North Carolina - 8/02. Terminix didn’t do as promised at our home, and we stopped paying the company. Now they have served us with papers to go to court next month over $200...

Alabama - 8/02. I had a Terminix contract on my house five years, then I sold the house in Dec. 2001 and moved to California.  I notified Terminix but got bill after bill for the contract from Jan. 2001 to present day. I wrote three letters and made two phone calls, and they even sent me a form letter asking for the information on selling the house; but the bills continue.  I called them in Alabama again today demanding cessation of billing and a letter from them, and the people in the local office were not at all sympathetic. Then I reviewed the multitude of web sites of complaints countrywide about this company.  If I am ever forced to seek pest protection again, I shall go with a local company, no matter where I live. Massively disappointed with Terminix response.

Georgia - 8/02. I, too, have a horror story concerning Terminix. I would rather had no pest control than to depend on those folks.

Virginia - 8/02. Terminix ignored all signs of termites and damage. We’re left with a mess!

Texas - 7/02. I have a complaint to lodge with the CEO of Terminix concerning thoughtless mistakes and arrogant responses to billing questions.

New Hampshire - 7/02. I am being forced to pay for services that have not even been rendered.  If I do not pay, it will affect my credit!

(Additional information posted to Terminix’s so-called -- and now gone -- “Customer Care Board”):

I had Sentricon put in AND Pest Control Services.  I was unaware these were separate purchases. They were sold misleadingly. "Pest Control"?  My problem got 100% worse AFTER having a "tech" at my home. I had to take care of the problem myself.  I have called numerous times to have ALL services canceled. I am completely dissatisfied with Terminix and frankly I'm disgusted! Nobody has EVER come back to my home to inspect anything!  It states on your web site, in black and white, “If you are not satisfied, we will work to resolve the problem within 7 days or we will refund the price of the installation.  Well that didn't happen!  Now my account has been sent to collection! How do I know this?  Only from receiving a phone call from the collection agency!  That's OK.  I've reported to the Better Business Bureau AND 6 other major companies. The best part is on the same day I received the call from the collection agency I also received from Terminix "A Special Offer for Preferred Customers"!

New Jersey - 7/02. I am very disappointed with my service with Terminix.  I have been paying for services that have not been done.  They come to my house, spray the front, don’t go in the back because of the dog, and do not even do in my home. I was told I get a free termite inspection.  Never received one.  When I call, nobody returns my phone calls.

California - 7/02. Terminix turned my account over to collections after my year contract was up, and I had canceled future service after the contract was up.

? - 7/02. I am also a dissatisfied customer of Terminix. On two occasions, Terminix charged me over $4,000 to rid my home of termites, and the termites reappear. They also sold me a service contract and fail to properly service the Sentricon system.  For the third time in five years, they are back wanting more money. I have termites once again.  There is no justice for a working parent who only wants what she paid for and was promised. I placed my trust in the company and got nothing in return. These big companies should be held accountable to someone. I pay my taxes and am teaching my children to become law-abiding citizens.  How can I explain to them that our government allows powerful people/companies to take advantage of the weak and less powerful?

California - 7/02. My Terminex contact that I have had for almost a year now refused to come back to my house after spraying two days previous when we were bombarded with ants right after he left. When I stated that was unacceptable, the reason I contracted with Terminex was for the guarantee, he hung up the phone on me. I have left numerous messages over the last eight days with no call back.  The phone calls are to the local Concord office and what I think was their corporate office.  Numerous promises from various customer service people that someone will call but absolutely no call back.

Maryland - 7/02. Terminix has let me down again.  They are only around for their quarterly inspections when you have to pay them. When a problem arises, they conveniently don’t return telephone calls.

North Carolina - 7/02. I, too, am very dissatisfied with Terminix.  After promising me money, they have failed to come through or even call me back. It is some of the worst customer service I have ever seen.

New York - 7/02. Oh My Goodness.  This year, I called Terminix to find out why me termite stations weren’t being checked, and they told me that I wasn’t in the system so I had to start all over $2,500!!!!  They said I apparently didn’t pay my renewal contract last year, and there was nothing they could do. I have my canceled checks from them and know what? They got paid for nothing. I am so screwed because I really did have termites.  I hope the whole company goes the way of Enron and SOON!!! They SUCK!!!!!!!!

Missouri - 7/02. I am currently struggling with Terminix and their corrupt and manipulating business practices.  I concur with everything I have read on this site.  I plan to file a formal complaint to the proper authority here in Missouri.  Thank you for making this information available to the rest of us who are getting screwed by Terminix and ServiceMaster.

Indiana - 7/02. I had an annual contract with Terminix in which they failed, after three treatments, to fix a persistent black ant problem. When “swarmers” began appearing as well, I could not get a service technician out to my house even after four calls to the office requesting service. You’d think you wouldn’t have to pay for services not rendered, right? Well, after being one month late for the first time on a $90 quarterly contract payment, they sent the account to an outside collection agency, who harassed for payment.  This for not ridding my house of pests and finally not coming out at all, even after the payment was made. I am currently seeking help from a local pest control company.

Missouri - 7/02. We just bought a house a few months ago that was in the last year of a three-year contract with Terminix. We have called the office over 30 times and have never received a call back. I believe they are not checking all stations when they come to the house and have skipped months of checking.

