Lawn care service is one of the many thriving ventures of today since it's lucrative, it's adjustable, and you can decide what you offer and how you provide service. Like any business, however, you also have to consider the fact that the customer is not always easy to handle and certain situations can be bad for you and your business. One of the best ways to protect yourself is with a lawn care contract signed by both you and the customer to make sure that small mistakes don't end up in lawsuits. But how do you make a contract agreement solid enough that it can protect you while clear enough that the regular customers don't end up scratching their heads? Here are a few tips for you:
1. Do a Bit of Research on Contracts
The first thing you can do is research a bit on contracts in general: how are they done, what do you need to put in there, what makes a good or bad contract? If you need contract or agreement templates, you can look them up at our site, but the key to a good contract is that it must be clear, concise, and must be consented upon by both parties.
2. Indicate Your Services
Make sure the customer knows exactly what you're offering: The standard lawn services? Are you an arborist? Do you offer special packages? Does your customer have specific services they need or want on their lawn like the use of organic pesticides or no pesticides at all? If the customer has full knowledge of all your services, it's good for you since this means that they are aware of what services they signed up for and what you are responsible for on their lawn. For example, if their lawn is beside a lake and it floods occasionally and it leaves water lilies when the water recedes, is it part of your service to clean the bank up? And is this a free part of the service or will this have compensation benefits?
3. Talk about Billing Conditions
Now let's talk about the other green stuff involved in a lawn care contract: money. When we talk about billing conditions, you should be thorough about the amount to be paid, whether it's monthly, per visit, and what the consequences are should the customer be unable to pay. You can also include the special treatment plan of certain lawns or services you don't normally provide such as the example in Tip # 2.
4. Discuss Terms and Conditions
Make sure that both you and the customer give full consent of what is in this part of the contract as these are what your service and their money need to agree on. Let's say, for example, the already weak fence broke while you were weeding near it. Is it your fault because you were taking care of the lawn at the time or not? This may sound silly but simple sentences like "If the already damaged property happens to break down in the duration of the service care and it was untouched, the service care is not held responsible. Should it be an accident, a free repair service may be provided" can save you from a lawsuit. Do not overlook this step.
5. Analyze and Edit
Simply proofread your contract. Make sure everything is clear and understandable, no important details are left out, and that both you and the customer accept everything within your document.