Va. homeowner left stumped by business that didn’t finish tree removal

Joseph Gelo of Stafford, Virginia, says he paid to have trees removed from his yard in September. The company didn’t finish the work until the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. (Courtesy Joseph Gelo)
Joseph Gelo of Stafford, Virginia, says he paid to have trees removed, but when the company didn’t finish the work, he couldn’t get ahold of them. (Courtesy Joseph Gelo)
The day after getting an estimate from Monroe Exterior Services, Gelo says he paid owner Craig Monroe for the whole job as his crew began to remove the two trees, but never finished the job. (Courtesy Joseph Gelo)
The day after getting an estimate from Monroe Exterior Services, Gelo says he paid owner Craig Monroe for the whole job as his crew began to remove the two trees, but the crew never finished the job. (Courtesy Joseph Gelo)
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Joseph Gelo of Stafford, Virginia, says he paid to have trees removed from his yard in September. The company didn’t finish the work until the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. (Courtesy Joseph Gelo)
The day after getting an estimate from Monroe Exterior Services, Gelo says he paid owner Craig Monroe for the whole job as his crew began to remove the two trees, but never finished the job. (Courtesy Joseph Gelo)

WASHINGTON — A handful of Virginia neighbors say they’ve been duped after they paid a business to remove trees in their yards and only had half of the work done.

It seemed like a happy coincidence to Joseph Gelo of Stafford, Virginia, when he saw a tree removal company working on his street in September.

“We’ve been trying to get trees removed at a reasonable price so we can put up a play set for our children,” Gelo says.

The day after getting an estimate from Monroe Exterior Services, Gelo says he paid owner Craig Monroe for the whole job as his crew began to remove the two trees.

Joseph Gelo left a complaint on the company’s Facebook page, where he says he found dozens of other similar complaints. (Courtesy Joseph Gelo)

“He forgot or didn’t do — whatever the case may be — the other stump where the playground was supposed to go,” Gelo says.

He tried for two months to reach Monroe and, after seeing his neighbors work was left unfinished, filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Gelo says at least two other neighbors used Monroe Exterior Services.

“We have a consumer complaint database so folks will at least know if a complaint has been filed against a particular company,” says Michael Kelley, communications director for the Virginia Attorney General’s office.

He advises consumers be extra careful paying or signing a contract with a business they don’t know — especially around the holidays.

“The holidays are a particularly busy time. Busy times lead to distractions and people letting their guard down. And scammers count on that,” Gelo says.

WTOP’s calls to owner Craig Monroe were not returned by the time this story was published.

Megan Cloherty

WTOP Investigative Reporter Megan Cloherty primarily covers breaking news, crime and courts.

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