North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein has filed a lawsuit against landscaping businesses — Huggins & Son Yard Service and Lorenzo & Son Landscaping — alleging price gouging tree removal following Hurricane Helene.
The lawsuit alleges that Lorenzo Huggins Sr. left debris at a Hendersonville, N.C., home, including a tree inside of the home and another leaning on the roof. The homeowners paid the company $25,500 upfront and another $5,500 for the disposal of the tree.
“The defendant charged that exorbitant price even though he only brought three men, three chainsaws, and a leaf blower to do the work,” the lawsuit said. “Instead of removing the trees and the tree debris from the home and yard, the defendant’s workers dropped tree limbs and debris through the hole in the roof and into the house and caused a tree to drop on and damage a retaining wall. The defendant didn’t complete the tree removal and cleanup work, which meant the couple had to hire and pay additional contractors to remove a tree trunk and other debris.”
The lawsuit also cites reviews of the business, stating that the “defendant has continued operating in western North Carolina providing tree removal services and is overcharging for services he is not qualified or equipped to perform.”
“As western North Carolina continues hurricane cleanup and rebuilding, I want price gougers to be on notice,” said Stein. “If you take advantage of people in their time of need and charge them unfair, excessive prices, my office will hold you accountable.”
