Complaintsfor1st Response Pest Management

• Initial Complaint

  04/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Description: Constituent hired a pest control company, 1st Response Pest Management, to spray for bugs at her house on Oct 14, 2021 at a cost of $1400. Constituent questioned the employee when he showed up to do the treatment if they were licensed and bonded and the employee advised they were. Constituent stated she followed all instructions for removing items before the heat treatment. Constituent stated after the treatment, she noticed the wallpaper on her upstairs wall was peeling.

  She contacted the company and spoke with **** about the problem and was told the owner, *** was on vacation and would be back in January. Constituent stated *** advised he had someone who could fix the problem. Constituent stated the company sent **** to come to her house and fix the wallpaper. Constituent stated she looked at the wallpaper after **** repaired it, and was surprised to find pieces of the wallpaper missing, numerous bubbles in wallpaper and areas where the wall paper had not been repaired. Constituent called First Response back to let them know the repairman did not fix the problem with the wallpaper. Constituent stated *** came out to see the repair. Constituent stated the company is not going to fully repair the problem. No atty

  

  Business response

  05/02/2022

  
  Thank you for providing your feedback and letting us know about this issue. We apologize that our service did not satisfy your expectations. Ultimately, our goal is to provide all of our customers with a truly positive experience and total 100% customer satisfaction.
  
  As our records reflect, we performed a bed bug heat treatment at the customer’s home, which successfully eliminated the bed bug infestation. However, after the heat treatment was completed, the customer notified us that a small section of painted-over wallpaper began to peel back away from the wall, which can happen as a result of the high temperatures used during the bed bug heat treatment.
  
  At this point, 1st Response did not hesitate to pay for a home improvement professional to repair the small section of peeling wallpaper. Additionally, at our own expense, 1st Response also had some damaged drywall repaired for the customer that was previously damaged from before the heat treatment (just to go above-and-beyond and make the situation right). We performed these corrective actions gladly because we hold ourselves to the highest standards and we are always willing to go above-and-beyond to meet the expectations of our customers even though the Service Agreement clearly states that “1st Response is in no way… responsible for the repair or replacement of any contents or of the covered structure(s).”
  
  Unfortunately, in this case, the customer was still unhappy with the repairs and asked us to re-do the entire room (because a hairline seam in the wallpaper is still showing through the paint). However, here’s the problem: whenever you paint over wallpaper, the project is already faulty and not being properly done in a manner that will last over time. In this case, the previous homeowner painted over the wallpaper instead of first removing the wallpaper, then painting.
  
  While it is our strongest desire to satisfy all of our customers, due to the inherent and predictable flaws in the craftsmanship of painting over wallpaper, unfortunately, in this case, we cannot pay to have the whole room re-done precisely because it was not done properly in the first place. Thus, we politely declined to pay for further repairs, offered the customer a full refund on the original cost of her bed bug heat treatment, and referred her back to our signed Service Agreement.
  
  1st Response always strives for excellent customer service. However, if we are to remain a viable and competitive company, there are some reasonable limitations on what we can do. Despite trying our best to make this situation right, we are very proud of the lengths we went to in attempting to resolve this matter fairly and justly, and, above all, we are very happy to have eliminated the bed bug nuisance. 

  Customer response

  07/20/2022

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I accept the business's response to resolve this complaint.
  Regards,
  
  ***** ********

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