Clinton Twp - 2/06. Terminix SUCKS!  They charged me for a FREE RESERVICE before my year was up, and they ruined my credit because I refused to pay. TERMINIX SUCKS!!!!

Cinnaminson, New Jersey - 2/06. Terminix was showing up nearly every month and billing us $95.00 after we paid down over $1000.00 for a termite treatment. We told them in August to cancel any remaining visits. I got a bill for an October visit. I paid the bill, anyway. Money attracts them.  They showed up in January. The guy sat in his truck reading the effin paper for an hour.  (They always show up when nobody is home). My wife was home.  She went up to the truck. He nearly pooped himself. She asked what he was doing. He said he was coming to inspect.  She said it looks like you've been inspecting the newspaper.  She invited him in and put me on the phone. I told him that we'd postponed inspections until further notice. I told him to leave and that I didn't want to get billed for his visit.  In February, I got a bill.  They said that there was no record of me canceling appointments.  I canceled the remainder of my contract.

Central Illinois - 2/06. I have had a termite contract with Terminix for 3 years. I started out by paying in advance and then paying the next year in advance because they offered me a 10% discount for doing so. The next year they rebilled me for that year at a higher rate. This went on throughout the life of the contract. They would eventually agree that each year had already been paid, but only after two or three months of phone calls and letters. At installation they said they would check the Centricon traps monthly, but after two months said it would be quarterly.  The next year they said they would check them ONLY if I called in and said they needed to be checked, and then at their discretion.  (They checked some of the traps twice that year).  They then added traps out in the yard, saying it was too difficult to go behind the bushes next to the house to find them. The traps were high and were hit with the lawn mower in addition to looking obnoxious. This month they came and removed all Centricon traps despite the fact that I caught them half way through and forbid them to remove them from my property. I consider Terminix to be disreputable and dishonest.

Elizabeth City, North Carolina - 2/06. Terminix of Elizabeth City keeps billing me for services not provided for pest control. I have tried a dozen times to get this resolved and the "Service Manager" always they will get back with me...but never do! This is a dishonest group and should be stopped from doing business and fleecing the public.

Connecticut - 2/06. I will be going to court soon, against Terminix. I am looking for a place to find records of complaints against Terminix in CT.

Texas - 2/06. Thanks for your effort to tell others how rotten Terminix is. I lost a wall in my house and they have no idea what caused it but it was not termites.  I too will be going to the Texas State Attorney General.

? - 2/06.   Induced to switch from conventional underground termite protection to the Sentricon system in late 2001. There were periodic "hits" on the  monitoring stations until Terminix ceased to monitor the stations in late '04.  Called to report this in spring of '05.  No response.  Left repeated messages, even to the manager Scott Haselton.  Finally in late April '05, contacted headquarters in Tennessee and an inspector came out. Fall of that year I was informed that the system wasn't so good and I was being switched back to conventional liquid subterranean protection. Meanwhile, I learned that in addition to the $599 I lost through switching to the "superior" Sentricon system, I’d also been making three annual payments for two types of protection (subterranean and drywood). One of the bookkeepers finally admitted that there had been overpayments and then said I'd receive a refund.  He later said that since there had been no overpayments in 2005, nothing would be done about the preceding years' overpayments. Norma, the bookkeeper, said that I'd already been credited (gee, where did that go?  never saw it) and blurted out that I was cancelled because I'd made "too many complaints."  Subsequently called the 800 number for Teminix, which informed me that yes indeed, Sentricon is still in use nationwide. Later spoke to a local representative who described the Sentricon system as "inferior."  In any event, I paid nearly $600 for a system which may or may not be worthless, that was cancelled (despite a "lifetime" guaranty) without my being granted a refund.  Terminix will not even provide compensation for known overpayments in '03 and '04, and possibly '02. I do have the check #'s for two of those years, and am awaiting duplicates from the bank.

Murfreesboro, Tennessee - 2/06. I had a contract with Terminix from September  2004 to September 2005.  The service representive NEVER once explained to me or to my husband that the contract automatically renewed itself unless I called or wrote.  I received a bill for December of 2005.  I know $83.00 may not seem like much to Terminix, but I promise you this. As a business woman, I will need my rental property sprayed again in July and December of 2006.  Terminix will absolutely NOT be called for any reason because of the neglience of the service representives.  I also called Terminix last month about the bill; the lady never bothered to tell me about the contract automatically renewing itself.  She simply said she'd have her supervisor call me the next day...that was a month ago.  I called again today and talked with a lady named Kristy who at least told me about the automatic renewal deal; once again I was told her supervisor would call.  I am not holding my breath. I was also told that my property would be sprayed  inside and outside.  I was to be called the day before so I could inform my tenants so Terminix could gain access to the property.  IT WAS WRITTEN ON THE CONTRACT.  I was called twice at the most.  Otherwise, the duplex was NEVER sprayed inside as was my agreement per the contract.  I'm totally unhappy with Terminix.  If Terminix expects customers to abide by the contract they should do the same.

