Hamish Lodge, "Cut Above" tree management

[Alex K]

DON'T USE HAMISH LODGE, tree surgeon.

Three-fifteen in the afternoon, a half-day taken from work to be here at home when Hamish Lodge of "Cut Above" Tree Management was to show up to trim a tree in the back garden. He was to be here at three.

He didn't show. A telephone call to him, not picked up -- but at half past three, an e-mail to say, "I'm sick in bed, sorry for the inconvenience".

Hamish is personable. However, on this evidence, he also is selfish and thoughtless. Find someone else to do your tree work, someone who AVERTS causing inconvenience rather than cheaply saying "Sorry" after causing it.

DON'T USE HAMISH LODGE.

[DaveR]

A BIT OVER THE TOP?

Hamish has 20+ positive recommendations on here, so it might be considered a slight overreaction to brand him selfish, thoughtless and cheap. Did you, for example, try to contact him again to explain how disappointed you were? Give him a chance to make amends?

It appears not. Two posts on here, within three minutes (one seems to have been removed) slagging him off with your tale of inconsolable woe.

Each to his own, I suppose.

[Alex K]

Thanks, Dave. To each his own, indeed.

Have you attempted to work with Mr Lodge, or are you offended on general principles? Please state your experience with him, if you have any. I have some experience with Mr Lodge, and it is unhappy. I believed the laudatory posts on this forum, and I was misled.

As to "Did you...try to contact him again to explain how disappointed you were?" Yes. He has apologised. Apologies are words. He could have used words, by telephone or e-mail, to let me know this morning that he would not keep his appointment this afternoon, as he acknowledged in an e-mail to me, which I shall be happy to send you if you wish. To my regret, he used toward me not words but deeds -- not showing up as appointed, and leaving me to chase him.

"Give him a chance to make amends?" Oh, Dave. "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me." Why ever would I give Mr Lodge a chance to make amends, and then again waste a half-day off work when he again fails to turn up?

***

I can't speak of how Hamish Lodge has behaved at other times. (Perhaps you can. If so, please do.) But: His behaviour toward me was selfish and thoughtless. (Why ever does Mr Lodge collect information on how to contact his clients if he can't be bothered to make contact?) Those who read other posts praising him can weigh them against mine and can draw their own conclusions.

I hope that any readers are wary of Mr Lodge; I urge them, if they value their own time and are themselves careful about keeping promises, to use someone other than Hamish Lodge if they want tree-trimming done.

[edcam]

We've used Hamish twice and found him reliable and courteous and very good at what he does.

It isn't good form to let someone down and he should have let you know earlier but posting on here telling people that they shouldn't use his services is petty and vindictive. This seems to be happening a lot on here lately, one person has a gripe and they start a damning thread, despite there being many recommendations to the contrary.

[stevie23b]

alex have you nothing better to do ?

[Red_Cat]

I've used Hamish too and also found him to be reliable and courteous, he did a very good job for a reasonable price and I would highly recommend him. I acknowledge that this was not your experience but I find your post offensive and unnecessary.

[stevie23b]

shot your self in the foot alex i will be suprised if you will get anyone to do any work for you again no wonder he never showed

[scotslass]

We have also used Hamish and would highly recommend him & personally would use him again. Perhaps he was so ill that he didn't wake up/check emails etc.

[Alex K]

Thanks, stevie23b. I wish that my experience with Mr Lodge had co-incided with yours.

I grant that yours was valid. You might extend me the courtesy of granting me that mine was valid.

[mancity68]

Can only echo the positives. People get poorly and when you run your own business it's hard. Sorry to hear you had a bad xpeience.

[Bellenden Belle]

Used Hamish Lodge twice and both times he has been absolutely superb.

Punctual, courteous - an absolute pleasure to deal with.

[Alex K]

Thanks, scotslass. That's possible (although improbable). Regardless -- I don't have half-days to waste on tradesmen who can't, for whatever reason, not let me know that they will not keep appointments.

Not keeping an appointment is one thing. Such things happen. Matters come up.

But to say to oneself -- I don't need to extend to my client the courtesy of letting him know that I shall not keep this appointment -- well.

[Alex K]

Thanks, Red_Cat. I wish that my experience with Mr Lodge had co-incided with yours.

I grant that yours was valid. You might extend me the courtesy of granting me that mine was valid.

"Offensive"? I am sorry that you took offence. "Un-necessary"? I believed postings on this forum that praised Mr Lodge to the skies. If I had read of experiences like mine today I should have sought out another contractor. People need to know who keeps his word, who does not, and Mr Lodge did not keep his word to me.

[stevie23b]

trades man and the entrance is at rear ..

[Alex K]

Thanks, Bellenden Belle. Indeed it was reports like yours that encouraged me to attempt to hire him.

[Alex K]

Thanks, mancity68. I wish that my experience with Mr Lodge had been more like yours.

[stevie23b]

spine less git alex

[Alex K]

Tsk! Put down the chardonnay, stevie23b? Past your bedtime.

[scotslass]

As I said in your other post (why do u feel the need to do multi posts)

Totally agree with stevie23b - you are out of order Alex k. Maybe I am off the mark, but are you in the same line of business & trying to discredit Hamish?

[Alex K]

Well, scotslass, you comment; I respond; and now both of us are guilty of multiple postings. **grin**

Sorry that you "totally agree with stevie 23b" -- you could find more wholesome company, or so I think.

No. Not a tree surgeon, me. Someone instead who lost a half-day at work to the inconsiderate ill-manners of Mr Lodge, and who is still fuming.

Had it happened to you would you have shrugged it off? Perhaps. "Mustn't grumble" is the British motto.

Grumbling has its up-side, though. I didn't know that Mr Lodge would behave thus, as all the Forum posts spoke only good of him. Now others can learn that he MAY behave to them as he behaved to me. Perhaps someone else will be grateful to be warned away.

[Jeremy]

Hamish did some work for us, we thought he was pretty good. I guess this just goes to show that even the highly rated tradespeople can screw up sometimes.

[stevie23b]

you sir are a self absorbed arse hole

[kingofeire]

"A BIT OVER THE TOP ?" DaveR.! It is down right slanderous. The "slander" was posted while Alex K still had steam blowing from his luggs. 3.45pm.

I would have thought the village idiot could work out that tree management personnel don't do a lot of indoor work..

Not the type of job for a Wuss out in these elements all day.

The poor guys probably still dosed up with whatever he's taken to recover & get back to running his business.

Annoyed Alex, I would be too. But Stop yer Bitchin.....

[reeko]

I am not sure if it was your intention Alex, but just to let you know you appear to be coming out of this thread much worse off than Hamish.

[Red_Cat]

Well for someone whose time is so valuable you seem to have an awful lot of it to waste on this nonsense.

He could be seriously ill for all you know. On the other hand he may just be human and like all people (yourself included I'm sure) have made a mistake, no need to try and ruin his business over it.