Residents accuse landscaper of not completing work

Raquelle and Napoleon Salcedo moved to Maricopa nearly a year ago. Like many families in the area, their newly purchased home came with little more than dirt covering the backyard.

The couple took some initiative and laid red pavers as an extension of the patio, but didn’t have the time or expertise to landscape their yard themselves.

In late March, the Salcedos said landscaper Rosario Aguilar knocked on the couple’s door. He told them he could perform all the services they requested for the reasonable price of $10,000.

“It seemed like a great deal,” Raquelle said.

However, Aguilar, who owns Four Brothers Landscaping and Maintenance Inc., told the couple a deposit of $2,500 would be required before the work was performed.

Though hesitant, the couple wrote the check but have yet to see any of the work completed, and it turns out they are not alone in their complaints about unfinished work by the landscaper in Maricopa.

Aguilar was originally scheduled to begin the work on March 31, however the couple had to reschedule because they could not be home at the time.

“We asked if he could start on April 4, but he never showed up,” said Raquelle, adding she has called the contractor several times.

“He tells me when I call that the contract was canceled because work wasn’t started within three days of signing the contract, and every time I ask about the deposit he yells at me,” Raquelle said.

Aguilar doesn’t agree with the Salcedos’ assessment of the situation.

“I am trying to work it out with her,” said Aguilar. “I offered her $700 back and she refused it.”

Aguilar said he couldn’t give all of the money back because he had to purchase materials and must pay a restocking fee to return them.

“We are licensed and bonded and wouldn’t rip people off,” Aguilar said.

Juan Guzman and Maria Rivera Rocha, who live two homes down from the Salcedos, said they experienced a similar situation with the landscape company. The couple paid Aguilar $1,400 out of their retirement fund, but the only completed work is three small trees and an irrigation drip system.

“He was supposed to put down rock and plant other trees, but he never came back,” Rocha said.

Rocha, who has to work part time to supplement the family’s income, said Aguilar would answer their calls and say he will come out, but he never shows up. “He stole our money,” she said.

However, Aguilar said he intends to finish the job. “I can’t send my guys out there because I am afraid Raquelle will attack them,” he said.

While Guzman and Rocha haven’t filed a complaint against the company with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors yet, the Salcedos and 13 others have.

Since January 2009, Four Brothers has received six complaints of abandonment, seven of poor workmanship and one on failure to pay a subcontractor. All the complaints remain open and unresolved.

“It is not normal to have this many complaints,” said Brian Livingston, spokesman for the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.

In Arizona, customers of companies licensed by the Registrar are protected by insurance coverage up to $250,000 per company in the case a contractor goes out of business or fails to complete work.

However, the Registrar doesn’t simply hand out money to every upset customer. First the contractor is given an opportunity to correct the problem. “Our goal is to have the contractor do the job,” Livingston said.

If the contractor does not fulfill the obligation, a complaint is sent to the legal department, which could result in the contractor losing their license.

Aguilar also has a prior history of criminal violations. Since 1997, he has been involved in 13 court cases, and was found guilty on three counts of contracting without a license, one count of fraudulent schemes and one count of false advertising.

“In this economy, lots of companies are having problems, but I am not ripping anyone off,” Aguilar said. “I am innocent till proven guilty.”

Photo by Michael K. Rich