ComplaintsforFenix Pest Control

• Initial Complaint

  07/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  A salesman came to the door to sell a discounted service for pest control. They stated the first treatment is normally $275, but offered special pricing of $89. It was understood that this was a quarterly service, but when I tried to cancel they said we would owe the difference of the discount which with would be the $186 plus tax. I stated that this was not explained by the salesman and feel this was misleading information. I called to say that the issue we were trying to remediate did not get resolved and they explained it can often take several treatments to eliminate the nesting cycle. I once again said that this was absolutely not information presented to us.I do not request a refund of the initial payment, but rather to be able to cancel the service and not pay the $186 plus tax that they are requesting.

  Business response

  07/17/2024

  The discounted rate for the initial service is only given when a customer signs up for a 12 month agreement. If the customer decides to cancel within the 12 month period, we simply ask for the initial discount to be paid. All of this is noted in the agreement which was signed on May 29, 2024. The agreement is for quarterly pre-scheduled treatments, but customers have the option to call in any time during to request a free reservice should they notice an uptick in activity, or a new pest emerge. Due to the varying types of pests we deal with, as well as the varying sizes of infestations, we cannot guarentee all pests will be eliminated in one treatment, but we do guarentee we will come out as often as needed to take care of the issue. 

  Customer response

  07/17/2024

   
  Complaint: 22002028
  
  I am rejecting this response because they are now not only charging me the fee for a single service but also an additional monthly charge. $270 for a single treatment seems to be a very expensive treatment and in no way would we have tried the service if we knew that would be the cost if we decided we did not want to continue. 

  I have read the contract for the first time today. A copy of the contract was not provided at the time of signing. The salesman did not explain the contract being signed. A monthly charge was not discussed nor was a cancelation fee. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  07/18/2024

  The agreement was immediately emailed after signature, and looks to have been opened 8 times. Please confirm that this is the correct email. 

  Customer response

  07/18/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and do not wish to continue fighting. I still contend that the practices used by the salesman was deceitful or misleading. I will pay the full fee of the service that was provided.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  06/05/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We hired Fnix last year for pest removal, after several applications we noticed it wasnt working. We called to cancel and they told us there was a cancellation fee and it was the remaining services on the contract. After months we have decided to pay them the fee which is insane considering we didnt want their services anymore but still had to pay. The lady on the phone let us know that after we pay the account up and the fee we would need to send an email stating that we are canceling the contract and it would be canceled immediately. They then continued to charge us again and when we called again they said there was nothing they could do about it and they scheduled us for another service. I dont know how to get them to stop. We paid our account, refund our money and stop waisting our time and money.

  Business response

  06/10/2024

  We are unable to find any complaints regarding service in the customer file besides written on the cancel notice. We were also unable to find any previous attempts to cancel service prior to the notice on 5/24/24. Per the agreement, a 30 day written notice is needed in order to cancel the account and all upcoming services. The customer put in her notice on the day of her scheduled appointment. Also, the customer was not charged a cancel fee since they were out of their initial 12 month agreement period. They did have a past due balance of $219.56, which was paid 5/23, and then had the final scheduled service payment of $115.54 on 5/31/24.

  Customer response

  06/11/2024

   
  Complaint: 21800513
  
  I am rejecting this response because: according to what you just stated, the contract was null and void when the cancellation notice was put in so we cannot be held to the contract. If you can be held to a contract after the contract expiration date than what good is a contract used for. If you recorded any phone calls or put notes in customer files., You will find many attempts to cancel. I have video on my ring doorbell that I can show of telling the guy he doesnt need to spray and he needs to leave because I cancelled it and he said that he will still spray anyway. If this is really worth the little ****** to do bad business. We are part of the Ankeny Chamber of commerce and many other local networking groups. It shows the company that you are. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  06/11/2024

  The initial 12 month agreement period was up, which is why there was not a cancellation fee. The agreement does state that services will continue to be rendered until 30 day written notice is received. We did not receive a 30 day written notice until after the service professional was at the home on the day of the appointment, May 24th. The account is currently scheduled to be frozen on June 23rd, 2024.   

