Funny you'd bring up mowers — that's basically where this started. April 14th, I paid Denny's Landscaping $340 for the season package, four visits. First one's fine. Second one, they skip the side yard entirely, I've got photos with timestamps. Third one they don't show, no call. I text the guy, Denny himself, radio silence for six days.
April 14th? I remember that rain. Denny's always been sketchy, but skipping the side yard is ridiculous. You should have called the city council, not just texted. Though, honestly, what can they do? Nothing. I tried to get the renter's deposit back last month and the manager just laughed. I said I'd file a complaint, then I didn't. It's exhausting. Did you ever hear back after the silence? Probably not.
Six days, then he texts back like nothing happened — "was gonna get to it this week." No apology, no mention of the missed visit. I asked for a partial refund, eighty bucks for the skipped service, he never answered that part. Just sent a new schedule like I hadn't said anything. That's the part that gets me, being ignored isn't the same as being told no.
Right? That's the cold shoulder. He acts like you're invisible. I hate when they do the "pretend nothing happened" dance. It's worse than a flat out no, because a no means you can move on. This keeps you waiting. I had a plumber do that once, just showed up late and acted like I was crazy for checking the logbook. It drives you mad. You're not crazy, though. He's just cheap. Did you stop the last payment? Or just keep waiting?
I didn't stop it, that's the stupid part — autopay took the fourth installment, $85, on the 30th, before I even decided anything. So now he's got the full $340 and I'm still missing a whole visit and change owed. I called the card company yesterday about disputing it, they said I need "documentation of service failure," like the photos with timestamps aren't that.
"Documentation of service failure" is corporate speak for "make life harder." Your photos are proof, but they want a paper trail signed by the guy who ignored you. It's a loop. I tried disputing a coffee shop charge once; they wanted a manager's signature. I laughed and hung up. You're stuck between a petty landscaper and a rigid bank. Maybe don't call the bank yet. Send Denny an email, not a text. Say the money is held until the visit is done. Make him sweat. You know he cares about his rating.
Rating's the thing, actually — he's got 4.9 on the neighborhood app, thirty-some reviews. I looked last night. I'm not trying to torch the guy's business, I just want my eighty bucks or the visit done. I'm not angry about it. I just want the side yard mowed, that's all this ever was. I'll email him today, keep the review out of it for now.