Complaints

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• 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.

   
  Complaint: 17638064
  
  I am rejecting this response because

  1) all of the five termite companies we spoke to said the damage had been there for at least 5+ years. There were not new damages like Kenco described. You can show the pictures I sent to a termite specialist -- they will tell you it took years to result in that level of damage. You can also speak to ******************************* at Hulettt at ************, ********************* at ******************************* at ************; *********************** at Terminix at ************. These are three of the five companies that came to inspect the termite damages. 

  2) while it took us almost 6 months to discover the damage, it didn't take us to long to notice the floor damage once we started to live at the house. During the 6-month period, we were working on house renovation and didn't live at the property. As you all know contractors and materials all took a long time during the covid period. 

  3) when we explained the findings to ***, the owner of Kenco, he clearly didn't want to take any responsibilities. All he said was it was impossible for his inspectors to miss and if they missed, it must NOT have been visible. This was clearly a case of professional errors. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************

  the termite damage. *** said his inspectors could not have missed these damages, therefore, the damages must not have been visible at the time. *** concluded the company took no responsibility. When I told him that I would file a complaint, he said, ABSTOUTLY FANTASTIC! We asked *** to tap on the floor damaged by termites. While all five specialists from the pest control companies said the floor was hollow, *** said this floor is no different from any other areas in the house. We tapped on the floor and it was hollow to us. We opened the floor and we saw significant wood damage.Our request from Kenco Home Inspection:An apology from the Company A full refund of our inspection cost of $3,550.88 A full reimbursement of $11,650 for the house fumigation treatment plus 5 years of the annual renewal charge of $1,748, which totals of $11,650 + 5x $1,748 = $20,390

  Business Response

  Date: 08/02/2022

  To whom it may concern.

  We were contacted 6 months after the completion of an extensive inspection of the home in question stating an issue with termites. We promptly went out to the home to view the complaint. Upon arrival it was clear that renovations had been both completed and were in process to the home. We were shown an area of the wood flooring on the second floor where the threshold had been removed and the surface of the flooring had been excavated to reveal drywood termite galleries and pellets that were below the surface. There were wings visible as well in the area from a recent swarm. Then we were shown another room where the threshold had been removed (and damaged from removal) where no evidence of termites was visible with the invasive inspection.  We reviewed our findings from 6 months ago and found none of this evidence was visible at the time of inspection. Our inspection is a NON INVASIVE inspection and we are not allowed to physically damage materials to locate evidence. We wrote over *************************************************************************************************** that report. The inspection agreement clearly states it is a non invasive inspection and does not guarantee the absence of termites and can only list the visible evidence of activity. We certainly are sorry that this was not able to be identified 6 months ago during the inspection and if this would have been identified during our ************************************************************************************************************************************************************* place for remediation.
  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/15/2022

  I have responded to this complaint.

  As I have stated previously, The inspection took place over 6 months ago. We have a 90 day policy for handling the rare issue that comes up. The inspections are in no way guarantees and are Non Invasive inspections. While we are certainly upset that there has been an issue with the home and we would like to have been able to provide that information for the client, There was no evidence that was found at the time of inspection. I understand the life cycle of termites and a colony develops over time however we can not report on items that are not visible either hidden due to access, items stored and certainly not contained within or below the flooring.
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/17/2022

   
  Complaint: 17638064
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  1) five termite specialists from different companies concluded that the damage was there for at least 5+ years. Even just googling you can read about how long it takes for dry wood termites to cause damage. 

  2) five termite specialists stepped on the floor and said this was hollow while *** from Kenco said the floor was no different from any other floors in the house.

  The evidence is clear Kenco refused to acknowledge its professional error and liability. 

  Sincerely,
  
  *****************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/17/2022

   
  Complaint: 17638064
  
  I am rejecting this response because: this business refuses to take its professional liability. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************

  Business Response

  Date: 09/08/2022

  I have responded to this already. The customer has rejected the response. I have no further need to communicate with you.

  here is my final statement on the matter:

  I am writing in response to the complaint by ***************** in regards to the home inspection preformed at ***** Rio Hermoso on 01/14/2022.
  Attached is a link to the full inspection report, the *** report and the Inspection agreement signed by the customer. ( the file is too large to attach) only the wdo, agreement and invoice are actually attached to this email.
  
     https://app.spectora.com/v/reports/addb5b99-ccc7-4824-a2c1-aacfbb72f05b?ignoreClientComplete=true [app.spectora.com]
   Please let me know if you have any trouble in viewing the link to the full report. 
  
