Lawn Care Contracts: What to Read Before You Sign

Before you sign a lawn care contract, read six things: exactly what each visit includes, how the price is set, how long the deal runs, whether it renews on its own, how you cancel and what you get back, and who carries the insurance. Get every answer in writing. If someone signs you up at your door, Ontario, BC and Alberta give you 10 days to cancel for any reason.

Why read a lawn care contract at all?

Because the contract is the only promise that counts. A friendly chat at the door won't help you in July when the grass is long and nobody shows up.

Most lawn deals are short. One or two pages, sometimes just a text or an email. That's fine. Short is good. But short also means every line matters.

The Ontario government gives homeowners a simple rule for any home service contract: ask your questions and get the answers in writing. That's the whole idea of this post. If it isn't written down, it isn't part of the deal.

Here's what to look for, line by line.

What does each visit actually include?

This is the part people skim, and it's the part that causes the most fights. "Lawn care" can mean a lot of things. Look for a plain list of what your crew does on every visit.

A good contract spells out:

• Mowing the front, back and side yards, or only some of them
• Trimming along fences, beds, trees and posts
• Edging along the driveway and sidewalk
• Blowing clippings off hard surfaces when the job is done
• Hedge and shrub trimming, if it's part of the deal
• Spring and fall cleanup, and whether those cost extra

If trimming and edging aren't listed, ask. A cut lawn with shaggy edges never looks finished. Our post on what a lawn mowing service should include goes through each step.

Also check what's left out. Some companies sell spraying or other add-ons in the same contract. Our partner crews don't spray, so you won't find that in a Golden Oak season.

How is the price set, and can it change?

Look for one clear total, or a clear price per visit with the number of visits. Then check for anything that can push it up.

Watch for these lines:

• Extra charges for long grass after rain or a missed week
• Fuel or "service" fees added to each visit
• A price that can change partway through the season
• Taxes shown, or left out of the total
• Charges for hauling away clippings or leaves

In British Columbia, Consumer Protection BC says a door-to-door contract must show the total price, a description of the services and any limits or conditions. That's a good standard for any lawn deal, wherever you sign it.

Alberta's Consumer Bill of Rights says you should only be charged for services you asked for and agreed to pay for. If a fee isn't in the contract, push back.

How long does the contract run?

Find the start date and the end date. A lawn season in most of Canada runs from spring to late fall, but the exact weeks change by city and by weather.

Then look at how often your crew comes. Weekly and every two weeks are the most common. The contract should say which one you're paying for. It should also say what happens when it rains on your day. Does the visit move, or does it just get skipped?

Our answer on what happens if it rains on your mowing day shows how a clear rain rule reads.

Does the contract renew on its own?

Ontario lists this as one of the key questions to ask before you sign: will the business renew your contract without your consent? Look for words like "automatically renews" or "unless you cancel by."

Auto-renewal isn't always bad. Some people like not thinking about it. But you should know it's there, and you should know the date you'd have to cancel by. Put that date in your phone the day you sign.

How do you cancel, and what do you get back?

This is the line to read twice. Ontario's list asks two questions here: when and how can you get out, and what does it cost if you cancel?

A clear cancel section tells you:

• How to cancel: by text, email, letter or phone
• How much notice you need to give
• Whether there's a cancelling fee
• How much of your money comes back, and when

Also check how you can pause. Going to the cottage for two weeks shouldn't mean paying for cuts you didn't want.

Here's how ours reads, so you can see a plain one. The season is paid up front. You can pause for vacations by text. Cancel anytime and we refund half of your unused visits. Our page on how payment and pausing work has the details.

What if a salesperson signs you up at your door?

Then you have extra rights. Each province sets its own rules, but here's what three of them say.

Province	Time to cancel for any reason	Clock starts
Ontario	10 days	The day you get a written copy
British Columbia	10 days	Once you get a copy
Alberta	10 days	When you get your copy of the signed contract

These rules cover most purchases signed at your door or in your home. A few more details are worth knowing:

• Ontario: if the contract leaves out required details, or the seller made a false or misleading statement about it, you can cancel within one year.
• British Columbia: cancel in writing, in a way that proves it was sent, like email or registered mail. Keep copies. The business has 15 days to respond.
• Alberta: if the last day falls on a Sunday or a statutory holiday, you get one extra day.

Ontario also says you don't have to sign on the spot. Check that the company name on the card matches the name on the contract. If they don't match, don't sign.

Who is responsible if something goes wrong?

Read the part about damage and insurance. A mower can throw a stone into a window. A trimmer can nick siding. You want to know who pays.

The contract should name the business that does the work. It should say they carry liability insurance. Ask for proof before the first visit, not after something breaks. Our guide on how to check a lawn care company is insured shows what the paper should say.

Workers' comp matters too. If a worker gets hurt on your property, you don't want that landing on you. Our page on what vetted and insured means explains what we check before a crew joins.

Can a contract take away your rights?

No. Alberta says it plainly: you can't waive your rights under its consumer law, even if a contract says you are. Alberta also says you can't be forced into arbitration. You can still go to court.

So if you see a line like "the customer gives up all claims," it doesn't override the law. But it's still a red flag about the company.

Other red flags:

• Pressure to sign today for a "special price"
• A big deposit before anyone has measured your lawn
• No business name or phone number on the paper
• No written list of what's included
• A refusal to put a promise in writing

Alberta lists high pressure sales tactics as something you have the right to be free from. Walk away.

What does a Golden Oak season look like on paper?

Golden Oak Lawn Care matches you with a vetted, insured local partner crew. They do the work. We stand behind it with the Golden Oak Guarantee.

Every promise is written down:

• Your price by text in 60 minutes, from 7am to 8pm
• The same crew every visit
• A photo after every cut
• On-Time Guarantee: if your crew misses your window, that cut is free
• Love-It Guarantee: text a photo within 24 hours and your crew re-cuts it free within 48 hours
• First cut free when you book the season

We only charge your card once you're paired with a qualified local crew. And our terms say you keep every right your own province's consumer law gives you. See the full plan on the Worry-Free Lawn Season page, or read how it works.

Want it handled? Get your price in 60 minutes, or call 1-866-904-LAWN.

Lawn Care Contract Questions

Rules change, so check with your province before you sign. Sources: Ontario: door-to-door sales and home service contracts, Consumer Protection BC: door-to-door sales, Alberta Consumer Bill of Rights.