ComplaintsforAmerican Termite & Pest Control

• Initial Complaint

  07/31/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I paid $94.00 to have this company spray for spiders. My wife expressed that she did not want them to spray our stuff with chemicals. The tech completely dismissed her and sprayed our things anyway. We had the majority of our stuff pulled away from the walls, and he did NOT allow her to move our belongings before he sprayed. He sprayed our stone bath mats (we just recently purchased, they are porous and soak up any liquid they have contact with, so they soaked up whatever chemicals they used.) These items cost close to $100.00 for 2 of them. My sons cloth slippers (3 pairs of them), and 2 of his stuffed animals (He plays with and wears these items.) They sprayed all my closets including all contents, clothes, and shoes. He completely dismissed her request and sprayed it all after she specifically told him she didn't want him to spray our belongings. He sprayed while he told her once the solution dried they'd be considered safe. So he dismissed her request and rushed through my home spraying copious amounts of chemicals everywhere. I called to complain because we still have spiders inside my home, garage, and around the perimeter. They disrespected my wife, cut her off and told her it's our problem. They also told her we needed to clean the outside of our home and do what we need to do, because we wanted our money back for them not being able to get the job done and damaging our things. If the amount of chemicals they sprayed everywhere the first time didn't work, we weren't interested in the second experience for free. She wanted our money back for services not rendered. They said something about the timeframe, to which we called, something about 9 days, but either way it was within 30 days. I am frustrated and really offended with the services and treatment provided. While talking with the manager he told her to do what she needed to do, but they wouldn't refund my money. The 9 days was to see if something would change, as far as spider death. I gave the chemicals time to work.

  Business response

  08/02/2023

  On July 14th, 2023, our tech arrived at ** *********** * *********** ** at approximately Noon to do a service for spiders, beetles, and water bugs. The technician used 1/2 gal of pesticide (interior and exterior). The technician told me anything that she asked him to not service, he complied. After the service was rendered, Mrs.****** did not hesitate to sign the invoice and pay the technician. If she was so unhappy with how he did the service, why did she sign the paperwork and pay our technician cash? The ******* did reach out to us 9 days later wanting a refund due to still having spiders. We offer a 30-day warranty. I offered to go out there myself or send a different technician FREE OF CHARGE to handle the spider situation. They refused and just want their money back. We feel as if they want a free service. Every time we talk to them, they add that he "damaged" more items. Closets were never even mentioned to us until this complaint. Mrs.****** did say there was spider webs on the exterior of her home and in her yard. We do not service yards, so I bet there is spider webs in her lawn. I told Mrs.****** if there are spider webs on the exterior of the home, she needs to clean them up. Some companies offer to knock down the outside spider webs for additional fees. We do not offer that service as we try to keep the cost down for our customers. I was not trying to be disrespectful. I was actually having a calm conversation with Mr.****** before Mrs.****** got on the phone. Mrs.****** could be heard in the background saying, "They don't know who they are messing with". Mrs.****** then proceeds to get on the phone and threaten us with this BBB Complaint. She said usually Mr.****** speaks first to "protect whoever is on the other end of the phone from her".  Mrs.****** was very aggressive in our phone conversation. We couldn't come to an agreement on how to rectify the situation. We are not refunding the money as went out there and did the service we said we were going to do. Furthermore, Mr. and Mrs.****** scheduled appointments with us twice in April of 2023 and cancelled both times within 24 hours of the appointment. We didn't even charge them the service fee for cancelling within 24 hours of the appointments. 
  
  
  

  Customer response

  08/04/2023

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Although we were unhappy because the tech was rude and haphazardly spray chemicals in a rush to be done and responded basically with “it will be ok”, we of course still signed and payed in “good faith” that maybe it was an effective treatment. However, it has not yielded any results. My wife responded after the man she talked to on the phone insulted her by saying we should clean the outside of our home and dismissed everything she said. It is the company’s responsibility to explain these terms to us beforehand and never mentioned was that we should refuse to pay if unhappy with the service or that our request for a refund had to be made within 24 hours. This expectation of them is ridiculous. We wanted mosquito deterrence for around our house and spider prevention in and out. They didn’t tell me until the technician arrived that they don’t have mosquito service. A week after complaining and requesting a refund we now have an ant problem suspiciously starting up. So what did they really treat our house with?! Our house is clean!! If we still have no decrease in insect activity and the treatment wasn’t effective their 30-day guarantee should still apply to us regardless of their bogus assumptions about us might be! We are not just looking for free pest control, but we expect our money to buy us what we paid for! I shouldn’t have to pay for nothing. I am more than capable of also spraying a bunch of stuff around my house that doesn’t work on my own!
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ******

  Business response

  08/08/2023

  We offer a 30 day warranty. If you still have insects within the first 30 days after our service, we will come back out at no additional charge and take care of whatever the issue may be. We offered to go back to your residence free of charge and do the service over again. I offered to come out there personally or send a different technician than the first time. You discussed it with your wife and declined that service. We no longer feel comfortable sending a technician or myself out to your property. With all these accusations, we feel it would be better to not show up to your residence again. Here again, another response, more "Problems". If you asked our office about mosquitos when you scheduled your appointment, I'm sure they told you we don't do mosquito service. Mosquito service has never been offered from American Termite and Pest Control. Your ant problem that has "suspiciously" popped up is because of all the rain we have had lately. You never mentioned ants to us when you scheduled the appointment or while we were there. I'm sorry you are unhappy with our service. We offered to make it right within our 30 day warranty period. You refused. Nothing else we can do for you. 
  
  
  

  Customer response

  08/10/2023

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  I said nothing about beetles or water bugs either, yet refer to your earlier response. I asked clearly for mosquito and spider elimination for the residence the operator said okay and scheduled a date. You then had us under the impression that you’re also treating the home against “other common household pests” normally one would assume this to include ants since they’re one of the most common everywhere. You don’t feel comfortable coming back to our home only because we don’t want you back at our home, we want a refund because your customer service skills are at a significant deficit compared to the majority of other companies/businesses. We do not trust you enough to have you back. And yes, be cancelled 2 previous appointments, people have conflicts that arise, however that’s personal and none of your business!
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ******

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