Spring has sprung some green leaks.

A number of consumers have called me this week with questions and a couple of small complaints about companies or individuals offering various arborists’ services including tree and bush trimming, stump grinding and shrub removal. Sounds simple but it could be full of hidden dangers. The following not only applies to tree trimmers but anyone working around your home.

After a long winter we are all eager to get out and do the necessary outdoor housekeeping. Trees need pruning. Bushes need trimming and if you’re like me, that old stump needs to be ground out and removed to make way for something new. Cost is always a concern. If you don’t have a regular provider you have done business with, do your job as a good consumer and get at least two estimates. An honest professional will not mind giving you either a bid or an estimate in writing. Remember, a bid is a firm and complete price that you can count on; an estimate is just that — a loose approximation of about what the final bill may look like.

Licensed, Bonded and Insured. This phrase is tossed out so often consumers have become numb to the meaning of the words. Once a contractor utters these words, many customers quit thinking critically. We do so at our peril — sometimes, our extreme peril.

Forget bonding. It does not apply to most consumer contracts. My ears always perk up when I hear a contractor say “licensed, bonded and insured.” In addition to proof of license and two kinds of insurance, I always ask for a copy of the bond. I’ve never gotten one yet but the marketing slogan “licensed, bonded and insured” is certainly a red flag and quickly separates professionals from the rest.

There are many types of licenses. Most municipalities require certain types of merchants to have a license. You should always ask to see the license of anyone selling you goods or service. The state (or in some cases the county) may also require merchants to have various licenses. You can also check on the legitimacy of a business by checking online to see if the business is registered in the state of Idaho: https://www.accessidaho.org/public/sos/corp/search.html.

In the case of arborist work, you want to ensure the company or individual has a liability insurance policy that will protect you if he or his crew accidentally drop a large tree through your house or onto your car, or a neighbor’s. Your homeowner’s policy might cover some or all of the damage or it might not. A reputable professional will provide you proof of coverage.

Here’s the big one: Worker's Compensation insurance. What if the arborist is injured while working on your property? If that person is covered by a valid “worker's comp” insurance policy, you are, generally speaking, protected. If not, the state you live in may assign an attorney, paid for entirely by the state, to sue you to pay for the injured worker’s medical treatment and lost wages, and/or occupational training until the worker can resume work, if ever. A broken back from a fall from a tree can seriously injure or kill a worker. Also, it’s not too hard — while trimming a shrub — to be seriously cut or maimed by power cutting equipment. Make sure anyone working on your property has all necessary licenses, has both liability AND Workers Compensation insurance covering all persons working on your project. Ask the company to certify they have these insurances and licenses in your final contract.

In this area we are fortunate to have a number of certified arborists. They are members of ISA, the International Society of Arboriculture. They are experienced, trained and tested by an independent association.

Regardless of who you hire, have a written contract specifying the scope of work and verifying the contractor has all licenses and insurances.

Since starting this column earlier this year, consumers, the Coeur d’Alene Press and I have worked together and addressed approximately 200 consumer problems and inquiries. Readers are quickly becoming educated and a tough target for scammers from outside our area. I appreciate the Coeur d’Alene Press for providing me the opportunity to write this column.

I’ll have an update concerning Spectrum next week. On another topic, if anyone has any experience with the Veterans Administration, good or bad, please email me at VA@tarex.com. I am in the process of writing a series on our area Veterans Administration. Also I’m investigating the case of an RV dealer attempting to sell an 82-year-old woman who had just lost her husband a used RV — for $72,000! Should be interesting.

I have many more interesting cases that I’m working on as the CDA Press Consumer Guy. Call me, (208) 449-7222, email me at CDAPressConsumerGuy @gmail.com or fax me at (866) 362-9266. Also include your full name and a phone number. I am available to speak about consumerism to schools, and local and civic groups.

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Bill Brooks is the CDA Press Consumer Guy. He is an active Associate Real Estate Broker for Tomlinson-Sotheby’s International Realty in Coeur d’Alene.