A landscaper went viral when she filmed her crew repossessing driveway pavers after one customer refused to pay.
TikToker Kelly Guerrero (@kellyguerrero33), a landscaper from Palmetto, Fla., decided to immortalize the moment her company disassembled the decorative gravel, pavers, and plants they’d installed. The video has been viewed 3.3 million times as of publication, and has sparked an argument about the legality of the repossession.
@kellyguerrero33 ♬ Showin' Off – Danger Twins
Kelly begins the video by standing on the untouched side of the driveway, where she showcases her company’s finished product.
Then she walks to the other side, where at least 10 people are pulling up pavers and scooping up rocks around several succulents.
A text overlay reads: “POV you refuse to pay for your pavers so we send the repo crew.”
Many applauded the landscaper’s actions.
“Well done! Never let your hard work be FREE,” one user said.
A second recommended publicly shaming the homeowners for not paying for the work on the driveway. “I would have someone outside with a sign [saying] they refuse to pay so you [are] taking everything back to embarrass them with their neighbors.”
“It looked great, I don’t know why they wouldn’t pay for the service!” someone else added.
“Glad to see more people doing this. Saw a hair stylist cutting the extensions out of a closest hair. No money, no product!” another user shared.
Others argued that the company had no right to touch someone’s property, and could be sued for repossessing the driveway materials.
“I [think] this puts you in the wrong. Upon completion of the job, even if they don’t pay, if you come back and tear it all up, you could be sued…” one person wrote.
“Congrats, now you’re liable for any damage the owner claims… best to let the courts handle this,” a second quipped.
“Actually, this is illegal. You have to take the property owner to court,” someone else added.
Even The TikTok Attorney—a user who specializes in legal content—wondered if he should add his two cents about the repossessed driveway materials: “Should I do my ‘Lawyer’s Reaction’ video to this?”
Kelly responded: “Yes!!!!! I have screenshots with permission and an agreement with the owner.”
Repossessing landscaping materials can be very risky. Damaged property during removal could result in a lawsuit. Depending on the client, workers could also be charged with trespassing during repossession. Smaller businesses tend to run on narrower margins, so the risk may not be worth it.
According to Florida’s Statute 713.15, if payment has not been received for materials, “the person who supplied those materials may peaceably repossess and remove the materials.” So according to her local laws, Kelly may be within her rights to repossess the driveway pavers.
The Daily Dot reached out to Kelly via TikTok comments for further information.