Sugar Land, Texas - 1/07. On January 16th the Terminix person left a note at my house saying, "Stations have been pulled. Please call office for more information."  The note was referring to the Centricon termite stations all around my property that I paid for a full year in advance for the maintenance and monitoring of. My phone call revealed that they severed their contract with the supplier of their Centricom stations and I could now get the "TIP" or "Termidor" system. Which I eventually learned meant I could have someone periodically look for termite tunnels going into my house for a $250 renewal fee or I could have liquid poison poured 3-6" down in a trench around my foundation which "should be effective for 20 years" for $199. (But "it would not be a good option if any pets dig there...and I have 3 dogs.) I said those dollar amounts sound reversed and "the head of the terminte division" agreed they sounded backwards, but that was the information he had. I asked if they were refunding the balance of my current contract, since I am now receiving NO SERVICE and I paid in advance for the Centricon service.  He said, "Well...no...we're not refunding anything." When I pushed the issue he said, "Well I don't have the authority to do something like that."  Where do I go from here?

The tech and I had become chummy with each other as we personally had a  lot in common, cars, music, hobbies, etc. He told me that since we were friends he wanted to be honest with me in saying that he did not believe in what Terminix was doing. He said to me, why should you be paying Terminix $95.00 for a $5.00 can of bug spray, and that we were being ripped off.  He stated to me that he was looking for another job, as he no longer had any faith in Terminix. He actually told me to cancel the service, and specifically mentioned another local pest company to call.  At the time I thought he was being sincere, as we were a bit more than just tech and customer.  I took his advice and said forget servicing the home. He told me to have a nice holiday and left our residence.  I proceeded to call Terminix to cancel our service and they pleaded with me not to.  They stated that what the tech had told me was inaccurate. The office employee, Kelly, told me to wait a minute and put me on hold.  A supervisor named Mike Eibeil, at the Allentown Pennsylvania office (I’m not sure if I’m spelling his name correctly) got on the phone and started a long-winded speech on why I shouldn’t cancel the service.

After telling Mr. Eibeil what had transpired at our home, he told me that as soon as the tech left our residence he was on the phone to him stating that we didn’t want Terminix stepping foot in our home.  I was appalled; I told the supervisor that I was told directly by his Terminix employee to cancel the service because Terminix was a rip off. I asked the supervisor what he would do if an employee that had been servicing his home for 5 years told him to cancel the service because the company was ripping off their  customers?  He stated that he would have done the same as I was doing but  wanted me to hear him out before doing so.  After a lengthy discussion with Mr. Eibeil in regards to the visit from his tech, and also explaining how the tech had been servicing the house, (only spraying), the Supervisor stated servicing our home in that manner would be considered at best only a partial service, as only spraying a  customer’s residence is just one part of several procedures that the customer was supposed to be receiving.  The Supervisor stated that Terminix didn’t want the techs just running in and spraying the customer’s residence  in 5 minutes, then running out. According to the tech, Terminix instructs their employees to get in and out of the residence as quickly as possible as to get in as many homes in one day that is humanly possible. It appears  that somebody is being deceitful, and I tend to believe that it is NOT the  technician, but Terminix!  So for 5 years at $95.00 per service, we were getting ¼ of the service that we were supposed to be receiving.  I told the Supervisor that we had better be receiving some type of refund for services not rendered over 5 years.  That is when I noticed a change in the Supervisor’s demeanor.  In addition, I told the Supervisor that the tech had  been spraying our heat and air conditioning ducts and vents, completely soaking them. I asked the tech if this was safe, he claimed that the spray was safe even when sprayed in air ducts. The supervisor stated that in NO way should he be spraying ducts that have moving air going through them, as the customer would be inhaling toxic chemicals.  Well that was just great  We’ve been breathing toxic insecticides now for 5 years! In reference to the tech stating that Terminix was intentionally ripping off their customers, the Supervisor told me that he couldn’t have an employee bad mouthing the company and telling customers to cancel their service with Terminix, in addition to telling Terminix customers to go to their rival competitors.  The Supervisor stated that he would be contacting his direct Supervisor to see how to handle this.  I thought Mr. Eibeil was being  sincere.  Well guess again.

