How to File a Complaint Against a Pest Control Company

When termites come back under a contract, or a home-sale report misses damage, homeowners usually start by arguing with the company. The state agency that licenses termite companies is the better lever, but only if you don't destroy your own evidence first.

By John Updated 5 min read
Sketch of a folder of papers with a termite contract, a diagram and photos clipped together, and an envelope ready to mail

The short version

Start with the company, in writing, and keep every document. If that fails, file with the state agency that licensed the company, usually the department of agriculture or a pest control board. Many investigate, send an inspector, and can order corrections or penalties. Don't repair the damage or let anyone re-treat before the state inspects. Fraud claims can also go to your attorney general.

On this page
  1. What a state complaint can and can't do
  2. Build your case before you file
  3. Where to complain in states we've covered
  4. Three common complaints, and what helps
  5. When a termite job goes wrong
  6. Questions

What a state complaint can and can't do

State pest control agencies regulate licensees. They can investigate whether a company followed the law, the pesticide label and the state's minimum standards; order a company to correct work; and fine, suspend or revoke a license. Clemson's Department of Pesticide Regulation, which licenses South Carolina companies, describes outcomes ranging from a written warning to a monetary penalty or license revocation.

What they usually can't do is act as your lawyer. A state agency generally won't award you money for repairs. But a finding that a treatment didn't meet the standards, or that a report was done wrong, is powerful leverage with the company, its insurer and, if it comes to it, a court. In Georgia, for example, a company found to have deviated from the treatment standards must correct the treatment and return a signed corrective action report within 30 days.

Build your case before you file

  1. Gather the paperwork

    The contract and every renewal, the treatment diagram, the original inspection report, annual inspection reports, invoices, and any home-sale report. In Louisiana, a company must give you a copy of a current contract within 30 days of a written request.

  2. Photograph everything, then leave it alone

    Take photos of live termites, tubes and damage with dates. Don't repair, remove or treat until the state has inspected; the evidence is the damage.

  3. Write to the company

    Describe what you found, what the contract says, and what you're asking for: retreatment, repair or a refund. Give a deadline. Keep a copy.

  4. Note the deadlines

    Some protections are short. Several state home-sale reports carry a 90-day free-treatment guarantee, and California's reinspection price cap runs four months from the original inspection.

  5. File with the state agency

    Use the agency's complaint form, include copies, and ask whether an inspector will visit.

  6. Consider your other routes

    Unfair or deceptive practices can go to your state attorney general's consumer protection office. Disputes over money may end up in small claims court or arbitration, depending on your contract.

Where to complain in states we've covered

Each state handles termite complaints a little differently. From each agency's own pages; the state guides have more.

State termite complaint contacts and what they do
State Agency How it works
Texas Structural Pest Control Service, Department of Agriculture 866-918-4481 or SPCS@TexasAgriculture.gov; asks you not to repair or re-treat before its inspector investigates; typical response about three weeks
California Structural Pest Control Board Complaint form online; the board can assign a state inspector to review reports and the property
Georgia Department of Agriculture, Structural Pest Control 404-656-3641; inspectors can require corrections within 30 days, and serious cases can bring penalties up to $10,000 per violation
South Carolina Clemson Department of Pesticide Regulation 864-646-2150; investigates, and outcomes range from warnings to fines or revocation
Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry File with your local LDAF district office
Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries Consumer complaint form; main office 334-240-7100

For deceptive sales practices in Georgia, the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division takes complaints at 404-651-8600 or 800-869-1123 in Georgia.

Three common complaints, and what helps

"The treatment didn't work." Ask for the treatment diagram and the product used, and compare them with the state's minimum standards and the pesticide label. States with detailed standards, like Louisiana, Georgia and South Carolina, specify things like trench depth, drilling intervals and what must be treated. Georgia's rules also say the state can require a complete retreatment if three or more separate active areas show up within five years.

"The home-sale report missed damage." Read the report's inaccessible-areas section first. A report usually covers visible, accessible areas, and companies often point to that limit. The complaint is strongest when the damage was in a place the report says was inspected, or when signs were visible on the inspection date. See WDI inspection.

"The company won't honor the warranty." Check whether your contract is retreatment-only or includes repair, what it excludes, and whether renewals were paid on time. Alabama rules require the answer in a boxed statement on the contract's first page. See termite warranty: repair vs retreatment.

When a termite job goes wrong

Do

  • Put every request to the company in writing
  • Photograph damage and live termites with dates
  • Ask the state agency whether an inspector will visit
  • Check the license status while you're at it

Don't

  • Repair or re-treat before the state inspects
  • Throw away old contracts or receipts
  • Let a deadline in a 90-day report guarantee slip by
  • Sign a release in exchange for a small refund without reading it

Questions people ask

How do I file a complaint against a termite company?

Write to the company first and keep copies. If that fails, file with the state agency that licensed it, usually the department of agriculture or a structural pest control board, and include your contract, diagrams, reports and photos.

Can the state make a termite company pay for damage?

Usually not directly. State agencies can investigate, order corrections, and fine or discipline the company, but recovering money for repairs typically goes through the contract, the company's insurer, arbitration or court. A state finding can help with all of those.

Should I fix termite damage before filing a complaint?

No. Photograph it and leave it in place until the state has inspected. Texas's agency specifically asks homeowners not to repair damage or re-treat before its inspector investigates.

Can I complain about a termite inspection for a home sale?

Yes. The company that issued the report is licensed by the state, and the agency can review whether the inspection met the rules. Start by checking which areas the report listed as inaccessible.

Termites in your state

Sources