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Florida - 5/03. In April 2003, we identified that Terminix of West Palm Beach, Florida, billed $241.50 to my VISA account on 4/14 (which was authorized) and then billed the same amount to MasterCard on 4/16 which was not authorized. Received statement from the MasterCard account indicating it was charged from the same office. Terminix office is denying this was done!!!. I have proof.
New York - 5/03. The contract was signed in April 2000 for termite abatement at the one-family dwelling we purchased in March 2000. We claim Terminix has breached our contract by:
Pressuring my wife to install an outside Sentricon system costing in excess of $1,000 shortly after the appearance of many thousands termite swarmers in our home, without informing her of alternative control options; Negligently installing a Sentricon system that has not gotten one “hit” on its baiting system, nor alleviated the swarms that appear in the center of our dining room every years since March 2000 -- over three years ago; and Failing repeated times, despite promises to send an expert to our house to discuss alternative abatement options.
Every March since we entered into contract with Terminix, more and more winged swarmers come out of the walls and floors in our hall and dining rooms. Holes have developed in the wall. The swarmers come for a three to four week period in numbers perhaps approaching a million. There is obviously a permanent nest within our walls and/or under our home; yet Terminix has not sent anyone to our house who can look behind the walls to check the presence of nests or the extent of possible new damage. The swarming, when they suddenly come, severely frighten my two girls, ages 6 and 8. They react extremely emotionally to this and will not walk anywhere on the floor during the time the swarmers arrive. We have called Mr. Murad of Terminix and spoken with him and other office personnel. We are told these swarmers are coming from “somewhere else,” yet, the only Terminix employees that visit our house come to check the outside bait traps. To this date, there has been absolutely no activity in these outside bait traps! This year my wife and I have tried to get Mr. Murad to send someone to our home to access our situation. He told us “Ed” would come, although we’ve never received a follow-up as to when to expect him. He shows up unexpected when no one is home and leaves a note. We call Mr. Murad, and he gives us a time when someone will come out. I take the day off work, and no one comes! This happened more than once. I last called Terminix three weeks ago to set up an appointment again and to talk with Mr. Murad. We have received no reply. We are asking Terminix to honor the terms of the guaranty by refunding the initial cost of the Sentricon system and the annual account charges we’ve been making since March 2000. We are also asking for an assessment of damages done to the interior walls of our house since the Sentricon system was installed.
Arkansas - 5/03. Terminix has been servicing my home for almost one year and has yet to exterminate the cockroaches. We have just as many today, if not more, than we had the first day Terminix sprayed our home. There were several times we scheduled a visit, and they never showed up. I have asked them to fog my home and was told they do not do that. I have made telephone calls and sent a letter of complaint to the local office in Fort Smith. To date, the only response I have received is letters asking me to pay the current service charge. I finally spoke to Larry Smither, Service Manager, today; and he said he would turn it in and delete my account. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen.
California - 4/03. I too had a contract with Terminex. We had carpenter ants in our walls. A LOT. They drilled quarter sized holes on one wall. We still have an ant problem.
Colorado - 4/03. My home is under Terminix contract for the monthly termite baiting and inspections. Here is my list of complaints:
filling out fraudulent termite inspection reports/falsified inspections sending a “self-proclaimed” unqualified “pest” inspector to check for termites. The inspector’s verbatim comments when I tried to show him the termites I found: “I am a pest inspector. I will need to bring back a termite inspector to identify termites.” unkept appointments unreturned telephone calls unrecorded phone calls ignoring my calls about severe termite infestation
New Jersey - 4/03. I have a problem with the Clifton NJ local Terminix office. Missed monthly inspections, appointments made and not kept by both field inspectors and office manager. When I call, I get put on hold and then disconnected two and three times before my call is placed through. I have paid for a three-year contract (36 months), and they have missed seven monthly inspections. They expect me to renew my contract with them... FAT CHANCE!
California - 4/03. Thank you for the site. Even though it is “unverified,” there are more than enough stories reported that made me want to run from Terminix. I just had an inspection from Terminix this week, and the guy wanted me to sign on the spot for Sentricon at $2000 a pop! When I told him I wanted to research some more, all I got was ridicule and pressure-cooker tactics. Thank you very much for doing this!
