ComplaintsforPlant Health Solutions & Pest Control LLC

• Initial Complaint

  05/15/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  I hired PHS for pesticide control. The first year they were great. Last year between some intentional spraying (Hibiscus) and other spraying or drift on plants there was damage to parts of my landscaping. At first the owner acknowledged the problem and we were going to work it out in the Spring... see what survived. I hired an ASC arborist to evaluate and write a report about the damage. I took samples to WSU Master Gardeners, NW *********** among a few other places. The Arborist explained how drifts, heat, slight breezes and more and how the Roundup or like product effected the landscaping. Others agreed. Now that it is Spring the owner who had nothing tested is denying liability in some places. He talked to his insurance company They told him not to talk with me or give any information including who insures him. Now there is no interaction between him or his insurance agency. I tracked his insurance company down through state agencies. I called ************* and they told me ***************** does claims & gave me a number. ******* had not insured PHS since 2015. Called *** back and left a message. They returned the call. Before I could explain anything he accused me of being a gold digger among other things. I asked for the agents name. He hung up and now there is no communication with the owner or the insurer. I have been patient, have received no compensation for damage or refund.. Now he is blaming the damage to the blue rug junipers on bugs or disease. the Spruce author *************************** Common Pests and Plant Diseases:Blue rug juniper is not bothered by serious insect or disease problems. I just want a nice yard.. not one aged Korean Spice on one side and a small new one on the other side. Since neither of us had that expertise I suggested getting a Pro that could suggest what could be done that would be inexpensive, look nice. I lived with no Hibiscus, damaged or dead sprayed/drift Korean spice, Ivy, carpets juniper.

  Business response

  06/05/2024

  I have personally met with ***** regarding her concerns about her landscape vegetation. Although our company was never hired to treat or manage the concerns she has mentioned, I was able to offer a diagnosis and treatment plan. ***** stated that she had her landscape reviewed by another company and that they recommended doing nothing to the landscape until the next growing season. When contacted this spring and asked to follow up with another evaluation, I again offered a diagnosis and treatment plan. At no time has our company been unresponsive in communication.

  Customer response

  06/05/2024

   
  Complaint: 21717536
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  Nothing has been done to remedy this problem that his company created.  I did not need to hire them to diagnose and  make a treatment plan because the  problem was created by employee/employees of PHS and should be resolved by PHS with no expense to me.  I  have already paid for the spraying that caused the damage, I paid for the professional reports and I paid the men that have been doing my pruning for years to remove  the rest of the  dead matter from the berms and other places.

  PHS/  **** acknowledged the damage earlier and told me he would make it right. It wasnt until after **** and I agreed to him making  it right  in the Spring that I hired an ASCA Arborist to document  and make  a full report of the damage and the cause of damage.  The  Arborist also agreed it would be best to wait until Spring.   I  also took samples to other experts including the *** Spokane County Extension Master Gardeners.  I have their written reports also that also explain among other things how that damage occurred  besides being directly sprayed  by weed killer on the plants.  I learned more about damage from drift than I ever wanted to know.  At no time did **** get samples and send them to a place like *** for assessment. 

  When we walked my property in the Spring he questioned some of the damage and I questioned how he planned to restore it.  I wanted a professional to come up with a simple solution that would not damage the rest of my landscape and match the mature landscape.

   In fact the last time I talked to him he was going to get samples for testing  and never returned to do so.  The only conversation we had was his insurance told him not to talk to me and that is where our communication ended.    

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Customer response

  06/11/2024

   
  Complaint: 21717536
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Customer response

  06/12/2024

  Case ID  number ********
  Please dont close the case.   I sent pictures and an explanation yesterday and apparently it did not all go through.
  Also I called yesterday and told the BBB I did not receive ***** new reply.  It was then  sent to me again and was the same reply I had received previously and I couldnt accept it again so I immediately replied and sent pictures.
  
  I hired PHS for weed control and not to kill my shrubbery.  **** acknowledged  the damage in the fall caused by his company and agreed to fix it.  We both agreed he would fix it in the spring.   **** did not have the expertise to diagnose or remedy the damage.  I  hired and consulted with experts in their field to diagnose the damage and they confirmed weed killer caused the damage.    He also did not have the expertise to remedy  the problem   so it could be done inexpensively and simple to fit in with my mature landscaping. When he came in the spring we talked and he was going to come back and get samples.  He never did come back and the last I heard from him was a phone call later that day  he said he  had talked to his insurance and they told him not to talk to me anymore  and not give me any information. Nothing has been done and there was no effort to call me since that call.  I want my  landscape  that was damaged by PHS repaired and paid for him so it aesthetically  matches.
  
