Snow Removal Service Surcharge?

Non-investing personal finance issues including insurance, credit, real estate, taxes, employment and legal issues such as trusts and wills.
Post Reply
User avatar
Topic Author
windaar
Posts: 1674
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2012 6:31 am

Snow Removal Service Surcharge?

Post by windaar »

Every season I can choose to pay my snow removal service by the "push" or by the season, that is all the contract says. I always pay for the season. Now they've sent me an invoice for a surcharge due to the heavy snow this winter. I realize that they have been doing a lot of work, but 2 winters ago when it hardly snowed (and they plowed once or twice at most) they certainly did not offer me a partial refund for the seasonal fee I had paid. Is this right?
Nobody knows nothing.
User avatar
William4u
Posts: 1445
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2012 3:02 pm

Re: Snow Removal Service Surcharge?

Post by William4u »

I'm sure there will be some disagreement about this. I would pay if it is fair, even if the contract did not require it. These people work pretty darn hard, don't get paid a ton, and the extra expense won't break most people who use the service. Just my 2 cents.
dad2000
Posts: 697
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2012 6:04 pm

Re: Snow Removal Service Surcharge?

Post by dad2000 »

Assuming you have an alternative (snowblower or another company), I would explain your point of view and attempt to negotiate it down.

It reminds of the people who prepaid heating oil at a higher fixed rate to avoid fluctuations, then were charged surcharges anyway.
User avatar
telemark
Posts: 3389
Joined: Sat Aug 11, 2012 6:35 am

Re: Snow Removal Service Surcharge?

Post by telemark »

I remember one winter when I returned from Christmas vacation to find the driveway to my condominium covered in 4 inches of ice. I had to use a pick and shovel before I could get my car up it. There'd been an unusually heavy snowfall and the contractor just quit. By the time they found a replacement, it had already frozen solid.

If the contract is clear, you aren't obligated to pay, but you might consider doing it anyway if they've always been reliable.
User avatar
rob
Posts: 5247
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2007 5:49 pm
Location: Here

Re: Snow Removal Service Surcharge?

Post by rob »

Not right or fair... You paid for a "season" and as you say, they didn't trip over themselves sending a refund for a low snow season. There are a million providers of this, so just a commodity IMO.
| Rob | Its a dangerous business going out your front door. - J.R.R.Tolkien
User avatar
serbeer
Posts: 1304
Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2007 1:09 pm

Re: Snow Removal Service Surcharge?

Post by serbeer »

Read the contract. If there is nothing about surcharge in it, I would not pay it. What's the point of seasonal contract otherwise? They cannot benefit from good seasons and try to evade responsibility in bad seasons unless it is built into contract (which I, personally, would not sign in such case).
Post Reply