  Customer response

  06/12/2024

   
  Complaint: 21800513
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  so to make sure I understand, you are stating that on May 24th there was a service performed? So all services have been completed as of May 24th? 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Customer response

  06/12/2024

  Complaint: 21800513
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  so to make sure I understand, you are stating that on May 24th there was a service performed? So all services have been completed as of May 24th? 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  06/14/2024

  We were at the residence on May 24th. Our service professional was unable to perform the service due to no one being home and the account having a past due balance of $219.56 at that time. The payment was called in after the appointment, which is also when the 30 day notice was received. 

  Customer response

  06/17/2024

   
  Complaint: 21800513
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  That is incorrect, nobody from fenix came here on the 24th. Do you have documentation that one of your employees was here? I would like to see that. We called in on the 24th just to be nice and pay it instead of leaving the past due balance and letting you take us to small claims court but maybe that is what I should have done as now you have changed your story and charged the card another time, taking full advantage of having the card number on file. I didnt authorize the $115 but you took it anyway. Trying to get that last dollar. Can you show me documentation that your guys were at my house on the 24th. I have camera footage to say that is a lie also. If you check your phone recordings you will also see that you told me 219 for the last transaction and then our business was done, and you also lied about that 

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

  Customer response

  06/17/2024

  Complaint: 21800513
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  That is incorrect, nobody from fenix came here on the 24th. Do you have documentation that one of your employees was here? I would like to see that. We called in on the 24th just to be nice and pay it instead of leaving the past due balance and letting you take us to small claims court but maybe that is what I should have done as now you have changed your story and charged the card another time, taking full advantage of having the card number on file. I didnt authorize the $115 but you took it anyway. Trying to get that last dollar. Can you show me documentation that your guys were at my house on the 24th. I have camera footage to say that is a lie also. If you check your phone recordings you will also see that you told me 219 for the last transaction and then our business was done, and you also lied about that 

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

  Business response

  06/17/2024

  Please let us know if the attached GPS and mapping location is not your home.

• Initial Complaint

  05/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On 5/30/2023 I entered into a contract with Fenix Pest Control to have services provided to my property at **********************************. My account # is *****. The contract was set up for 12 months/4 treatments, the 4th and last treatment being completed 2/28/2024. I completed the treatments and fulfilled the initial contract. Per the contract, I needed to send an email to Fenix at least 30 days prior to the next treatment to ensure it was cancelled. I didn't have any treatments scheduled so on 4/25/2024 I sent an email to Fenix advising I wanted to cancel. I didn't hear back within the day so sent another email on 4/26 along with a letter to Fenix. Since no treatment had been scheduled out within 30 days, this should have satisfied the cancellation of the contract. I just received notification today (5/17) that Fenix was coming out to do a scheduled treatment on 5/21. This was the first notification I have received on any additional treatments so I called Fenix to advise I had previously cancelled my account since my 12 months was up. They advised the treatment had already been scheduled which I advised them this was not the case. I let the manager know we properly filled our contract and properly cancelled before any additional treatments had been scheduled within the 30 days. They claimed they aren't able to cancel it out, which was a lie because they have already cancelled the treatment however they are trying to bill me for the services they would have performed on 5/21/2024 in the amount of $133.75. I told them I would not be paying for any services that I compliantly cancelled however they charged me anyways already. I would ask the BBB to please work with Fenix to have the charges reversed.

  Business response

  06/10/2024

  While reviewing this complaint, we were unable to find any emails from the customer in April 2024. We do have the email response from the customer regarding the appointment reminder. Due to the fact that we did not have an email notification prior to 30 days before the appointment, the service was completed and the customer was charged accordingly.

