HB Garden & Maintenance

Thank you to Ish and Sebastian for your very professional service.

After the recent persistent rain, my garden resembled a mini Amazon rain forest. (There may even have been a tiger hiding in there ready to devour me for an afternoon snack).

I had a constant eye on the weather to see if there would be an opportunity for me to get my garden in a picture perfect condition, but for 2 weeks it just kept raining every day.

I only have a small electric lawnmower and logic told me that wet grass and electricity might cause me to turn into a scared electrocuted cartoon cat. And the thick grass would make it tough for any underpowered lawnmower to cope with.

Luckily a friend gave me these guys’ contact details. They responded immediately and came out to give me a personalised quote. I honestly expected to pay much more especially just for a once-off job.

They did an exceptional job. Everything is so neat again that I can probably invite a magazine to do a photoshoot on my sidewalk…
Or get National Geographic to do a documentary on the elusive Joburg tigress that can no longer hide in my garden.
(Maybe she is hiding in yours. Get these guys to come and keep your garden safe from her claws). More...

Th8s review was done on 20 November 2024.

On 13 September 2024, I left a steller review on Bark, I really regret this as that was given during the "honeymoon" period.

On 5 November, I had an appointment with HB Garden and Maintenance, we agreed that they would come after half 2, around half 3 I enquiered if they were still coming, they sent me a message to reschedule. Me needing the service agreed. Subsequent to this it was raining, so understandably, appointments made were rescheduled. We agreed that they would come Monday, yesterday.

All day I waited and no one pitched or messaged me. Ok, fine, maybe there was an appointment error?? So I messaged Sebastian yesterday evening to confirm what time they would coming today. This morning he messaged me to say half 8, then I get another message to say they'd actually come at 12.

Politely I made known that I wasn't happy, the reason and that I really hoped that they will come today (I mentioned yesterday's missed appointmentand and didn't get so much as an apology or a reason why no-one pitched). At 12 today, no-one has come, then I get a request for my banking details and was told that HB Garden and Maintenance wasn't happy with my "tone", they will not be coming, they will refund, oh and that they provided me with a service (picking up the dogs mess) that they don't provide.

It's great that I am receiving a refund, but now I'm left without a service that has been promised to me since 5 November.

I am really disappointed and feel let down by this company. Be warned, the first few interactions are great, but it's down hill from there. Unreliable! More...

H

Reply from HB Garden & Maintenance

I would firstly like to thank you Simone for the review given on the 13 September 2024. With regards to your current review, when they say the customer is always right that is a lie. I think it should be important that you also highlight that the reason why we had to postpone coming out and assisting is due to the rainy weather. As for picking up the dogs muck you should also highlight that you do leave the dogs muck for a full 2 weeks and expect us to first spend 30minutes cleaning that before we can actually do what we are being paid for (gardening and not cleaning dog feces). On our very first visit and countless times after we have requested that this matter be addressed and were told by Simone the customer herself that it is good for the grass which aside for it being unsanitary is bad for the grass which I shared in my professional opinion. We then also requested for you to please water your garden as we are coming out every second week just to pick up dog muck and then also planted the lemon tree and 2 rose bushes. You then told us to please water the garden but had no hose and told us we can use the bucket. This again is not our responsibility as we have requested time and time again for you to water your garden in order for us to have something to actually cut and also give you your money's worth. With regards to scheduling, we have always been in constant communication and then after the last visit when you made your payment requested to change the day we come through from a Wednesday to a Tuesday and we still tried accommodating you even though Wednesday was the day that you had chosen, and we also had to move other customers around to accommodate your demand. From the very first visit you were untruthful about even the size of your yard and also sent pictures of the smallest spaces in order to fool the person who has to do the work. I had also requested to come out and see the property first and you refused. We came out and did the major Garden clean-up which took my team 6 hours because of the state it was in and then had to dispose of a dead Cat which was wrapped in a blanket and left in a cooler bag to rot. I think it is fair to say that HB gardens has gone far and beyond to assist you as best we can but in order for any relationship to work it goes both ways. And same way we actually document before and after pictures of every space we work in we also made sure to take pictures of the dead fur baby left in the cooler bag as we don't want to be held responsible for any damages or pets being missing. It is also safe to say that it is important for contractors to know the kind of customers that they deal with. I have done the refund of your monthly garden service and will also report this review as this was done out of Malice. Being this malicious is a sad trait and quite petty especially after the extent we had gone to assist. Hope that this customer treats the next service provider with respect.

Sebastian and HB Garden & Maintenance is very professional and dependable! Highly recommended!

Timely. Efficient. Professional.

Efficient. Professional. Honest

Charming and efficient, all around good quality service.

Sebastian & the HB team did a complete garden tidy. The HB team was friendly, efficient and very affordable, my garden has never looked better. Highly recommend them.