It is difficult, if not impossible, to obtain information from the states and to figure out which state agency to contact for information.  Quite a few of the states don’t know which agency to refer consumers to within their own state.  One state, Indiana, does not regulate pest inspection companies but leaves it up to the courts and the federal government.  Which courts?  Which federal agencies?  In one of North Carolina’s press releases, it states, “The company cannot be charged under NC law, but officials may charge registered employees.”  Does that mean if I do business with a company in North Carolina and am defrauded and/or suffer damages, the business cannot be charged -- only the employees?  Is this North Carolina’s law?  Another state, Georgia, will not provide any information unless you travel to their state or know someone within the state who can get the information for you.  Is this the intent of the Freedom of Information Act, or is it a loophole used by our public agencies to keep information from the public and protect the industry?

“The industries own guardians, the  structural pest control regulatory officials...”

Lisa Josof, “The Coming Storm,” PCTonline (1/98)     

I have received complaints from across the country, including, but not limited to, pesticide spilled on the floor in a child’s play room that wasn’t cleaned up until the homeowner said something; services billed that were not performed until the homeowner complained.  If the homeowner did not see the spillage or know the services were not performed, these problems would never be known.  How often do spills and unperformed, billed work go undetected?

As researched by Michael LeBoeuf, Ph.D., author of How to Win Customers and Keep Them for Life, a typical business hears from only 4 percent of its dissatisfied customers.  The other 96 percent just quietly go away.  Obviously, only a very small percentage of the 4% of dissatisfied customers will file a complaint.

Of the complaints that make it as far as actually being filed with a governmental agency, the numbers are further diluted by being filed with various agencies.  Of the complaints left, of course they would be considered isolated incidents; and most of any of those remaining complaints would be dismissed.  Not because the complaints don’t have merit, but either because no further action would be deemed necessary or there would be no way to prove an allegation.  For most of any of those remaining complaints, a “letter of warning” would be issued and merely filed away somewhere.  In extremely rare incidents when a violation is determined, and if the governmental agency imposes a fine, the fines are not awarded to the complainant but to the government.

How many complaints against Terminix have been filed by Terminix customers with their state’s regulatory agency?  How do each of the states rate in providing information to the public and in their own accessibility to knowledge to oversee the pest control companies?  Are the state watchdog agencies even looking?

With the exception of Alaska, which has no Terminix branches, each state’s response (or lack thereof) is accessible by clicking on the name of the state below.

1. Connecticut - Stripping Terminix of Licenses...
2. Florida - Attorney General vs. Terminix International.
3. Kentucky - Attorney General vs. Terminix.
4. New York - The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation ("Department") Region 4 Staff ("Staff") commenced the instant civil administrative enforcement proceeding against The Terminix International Company, L.P. ("Respondent").
5. Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Conservation announces $225,000 penalty against Terminix for severe fish kill.