Not honouring service warranty on pest control

[ho_k]

Back in february, my tenant has cockroaches complaints so I call around and decided to get Checkers Pest Control to do the job as they advised on phone that their service covers cockroaches and they will provide 6 months warranty and the price is competitive. I got the agent to reconfirm things on phone with them again and the agent put the order through by fax. The order has "6 month warranty" written on it to confirm what was promised on the phone.

A few weeks later, the tenant advised there is still cockroach problems and want something done. The agent and I tried to call them to re-do the job or refund but they refused to honour the warranty or refund.

Checker's excuse was before the job, they have advised the tenant that their treatment may not kill all the cockroaches and because the tenant still agree so therefore not their responsibility.

We told them the tenant has no authority to agree or disagree as the agent is their client who fax the order and pay for the order. Any problem should be reported to the client and not to the tenant who just happens to live there. Had we know the problems prior to work done, we would of got someone else to do it.

This has drag on for too long and I need some advice on what to do next. My immediate reaction would be fair trading but I could be wrong. Hope you guys can give me some advice on this.

Thanks in advance.

[ho_k]

OK, there's an argument over this "guarantee". Fair trading contacted them and they claim that the 6 month warranty provided with pest control services on 4 February 2008, guarantees the control of pests and not complete eradication. Why would I use pest control if they can't guarantee at least 6 months pest free?!

Anyone been through Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal path and could give some advice?

[lea77y]

I had Amalgamated pest control come and spray my place for cockroaches. They gave a 12 month guarantee but they also could not eradicate them. I had them back 4 times within 4 months of the initial spray and still they could not get the job done. In the end I gave up on them and went with another local independent guy and he had them gone first go. He gets my work from now on. Dont believe them that they cant eradicate them because they can if they do a proper job of it.

[ho_k]

Just to update that a re-spray was organised after threats of legal action was put onto them. I wouldn't recommend Checkers Pest Control to anyone for all the time and effort spent to force them to comply to their own service guarantee.