Nebraska - 4/99. My husband and I have had Terminix so-called protection for five years, and the previous owners purchased a couple of years before us. Terminix has come to our home repeatedly to try to stop the infestation. During one visit, they pointed out an area in the basement that was never treated.  Their explanation was the previous owners did not want the back of the cabinets in the basement kitchen drilled.  They never informed us of this before and also signed a form stating they had properly treated the entire perimeter with termiticide prior to the real estate transfer.  We have continual infestation.  They finally told us that they could not resolve the problem until we “tore down our deck that was attached to our home” and recommended we reinstate our termite protection plan at that time.  We pondered over the idea for a couple of months; and as soon as the weather permitted, we removed the deck.  After removing our deck, we contacted them to inform them we removed the deck and were prepared to reinstate the protection. They informed us they would not reinstate the plan and will not return to our property for treatment unless we pay for a full treatment, which originally cost $1300.  The termite infestation is moving throughout our home. We have contacted another pest control company because obviously we do not want to work with Terminix ever again. The state entomologist has made an appointment to visit our home in efforts to detect any negligence during initial or subsequent applications.

I have been advised by several sources that I may have legal grounds to recover due to Terminix’ professional negligence. I do not know where to begin.  Your information has provided some assistance.  This company is a nightmare.  I strongly suggest any consumer that needs termite treatment to do their homework and also AVOID using TERMINIX.  They are not customer service oriented, nor are they professional. They just watch your home be destroyed and RIP you off.

Massachusetts - 4/99. I am basically experiencing the same nightmare you did, but not with Terminix.  I hired a local company for a pre-purchase pest inspection last November before purchasing my home.  The inspection indicated that if I removed the noted wood-to-earth contacts that I would prevent infestations. Now only three months later, I’ve had termites swarming in three separate locations.  I called a pest inspection company called Enviro Tech who basically told me that active infestation is present and has been all along... basically, that I got hosed on my pre-purchase inspection. Upon reading the liability (or lack of it) clause in the inspection report, I’ve come to realize that I probably don’t have any recourse.  However, I did call Terminix for a second opinion and decided to search the web regarding pest inspection lawsuits. Boy, am I glad to have found your web site! You may have saved me from making my situation even worse!!! Thanks for posting the information.  I will definitely not ever use Terminix and will thoroughly research whatever company I decide to use to solve my termite problem.

4/99 - Update. As a footnote, I stated that I used a different company than you did for my pre-purchase inspection -- actually I just found out that Ameritech, the company I used, is owned by ServiceMaster, who of course owns Terminix....

? - 3/99. I’ve looked all over on the web knowing I’d come up with a page where Terminex would be uncovered for its professional services which lack, in my opinion, a lot. I called Terminex to come to my home because I had a mouse -- ONE mouse!  I agreed to a contract where I would give them an initial payment and they would return every 6 months, I believe it was. The other visits, of course, were for less money than the original amount. They came for the first visit and the technician looked around.  He put a couple of coversized glue traps and that was it. What I found strange was they were so insistent to give me a termite inspection and wouldn’t let me alone until I agreed to one. They did say I was termite free; but then again, after hearing all these stories, I don’t put it past them supplying the eggs to give me termites. My mouse problem never was controlled, and they never returned for the next scheduled appointment.  In the meantime, my husband, after catching a mouse on a store-bought glue trap, went to dispose of it and was bitten.  I called Terminex, and they never returned my call. About a month ago, I got a call from someone at Terminex who said if I wanted them to come back, it would cost me $300.  I explained I had a contract.  They said that had been canceled and were very arrogant.  I explained I had called and requested a return call which was unanswered when my husband had been bitten; and they said they had no response. The only thing he kept saying was, listen lady, if you want us to come back it’s $300.  I told him I was going to call someone above him once I found my contract.  I have called and am given the runaround.  They act like they don’t know what I am talking about.  I now have so many mice I can hear them in the walls.  I am afraid to call anyone else, and I don’t think I should have to since I have a contract for services.

Florida - 3/99. We had Terminix do three yearly inspections on our house and nothing was found until the soft floor started to give way. Guess the termites all got together one night and said "let’s have the floor for dinner tonight."  Have not been happy with Terminix either in their inspections or treatments to this date.

New York - 3/99. Terminix has been treating my house for 12 years, and I still have termites in my house in the same location.  The last time a technician came to inspect, he found nothing visible. My husband had to point out the tunnels in the basement.  I am totally exasperated.

Indiana - 2/99. I am an attorney representing a client in a similar situation to you in Indiana....

Yuba City, California - 2/99. We wound up in small claims court over an inspection done by Terminix.  We lost our case, only because we sued the previous owners instead of Terminix. The judge was kind enough to tell us that was the only reason we lost. They also claimed we had a clear inspection, only to find out three months later that the last “tag” was dated almost a year before we purchased the house. To make matters worse, once a reputable company came in to look, they said it would have been impossible for Terminix to have done a proper inspection and if they had they would have found dry rot, leaks, animal activity, and other things under our home.  Our homeowner’s insurance finally paid for necessary repairs.  I would never call Terminix.  After my personal experience with them, I encouraged my employer to change pest control companies.  We canceled our service with Terminix.  When the new people came on and started inspecting, they found Terminix had not even done some of the work they claimed to on their log sheets. Maybe in other places they are better, but the “gentleman” (I use that term cautiously) that runs the Yuba City branch needs to find another job.  We found him to be rude and unresponsive to our inquiries.  Since our experiences with them, we have also come across ex-employees who claim harassment, threats, and a less than pleasant work environment.  This is a classic example of what happens when a company thinks their big name will protect them. They should be held accountable just like the rest of us.

Web Mistress Note: The same branch still doing the same things they did to us -- 7+ years later!