By REBECCA BILLS
CONSUMER Affairs Victoria (CAV) has warned residents after reports of dodgy tree loppers in Melbourne’s east.
Ferntree Gully was on the list as a targeted suburb with reports of tree loppers door-knocking to find work and then failing to finish the job or do it properly.
A CAV report said the organisation had received complaints that tree-loppers have damaged property and intimidated locals into paying for the unfinished, sub-standard work.
Last week CAV warned all residents, particularly elderly residents, to be wary of uninvited offers to lop trees on residential properties for cash payments.
Residents are asked to be wary of tree loppers who knock on doors unexpectedly, suggest they have been sent by the local council or have council permits to remove trees on your property, offer cheap deals using words like ‘for today only’ and offer to drive you to the bank to get money for payment.
In a similar case, Henderson Hill Road couple, Darren and Sarah vanderBroek, contacted the Mail after a man posing as a volunteer from Parks Victoria offered to trim their 4.5 metre high hedges for free.
“He did a little bit and then came back a couple of weeks later while we were not home and butchered our hedge plants leaving gaping holes looking towards our neighbour’s roof,” Mrs vanderBroek said.
“The man said to me that he trimmed hedges in the area as a volunteer for Parks Victoria for years and worked on the hedge up the road.
“I said just ‘take a little bit off’ thinking he was a sincere volunteer.”
The Henderson Hill Road couple said they have been growing the hedge for more than three years before it was attacked.
Mr vanderBroek said the man had targeted specific trees.
“I believe whoever it did this is using our plants as seed stock to generate more products that they can on-sell and we are now out of pocket and have a destroyed hedge,” he said.
“They did leave a mess but they didn’t leave the amount of mess that was expected to be left from the amount carnage they caused.”
He warned other residents “be aware of your rights with regards to getting proper identification and contact details and verify these men before you let them on your property”.
Spokesperson from Parks Victoria, Jarred Parsons, said after an investigation into the vanderBroek claim it was definitely not a Parks Victoria member that visited the property.
“Parks Victoria has not done any tree lopping or hedge cutting activity along Henderson Hill Road,” he said. “Henderson Hill Road is not part of our park estate.
“Parks Victoria advises that if the community see or are aware of anyone impersonating Parks Victoria rangers they should report it immediately to Victoria Police and advise Parks Victoria.”
Help protect others in your community and report suspicious activity by contacting Consumer Affairs Victoria on 1300 55 81 81 or email consumer@justice.vic.gov.au
