At that point in time, I realized I had been "had" and that Fernado had no plans on keeping his word. And because I had found the rot-iron fence he dropped the heavy limb on was indeed, slightly bent, I understood that I really got off somewhat lightly in this con job and have never attempted to call Fernado nor has he attempted to call me concerning the stump-chipper. That's OK with me because I will not allow Fernado back onto my property!