Action Against Landscaping Company Targeting Seniors

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody today filed a complaint in the Fifth Judicial Circuit in and for Marion County against a landscaping company targeting seniors with false promises and incomplete work. Service Smart Inc., Service Smart Management Inc., Good Neighbor Landscape Inc. and Good Neighbor Service Management Inc., a/k/a Good Neighbor Services (“Service Smart”), and its owners and managers, Kenneth Wayne Smith, Aaron Paul Gaines and Roy Blackburn allegedly failed to provide certain services and misrepresented the quality and timing of services provided, resulting in more than $118,000 in lost consumer funds.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “There is nothing good or neighborly about this operation targeting Florida seniors. The defendants in this case will now have to answer for unabashedly targeting these consumers with false promises and unfinished work. As Attorney General, I will continue to do everything in my power to protect the seniors who call Florida home.”

According to the investigation, the Attorney General’s Office received more than 125 complaints against Service Smart for misrepresentation of services and services not rendered—with more than 120 of the complaints being filed by seniors and military service members.

Service Smart allegedly misrepresented to consumers the timeline, schedule or frequency of landscaping and pest control services through deceptive contracts, flyers, invoices or sales pitches. Furthermore, Service Smart used the same deceitful sales tactics to falsely convey product quality or type of vegetation used on projects.

To view the complaint, click here.

This action seeks to permanently restrict Smith, Gaines and Blackburn from owning, operating or otherwise participating in any business offering landscaping or pest control services. The action also aims to require the owners to provide restitution or reimbursement totaling more than $118,000 to consumers deceived by the scheme. Through the action, Service Smart could be liable for more than $1.8 million in civil penalties and enhanced civil penalties for violating the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.

Report scams to the Attorney General’s Office by dialing 1(866) 9NO-SCAM or visiting MyFloridaLegal.com.