Regulatory organisation for Aborists & tree loppers?

jeneriq

Hi

I would like to ask whether there are any government or private organisations who regulate aborists/tree loppers to ensure they are qualified and properly insured.

As in any trade, there are rotten eggs which make the whole basket stink, and I guess the Aborist/tree removal trade is no different.

But in some trades, like the building trade, there is the Master Builders Association. They ensure their members are appropriately trained, carry professional indemnity insurance. The association also investigates the public's complaints about their builder member.

I would like to share my experience with an Aborist called Absolute Tree Work, to provide compelling reasons why this industry (like any industry)should have some sort of governing body. The tree loppers were doing some tree removal work in a neighbour's yard. I asked for the owner of the business to quote us the cost of chopping down 7 trees and grinding all the stumps. He gave us a verbal quote. We told him we would think about it as it was more than a thousand dollar.

The next morning, the owner of the business came to our house unexpectly, and gave us a 20% discount if we engage him to do the job then. We negotiated the price down a little more and he agreed. His crew proceeded to chop down the trees immediately. Before the owner of the business left our property, we asked him to give us the quote in writing.

That afternoon, we received the quote in an email, but the quote did not include the grinding of the stumps. He had reduced the scope of work in the quote without our consent. His crew left our property without grinding the stumps.

We called him that afternoon, but the lady who picked up the phone claimed he was too busy to talk to us. We emailed him, expressing our disatisfaction. He did not call us or email us back. Instead, he turned up at our door the next morning at 7:20am, demanding payment in a hostile manner and threatened to punch up my husband if we didn't pay him by 10am that day when returns. I was shocked at his behaviour and his non-existent professionalism.

We have paid him in fear that he would hurt us or damage our property.

I called up the office of fair trading because I could not find any other organisations that I could go to seek help with this issue.

Thank you
Jeneriq

Eric Frei

Dept of fair trading is the govt body you need.

No there is no regulation, any ole idiot and his dog is in the business, thank your politicians for that.

If enough complaints are registered at Dept of Fair Trading then they'll request their political member do something about it.

I have written many articles about this. I have written politicians and the Dept of Fair trading plus had 2 ACA interviews on TV about it.

Tips| Traps| Hiring| Choosing| Arborist| Tree Worker| Contractor

And recently commented same with regard to organisations trying to muscle into a system as a cash grab.

arboreal.co.nz| nzarbor.org.nz| approved contractor scheme or rip off?

Contracts can be written as well as verbal, you do have the right for a complaint if indeed it was told that stumps would be ground out.

You should always get everything in writing though in the future, personally I write as many details as possible down and believe me it has saved my ass many times as customers tried to get free treework. So it's a 2 way street.

Keep us informed, also write him an email that you have posted it here with a link to the URL.

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