I let a cold calling Tree Surgeon cut my tree down... Is it safe to do a bank transfer?

Wolff

I've had a god awful Leylandii (the height of two floors) in my front garden since I moved in.

I've had a lot of cold callers pestering me over the past couple years to cut it down, I've always turned them down. However, I was feeling incredibly anxious yesterday when this last one came over and even though I initially said I'd think about it, they pestered me and I gave in.

On one hand, I'm glad it's gone. They supposedly killed the stump but didn't grind it out so I still have that to deal with. I feel I may have been had though. Initially they offered to do it for £320 and then brought it down to £270. I'm sure if I'd haggled I could have even got it much cheaper but I was just so on edge yesterday I just agreed.

They asked for me to do a bank transfer and gave me an invoice (literally a lined notepad sheet with the details written on it). I also asked for his address, though he asked me to write it down. He gave an address from a village near me but I googled the address and it looks like it doesn't exist.

There's no mention of the company on Google although when I searched the number someone said it was for this same tree surgeon company but in Bristol. Yet they were up near Edinburgh, Scotland saying they were from a village nearby.

Something seems off.

Is it safe to just transfer the money via a bank transfer? Or should I be concerned?

grandadgolfer

You agreed the price and they have done the job if your happy pay them....they don't sound like cowboys as they normally like to be paid in cash straight away

elsien

Which particular safety concerns are you worried about? They can’t access your bank account with the information on the transfer; otherwise there’s no more risk than paying by cash. 

[Deleted User]

Based in Scotland - so are you near them ? 
I don't see why traders from a different part of the country would travel far for work - 'round here trying to get a tree surgeon is impossible as they're so booked up.

There are tree surgeons that will carry out stump grinding, it's not cheap, why not ask your guy to do that aswell so you're not doing this as a 2 part job ?
Having had that done the total cost was around £180 for hedge removal and stump grinding. 

Edit: if he asked you to do the writing he may well be illiterate, add that to cold calling for work, and to that not carrying the full equipment needed for work grinding ..... most likely gypsies/travellers/whatever.

twopenny

Thats a reasonable price, for round here anyway.
I have known businesses travel a distance for a job and offer a few near it on spec too offset petrol etc. Perhaps they were staying in a village nearby or thought it would reassure you.
But you've got what you wanted done, at a decent price. Did they take away and clean up?
I pay local plumbers and builders by bank transfer. It saves them paying bank charges so a professional thing to do.
I think you're over thinking this.

in_my_wellies

I'm in the East Midlands. A knock on the door from a cold caller 'working in the area' asking about tree felling and I said I'd think about it. He gave me his card and when I Googled the number it was a scrap metal dealer in Kent
He didn't return to me but someone else in the village said he did a good clean job for them 

lisyloo

If I am nervous (possibly about getting it wrong myself) - I send a small amount and ask them to confirm.
They are usually happy to do this if it means they are getting paid.
If the payment worked from the "saved" details then I'm happy to use those details to make another payment.
My bank (nat west) now check the account name matches account and sort code.

MovingForwards

I had two taller leylandii's taken down a couple of years ago, cost me more than you paid and if I wanted the stumps ground would have cost me nearly the same again. My OH dealt with the huge stump, the other one I'm using as a display stand; it hasn't thrown up new growth.

Your guy has done the work so just pay him and never agree to cold callers doing anything again; close the door on them and don't engage in conversation.

Keep_pedalling

Technically they did kill the stump, because conifers do not regenerate from stumps, so need no chemical treatment. Just pay up and be thankful you are rid of the monstrosity. 

diystarter7

OP
No offence but "pestering you"  and "cold callers," good/decent or crooks you need to seek help from family/friends/advocates that no cold caller ever "pesters" you into anything.

If you pay via cash, insist on a receipt there and then, no ifs, no buts.

I had someone pestering me re driv at our previous address - I came home for lunch from work these people were doing some sort of repair to next doors path/concrete and of all things he asked if he could borrow a brush - i was staggered then the idiot wanted to quote me for my front garden to drive, i said no three times and then I had to say to him, "which part of no do you not understand."

Other than my children when they were little, no one, no one can ever pester me into doing anything.

Re cold callers, roof repairs/drives/windows I say no thanks meaning    ... off.

Woolsery

diystarter7 said:

Other than my children when they were little, no one, no one can ever pester me into doing anything.

Re cold callers, roof repairs/drives/windows I say no thanks meaning    ... off.

But I'm guessing you're the right side of 60 and never taught 7 year olds?