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Original poster

To think that 800 pounds to cut down a small tree is extortionate?

32 replies

Cappuccinowithonesugarplease · 12/11/2024 06:54

I will add some context here
My elderly uncle has been scammed by a wood chip company who cold called him saying his cherry tree was diseased, it's in the back garden, so they must have been peering over the fence to see 😡
Now, my uncle we believe has some form of autism although it's never been diagnosed, which makes him very trusting of anybody who is smooth talking and sounds plausible. Anyway he let this nobody in to do the job, he says he wanted the tree done at some point anyway, but I can get my head around 800 pounds?
The worst thing is he didn't even get a bloody receipt! The company isn't even a tree surgery company it's a woodchip and landscape gardening company.
I doubt anything can be done now but I'm so angry at this cold caller and any trades people for that matter who are so low they think it's OK to rip off vulnerable old people 😡

OP posts:
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potatocakesinprogress · 12/11/2024 12:47

beeloubee · 12/11/2024 12:10

Disgusting wouldn't be surprised if they cut down a healthy tree.

It was obviously a scam and a healthy tree, people seem to be missing that.

More people need to warn their loved ones about it.

No reputable tree surgeons are wasting their time driving around looking in elderly people's back gardens for work, they have no problem getting jobs or referrals in the usual ways from actual customers who want the work done.

They will no doubt have sold the wood for an overpriced amount and made money on that too.

WhitegreeNcandle · 12/11/2024 12:40

Figmentofmyimagination · 12/11/2024 12:36

Quite a common scam. My mum was targeted except that in her case, they entered her garden without asking, chopped down the trees and then demanded the money. She was living alone with early stage dementia. She mistakenly gave them a paying in slip, thinking it was a cheque so they didn’t manage to get any money from her but very frightening.

That’s horrendous. Hope your Mum is ok

Bixterret · 12/11/2024 12:38

Bixterret · 12/11/2024 12:37

I paid £600 for 3 trees, 5 shrubs all chipped and taken away

Oh and stumps all removed!

Bixterret · 12/11/2024 12:37

I paid £600 for 3 trees, 5 shrubs all chipped and taken away

Figmentofmyimagination · 12/11/2024 12:36

Quite a common scam. My mum was targeted except that in her case, they entered her garden without asking, chopped down the trees and then demanded the money. She was living alone with early stage dementia. She mistakenly gave them a paying in slip, thinking it was a cheque so they didn’t manage to get any money from her but very frightening.

MereDintofPandiculation · 12/11/2024 12:23

I'd expect something in the region of £400. Did they actually take the stump out?

I had someone quote £10,500 to put a roof on a pergola. Couldn't work out whether that was "I really don't want this job" or the fact that I look about 85.

GasPanic · 12/11/2024 12:12

Paid £400 a year a go to have a cherry tree cut down. A silver birch removed and another tree trimmed back.

I thought that was expensive at the time as it only took the single guy about 3 hours or so, although he did have to cart off two loads of wood. No rich persons house premium and location was the midlands.

Was pleased with the outcome though - all happened successfully.

beeloubee · 12/11/2024 12:10

Disgusting wouldn't be surprised if they cut down a healthy tree.

LaPalmaLlama · 12/11/2024 12:07

Printedword · 12/11/2024 11:54

Estimate for bamboo extermination across parts of 3 properties less than this. Although total job will be more because opting for new and extended path as well

Sorry to derail the thread but also in the market for bamboo extermination- did they dig out the clumps and if so what did they use to do it? Also did you get a trench to stop it coming back in from neighbours or not a problem for you?

Printedword · 12/11/2024 11:54

Estimate for bamboo extermination across parts of 3 properties less than this. Although total job will be more because opting for new and extended path as well

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 12/11/2024 11:49

Report to Trading Standards as they may be keeping a record of scammers in the area. Sometimes the neighbourhood policing teams put out a warning.

Original poster
Cappuccinowithonesugarplease · 12/11/2024 10:03

ILikeItWhatIsIt · 12/11/2024 09:37

They're probably travellers if they're just randomly knocking on doors. I had the same thing this year. Their price started off at more than the actual tree surgeon took. If you have a look around the local area you'll probably find the bits of tree dumped somewhere.

