Hello oncidia,
Thank you for your question.
I think you will find the following very interesting:
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/365/metro/BostonP.shtml
"Firm must pay in consumer case
By Globe Staff and Wires, 12/31/2002
Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly announced yesterday
that pest control company Terminix must pay $100,000 and change its
business practices to settle allegations that customers were charged
unnecessarily. Terminix will pay $70,000 to the Local Consumer Aid
Fund and $30,000 to cover the costs of the state investigation. The
settlement applies to five Terminix offices across Massachusetts. The
investigation began in 2000, sparked by complaints filed with the
state pesticide bureau. The investigation found that Terminix had been
spraying home exteriors and asking customers to purchase monthly
service contracts for carpenter ant extermination, even though
year-round pesticide control may not be necessary. Terminix denied
violating any law, but said it settled the charges ''in the spirit of
cooperation.''
WBZ4 in Massachuesetts also shows:
http://wbz4.com/massachusetts/MA--ExterminatorFined-gn/resources_news_html
"Pest control company to pay settlement fine
Monday December 30, 2002
BOSTON (AP) A pest control company has agreed to pay a $100,000 fine
and change its business practices to settle allegations that it
charged customers for unnecessary services, the attorney general said
Monday.
Between 1998 and 2001, Terminix workers allegedly sprayed home
exteriors during winter and encouraged consumers to purchase monthly
service contracts for carpenter ant extermination, even though the
insects are largely dormant in cold weather, Attorney General Thomas
Reilly said..."
You can read the complete article at the link above.
http://www.ago.state.ma.us/txt/terminix.htm
The office of the Massachuesetts Attorney General
"TERMINIX AGREES TO PAY $100,000, CHANGE PRACTICES IN STATE UNDER
SETTLEMENT REACHED BY AG REILLY
BOSTON -- The pest-control company Terminix must pay $100,000 and
change its business practices to settle allegations that it charged
consumers for unnecessary services, AG Tom Reilly announced today.
The settlement, filed today in Suffolk Superior Court, stems from an
investigation of Terminix conducted by AG Reilly's Consumer Protection
and Antitrust Division along with the Pesticide Bureau, a division of
the state Department of Food and Agriculture. The investigation, which
began in 2000 and reviewed the company's business practices from 1998
to 2001, found evidence that Terminix workers were spraying home
exteriors during winter and encouraging consumers to purchase monthly
service contracts for carpenter ant extermination, despite the fact
that these insects are largely dormant in cold weather."
Other links on this settlement and Terminix's position:
http://www.businesstoday.com/business/mw_business/terminix12312002.htm
Terminix bugged by AG's ruling
http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/Terminix-AKA-Terminex.htm
Terminix aka Terminex Newspaper Excerpts and Lawsuits
http://www.syix.com/emu/html/terminixcomplaints9.html
"The following complaints against Terminix, a ServiceMaster
subsidiary, are more submitted to Terminix - Consumer Alert! The
information contained in the complaints is unverified. You can judge
for yourself if you believe them, as I do."
Search Strategy:
"monthly" +carpenter ant +extermination
terminix +settlement +ant
I trust my research will answer this question and helpyou make an
informed decision. If a link above should fail to work or anything
require further explanation, please do post a Request for
Clarification and I will be pleased to assist further.
Regards,
-=clouseau=- |
