Rogue Tree Surgeons / Gardeners on Watchdog now

[Graham]

I think putting pressure on vulnerable people to have unnecessary over priced work done should be the focus here, whether you have qualifications or not.

I lose a lot of work being honest and sometimes wonder whether being dishonest is the only way you get anywhere nowadays

 

Sent from my iPhone cos it was

 

Agree totally. Maybe instead of explaining that very little needs to be done to a clients tree then we should 'big up' their worries and apprensions. Then again I like to sleep soundly even if I 'aint got no money:001_smile:

[delabodge]

these blokes flytip everywhere,at our cost,who do you think pays for the clear up? us! dont get me started...yes watchdog big it up,,,but in general round here there up to no good,,,ive seen a firm put there facia boards right over the old rotten wooden ones,,,nice honest people,,,,

[skyhuck]

I think putting pressure on vulnerable people to have unnecessary over priced work done should be the focus here, whether you have qualifications or not.

I lose a lot of work being honest and sometimes wonder whether being dishonest is the only way you get anywhere nowadays

 

Sent from my iPhone cos it was

 

Honesty is the only way mate.

 

I think it often pays of in the long run and often immediately, just yesterday I went to look at a decent sized Ash at a church, they had been told it was "dangerous", it had a small cavity where the bark had been knocked of years ago, but nothing of any significance. I told them straight away that it was fine and I would certainly not remove it because of that.

 

I gave them a price for just tidying it up and then pointed out it was destroying their carpark and was beginning to move the retaining wall. I suggested its removal and the planting of two more appropriate species in a better location.

 

They thought that was a great idea and booked us for the job.

 

Would have been real easy to look at the cavity suck though my teeth and say "Oh yes thats nasty lets get it down ASAP".

[Pedroski]

,ive seen a firm put there facia boards right over the old rotten wooden ones,,,nice honest people,,,,

 

 

Not being funny, but there is actually nothing wrong with putting UPVC capping over existing wooden fascia boards, provided the existing ones are sound enough. I had this done on my house about 10 years ago by a local guy who also did the soffits (again capping over the existing painted wood) and gutters. The cost was a tiny fraction of what I had been quoted by a 'large reputable firm', and the whole lot is still perfect now.

[likeitorlumpit]

It's almost like there is a conspiracy on here to NOT criticise conmen.

Is this a strange attempt to protect 'the industry'

It won't work and shouldn't work.

I'm not saying we're perfect but they fall way way way short of acceptable.

They are local to me and need to be named and shamed and that is what watchdog has done.

Remember it's not just this job- there obviously has been a few complaints to the BBC and this is just the set up- it could have been worse

Oh - and £1600 to jetwash the drive- don't condone that

If we give out the message to youngsters who are on here that this is acceptable practice then .......

You reap what you sow

I get a feeling I'm in the minority here

[Steve Bullman]

I dont think anyone is suggesting they arent conmen...the focus here is on how watchdog can manipulate things to make things appear even worse.

 

and conspiracy? haha

[born2trot]

It's almost like there is a conspiracy on here to NOT criticise conmen.

Is this a strange attempt to protect 'the industry'

It won't work and shouldn't work.

I'm not saying we're perfect but they fall way way way short of acceptable.

They are local to me and need to be named and shamed and that is what watchdog has done.

Remember it's not just this job- there obviously has been a few complaints to the BBC and this is just the set up- it could have been worse

Oh - and £1600 to jetwash the drive- don't condone that

If we give out the message to youngsters who are on here that this is acceptable practice then .......

You reap what you sow

I get a feeling I'm in the minority here

 

No way your in a minority , youve said what has needed to be said . Cant believe there are some people on here that would try and justify those retards.

[TreeNuts]

Why is the iPlayer intro music so frikking loud? Almost blew my earphones off.

[Pedroski]

I don't think ANYBODY here has tried to justify them. The problem with programs like Watchdog is the whole sensationalisation of it. What people should be doing is making complaints to Trading Standards, and where deception has taken place then make complaints to the police. And if people offer big discounts for cash then dob them in to HMRC.

 

What programmes like Watchdog do is to make the general public suspicious of virtually every single tradesman, then you get Trustatrader and Checkatrade ads telling people to only use people who are on their listings. Maybe what is needed is a database held by the local authority, that we can all be listed on free of charge, but then removed if verifiable/justifiable complaints are made about our work. At least then we wouldn't be expected to pay £600+/year for a Checkatrade advert.

[delabodge]

Not being funny, but there is actually nothing wrong with putting UPVC capping over existing wooden fascia boards, provided the existing ones are sound enough. I had this done on my house about 10 years ago by a local guy who also did the soffits (again capping over the existing painted wood) and gutters. The cost was a tiny fraction of what I had been quoted by a 'large reputable firm', and the whole lot is still perfect now.

 

i dont doubt your right mate,but this facia was rotten they where picking bits off and throwing it in the hedge,,but hey,,,mobile phone in one hand,flat caps,and white trainers,,suppose they must have been legit,,,