A Better Pest Control

Review: Before moving into my new home I requested pest service from a-better pest control. I showed the spot of black widows that must be killed and webs removed etc. 2 days later on day of move in I noticed all black widows still intact and alive as well as webs. I tried calling twice my partner and I. No answer and no call back. I than had to cancel the check of payment and make a payment towards another pest service. I went through Upstate Pest Management. The guy even stated that he has no idea what the other pest service guy did but he didnt spray anything to kill anything. All bugs were still alive. After only one day all spiders were dead and webs cleaned up. about a week later when a-better pest didnt receive their payment from us due to not providing proper service calls and starts to harass my family and I. Coming onto my property at my home banging on the door and lingering around my house in their truck. Not only scaring my son and partner but upsetting me. I than called them and they threatened me with my job and will call my boss as well as send me to collections. I advised him to please send me to collections and stop harassing me. They stilll have not sent me to collections and now have called my boss and my corporate office complaining and told them that he will have to bad mouth me to the chamber if I dont pay. I also dont know if you need to be licensed to be a pest service business but I was not provided with one for this business. nor have a done anything wrong. I have another pest person who will state that the service was not done properly by a better pest. as well as my numerous attempts to contact and complain about service before I had to find someone else. I was not going to move into my home with my son with live black widows nor pay for a service that did not provide the service I paid for.

Product_Or_Service: pest service

Desired Settlement: DesiredSettlementID: Other (requires explanation)

For this business to just please stop harassing me and making threats.

Business

Response:

Business' Initial Response

We appreciate the opportunity to resolve this issue.

Our serviceman met with [redacted] on 4/29/13, and he signed the Service Agreement and gave us a check for $150. The work was scheduled and completed the following day. The serviceman did a complete general pest control service inside and out including garage for scorpions, black widow spiders (80% limited control), and house ants. He broomed down webs, treated the eaves using a hand sprayer, and did a power-spray in the yard. Mr. [redacted] states that he and his partner called numerous times to complain about our service and never received a call back. The truth is that we never received any calls from them the week following our service and were never given an opportunity to rectify their complaint. Usually someone is in the office, but if not there is an answering machine that is on 24/7 that gives the customer the opportunity to leave a message. We keep a phone message log, and there is no record of them ever calling.

Being a locally owned and operated company since 1986 serving our local area, we are able to handle complaint calls promptly. If we had known they were unhappy with our service, we would have been more than willing to come back. We are in the service business, and keeping our customers happy is a high priority. Both our Service Agreement and Disclosure Notice have our company registration number printed on them, and they both clearly state PLEASE ALLOW 14-21 DAYS FOR RESULTS. We offer a 30-day guarantee and are even willing to work with the customer if a problem continues after that period of time. In all our years of business we have never received a complaint like this, and this is the first time a customer has put a "stop payment" on their check.

When contact was made with Mr. [redacted] on 5/8/13 regarding their returned check, he said he was on his way to work and will have his wife call. She never called or returned our subsequent calls. On 5/16/13 the serviceman and I went by their house to establish contact and to discuss their complaint. Even though there was someone at the house, they did not come to the door. I then called using my cell phone and left a message that we needed to receive payment or this would need to be turned into collections. This prompted a phone call from Mr. [redacted], and he stated he would send in a check "next" Friday but would give our company a bad report. Since no check was received another attempt to reach them in person was made the end of June - again they refused to come to the door. It does become frustrating when a delinquent customer promises to pay and then does not follow through and avoids our personal contact and does not return our phone calls. Plus, we need a viable mailing address for them.

Consumer's Final Response

(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)

I have continuously tried solving this matter weeks ago. I feel that it was not really necessary to respond with a smart remark and snippy attitude. I have taken time aside to solve this matter and it took me going to Revdex.com and the Pest Board to even get your attention to work this matter out. I will be checking my mail every day to await the arrival of the documents you have sent. I will also be sending my phone log of trying to contact you after the matter. All I want was for your business to stop harassing me and threatening my job. My work can testify that you did not call them to get a proper mailing address and that you were just trying to bad mouth and complain. PAYMENT will not be made for a SERVICE not provided nor properly done. This CASE is dropped to me after acceptance on your behalf. If you choose not to accept it and want to extend this situation further. I am more than willing to take it to the board and to court for I as well have phone logs and records and video of truck lingering around my house as well as photos of truck pulling through my house and around back my house as well as parking behind my house in front of my neighbors house sitting there waiting. I have proof of service being done properly by another pest service. so it all depends on you guys to close this case or not because I will not have my credit be spiked because of this nor will I pay a penny for something that wasnt done. I do truly apologies for all the complications this matter has caused us and I have already tried solving this matter on numerous attempts. Thank you

Business' Final Response

I'm sorry that Mr. [redacted] can't take 5 minutes out of his busy schedule to sit down and resolve this matter. We are sending to his mailing address proof that we did indeed attempt to contact him through the mail three times. We are also sending our phone log records for the disputed week following service. A copy of this information is also being sent to Revdex.com. I would appreciate receiving a copy of [redacted]'s call log showing that he contacted us the disputed week following our service on 4/30/13 (stop payment on check occurred on 5/6/13).