How to cover my ass?

[RoxMonster]

I will try to keep this short and sweet. We want to put in a privacy fence and have to get the yard surveyed first. We called the recommended survey company over 3 weeks ago. They initially said they'd be out within a week. They just come out during the day, even if you're not home, to survey and then mail you an invoice.

Well then we got a ton of flooding and they ended up really behind. H called last week on Monday and they said they'd be out by Friday (5 days ago). They haven't come. We want to get this done ASAP because the fencing company is busy and our dog goes nuts at the fence with the neighbor's dogs so we'd like the privacy fence sooner rather than later. H called again Monday and they said they were still behind. He told them that we'd need it done by Wed (today) or we would look for another company.

Today has come and gone and no survey. I understand they got behind and we aren't even pissed about it, just would like to find a different company who could get this done a lot sooner. My concern with calling and telling them we no longer want the survey: what if wires are crossed or the right person doesn't get the message, they end up coming out anyway and then billing us for it? I feel like we will have no recourse because it wasn't in writing and they have no e-mail address.

How would you go about getting this in writing? Or, since we haven't actually signed a contract with them (just verbally called and asked them to come out), would we be OK either way?

[audette]

Send them a certified letter would be my best guess.