What triggered it
You're at a job and can't get through a gate — it's locked, or the code you were given doesn't work — and it's blocking part or all of the property.
What to do right away
Set your location first. Keep location on for the app, or it won't record you arriving and no Trip Fee can be added. There's no "I've arrived" button. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > your Pro app (on LawnStarter, "LawnStarter for Providers") > Permissions > Location, choose "Allow all the time", and turn on "Use precise location" on the same screen. "Allow only while using the app" won't work, and the app won't warn you — your arrival just won't be recorded. On iPhone, set Location to "Always."
- Try the latch by hand. Plenty of gates that look locked are just closed.
- Check the property notes for updated access info.
- Still stuck? Message the customer through Inbox about the specific gate, and knock in case someone's home who can let you in.
- Give them a few minutes. Don't wait around at the property.
- Do every part of the property you can reach.
- On the job, tap View Job Details (tapping the address opens driving directions instead), then the three dots next to the service. Under "Property issue," tap "Gate locked," then "Next."
- Under "Where on the property? (from the street)," check the parts you couldn't reach, or "Full yard" if you couldn't reach any. Add a note if you want, and tap "Next." If you finished part of the yard, confirm the checklist, then take after photos of what you finished.
File the report before you mark the job complete. Once a job is marked complete, the Property issue option disappears, so you can't file or add photos afterwards. You don't need to mark it complete yourself — submitting the report does that for you. A partial closes the visit as completed; a full one records it as skipped. If you've already marked it complete, contact Pro Support in the app, and have the job date and the parts of the yard the gate blocked ready.
What to document
The report doesn't ask for a photo of the gate, but take one anyway in case your customer disputes the visit. If you finished part of the yard, the app takes you to after photos once you submit.
Who to contact
- The gate was only latched. It opens, so carry on with the service. No report needed.
- The customer isn't answering. Give it a few minutes, then report the obstruction.
- The customer disputes that the gate was locked. Document what you saw. If you're offered the fix, accept it, message them to confirm the gate will be unlocked, and go back for the part you missed.
- A confrontation, or law enforcement gets involved. Stop, and don't attempt to force your way in.
Why it matters
Completing part of the yard pays you in full. File the report and take the after photos the app asks for, since those two protect your pay if your customer disputes. You don't need to come back unless your customer disputes the visit. When you can't reach any of the yard, the report skips the job, and every skip counts against your jobs completed. When you mow part of it, the job counts as completed. On a partial, the customer gets an automatic $10 discount, and it never comes out of your pay.
On a full obstruction you may also earn a $12 Trip Fee. Filing the report is what triggers it — there's nothing to select. The app has to have recorded you arriving (keep location on, with the settings above); with no record there's no Trip Fee. The limit is per property, per quarter, and depends on your tier: Platinum unlimited, Gold 3, Silver 1, Blue 1, and none for Bronze, Intro, Red, or Disengaged. A visit that isn't refundable, or a property belonging to a customer you brought to the platform yourself, blocks it whatever your tier.
Marking the job complete before you file blocks the report, and getting the pay corrected afterward delays it. And never force, climb, or bypass a locked gate — beyond the risk to you, it can cause property damage and bring in law enforcement.
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