Any opinions on this basic lawn maintenance contract?

[GG Green]

Just drafted up this basic residential/commercial lawn care maintenance agreement and was wondering what all you think.....Any helpful suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks...

[Ecoscape01]

Interesting but doesn't the whole thing at the end about termination by You or the Client kinda defeat the purpose of a contract. That would be like a cell phone company letting you out of one of their contracts just cuz you didn't like that service. If only it was that way

[haybaler]

good contract, just change it to 30 days written notice

[Ecoscape01]

good contract, just change it to 30 days written notice

Is that a standard thing to offer the option to terminate?:confused:

[Vikings]

Is it legal for you to charge a NSF?

I just had a situation with the BBB, I drained my business account because I thought all payments were taken care of but the bank didn't do the BBB withdrawal.

So first the bank tries to charge me $20 NSF and the Better Business Bureau tried to change me $20. I never paid anything but what bs.

[GG Green]

Interesting but doesn't the whole thing at the end about termination by You or the Client kinda defeat the purpose of a contract. That would be like a cell phone company letting you out of one of their contracts just cuz you didn't like that service. If only it was that way

Thanks for your input. If a customer is unhappy with the services we are providing why keep them locked in? Why deal with them for an additional month, why just not move on. It makes more sense for a contractor and a customer alike, don't you think?

[GG Green]

Is it legal for you to charge a NSF?

I just had a situation with the BBB, I drained my business account because I thought all payments were taken care of but the bank didn't do the BBB withdrawal.

So first the bank tries to charge me $20 NSF and the Better Business Bureau tried to change me $20. I never paid anything but what bs.


Companies that I worked for here in Ontario charge NSF charges for bad cheques for services or products rendered and therefore I feel that it is a standard legal practice to recoop financial losses incurred. If a customer bounces a cheque and doesn't pay NSF charges why keep them?

[digitaltomato]

In your Lawn Care Maintenance Agreement you mention "whether" which means expressing a choice between alternatives as in "whether I should sign this agreement or not". I think what you mean is "weather" as in whether or not the weather is cloudy, raining, sunny etc.

[stephen424]

too late now. he drew that up in 2007

[SangerLawn]

Thanks for your input. If a customer is unhappy with the services we are providing why keep them locked in? Why deal with them for an additional month, why just not move on. It makes more sense for a contractor and a customer alike, don't you think?



I agree 100% but that leads me to the next question. If you really believe that then why even make them sign a contract?

[Whitey4]

I agree 100% but that leads me to the next question. If you really believe that then why even make them sign a contract?

Required by law here. I have a clause that also says the contract can be cancelled at any time, for any reason by either party. It's a legal requirement, but also spells out what services are included and what would be at extra cost. In case of a dispute... go to the contract.

Next year I will be adding a disclaimer. NOT resposible for broken sprinkler heads unless damage is obsrerved by me when on site while performing work. If aerating, the home owner must flag all heads or assume resposibility for any damage.

Customers assume that ANY broken head is the LCO's fault, and most of the time it isn't. Plastic heads get old, weathered and brittle. Even stepping on a 15 year old head can break it. I won't be paying for any new heads next year. Faulty heads that don't retract and are not visable... head malfuntion... not my fault and I aint gonna pay for it. Make the sprinkler guy pay... it's his malfunctioning stuff that causes the problems.

And yes, I just got burned for $120 on sprinkler repairs. I agreed to pay, and told them to find a new landscaper. Never again. It will be in my new contracts, take it or leave it.

Being legal here requires having a contract... or if a complaint comes in, it's on me, with no contract. I have gone with "agreements" in the past... next year, it's gonna be a contract, just to be legal and to protect myself.

[SangerLawn]

Don’t feel bad…..one of us hit a rock and it went through a $1,200 stain glass steel door. You know, one of those pretty ones with all the different colors in it. That bad thing is it was a lawn that I am doing under my minimum. We have several right there in that subdivision. There are 3 of us in the truck. We mow, trim, and clean each one in under 5 minutes….long story short, I get paid $25.00 every time we mow his lawn. It will be a long time before I start making profit off of him again lol. And yes, I have insurance but try not to use…waiting on something major to happen although I hope it never does. I would have much rather this to of been a sprinkler head. Bad thing is, with 3 of us I have no idea who did it. Customer came out and informed me and sure enough, glass (all 3 pains) were shattered.