Virginia - 4/03. I called what I thought were the pro’s. Have had all of the related problems seen on your site. Here I am $1300 later for something that Lowe’s has for less than $100 including the poison. Bait station? My house is the BAIT. “But we don’t see any activity.” The inspector wanted to see a live termite. Since I was the one to do the repairs, I cut out a section of wall and found him live termites. Since then, nothing has been done except for checking bait stations in the yard. Your site is very much on time and correct with what is going on.
Illinois - 4/03. I own a property in Illinois which has had a termite contract on it since 1975. The company was bought out or merged with Terminix some years back; and, of course, the premiums went up. The property has been a rental since 1995. My mom lived in the property until Fall 2001. She passed away, and we rented the property to a buyer who agreed to purchase the property during the Spring of this year. Terminix has continued to get my annual premiums. We were supposed to close on the property next week. The buyer, who plans on totally remodeling the property, had his contractor come out and they found extensive termites... all the way up to the rafters. Terminix is coming out to treat the property. I can’t afford a lawyer. Is Terminix liable for the repairs of the structure? The contractor stated this is termite activity which has gone on for three to five years. How could they miss these termites during their inspections consistently for three to five years?
Ohio - 4/03. My wife and I bought a home here one year ago. At the closing, the owners had a termite warranty with Buckeye Terminix which was supposed to be transferred to us. A Buckeye representative told me the “paperwork” for the warranty would be forthcoming. One year later, after no contact from Terminix, I called them again and found that Buckeye Terminix had closed. I was also told the account held by the previous owner had been canceled. I spoke to another Terminix representative who told me to fax a copy of the previous contract. I added a copy of the Wood Destroying Insect Report (required for inspection) which showed no activity in our home. They said they never received the fax and have not returned one phone call since that time.
? - 4/03. We were told at time of contract renewal, which had lapsed, that the only way to renew is going with the baiting system or just get the treatment plan (without damage coverage). Do you know if and when the conventional treatment (using liquid) was stopped by Terminix? Is there any veracity to the claim by Terminix that they did not offer the liquid treatment plan around September (or so) 2002 until March 2003? From my understanding, they are now (since March 2003) offering liquid treatment again, but it is with the “new, more effective” chemical they are going to use now (Spectricide/Termidor??)
Virginia - 4/03. I just discovered your site while looking for a phone number for Terminix where I could actually talk to someone. It really frightened me when I read the experiences some of which I’m already starting to see with this company.
Pennsylvania - 3/03. I was a customer since 1992. I stopped my service as of today (3/31/03) because I found out that a tech entered my home WITHOUT MY PERMISSION. When I called my local office, the supervisor just kind of blew it off like it was normal they enter customers’ homes with no one there. Well, I call that TRESPASSING.
California - 3/03. During a pest control inspection March 12, subterranean termites were identified. I called for an appointment and was given 3/19 between 3-5 p.m. At 5 p.m., I called and was told there was a problem in the scheduling, the technician had gone home, and the supervisor would call me at 7:30 a.m. the next morning to schedule an appointment. Not having heard back from anyone by 8:00 a.m., I called, was kept on hold for 11 minutes, and then told I could leave a voice mail. I did. Nothing was heard by 8:30 p.m., so I called to simply schedule an appointment. Five more minutes of holding, and I was told someone would be here between 3-4 p.m. today, which they were. Very unsatisfactory service from the Arcadia, California office.
Texas - 3/03. We were trying to buy a house and had Terminix come out and give a termite inspection in Feb, which was okay. They gave a clear inspection. Three days before closing on the house, the supervisor decided he wanted to do another inspection and said there was termite damage. The bank said that if he wrote on the inspection that there was minimal damage, everything would be alright. The Terminix supervisor (Phil) said he couldn’t do this because he wasn’t a structural engineer. I understand that, but I don’t understand why they gave a clear inspection and then turned around three days before closing and said there was damage. We had already called all of the utilities, took off work to move, and had to call back and reschedule. Of course, we still had to pay him for this and a structural engineer, which was around $500. The engineer said it was ridiculous for him to put us through that and this was about the third time he has had to deal with this because of the same man. I personally will never use Terminix or recommend them to anybody.
