Continuous lawn service leaves Pitt Meadows couple with unexpected bills

Trapped in a never-ending contract? Know your rights Ross McLaughlin meets a couple stuck in an indefinite contract, and explains what rights consumers have to end the arrangement.

This is the time of the year when many homeowners start thinking about hiring a lawn service to help keep their yards looking good. But if you’re not careful, you could find yourself in a contract that continues indefinitely, and you may not even realize it.

A Pitt Meadows, B.C. couple was surprised they were billed for lawn services they say they didn’t order.

“We have lots of weeds, and it’s hard to keep up with it,” said Linda Hamilton.

In years past, Linda and her husband had hired lawn care service company Weedman to tend to their lawn, but she says they didn’t do that this year. So she was surprised when she received a call from the company.

“I got a call from Weedman and they’re saying that we owe them money,” she explained.

Then she noticed there were little granules on the lawn and that work had been done. She says Weedman had been to her home twice and says they received no notice. They were on the hook for a $123 bill.

Linda contacted McLaughlin on Your Side and the two called the company to try and clear things up.

“When you sign up it’s always a continuous service,” explained the Weedman representative on the phone.

"I just want to get this straight it's always continuous service whether I asked for it or not. Is that correct?" Linda asked.

"It's always continuous service and if you choose not to be on continuous service you let us know so it doesn't automatically renew," answered the company’s rep.

The manager at Weedman Surrey told CTV News most customers like the continuous service because it's convenient but that they have to agree to auto-renewal by phone and those calls are recorded.

"If they had said that on the phone I know I would have said no," said Linda.

The Hamiltons plan on filing a complaint with Consumer Protection B.C.

There are rules in place to protect consumers from unsolicited goods and services.

"If you haven't agreed to it then you have right to cancel it or not pay for it," explained Tatiana Chabeaux-Smith with Consumer Protection BC.

In B.C., a company can't assume you want a service just because they haven't heard from you. You have to agree to it and it's up to to company to prove that you did.

Weedman Surrey provided us with a contract as proof that the Hamiltons were sent notice of Weedman’s 2018 lawn service, saying it was mailed to them and that the deal was done on the phone.

It states "the contract will continue from application to application and year to year," and "the buyer may terminate future services at any time."

"There's actually no piece of legislation that we're responsible for that talks about the length of the contract but what it does have to have is a start date and an end date," Chabeaux-Smith said.

"I just want to sign year by year. I don't want them coming back all my life, you know for this service, there's just no way," Linda said.

She cancelled the service. Weedman waived the outstanding charges and offered apologies if they caused the Hamiltons any pain.

"Well I tell you I'm probably not going to use your services ever again because of this,” Linda said.

CTV News can't prove who did or said what, but the bottom line is that although Weedman says it has a recording proving the couple agreed to continuous services, the Hamiltons have not received it yet.

Weedman isn't the only lawn service that automatically renews year to year.

Those who enter lawn service contracts need to stay on top of it. Although it's called continuous service, there's a break for the winter.

Customers could forget about it and forget to cancel, or if they sell their house, a new homeowner could have the lawn service showing up unexpectedly.