Terms of Service

Scheduling and Delays:

Maintenance Free LLC will provide weekly service in a timely fashion on a regular schedule. We operate our mowing service on a route basis, starting at the top of our route list on Monday and working through the route until the end of the week, grouping customers together based on geographical location. Extra services will be performed as time allows, sometimes during the mowing visit, sometimes at the end of the week. We will attempt to schedule you for service in approximately the same two-day time frame every week. However, sometimes unforeseen circumstances arise that may delay your weekly service (i.e. - adverse weather conditions, equipment malfunctions, illness, etc.) When we miss a day, for any reason, we pick up where we left off. If we miss a day earlier in the week, then we may be late getting to your lawn, even later in the week. We do schedule make up days every week, so please be patient. Scheduling delays will be updated on the website in the Updates section, as well as on the voice mail at (252) 469-8036. Please understand that we cannot and do not mow in the rain.

Minimum Charge:

Maintenance Free LLC requires a minimum charge of 2 cuts per month for all customers. Maintenance Free LLC is a route-based, weekly lawn service. But lately we've had a few seasons where we saw extended periods of time with dry weather, with lawns that dried up and did not require service for those extended periods. As a requirement of service, you must maintain a minimum of 2 cuts per month, from May through October. If your lawn does not meet that minimum, you will be charged for those cuts regardless. However, you may substitute other services, either during that period of time or later in the season, to meet that minimum charge. (Maintenance Free LLC is a weekly service, and during normal growing conditions Maintenance Free LLC will service your lawn on a weekly basis) For more information, feel free to contact Maintenance Free LLC. This minimum charge applies to all customers, including Season Prepay.

Grass Length:

Your lawn estimate is good for up to 6 inches of grass length. If your lawn is growing more than 6 inches between mowing we may have to increase the frequency of mowing to compensate. Excess grass length adversely affects our equipment, and the quality of the cut.We reserve the right to refuse new service and/or one-time lawn mowing service of grass with excess length.

Collection and Bagging:

Normally Maintenance Free LLC will recycle lawn clippings through mulching. However, during some times of the year growth may be greater than normal. At these times, when the grass is wet and growing fast Maintenance Free LLC will make the judgement call of collecting and bagging the grass clippings instead of leaving them in the yard. Long, wet, clumped grass clippings does much damage to the grass underneath and leaves the lawn looking horrible, below the standards Maintenance Free LLC tries to uphold. When necessary, excess grass clippings will be bagged in yard waste recycling bags and left for your city pickup (See Cleanup below for more details). Additional charges will be applied for collecting, raking, bagging and disposal of clippings.

Clean Up:

After all service calls we will perform a clean up. Stray grass clippings will be blown from walks and porches, as well as any light clippings left on the lawn. Excessive waste will be bagged in yard waste recycling bags and left for your weekly city pickup. Removal of bagged yard waste is available, at a $3 per bag rate.

Pet owners, please pick up after your animals. Cleaning animal waste off our equipment is not a favorite chore for us. Excessive animal waste may result in additional charges, or discontinuation of service. Also, please pull your pooch inside when we arrive to mow. If you can't be there during your scheduled service days, try to leave your pal inside. Your animal might be a great pet, but all the noise and the chaos from the lawn machines can turn the most benevolent bowser into a malicious attack dog.

 Dry Weather:

During the hot summer months, the lawns in the area tend to dry up and stop growing. During this period, Maintenance Free LLC
 will do its best to determine whether or not your lawn needs mowing. A dry or burned lawn is best left alone until it acclimates to or recovers from the weather. If your lawn has not grown and/or is very dry, we have no problem skipping that week's mowing, or skipping mowing until the lawn picks up again. However, sometimes that is a borderline decision. If you feel that the lawn does not need mowing because of the dry weather, please call at least one day prior to your scheduled mowing to let us know. If we skip your mowing in a dry week and you would still like it done, give us a call and we will come back to mow your lawn. The 2 cuts per month minimum still applies through dry weather.

Call Offs:

If for some reason during the season you feel that your lawn does not need service, you must notify us at least 1 day ahead of your scheduled weekly mowing, either via the voice mail or email. We understand that occasional call-offs happen. However, Maintenance Free LLC is a weekly service, and excessive call offs (more than 3 per season) may cause cancellation of service. Also, if you are having work done to your house or in your yard that will interfere with your lawn service, please notify us ahead of time. The 2 cuts per month minimum still applies to call offs.

Fall Leaf Coverage:

Once leaves begin to come down in the fall, unless we are otherwise notified at least one day prior to your weekly scheduled mowing, you will be charged for any blowing of leaves that may be necessary in order for us to mow your lawn. This will only apply to substantial leaf covering that prevents us from mowing.

Recurring Route Work:

The majority of Maintenance Free LLC work is recurring, regular scheduled work. Some of you prepay these services. For ALL recurring scheduled work, the general rule of thumb is you must give Maintenance Free LLC every opportunity to perform the work for you. Persistant call offs, performing the work before us, or employing others to do the work before  Maintenance Free LLC violates this. Please, give us the opportunity to perform the work you've hired us for (and often already paid us for). Customers who don't may find themselves off the schedule.

Billing and Payment:

Maintenance Free LLC now accepts cash, checks and credit cards for payment. Maintenance Free LLC will bill you monthly via statement. Square and PayPal will have an additional 4% charge added. 

All payments are due the 15th of the month. Accounts not paid by the 20th of the month will be assessed a late charge. A $35 service charge will be applied to late payments, and also a $35 returned check fee on returned checks. Accounts that are not paid by the end of the month will be suspended until payment in full is received. Accounts that are excessively overdue may be required to pay a one-month deposit in order to resume service. Deposits will be applied to the final statement of the season.

FUEL ESCALATION CLAUSE:

Maintenance Lawn Care
reserves the right to add a fuel surcharge in the event of major fuel price spikes throughout the season. For more information about the escalation clause feel free to contact Maintenance Free LLC. This clause does not apply to customers who choose the Season Prepay Option.