Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/02/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  July 18th I received the contract for my July 21st tenting. I was unable to open the contract sent and gave verbal approval. My return home from vacation on July 24th found my house ransacked - empty food containers strewn all over my kitchen and pantry area, my spare keys with a key off the ring sitting on my counter, the flap to my crisper refrigerator drawer broken, the screws missing from my patio screen enclosure and a myriad of other small items out of place. All of my food in both of my refrigerators was emptied out along with the food in my cabinets. At no time did the vendor advise me the food would have to be removed as the last time the home was tented was when it was gutted and refurbished. They chased me via a social media to get my money. The owner showed up at my house, after hearing I was displeased about the hundreds of dollas that was tossed and blamed the exterminator and my nephew, who was the caretaker while I was away. I explained to him that it was HIS responsbility to inform me of the preparations to my home. He gave my nephew no warning until he showed up to give the key, nor did his wife say anything to me while chasing me for my money. On top of that, his wife admitted she was "too busy" to send me the contract prior to my leaving for vacation. The mistake I made was letting these people into my home. They treated it very poorly. He even attempted to pick a lock to an outer door that had he called my nephew, would have been told it is the same key. I refused to sign the contract as it is written as the job was completed. I requested an amendment and they have refused. Their contract states there is 3 days to cancel prior to tenting, they did not even provide me that opportunity. I'd say this is malicious intent since they left my home with damages. Unfortunately I do not have pictures of the mess as my family and I were in such shock at the condition of our home that all we did was robotically begin putting it back together again.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/03/2022

  First and foremost, ************************************* contracted Covid on her Cruise, from the moment she got back she has been upset. As previously explained directly to ************************; her Home was tented under the supervision of a state inspector by the Department of Agriculture/ Zythor. ************************ left her homes responsibility at the discretion of her family member. Her family member was offered a choice on her behalf and declined packing her food and selectively took what he wanted and all her medication. Leaving all food for the inspector/ certified operator and family member to throw away. He informed us that he had told her. It is illegal to leave food/ medicine out during a fumigation for termite tenting as this poisons the food/ medicine. ************************ has prior experience tenting. Special locks are placed at every entry door, as the law requires for termite tenting. These locks are placed since the gas is fatal to humans/ animals. The law requires all tenting companies to add secondary locks to eliminate the possibility of a forced entry even from the home owner. ************************, was never chased for her money. She willingly sent her payment method, and her consent. ************************ received a Refund of $125 for the inconvenience and a 50lb bag of dog food that she requested for her dogs, and we delivered to her door.  Nothing has satisfied our client. We sympathize for the inconvenience this has caused her.

  Our greatest apologies.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/03/2022

   
  Complaint: 17641685
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  My being sick with COVID is irrelevant as I was not hospitalized nor was I on any medication.  I did not mention the monies and dog food replacement as those you were in agreement. For the record, I was told $1850 and the bag of food was from a generous donor because I work with animal rescue and feed strays dogs out in the pockets of Dade County where they are dumped. 

  Upon arriving to the house, my nephew was THEN told about the food.  He was basically blindsided as he knows I would have NEVER left all of that food. My cabinets were packed as were both of my freezers and my refrigerators had only standard items.  As I explained to ******, they had ample time to get the information for the food disposal.  Asking the kid to do it upon arrival when he would need at least a couple of hours to move the food out of the house is not acceptable.  He did not have that kind of time.  Had I been told, the food would have all been removed.  My exterminator offered to bag the food and was told by ***** "they would take care of it".  Not only am I a single mom of 4 children who works 2 jobs and cannot afford to lose all of that food but my special needs son buys his snacks and things that he likes and those items were tossed as well.  HOW do I explain to him that these people maliciously threw everything out and that his cousin could only carry literally what would fit in his car? 