California - 3/03. We canceled our contract with Terminix/ServiceMaster over four months ago. We are still being billed. They request we call them (ServiceMaster). We do and NO ONE ever calls us back. I leave messages where they state they will call back by the end of the business day. No Phone Call is ever received by us. We have called Terminex and they do state they informed ServiceMaster. I am beyond mad now and will be filing complaints with the BBB and the FTC.
Illinois - 3/03. I have been billed for services that Terminix will not or cannot confirm. I was initially complaining about one service call -- the issue was I never received a copy of a work order. Then I received a second statement with an additional service charge. Now I am in collection for nonpayment!!!!!
California - 3/03. I had Terminix tent my house about ten years ago. After the work was performed, I purchased a termite guarantee and renewed it each year for about eight years. I called about five times to have a service representative come out and check my house where I had seen droppings. Each time, I was told they were old droppings. I let the guarantee lapse on November 30, 2001. I then had a couple of other pest control companies come to give me an estimate on tenting my house. They agreed I had termites, and they have been in the house for quite some time. I also called Terminix for an estimate and stated I was unhappy that the guarantee was not acknowledged while under guarantee. I was told they would give me a special price to tent my house since I had been a long time guarantee holder. When their representative did not show up for the scheduled appointment, I called to see when he would arrive. I was told he was running late and another person would be sent. An employee of Terminix arrived about 5:30, looked around, and said I had a bad case of infestation. He said he would go back to their headquarters and check out the computer then give me an estimate to tent. I never heard from him again, so I called the San Diego, CA, manager (Norma). It was during the holidays last year. I called for Norma again, and she was on vacation. I called again, and she was busy and never returned my call.
Illinois - 3/03. They are the worst. I should have stuck with Orkin. I am so glad I trusted my instincts and didn’t do the one-year pay in advance. I figured if they were hounding me with so many leaflets about it, there was something wrong with the situation. I can’t wait for my contract to be up. My technician, the big loser that he is, comes in for all of two minutes, barely sprays, and then leaves. He refuses to go into my crawl space where the problem is. THEY ARE THE ABSOLUTE WORST!!!
Michigan - 2/03. Being billed and threatened with collection agency for non-serviced balance. No service was provided, no notice of visit, and a balance now hanging over my credit.
Vermont - 2/03. During the summer of 2002, I signed a contract with Terminix to inspect and treat my home, specifically for a bad cluster fly problem as well as ants, mice, and anything else they could find. I then paid them in advance for a year. All I received in return was excuses. They only came out once and did not even treat the property. I tried to contact my sales rep (Brad Johnson of the Manchester, NH office) numerous times, and his only response was that an employee had quit so he could not service my property. I then wrote and called him several more times asking him to cancel my contract and refund my money since Terminix did not even service my property once. After several months, he responded by offering only a portion of the refund. I have written to Terminix without any luck. I still have not been able to get the problems at my property addressed and would like to warn everyone against prepaying for services and check into all companies -- even well-known ones. Until I started experiencing problems, I did not know any existed with Terminix.
North Carolina - 2/03. I called the local Terminix because the yellow pages advertised “World’s Largest * Termites, Roaches, Fleas, Ants, Mice.” I have a problem with mice getting into my attic, and it is causing my ceilings to become soiled and discolored. The inspector brought along another person; and while one stuck his head into the ceiling opening, the other one went underneath my house. They convinced me there was a serious problem with termites and also that the mice problem would be alleviated by installation of vents around the underside of my house. They said they would take care of the mice problem and remove some old wood stored under the house for a price. They did NOTHING about the mice except put out some poison under the house. They installed the Sentricon, which, after reading your web site, I think is probably not effective. I have already paid them $1,225 and owe them $812. I am a 74 year old single woman with a minimum income.
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