  A full home inspection, windstorm mitigation report, Four Point inspection, and Air quality test was performed on 01/14/2022. This was a team inspection with two certified master inspectors and a certified professional inspector. 120 items were noted in the inspection report. The home was furnished at the time of inspection. The customer and agents were present for the inspection.
  
  We received a complaint in mid July about termite damage and made arrangements to visit the property on 07/15/2022. I met the agent and the customer at the property at 11 AM. There was indications that repairs and renovation had been underway in various parts of the home.  I was directed to the second floor front balcony door area where the threshold had been removed and the flooring at the entrance to the left side french door had the surface removed exposing drywood termite pellets and galleries below the surface of the flooring extending approximately 3 inches from the edge where the threshold had been removed. There were visible drywood termite wings on the exterior of the metal french door sill. I was shown the bedroom adjacent to the balcony where there were another set of metal french doors and the threshold had been removed in this area as well with no visible signs of drywood termites however there were several wings on the window sill in this room. No other visible evidence was found.
  
  I asked if there was anything else that was an issue and the customer stated yes and showed me the downstairs bathroom where the vanity had been removed for replacement and there was visible staining on the drywall behind where the vanity had been installed. I was shown an area of the rear first floor single exit door where the wood flooring had been removed exposing moisture damage below where the flooring was previously installed. finally an area that was the gym that had been fully remodeled and new tile flooring had been installed, This area previously had a soft foam floor covering the entire floor that had a notation in the inspection report of soft flooring below the covering that could not be viewed. In regards to these three areas all of which could not be viewed without an invasive inspection and with the exception of the gym floor there was no visible evidence of any issues.
  
  In regards to the visible damage in the flooring at the entrance to the second floor balcony, The flooring had been physically opened at some point after the inspection, the flooring did not show the visible damage that is pictured. There were no visible termite wings in either of the two areas noted upon re inspection 6 months after the initial inspection. We can not and do not perform invasive inspections and the inspection is limited to a visual inspection of accessible areas at the time of inspection only. Since we do not own the home and the buyer does not own the home, we can not cause damage to the property in performance of these inspections. If there was any evidence of a concern (as exhibited in the gym floor comment) we would recommend repair or further evaluation. The area in question of the wood floors at the entrance to the balcony showed no such issue at the time of inspection.
  
  Please note that the *** inspection report states in Section 2 under bold letters that the consumers should read this section carefully. as follows:
  
  THIS REPORT IS MADE ON THE ***** OF WHAT WAS VISIBLE AND READILY ACCESSIBLE AT THE **** OF INSPECTION AND DOES NOTCONSTITUTE A GUARANTEE OF THE ABSENCE OF WOOD-DESTROYING ORGANISMS (***s) OR DAMAGE OR OTHER EVIDENCE UNLESS THISREPORT SPECIFICALLY STATES HEREIN THE EXTENT OF SUCH GUARANTEE.
  This report does not cover areas such as, but not limited to, those that are enclosed or inaccessible, areas concealed by wall-coverings, floor coverings, furniture, equipment, stored articles, insulation orany portion of the structure in which inspection would necessitate removing or defacing any part of the structure.
  
  While it is unfortunate that the damage could not be discovered during the inspection process and we are sorry for the inconvenience that it has occured. we can not take responsibility for the damage that is below the surface of the flooring that was discovered 6 months after the inspection was performed.
  
  As to the request for financial compensation.
  The residential inspection cost was ******* that revealed 100 items of repair or notations.
  The windstorm mitigation and four point reports that were used for insurance purposes was 250.00
  The pool/spa inspection was 150.00
  The air quality testing was a total of 900.00
  The septic inspection was 225.00
  The termite inspection was 150.00
  
  A request for a full refund of all inspection costs is not warranted.
  
  As for the request for payment for treating the home, There was a treatment offered  for a No Tent treatment for ******* as the evidence and damage was only observed in a small area of the wood flooring adjacent to the exterior door. this would have been a safe option. As well they are asking to pay an annual warranty for 5 years after treatment.
  
  We deny any refund or payment for treatment of future warranty based on the fact that this was discovered a full 6 Months after the inspection. That the damage and evidence was not visibly present during the inspection. That the inspection report, the windstorm mitigation report, the four point report, the pool inspection and the air quality testing was performed and used by the customer with no issues.
  
  *****************
  owner