  ***************************
  
  The pictures show the damage to the Korean Viburnum, before and after pictures of my Hibiscus bed, blank part of concrete wall shows  ivy plants killed in the front and the blue carpet juniper should be in the bare ground behind the wall.  There was also damage done to other  blue carpet juniper on the berm.

  Business response

  06/12/2024

  The health concerns at issue in the landscape belonging to *************************** were not the result of negligence by PHS Weed & Pest Control services or technicians. The true cause has been explained to the customer multiple times by a licensed Washington State certified professional. 

  Customer response

  06/12/2024

   
  Complaint: 21717536
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I have no clue to who the licensed expert he is talking about is it him?. The health concerns to my landscaping was caused by PHS and acknowledged by PHS.  In regards to the Hibiscus bed the tech sprayed it the spring and again in August. At first he lied about the second time and finally confessed he had.  
  **** came out both times to look at the dead Hibiscus damage in the spring and again in August when he saw the damage he offered to fix/replace the dead Hibiscus bed  and damage to other parts of my landscaping on the berm. 
  He came out and removed some of the dead debris from the hibiscus bed and on the berms.  My experts confirmed the damage was caused by negligent weed spraying.  There is an explanation for every bit of damage from their weed killing spray whether it was direct, drift, a slight breeze and temperature.
  My experts and the written reports  they gave me  sometimes verbal after accessing the damage specify the damage was due to roundup like product which is what PHS uses.  I took samples to  several garden specialist from NW Seed and Pets who offered to talk to **** and **** did not make any effort to do so.   I took samples  to Washington State WSU Master Gardeners both once with the Hibiscus and again samples from the other damage.  I also hired and he knows it an **** Arborist at considerable expense to me to assess the damage and write a report.  Like the others I consulted he wrote in the report  what damage looks like from weed killer and how there were many ways the  spray could travel by direct/indirect spray, drift cause by many variables including the heat, slight breeze, and other variables.  I have every text, voice mail and email he sent me regarding this problem.   This is just a small portion.
  Voicemail from ************
  76 secs
  Aug 14, 2023
  Hello ***** this is **** with PHS weed and pest control and I was just calling to follow up with you if I didn't get a chance to speak with you before I left. I had taken a couple of the loads out of the yard there and still expect to come back. I just wanted to chat with you first about the the Hibiscus primarily as most of what is left is still alive in and giving us our best chance of recovery so I wanted to before removing any of that make sure that we're on the same page with what we wanna do there and then when I come back in I'll be able to add some statics to some of those areas that we were cleaning out the suckers and some of the other Juniper and what not to try to clean the look up there a little bit and then that'll give me a chance to figure out what we're gonna do with that corner over there where the organ grape and whatnot are coming up. See if we wanna treat that tour or test(?) those out. Again just trying to make sure that were anything I can at this point to take care of any of the situations out there but thanks you. You have any questions give me a call ************. Thank you.
  
  
  
  
  Fri, Aug 4, 2023, 12:26?PM
  
  
  
  
  to *********************, 
  I did not want to say anything until I got it confirmed.   The first picture of my Hibiscus bed was taken on July 23.  The next pictures are my Hibiscus beds after the service  call on July 27th.   They were taken yesterday.   I took  a long stem to  Northwest  Seed & Pet  and showed the stem to *********************.    He said  Looks was hit with weed killer in the heat.   That confirmed my suspicions.  The time period was my first hint.  So here we are again.***** said you could call him *************
  
  
  23-Oct-2023 
  "Hello this is **** with THS weed and pest control returning your email here and I was looking to maybe schedule a time to come out and and chat with you and and you know get everything get a look at things and and you said see if there's a solution or plan that we can create this fall rather than in the spring and make sure that you know we have an understanding and all of those things are on the same page. So you can reach me at ************. Again **** with PHS weed and pest control. Looking to get together this week if you have time or whenever it's convenient for you. Thank you very much and have a great day." 
  
  
  To hear this message, click on the file attached to this email.
  