Louisiana - 7/02. Oh, how I wish I had seen this web site before calling Terminix. My house is on pillars; and when it was initially inspected by Terminix’s Alan Parks, manager of a local company, he advised that extensive foundation work needed to be done on my house. Approximately 70% of wood needed to be replaced.  Knowing this, they immediately took my $3,000 and installed airflow vents and a moisture barrier on the ground underneath my house.  Then, when foundation repair was completed (60+ sills,  150+ joists, 50+ beams), the moisture barrier is now torn up and vents laying out in my yard (they had to be removed to allow air circulation because they were not working).  Alan Parks has since relocated; and new manager, Eddie Bozeman, promised to come to my house NEXT WEEK to see what could be done. That was during the first week of June, and Mr. Bozeman has not shown up yet.

I am 71 years old and live on a VERY limited income. The $3,000 I paid Terminix was half of my retirement fund, and I simply cannot afford to spend the rest on a lawsuit.  The most ironic thing:  There were six men who worked underneath my house repairing the foundation, and NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THEM could find ANY termites, nor damage from them in the past.  I feel like I have been swindled by the grandfather of all con artists -- Terminix!!!

New York - 7/02. I had a contract with Terminix for more than ten years as I was being treated for black ants.  Insects were found within one of the walls of my house, and the wall had to be taken down and replaced. Terminix re-treated the situation but claimed no responsibility. I sued in Small Claims Court, and Terminix did not show up to contest the suit.  I won the case, but I am unable to collect the $1,700 plus cost to me.

New Jersey - 6/02.   We bought our house in March 2002. The second week we lived in the house, we found we had swarmers in our basement. The same day they appeared, I immediately grabbed the phone book and started looking for an exterminator.  We were very upset, but we knew we had to get rid of the termites before they get rid of us.  I saw the listing for Terminex and thought this was a well-known name.  We knew it was going to be costly, but we trusted that the cost would be worth saving our home. They came to the house the same day and gave us an estimate of $1,800.  My husband and I were very upset as we just moved in, and our money was low; but we paid for it with the money we planned on using to get furniture. Two days later, they put the monitoring system into the ground around one side of the house and said someone would come that week to do the coring in the driveway. We waited for a month and no one showed. They told us swarmers would not come out at night; but one night I went into the basement to do laundry, and they were everywhere.

I began calling the office, but I got nowhere. No one would return my calls.  They would tell me someone was coming out a certain day, but that day came and went and no Terminex.  Now we’re in our second month, and the only thing that has been done was the monitoring system was put into the one side of the house; but THERE WAS NO BAIT.  So to us, NOTHING has been done.

I was very upset and threatened to report them to the Better Business Bureau.  They finally sent someone out, but he broke a drill bit and said he would come back to finish. He never came back.. I made several calls that got me nowhere.  I threatened to call the Better Business Bureau again, and someone finally came out and finished the coring.  The guy who came out told my husband, “Terminix is a pain in the ass”... “they don’t care”... “we’ve gotten sued and had to rebuild a whole house once because they bullshit all the time”... “you’re gonna have to call to get service all the time.” The first month passed after the coring. We were supposed to get a statement every first week of the month indicating they have serviced. We haven’t gotten anything yet.  I called several times, and no one would return my call.  I finally spoke to James (manager), and he said we were in the schedule for that week.  The week has passed, and we are going into the fourth month.  We are at the end of our rope.  We really thought we were the only people having a problem with Terminex.  Has anyone ever won against Terminex?

North Carolina - 6/02. I recently had a Terminix serviceperson spray the outside of my home.  Whatever he used damaged the siding wherever it touched. After calling the branch offices for more than a few weeks, I finally had the original person come out and see the damage.  He asked what would it take to make me happy... well, replace it. I was told to get an estimate, which took several weeks since it is very difficult to get anyone who is willing to do repair work in my area.  I faxed the estimate to the branch office and waited for a response. I again had to follow up with several phone calls and eventually had to go to the corporate office.  The latest is, the estimate is too high and they would send their contractor out to replace the siding. I have been patiently waiting since April 26 to get this resolved. I sent e-mail to their site (indicated on your web page) stating that if things are not resolved quickly, I will hire my contractor and send them the bill.

Florida - 6/02. I’m beginning to experience little problems with Terminix such as missed appointments or the tech showing up whenever they want and getting billed for services not done. I’m glad I found your web site for I’m getting out now.  I guess I just needed a push.

Florida - 6/02. I have had a termite bond with Sears for 14 years -- now taken over by Terminix. When Terminix arrived today for our yearly inspection, they sent a SALESPERSON to do the termite inspection.  His only interest was our upgrading our bond for an additional $799 so he could collect a healthy commission.  We did not sign on the dotted line. I have scheduled an independent outfit to re-inspect for termites. I am thoroughly disgusted with Terminix and its practices.

Maryland - 6/02. I ordered this service two weeks ago.  I informed them I needed some kind of treatment for deer ticks in my backyard, which are getting on my children and animals. They set an appointment for today, 6/15, between 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  They never showed.  They e-mailed us 6/3 and 6/9 to confirm our appointment.  When we called them, they said it is against Maryland law to spray for ticks, and they were not coming. We talked to another person on the ServiceMaster phone number, and they said we still have an appointment.  My husband is a general contractor and lost a lot of money staying home to wait for these people. He had to send his employees home for the day but still needs to pay them a full day’s wages, and he could have been working for one of our customers. But if this company is this bad, maybe we should count our blessings.