Odessa, Texas - 2/06. My situation is an almost exact copy of  yours.  In short, I had a termite contract for 10 yrs with Terminix w/multiple infestations and useless treatments for carpenter ants and  termites. We have been out of our home since July 2005, due to it being structurally unsound as our bedroom ceiling caved in on our bed during a treatment. Our house had live termites in several areas of the house which Terminix acknowledges but refuses to pay for the damages or any of our expenses for having to move out.  Their tactic is to stall, intimidation, and try to force our hand by keeping us out of our home as long as possible to try keeping us desperate.  I also have record of their violations in my case and this is supported by the Texas Structural Pest Control Board's Report of which I have a copy.  My case is a little different in that I have started repairing everything myself so far to the tune of $56,000 and have secured the additional financing with the help of my parents putting their house up for collateral.  My damages will amount to $127,000 not  including all expenses for having to manage two households.  I have an attorney and intend to take this all the way to court or arbitration as I am not afraid of either.

? - 2/06. I am not at all happy with Terminex and the service we rec'd this week.  The technician came to our home and I showed him where all the visible ants were. Prior to Terminex coming to my home, I called on Monday to inquire about using this service for house ants in our newly purchased home.  I moved from Meadows At Cascade Park so I asked the management who they used and they told me Terminex.  I then called and spoke with appropriate personnel regarding my four year old's condition in which he had a brain tumor removed, and is currently being treated with chemo and radiation for the cancer. I wanted to make sure beyond any doubt that using Terminex would not be a problem and Terminex assured me it would be fine and they care for Doernbecher. I am currently awaiting information as to how the 10th Floor unit caring for cancer children is taken care of, ie spraying, baiting, nothing, etc. Today, two days after the only visit from Terminex, I was continually battling ants in my son's room, the same room I showed the technician, after a run around on the phone, being told that we would have to wait 14 days for Terminex to come back and treat Robert's room or Terminex would be in trouble, law, etc, I asked if it was treated at all because there is a swarm of ants now in this room. I was told by Casandra that the technician treated everything that had to be treated. I inquired further as to where in Robert's room was it treated. I then finally get an answer that the technician was uncomfortable with treating Roberts room due to cancer. I WAS NEVER INFORMED EITHER WAY PRIOR TO MY CALL TWO DAYS LATER!!!  This service by all there is horrible!  I was then immediately given a manager and he told me the technician would come back and use bait.  So my fears as a mother with a child with cancer is why can he not just use what was used throughout the house when in fact Robert moved about in those same areas and was moving when the technician was here on Tuesday.  I paid $360 which is a lot of money for some contract and I have been treated ridiculously.  I do not feel confident at this point to use Terminex due to all that transpired and was said, what was done and not done by Terminex.  I feel I am getting a run around, having the entire issue candy-coated by Terminex management in Portland to cover their own inconsistencies, etc. How were the ants supposed to be eliminated when the technician never treated Robert's room that was a definite problem Tuesday and then escalated by Thursday.  Furthermore, another inconsistency is being told by Ryan that he would return in a week if there were still ants, and Casandra telling me we had to wait two weeks for anyone to return. Again, this service was awful!!  I even spoke with the American Cancer Society and she was concerned with all that transpired and should seek legal action.  I am sure I won't go that far, but when I told the manager I intended to cancel the check, he told me I couldn't because of the contract.  At any rate, another supervisor said he would cancel it himself. The check has been canceled and I have no intention of using Terminex again. I am still awaiting word from Doernbecher as to how the units and the rooms the cancer patients use are treated, if at all directly.

Delaware - 1/06. When I bought my house, I decided to get a new bedroom set.  When this set was delivered, it sat in the house unopened until a week after I moved in. I finally got around to taking the shrink wrap off of my armoire.  When I opened it and pulled one of the shelves out to place on the floor, I noticed a 1-1/2 inch cockroach jump off the shelf.  Needless to say, I was horrified at the size of the thing.  I killed it and keep it in a jar for the pest control guy.  I called Terminix immediately at their 800 national toll number.  I told the guy my situation, and he said he could set up for someone to come out and spray and then they would come out every quarter afterwards for the same thing.  I told him at the time that I only wanted a one-time service and would look at any information to consider further service when the tech came out.  No one contacted me the following day or came out, so I called my local office and they set someone up to come out.  They did not inform me at the time of any charges, so I assumed it would be the same as the 800 number.  The day the tech came out, I was unable to get off work so my aunt let the guy in to spray.  She let him in and the tech called me on the phone and stated that he does not think that the roach layed any eggs and there were no other visible signs of any other pests at that time but he had sprayed just in case.  My aunt signed the paper for the service believing it was only for a one-time charge.  When I came home and looked at the papers, I called Terminix.  They say they have a pest control agreement with my name on it signed by my aunt and that I am legally bound by the contract.  Now I'm no lawyer but I don't believe I would have to pay for the services thereafter.  My reasoning on this is that my aunt has no written authority by me to sign for any services to the house in which I own.  Do you believe that I would be legally responsible for this contract for which Terminix says they have a signed contract by her (they will not fax me a copy) or will they hold her accountable?