  
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  ************************;
  Jan 29, 2024, 2:54?PM
  to gsiegel.phs, 
  Greetings, 
  I recently received the pre-pay bills for dad and I.  Usually I pay the bill the minute I get it.     This year it is a dilemma for me.  I very much want  to continue with your services for both dad and I.  The problem is we still have some unfinished business from last year.
  I have put my trust in you that you will do  whatever it takes to correct any damage from last year.  I would like you to put your trust in me for awhile.  We wont be able to see how things turn out until later in the year and yet we  still need your services.  I would like to get those services but pay for them  when we know everything is okay. what comes back and if anything needs fixed or replaced.     I will immediately pay you  for both of us and we all can get back to normal.   That would be my collateral which I dont think is to much to ask for.  
  The time and aggravation it has caused me really has no price. I have also incurred some expenses  including  but not limited to a report  from an expert on plant health and care.  He is a member of ****.  I felt it was necessary for both of us to document the damage and verify what was effected.  I have absorbed all the cost relating  to this mishap including but not limited to the report ($150.00).   In fact I have received nothing to compensate for the trials and tribulations I have been through.  
  
  
  *************************** <*********************>
  Wed, Jan 31, 12:08?PM
  *****, I am fine with that approach. I will see you in the spring!
  
  
  Voicemail from
  ***********
  
  11:38:49 AM 
  23-Oct-2023 
  "Hello this is **** with THS weed and pest control returning your email here and I was looking to maybe schedule a time to come out and and chat with you and and you know get everything get a look at things and and you said see if there's a solution or plan that we can create this fall rather than in the spring and make sure that you know we have an understanding and all of those things are on the same page. So you can reach me at ************. Again **** with PHS weed and pest control. Looking to get together this week if you have time or whenever it's convenient for you. Thank you very much and have a great day."
  Shrub and other damage.
  
  
  PHS/ Fertilizer/Weed Control
  PHS/ Fertilizer/Weed Control/PHS/ Fertilizer/Weed Control
  
  
  
  
  
  
  *************************** <****************>
  
  
  Sat, Oct 21, 2023, 11:47?AM
  
  
  
  
  to gsiegel.phs, me
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  My e-mail to ****
  Sorry I missed your call.   I hope your team won the game this morning.
  Whenever I am out in my yard and see the damage... especially around my berms  it is just gut-wrenching to look at..  The guys that do my Fall clean-up,  sprinkler blow-out and other yard maintenance couldnt believe what they have worked so hard to maintain  for me for so many years ended up like that.  
  This  has been eating me up and and I am  constantly  worrying about how this  will be fixed.    I dont want to wait till Spring  to make a plan.  I am hoping we can  still work this out in an amiable manner because I really like and respect you.  I have been pleased with the work your company has done for both Dad and I these last two years. with the exception of this mess.  It was just an unfortunate and terrible  mistake by one of your employees.
  I  have decided to do what we should have done to begin with.  I am hiring someone to come and  do a professional  (****) assessment of  the damage and  assess what is recoverable and what is not.   The member of the ****  that is  coming out to assess the damage is the one that wanted to know what was used on or by the plants. 
  I am  also  going to pay a  professional landscaper to evaluate the situation after that assessment and get a recommendations and a cost estimate  to fix the damage.  It is going to take years for some of that to fill in and I am hoping the landscaper can make some suggestions that will work quickly to fill in those spaces and anything else that needs to be replaced or worked around .  I am hoping it will be inexpensive.  I still have hope for the Hibiscus.  It is late in the season so it will probably be Spring before the work can be started.   I want to be on the front of the list to have my job done  before  they get so busy and  good experienced landscapers  are hard  to fine.   I  just  want a plan now and not have to worry about it anymore . I want my greenery back. 
  
  
  After talking to my insurance company they told me it  would be your  insurance company/ bond that would be responsible for the damages.  
  
  
  If you have a better solution than mine I am still open to it.  I think we have both been putting it off so we didnt have to deal with it.   I know I have.  It is time to find a solution  to this mess. 
  
  
  Voicemail from
  ***********
  
  05:48:48 PM 
  20-Oct-2023 
  "Hello ***** this is **** with PHS weed and pest control and I was just calling back I apologize earlier we were doing some youth soccer there and I was a little out of breath but I wanted to see if I can get you the rest of the information that you're looking for and see if there's anything I can do to assist or help with with anything so you can reach me at the office ************. We do have a soccer game tomorrow morning and then from like nine to 10:30 and then I should be in the office after that and so again just reaching out to make sure you're getting everything you need and I will talk to you again soon. Thank you."
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

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