I doubt it wood is like a commodity now, it would have been chopped up and sold as firewood I reckon.

OP posts:
ILikeItWhatIsIt · 12/11/2024 09:37

They're probably travellers if they're just randomly knocking on doors. I had the same thing this year. Their price started off at more than the actual tree surgeon took. If you have a look around the local area you'll probably find the bits of tree dumped somewhere.

Original poster
Cappuccinowithonesugarplease · 12/11/2024 08:48

xILikeJamx · 12/11/2024 08:34

The same cowboys will be round again shortly touting roof / gutters / soffits and fascia cleaning, new driveway, etc, etc.

You likely won't be able to get anything back, but make sure he understands not to give any more away

My mum and I have explained to him, he says he agrees now he was scammed and has learnt something. Agreed he will call one of us before agreeing to something on the spot again.
He had no children so only has my mum and myself looking out for him really, his closest friend doesn't live locally.

OP posts:
xILikeJamx · 12/11/2024 08:34

The same cowboys will be round again shortly touting roof / gutters / soffits and fascia cleaning, new driveway, etc, etc.

You likely won't be able to get anything back, but make sure he understands not to give any more away

ViciousCurrentBun · 12/11/2024 08:31

Get your uncle a ring doorbell. It may out a few scammers off or at least you can see their vehicle if they pull up outside, have their face on camera.

A neighbour just had a tree trimmed and it was £300 which he haggled down. They are a local firm and ended up doing two other neighbours trees.

My friend fell for a definite scam, agreed about a tree when had someone knock and they returned shortly with five other men and persuaded her to have two trees and some shrubs done and charged her 2.5k.

Our road gets a lot of folk with the offer of tree and drive work and also lots of charities and companies trying to get you to sign up for organic veg boxes. They get short shrift from me.

Of course those blokes were dodgy.

Tangerinenets · 12/11/2024 08:21

We just paid £1600 for a large tree. Most of the cost is the cost to take it away .

DottyBaguette · 12/11/2024 08:21

I paid £350 to have three fairly large trees removed from a fairly inaccessible garden in London, so I'd say he was really ripped off.

The same people will be scamming others, so report to police?

CocoDC · 12/11/2024 08:20

Cappuccinowithonesugarplease · 12/11/2024 08:17

But the cold calling, peering in the garden to see and not leaving a receipt is highly unprofessional in my books.

Show quote history

This is pretty much how most reputable tree surgeons work in my area during this time of year. They literally just drive around trying to peer into gardens to identify problems.

Original poster
Cappuccinowithonesugarplease · 12/11/2024 08:17

user876477 · 12/11/2024 08:15

But companies are entitled to charge whatever they want for their services.

It may well be that they quoted a price they wouldn't have given to someone younger but that actually isn't illegal.

Show quote history

But the cold calling, peering in the garden to see and not leaving a receipt is highly unprofessional in my books.

OP posts:
user876477 · 12/11/2024 08:15

Cappuccinowithonesugarplease · 12/11/2024 08:08

Maybe, it's a neighborhood watch area as well.

Show quote history

But companies are entitled to charge whatever they want for their services.

It may well be that they quoted a price they wouldn't have given to someone younger but that actually isn't illegal.

Original poster
Cappuccinowithonesugarplease · 12/11/2024 08:08

BankHolidayReset · 12/11/2024 08:07

Are you sure it's a company rather than a few lads just knocked on his door? Maybe the neighbours may have noticed the company or have ring doorbell footage

Maybe, it's a neighborhood watch area as well.

OP posts:
BankHolidayReset · 12/11/2024 08:07

Are you sure it's a company rather than a few lads just knocked on his door? Maybe the neighbours may have noticed the company or have ring doorbell footage

CocoDC · 12/11/2024 07:38

Impossible to know costs because the size of a cherry tree often can have no bearing on it’s root systems. There’s also the charge for grinding down the stump and treating it so it doesn’t get mouldy. Mum had a ‘small tree’ removed recently for a grand because the roots were massive and even went into the next door garden - it took 2 days of near constant work to sort out

DilemmaDelilah · 12/11/2024 07:36

We paid less than that to have about 16 trees in our hedge pollarded, chipped and taken away. These weren't particularly easy to get to either, so I do think that was a lot of money for just one tree.