It is now January 31, 2007; approximately 8 weeks after the tech arrived to our home the first week of December of 2006. I’ve had to call the Supervisor at least two times a week over the past 8 weeks to see what was the outcome of this situation. Each time, the Supervisor stated that he had spoken with the tech and that he would be calling me that evening to set up an appointment.  The last conversation with the Supervisor was on January 24, 2007, at which time he claimed that he had just gotten out of a meeting and that he talked to the tech and guess what he said again, you got it, the tech would be calling me that evening. He also stated that for quality  control the Supervisors were going out with the techs to make sure that the service was meeting Terminix’s high standards of service.  What a load bull that was.  Today, one week after our conversation on January 24, 2007, it was a no show, and no call.  I had to call the Allentown Pennsylvania office once again today, January 31, 2007. The office girl named Kelly conveniently told me yet again that Mr. Eibeil must have stepped out of the office for a moment.  I explained to her thoroughly what had been going on over the past 8 weeks.  She told me that she was in customer service and would take care of this. What a waste of time that was. She stated she would have him call the moment he returned.  That was five hours ago!  It is obvious that the Supervisor doesn’t have a problem with his tech’s bad mouthing the company, and that he has no intention of giving us one penny  back for services not rendered over the past 5 years.

Another issue of concern, one of a much more serious nature is that over the past 6 months I have been having some breathing problems, which I noticed more so while working out at the gym.  Since I have been actively weight  training and running at least several miles a week for years now this was starting to concern me.  I went to see a doctor and have found out that I possibly, and I say possibly, may have the beginnings of emphysema based on a breathing test.  Further tests are forthcoming. The physician suspects that the service by Terminix, which consisted of the Tech saturating our air vents with insecticides over the past 5 years, may be a major contributing  factor in regards to my poor breathing test results. I am only 45 years old. I have always been an active athlete, and I am active at the gym 5 days a week and I am a non-smoker. In February of 2007, I will be filing a civil lawsuit in the state of Pennsylvania against Terminix for breach of contract, in that the technician’s direct Supervisor openly admitted that we were not receiving the full service that we had been paying for over the past 5 years. In addition, and upon pending health test results, the civil lawsuit may include the issue of significant damage to my health do to negligence.

I am elated to have found this site. I believe that after being subjected to 8 weeks of problems with Terminix, and now possibly health concerns due to their reckless endangerment. After reading the enormous amount of appalling complaints in regards to health issues with customers, misappropriation of funds, (in our case doing ¼ of the service we were supposed to be receiving), and the breaching of their own contracts that I  read on this site, Terminix is NOT a reliable company and is NOT a company that the consumer can trust. I strongly recommend that the consumer read this site thoroughly, talk with the Better Business Bureau in their state, in addition to anyone they can find who has dealt with Terminix so they can make an educated decision as to whether they want a company like this in their home.  I hope this helps anyone who is even considering dealing with Terminix. Please, be careful in dealing with this company. Do as much research as you can. Your home, your life, may depend on it!  Thank you for reading this  lengthy post.  The author of this site is more than welcome to contact us via email for additional and personal information.

Virginia - 1/07. Terminix annual inspection of 12/23/06 revealed active termite activity and indicated on the written report that retreatment was required. I have had a termite protection policy on my home since it was built in 1970. I called my local branch in Sterling, VA to schedule the retreatment. I was given an appointment for the morning of January 4, 2007. Terminix never came and never called.  The same events were repeated on January 9, 2007 and January 12, 2007.  On each of those days I called the branch late in the business day to try to find out if I was really on the service list for that day.  Each time I was told that there was no way they could get that information.

Pontiac, Illinois - 12/06.  Was told the guarantee was only good when the branch mgr approved it.