  I have the documentation that the last time this house was tented was in January 2010, I was not living here, I was living in ***********.  The house had been gutted and refurbished so it was completely empty of everything - no furniture, no appliances, NOTHING was here.  ****** stated many times that "he assumed" I knew.  HOW do you assume ANYONE knows?  YOU are the vendor.  It is YOUR responsibility to make sure communication is open.  To tell my nephew when you are here to tent the house, knowing time is of the essense, that the food has to be removed is unacceptable and unprofessional.

  Communication is the key.  There wasn't any time that this company communicated with me the cost of tenting (higher than what I was quoted) or any of the preparations needed for the tenting to be completed. The only communication from them was at the last minute.  

  Sincerely,
  

  
  *******************************

  Business Response

  Date: 08/04/2022

  We indeed had an agreement to settle the complaint by providing a $125 refund and a 50lb bag of dog food. Still after this agreement,you continue to issue complaints and threaten to give us bad reviews all over social media if we do not comply to your demands.
  You informed your pest control technician that you would have internet access until 2pm on Monday 07/18/2022. The contract was sent at 9am & again at 12pm on Monday 07/18/2022. It was assumed because it is indeed your responsibility to read the contract before leaving on your vacation. Once you gave consent, you accepted all terms of this contract. You had the opportunity to review this short contract and you still chose not to.
  Acceptance was at your own volition and by doing so you accept liability. All INSTRUCTIONS and COMMUNICATION for terms of service are in the contract and if you chose not to read it and still consent, it remains a valid agreement.As with any other vendor, it is the consumers responsibility to review any agreement prior to accepting the terms. We have emails and texts of your consent along with a signed contract.

  
  If as you claim, your exterminator offered to bag the food (which he did not), then how can you say you didnt know about the food requirements?As I previously informed, you left your nephew (who is an adult, not a kid) as the responsible party on your behalf since you were not present. Upon arrival, all the food and medicine was still present in the home and not removed from the property. Your nephew was given the options to remove the food, dispose of the food or bag it up. He selectively chose specific food and medicine to keep and gave CONSENT to dispose of the rest. He himself cleaned out the food and medicine from the kitchen and took all garbage to green trash bins out to the street. By him giving consent, he assumes responsibility. Once again, it is YOUR responsibility to leave a responsible party during the service. ****** asked him several times if disposing of the food was his final choice and his exact words were Yes, I told her. If your nephew would have chosen to remove the food, or just bag the food (which we offered to assist with) then this would not even be an issue right now. If you felt that your nephew was not suffice enough to be considered the responsible party, then you should have chosen a more reliable person. However, leaving POISONED food and medicine in your home is NOT an option.

  
  A state inspector was present throughout the entire service and had we followed a wrong process the state inspector would have intervened,and the entire job would have been immediately cancelled.
  We have done nothing wrong and have provided the safest,legal options for service. We will not accept this defamation, will not accept any of these complaints, and will not provide anymore agreements or refunds. Any further retaliation will be dealt with through litigation. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/05/2022

   
  Complaint: 17641685
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  
  Complaint: 17641685
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  You had 3 days prior to my leaving for vacation to get me the contract, ***** clearly stated she was 'TOO BUSY' with her other customers to get the contract to me.  I was already on vacation when you sent the contract 3 days prior to tenting. Since your contract clearly states there are 3 days to cancel, you gave me no opportunity to cancel.  The exterminator told me AFTER I returned home and found my house ransacked - a broken piece in my refrigerator, the screws missing to my patio enclosure door, containers strewn all over the home - that he had offered to bag the food.  Again you stand with ASSUMING what I knew.  I state AGAIN I was unaware of the food items having to be removed.  ****** stood on my stoop claiming that he ASSUMED I knew what to do and how wrong he was. Unfortunately by then the damage was done.  I see that you take no responsibility for not getting the contract out in a timely manner. It shows callousness.  THAT is the issue that you don't want to acknowledge. Sending the contract THREE DAYS PRIOR TO TENTING is an unacceptable practice.  Your communication skills are lacking.  My mistake was not canceling the appt, since no monies had changed hands.  However, since you claim the contract is valid.  That also means the warranty is valid.  Thank you!
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************