Benoni Landscaper - started great, ended badly!

I was very pleased with the work Brent from Growscapes did landscaping my garden in the beginning. He was based in Benoni and more expensive but seemed professional and engaged, so I decided to pay extra because I trusted him. Despite the fact that they took almost 6 weeks longer than originally quoted, they completed most of the work that I had paid for well. Then things sadly went bad fast.

There were issues with my irrigation system and many excuses relating to bad debts from other clients and issues with his truck which caused unnecessary delays. In December I paid him the full amount outstanding just to ensure they would finish, even though he still had some plants to deliver/plant and work to complete - they were 90% done and apparently would complete after the festive season.

In January I tried to get hold of him but he did not answer my messages or answer his calls. Then my expensive new irrigation system that he installed stopped working altogether - I asked him to please come and sort it out - no response. I tried multiple times with no response and eventually had to get another company out to fix it because all my new plants were starting to die. It was a faulty controller/relay switch, which was still under warranty, but I had to pay for it because this company had not installed it = R1,300.

He still owes me around R2,000 worth plants which he did not deliver/plant, paving stones he was supposed to install and some work which was not completed in the garden. He had his final payment so chose to abandon my job completely and avoid all my calls/messages after that.

I can't understand how people who own a business (and are apparently desperate for the job - or so he told me) would do 90% of the job well and then completely destroy the relationship with their client with no reason at all. I have warned every person who admires my garden and want his details to stay away from Growscapes. His referral business will be zero and I won't use him again. Insane!