California - 12/06.  Thank you, thank  you, thank you for your website!  I only wish I had seen it during my escrow before I bought my house. I've spent nearly the last four years dealing with Terminix in the aftermath of a horribly botched and  fraudulent inspection report. Terminix agreed to repair my house AFTER I filed complaints (three so far) with the California Structural Pest Control Board, but because of the statute of limitations and them dragging their feet to complete the work, I had to file a lawsuit to protect my  interests.  Terminix and I just had our first mediation, and they tried to intimidate me into a settlement which would not have paid for the remaining work they had previously agreed to do, and because I wouldn't settle, my attorney has now received a letter from their attorney stating they will do no more work at my property, leaving it in worse condition than before they started with numerous health and safety issues.  I'm fairly certain that without your taking a stand against Terminix, I wouldn't have gotten as far as I have with Terminix, but they pretty much couldn't have picked a worse time to decide they're "done" fixing my property.  I cannot sell it without  reducing the price substantially, leaving me with no money to buy a replacement home, but absorbing the cost to fix it myself after I've already spent a great deal of money to make it a nicer home is just pushing me to the financial edge.  Obviously, my attorney's fees are building up, and they see this as an opportunity to watch me cancel the lawsuit and file for bankruptcy since they know that works in their favor.

Minnesota - 12/06.  Letter submitted to Terminix:

I am writing to cancel my account with Terminix and to request a full refund of monies paid for my first quarter of service.  I have been less than even mildly satisfied at the service I have received from Terminix to include up to the service manger at the local service center in St Louis Park, MN. I first contacted Terminix to help deal with some centipede and spider issues in the basement. The technician who serviced the home was named Mike.  I am unsure of the last name. My wife and I noticed what seemed to be an increase in spiders after the first treatment.  She contacted Terminix  to get a repeat treatment.  We also noticed wasps building a nest in the eaves outside our front door.  As I am deathly allergic to wasps, she also requested those be dealt with.  We were contacted and told a repeat treatment was scheduled, the day, and also that it would be in the morning. My wife waited until 1:30 PM.  At that time, she called the local office to voice her concerns.  She spoke with David Jones, the service manager.  He told her that Mike was running late and was going to be at the house later on in the day. My wife asked why a phone call had not been made so that her morning had not been wasted. No good answer was given.  She then left to take care of some errands. While she was gone, the technician showed up.  No treatment was conducted on the interior of the house for spiders. The  wasps were also not taken care of.  The nest was still there with activity. She then called back and spoke with David.  She said she no longer wished for Mike to be our technician due to the unprofessionalism exhibited. David assured her he would take care of the issue. David came out and took care of the wasps. At the beginning of the second quarter though, it was Mike again who showed up to service our residence.  At this time I stepped in, feeling my wife was being given the run around for some reason or another. I went directly to the office to cancel my account. When I listed all the concerns I had, David asked what could be done so that my  business was not lost.  I told him I was not satisfied with our first quarter service and that I wanted a refund.  I also told him due to having to take time off from work to resolve the issue; I did not want to pay for the second quarter treatment. David assured me that was a reasonable request and would be accommodated.  He would put a credit towards our account, which would then be used on the third quarter. I received a statement about three days later for payment that I dismissed, figuring it had been processed around the time of my talking to David. I then received another notice about two weeks later.  I called David to confirm that I owed nothing for the second quarter and I had received a credit to take care of  the third quarter. Upon talking to him, he stated he would cut my bill in half. I reminded him of our meeting and then all of a sudden he seemed to remember our conversation and told me all had been taken care of as agreed upon.  This phone conversation happened on 9/28/06. I have yet again received a statement for services on 9/6/06 asking for payment of $101.18, making me believe that David has not done what he said he would do.  I am extremely irritated with the whole situation and tired of having to repeat myself and make phone calls trying to clear things up. This is why I am not paying for second quarter service rendered and requesting a refund of  monies paid for first quarter along with canceling my account. I am really  hoping to get a response and to not be ignored once again.