Laytons Tree Service - Athens GA

Made an appointment to cut down a tree in my yard. Spoke on the phone and got a quote. Then he never showed the day we scheduled and never called or answered my attempts to text or call. Service: Tree removal
Mar 19th, 2022

Greg Ratzlaff cashed my daughters $1500 check on 8/6 and ran. He cussed my pregnant daughter out (recorded) and never showed after lying on two separate occasions for when he said hed come to do the work. Its now 9/12 and he was just arrested for doing this to others in the nearby area. Does business here and under Treemax Expert Tree Service. Just look at the 1 star reviews on that account and google his arrest. Trees in her yard are still standing.
Oct 9th, 2020

SCAMMERS! Do not use this company. Also goes by Treemax Expert Tree Services (Gainesville, GA). Owner, Greg Ratzlaff met my husband on 8/6 and we handed over $1500 for him to start the tree removal that Sunday. He never came. I called him Monday and I have a recorded call where he cussed me out and said he had 30 days but would get to us when he got to us. He was supposed to show mid week. He never showed and stopped answering all calls, texts, and messages. We have found multiple people he's scammed and he was just arrested for this this past week in Oconee county. It's public record so just google his name. You'll be sorry if you hire either of these companies. We are taking legal action with a list of others.
Sep 11th, 2020

**SCAM ARTIST** STAY AWAY**Took our $1500 and ran. No call no show. Greg just got arrested for doing this same thing. We're currently proceeding with legal action.
Sep 11th, 2020

WARNING, HIRE AT YOU OWN RISK. OWNER IS A SCAM ARTIST.  On  a stormy evening August 14, 2020 I needed a very large branch cut down that was slowly heading toward my rental house in Athens, GA .  I hired Greg Layton based on the positive Google reviews.  We started out great, Greg and his team arrived, and he quoted me $750 to do the work.    I told him that seemed a little high and I would offer $600 paid on the spot upon completion via "Cash App".  See photos.   I sent him $1 to confirm the correct account,  $299 to start the job with the remaining $300 due upon completion.  He called me 2 hours later when finished and complained non-stop about working conditions and damage to his equipment, etc.  I immediately paid him the balance of $300 and even added $50 for empathy.  Well I guess after thinking about it a few days Greg decided he needed more money so he called me at 7am Friday August 21st and told me his daughter had been in a bad car wreck 2.5 hours from his house, That she was in the hospital with several broken bones and left all his money and credit cards etc. on the coffee table.  He asked could I please LOAN him $250 to pay the tow truck operator to tow her car back home.  He promised to pay the money back at noon when he returned home plus $50 extra for the trouble.  I foolishly took pity on him and sent the $250 immediately and went back to bed.  A long story less long, it's now August 25th and the loan has not been repaid and he will not reply to many repeated phone calls or text.  Feel free to call me at 404-663-6920 if you want more info. See the "Cash App" transaction screen grabs below. My payment of the LOAN shows 4:30am instead of 7:30.  Evidently payments made on on Pacific Time and not Eastern.   I'm a successful Atlanta business owner and have no prior dealings with Layton Tree Service or any reason to bad mouth the company.  I'm sure many of his employees are hard working great guys but Greg is a crook plain and simple.
Aug 24th, 2020