Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Pestend Pest Control Ottawa's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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Pestend Pest Control Ottawa has 2 locations, listed below.

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  Pestend Pest Control Ottawa

  116 Albert Street, Suite 300 Ottawa, ON K1P 5G3

  
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  Pestend Pest Control Ottawa

  329A Millway Avenue Concord, ON L4K 4T3

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:04/11/2024

  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.

  We chose to use this company for an ant infestation based on its great reviews and 3 month warranty. Unfortunately it appears to be a scam. Tech shows up describes the work and takes payment. You need to leave for 4 hours, so we couldn't confirm what he actually did. In his report he states that there are structural issues, meaning he does want to crawl under the deck to spray, and so the warranty is void. Three weeks later the ants are still rampant in the house. We contacted the company and they said they can spray again for 180$. We disputed the fee and called Orkin. More detail in the attached letter to our credit card company. Unfortunately Pestend disputed the amount and won because the warranty wasn't in writing.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/11/2024

  Thank you for providing your feedback. Our technician performed a comprehensive inspection and treatment for your ant infestation, targeting key areas inside your home, including cracks, crevices, and the exterior perimeter. Before starting, the technician explained all treatment details, including the structural issues presentsuch as tree branches contacting the roofthat would affect the warranty coverage. This was discussed and agreed upon prior to the service.

  Additionally, we extended an offer for a complimentary service to further address the infestation when the technician initially called, which was declined. Following that, a service manager tried contacting you on two separate occasionsSeptember 26th and October 10thwe proactively reached out by phone and email to address any concerns, but we received no answer or response. This lack of communication indicated limited interest in resolving the matter or exploring potential refund options (See emails attached). 

  This lack of follow-up suggests that the primary aim may have been to complete the service while pursuing a refund, possibly considering service from another company as well.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/11/2024

  Complaint: 22510462
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  The business, Pestend,clearly did not perform or poorly performed the work they were hired to do. 
  

  The extermination of an ant infestation is a relatively simple one for businesses that actually intend to perform this work effectively. We know this because ***** has performed this service for us in the past,successfully and without providing excuses that would free them from any warranty service or highlight the need for additional visits and costs.
  

  The work to be performed, and agreed to, was to rid our home of the ant infestation. This was not completed by the Pestend company as ants were still rampant in our home well after the period stated by the technician. After several exchanges with the company, both by phone and email, the only resolution that was offered was to revisit our property at additional cost. At this point we quickly understood their scheme, hired Orkin to compete the work,and disputed the billing amount with our credit card company.

  Only after we disputed the billing amount did we start to receive emails and phone calls looking to resolve the issue, with a complementary service. Unfortunately at this point the service had already been performed, again successfully, by Orkin. We also were not interest in having anyone from this organization back in our home, without supervision. 

  This organizations scheme appears to be to advertise a low cost option with short warranty period, which is appealing to clients making them think that there is a lower cost option compared to other organizations. The technician then does no work, or enough work to say that work was performed but essentially remains ineffective. Then the technician prepares a report highlighting that due to structural issues, or other excuses, the work could not be performed effectively allowing them to void their warranty, which is only provided verbally. When the clients needs arent met it opens the door for Pestend to charge additional fees to return to the property to complete the work. 

  This scheme is well thought out since the warranty, being only verbal, provides both bait for the client in hiring this company to begin with and the reason for them winning disputes with a clients credit card company. Our credit card company indicated that since the warranty, or the promise of warranty, was not provided in writing the judgement was in favour of Pestend. **************** did recognize this as a common scheme. The scheme also depends on a clients interest in fighting the poor service they received. In many cases clients just don't have time or the time or capacity to go through the process of BBB, disputing amounts, leaving reviews etc.

  In closing, there is no way to know what work, if any,  was actually performed by Pestend since clients MUST leave the property for a period of 4-5 hours during the treatment. It is however clear that the work they were hired and paid to do was not completed given that after hiring another organization the issue was in fact resolved. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ******

  

  Business Response

  Date: 14/11/2024

  While we appreciate your response, we must clarify that your initial communication was with our customer service representatives. Following this, our management team made multiple attempts to reach out and offer assistance. We contacted you on September 26th, well before your credit card dispute was initiated on October 10th, and once more on the dispute date. Unfortunately, our calls and emails went unanswered, which suggests a lack of engagement with our efforts to provide a satisfactory resolution. Contrary to your assertion, our offer for a complimentary service was extended prior to the initiation of your dispute with the credit card company, demonstrating our commitment to resolving your issue and ensuring a positive outcome, rather than reacting to external pressures.

  It is also important to highlight that effective pest control treatment often relies on adherence to specific recommendations provided by our technicians. Failure to follow these recommendations can lead to re-occurrences of the problem. In your initial email, there was no photographic or documented evidence submitted to substantiate claims of continued ant activity. Furthermore, by not allowing us to return to your property, we were unable to properly assess whether our recommendations were followed or determine the cause of any ongoing issues. Without the opportunity to inspect the property, our ability to address your concerns was significantly limited.

  We also note that you mentioned having previously used Orkin with great satisfaction, which raises the question of why our services were selected this time. We are confident in the quality of our work, as evidenced by over 20 years in business and serving tens of thousands of clients across *******. Our consistent high ratings and positive client feedback reflect our dedication to service excellence. The claim that we operate under a scheme is inconsistent with our longstanding history of ethical practices and transparency.

  Finally, we recognize that you have a pattern of leaving negative reviews; however, we approach every interaction with a commitment to learn and improve. While no business can claim perfection, we would not have maintained our position as one of Ontarios top-rated pest control companies without upholding our integrity and delivering trusted service.