How to report a gardener

BobaTea

Hello.

I am aware that I shown so much ingenuity and I honestly don't know if it is possible to pull out something good.

On Tuesday, this person contacted me, using my contact details from a Bark.com listing. I asked him to come and quote for a job to be done in a residential garden, and after he gave a look he quoted 300EUR. I said I was kinda okay and we agreed to have the job completed on a Thursday and that if he managed to do it earlier, he would have anyway contacted me two hours in advance to reschedule. I was fought about it, because he was making comments and putting me very uncomfortably: since I live on my own, in a remote area, I am afraid to take risks nowadays.

In the meantime, I was in contact with another lovely professional that I had to leave down, unfortunately. In fact, the gardener shown up totally unannounced at my property, first thing in the morning, and I felt bad to make him and his crew turn around, so I let them start to work. By the way, he untruthfully stated that he tried to call me, but at today I have no evidence at all of his attempts to call me.

The job was incomplete because he stated that he didn't understand that I asked for the grass to be cut too (despite listing and previous day's quote) and that he would have come on Friday morning to complete. I trusted him, paid and let them go, also because as stated before, I leave on my own and he was also making me feeling highly uncomfortable, with private questions, comments and statements and I really couldn't wait for him to leave.

Walking in the garden I then noticed that apart from a very untidy hedging, they did very little. No pruning, no leaves clean up and no grass cutting. He, of course, never shown up on the Friday to complete his job.

What do you suggest me to do? He scammed a lot of money, practically half of my rent and the garden still looks a disaster.

Other people told me that he is used to do these things. He is a guy from Co. Kerry, curly dark hair and was driving a light colour vehicle. I hold his phone number, their vehicle registration, pictures of the job and probably my neighbors CCTV.

Please guys, give me some advice.

Boba

spuddy4711

Just try to put this bad experience behind you.

homer911

Nothing you can do other than learn from the experience. Did you inspect the work before you paid him? It seems odd paying him for the whole job if he had not done the other work to your satisfaction

endofrainbow

Report him to Bark - probably not a lot they can do but it might make you feel better.

silver2020

tomorrow he'll be laying driveways.

Absolutely nothing whatsoever you can do. You got taken in by his patter. Confidence trickster.

Next time get a quote in writing and check reviews - if they can't do that, simply walk away.

BorneTobyWilde

Best to hire him again, praise his work, tell him you have more work for him, give him a proper long list of work to do, and inspect it, then tell him to fck off without paying him.

Xterminator

Leave a review - : from bark.com "After they’ve done the work, remember to leave a review on Bark and help fellow customers find the best professionals."

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118610886#Comment_118610886

Not advisable for all sorts of reasons

Strumms

When you order something… a service or product , especially from someone you don’t know, you…dont pay cash up front… you pay on having been in receipt of the service…

put it down to experience and don’t engage the services of hokey individuals traveling around in a van to do work for you..

BobaTea

Yes, I have been too much trustful. I was used to way more decency and these behaviours make you just lose trust, empathy and understanding for everyone. By the way, be alert: SNIP. Don't even bother going with him, cause hedges are also permanently damaged. I threatened him to go to Garda and apparently he will return half of the money today.

Honestly I have already opened a file with small claims as suggested by my local Garda and provided them with documentation. I paid 25€ for it and I hope to get something out of this, or least make him lose a bit of sleep and serenity.

I wish he will spend that money he robbed onto drugs and painkillers.

Thank you for your precious opinions.

Boba

BobaTea

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118610925#Comment_118610925

I Involved bark's trust and safety team.

BobaTea

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118609455#Comment_118609455

He said he didn't got he needed also to clean afterwards and to cut the grass. So I let him go after he stated he would be back on Friday. I honestly have been silly but I have so much with chemio going in my head... I wish I could really do something.

Absolutely nothing whatsoever you can do. You got taken in by his patter. Confidence trickster.

I'd go with intimidated myself; moreso than 'taken in'

Likely when he had the OP 'sussed out' , the 'gardener' pressured him into the 'hard sell'.... hard to tell that type of kernt to fk off.. doubt the OP got taken in anyhow - probably saw it coming, but felt too scared to do anything about it... can't blame him..

and then going telling the OP that he rang him... disgusting.. turns up with a crew of fellow scummers completely unannounced... what's the OP to do?? ,, call him a liar? he'd have an answer for that too, the fking thug.. bloody annoying when some 'tradesperson' calls over without any warning..

best of luck OP. looks as though you have some sort of recourse with bark anyhow..

PS I don't think it's up to any disgruntled customer to leave any recommendations/criticisms/or otherwise about this shyster.. likely there's plenty know of his ways already.. up to the relevant authorities to 'sort him out'..

rolling boh

I would let it go and learn from it .You were done by a chancer so next time anything like that get someone who is at least known locally that you can check him out . I would not bother leaving bad reviews very remote chance but it could make trouble for you .I know it's easy for others to say but anytime someone arrives offering their services you have to be polite but firm that you are not interested .

BobaTea

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118632852#Comment_118632852

Yes, I felt intimidated. A lot. I am a woman, living alone. Thank you all.