  Customer response

  06/10/2024

   
  Complaint: 21726581
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I am attaching 2 separate emails that were sent in April to Fenix, the first on April 25th and the second email on April 26th after I hadn't received any response to my first email.  I requested to cancel/stop all services at that time as none had been pending or scheduled out for the upcoming 30 days.  I never received a reply to either email.  When I spoke with the Fenix Rep on 5/17, she confirmed they got my emails so their reply to the BBB is false information.  If they record their calls, it will be confirm my statement is accurate.   I am requesting they withdraw their charges for services that were never performed and previously requested to be cancelled.

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

  Business response

  06/11/2024

  Thank you for the date of the call, ****.  I was able to confirm by listening to that call that the representative did find the April email. I have uploaded that email to the account, applied a coupon for the extra service that was completed, and the account is frozen. 

  Customer response

  06/11/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  05/15/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  We signed up for Fenix quarterly services in 2019. They were great in the beginning but service quality dwindled over time. If you were not home to watch them they never wiped down the cobwebs. If you asked them to treat inside the techs were annoyed. So we decided to cancel in November 2023. What a hassle! First an email was not sufficient. They replied we had to call customer support to cancel. My husband did that. Now they claim we agreed to biannual services. When I said no we canceled, they claim that they have my husband approving this on a recorded line. *** asked for a copy of the recording twice but they have not sent it. They do keep sending the invoice for $149 for a service we refused and they call daily to harass us to pay even though we have a copy of our email showing we cancelled our services.

  Customer response

  06/06/2024

  Dear BBB,

  Fenix Pest Control reached out to me by email and informed me that they removed the charges from my account. 

  
  

  Thank you,

  
  

  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  12/04/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  These guys canvased our neighborhood and were knocking on doors. We thought that we'd give them a try and see how it goes, never expected the run around that we are getting. We had them spray for wasps/hornets and spiders. We've never had more spiders around our house than what was there after these guys sprayed. The second kid that sprayed our house was barely on property for 10 minutes. He couldn't have even sprayed everything and for sure not very well. I got an invoice, the minute he was done and then have been getting phone calls, every other day, demanding payment. I've never had a company hound us for a check so bad. I told them that I wanted to cancel further appointments and would go back to spraying it myself. I then get another bill for canceling. This was never explained to us at our initial appointment. I've tried to call 5 different times now and have never got through to an actual person. It's cut me off all 5 times and never went to voicemail, so I can't even leave a message.

  Business response

  06/10/2024

  The cancellation fee was previously removed from this customer's account for customer satisfaction. The service professional was on property for over 20 minutes each appointment. Customers are generally signed up for automatic payments, so when a customer is not and an invoice goes 15 days past due, they will receive a daily reminder of the unpaid balance. 

  Customer response

  06/11/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  10/04/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On 7/20/2023, a Fenix rep came to my home offering pest control. As I already had Home Team pest control, the rep advised that he would cancel my current Home Team subscription on my ************** would be no penalty. The Fenix rep further advised that if I cancelled Fenix in the future there would be no penalties. I agreed to switch based on my reliance of the Fenix reps promise to provide snake deterrent protection, to clean the dead bugs from the house, & to cancel Home Team subscription without penalty. On 7/22/2023, a Fenix pest agent did treat my home for bugs, but after a review of my cameras, I noticed there was no snake treatment. Also, I spoke to the rep on my doorbell *********** advised that he could not clean the bugs off due to a shoulder injury. So the house was not cleaned & there was no snake deterrent treatment provided. On 8/25/2024, a different Fenix rep treated my home for bugs, but still no snake deterrent treatment & the home was still not cleaned of the bugs. Shortly after the Fenix treatment, Home Team showed up because the Fenix rep never canceled the subscription agreement as promised. I decided to stay with Home Team as they provided services exactly as promised with no bait and switch tactics. Upon canceling with Fenix, they sent me a cancellation invoice for $280 contrary to what was promised by the initial Fenix rep. I was lied to in order to obtain a contract for services that were never provided. I would like to be made whole. I still have Home Team pest control since it was never canceled as promised by Fenix. But I would like a full refund of the $119 paid, revocation of the $280 cancellation fee, and a cease of communication.