Terminix says they came out again in October, but I saw no service tech. I am unemployed and home all day as is my aunt.  They sent me a bill for such services.  If I was not to pay the bill, could they turn me into collections?  Or do I have an option of giving 30 days notice paying up to date and not being further obligated to do business with them?  I have attached a copy of their terms and conditions.  Under number 4 it states that "a failure to pay such charges shall cancel this Plan in its entirety and discharge Terminix of any liability." Last but not least, I did talk to them on the phone about the situation and explained my story and told them when I had set up for my free termite inspection they never showed.  So she set a new date and a guy came out. I signed under purchaser on this paper. Does this make me legally bound?

Nazareth, Pennsylvania - 1/06. I signed a contract with Terminix on 8/26/04.  The last time they were here was 8/01/05. That is a year, but they are saying I owe them for the last vist on 8/01/05. It was a year contract, now they have turned me into a collection dept.  A year to me should have been 8/26/04 till 8/26/05. They are good scam people. I am being screwed out of 26 days, and they also say I owe them money for the 8/01/05.  The man who was here said this was the last time here for the current contract. Now the office harrasses me all the time.

Tennessee - 1/06. Thank you for standing up to Terminix. We too have experienced bad results with this company. When we bought our house 16 years ago, we contracted with an independent company to treat our house, and to do periodic inspections.  Our contract stated that our yearly fee would never go up, and that any damages due to the company's negligence or faulty treatment would be limited to $10,000. The house is constructed of concrete block from basement to eaves, but the previous owner installed Masonite siding on part of it.  Three years later, the independent company found termites in the lathing on the front of the house and did another treatment. Two years later, the company sold out to Terminix. We were never given a chance to say whether we wanted Terminix, they just bought our contract.  The first sign of trouble was when they tried to raise our yearly fee by 255%!  It took repeated letters and unimaginable amounts of time to make them accept the contract provision they had bought.  The people who answered the phone put us on hold and never came back, or promised a return call from a supervisor who never called back.  Finally after three years they started billing us for the correct renewal amount.  With one exception, the technicians who inspected the property were here about five minutes, in a house with a full basement and two stories.  The one exceptional technician did a thorough inspection, including the perimeter and outbuildings.  He never came back, and I hope he has found a company that appreciates him. If Terminix would hire more like him, they might be able to stay in business.  In the fall of 2004, the house passed inspection again, even though the technician only went into the basement.  In the spring of 2005, I started to open a window at the front of the house, and noticed bugs between the window and storm window.  Going outside, I found termites all along the front of the house. When my husband looked down behind the holly bushes growing there, he found that the bottom boards of the Masonite were destroyed.

As soon as the weekend was over, he called Terminix. They sent a man that week, who pulled the siding away from the lathing and found very active infestation.  He sprayed and said he would notify the office.  When we didn't hear any more from Terminix, my husband called. He told them he was planning to get an estimate for repair of the damages, and asked where to send it. He was told that Terminix wasn't liable for damages.  When my husband pointed out that our original contract covered damages up to $10,000, he was told in a very insulting manner that we had signed the Terminix agreement stating no damages are covered. (Because they bought our original contract without our knowledge, we never signed anything with Terminix. Besides that, we would never sign a contract with a company that doesn't stand behind its work?!!!)  After another fruitless round of calls, we hired a contractor to estimate the repairs.  When he pulled off more of the siding, he found that the window sills had been eaten away, and told us that amount of damage could not have taken place in just a few months. He thought the termites had gone undetected for at least two years, and may have gotten as far as the roof.  Once again we tried to let Terminix take care of the problem and kept getting the same runaround. During this time, a technician came for the annual inspection. He went into the basement for about three minutes, then presented my husband with a certificate saying there was no infestation in the property. There was a drawing of the perimeter he had "inspected." My husband took the tech to the front of the house and showed him the damages. The technician agreed they were caused by termites, and tried to sell him a $500 treatment!  When he was shown the original contract, the technician called the office, and was told once again that damages were not covered.  Finally accepting the indisputable fact that Terminix is not a reputable company, we decided to hire an attorney. During the process Terminix once again billed us for the inflated renewal fee, even though they had sent us a correct invoice for the past three years! There is just no way this group will honor their contractual commitments to consumers. Our attorney requested a court date and had Terminix served. We all took time off from work to appear.  Terminix didn't respond. Wondering whether to show up in court, we were told that if we didn't, it was like a forfeit.  Our attorney waited in his office until the court closed, and sure enough, they called at the last minute. We got a continuance, and will go next week. It will be interesting to see what new trick they try. But we'll take some samples from this page to show the judge, and see how they can argue with so many verdicts against them. Thank you again for the public forum.