  Business response

  06/10/2024

  After reviewing the account, the customer was assessed a cancellation fee (the initial discount amount), as outlined in the agreement. Although our salesman did mail out the letter of cancellation to HomeTeam, we can never guarantee what another company will do and always advise the customer to follow-up with their previous pest company. We would also never be able to guarantee that another company will let someone out of their agreement without penalty, as we do not know what their agreements state. We did attempt to resolve the service issue with the customer by offering a free reservice to take care of anything that was missed, but the customer declined and requested to cancel and pay the fee. Currently, the customer is in collections. 

• Initial Complaint

  09/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My neighbor college kid, **** work(ed) for Fenix Pest Control. When we realized we had a voles we decided to check with ***. My neighbor and I were told its a $65 fee for a month then after 4 weeks Fenix would tell us how many voles and determine what a treatment would be and cost. For $65 we were told we need to sign and give our credit cards. We were shocked to find no conversation and now an additional $145 charge on our credit cards. Because of the surprise I called and was told if we cancel a contract we will be charged heavy fines. The contract we signed which we were told was for the first month was on a very small device.Interesting . My neighbor and I have contacted Fenix by phone. They will not return calls nor messages left with online. They are aware! This is definitely taking advantage of people. A good service would explain all fees and what problems are need to be addressed with all costs involved. I signed this phone contact In good faith for one month of service. I am ok with paying for the $65 as told. I would like back the $145 charged to my credit card without knowledge or conversion along with released from a contract I do not know anything about.

  Business response

  06/10/2024

  Per the signed agreement, the initial service was $65 plus tax and the quarterly services were charged at $99 plus tax. I do not see any $145 charges on this customer's account. After signing the agreement, the customer immediately received a copy of the signed agreement at the email provided, which she did not open to review. We have also attempted to call the customer numerous times, but do not get an answer. 

• Initial Complaint

  03/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I entered a contract for pest control with this company. They came out for their initial service and removed current mouse traps to replace with their own "baits" and treated our property. Within weeks our pest problem became worse than it was before. We asked them to return as part of the satisfaction guaranteed commitment they made. They returned without any of the necessary tools to treat and sprayed something else- then billed us again under the premise of their 30 day follow up. The next service was performed without us even home so they were not able to enter the inside of the house or the garage, yet they charged us once again for a full service. I have paid them for both appointments and called to just cancel service today and was informed I would have to pay a penalty to cancel, regardless of whether they had fulfilled their end of the service contract. I have since had to deploy my own traps to catch several rodents in my garage because their methods were ineffective. I should not have to pay $150 to cancel a service that they never fulfilled. They offered me a $20 coupon off of my next service as a resolution. She threatened to send this to collections if we didn't pay them. A service contract cannot be only binding one-way.

  Business response

  06/10/2024

  As you can see on the agreement, the 30 day follow-up is always a charged service. Any reservices in between paid services are always free, and we will come out as often as possible to remedy any pest issue. The cancellation fee is also outlined on the agreement, which is just a reimbursement of the initial discount is the 12 month agreement is not fulfilled. We do not have any notes about not having "necessary tools" at their treatments. If that ever is the case, the service pro would flag a note to the office and we would schedule a free reservice to complete the treatment. As in the agreement, if a customer is not home at the time of service, we will always service the exterior of the home, as that is the most crucial in maintaining a barrier for pest control. Again, we will schedule a free reservice if the customer has any issues on the interior that they need addressed. 

• Initial Complaint

  08/08/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I hired Fenix last August and have been complaining the whole time about the product not working. They've sprayed my house (preventative) numerous times and I have yet to see any change. They've forced us to stay in our contract due to them being willing to come "fix" the problem. Yet not once have we seen any change. My wife and I have been calling for about 5 weeks now trying to get ahold of someone. We were promised multiple calls back from the supervisor, and then finally I had to call to get ahold of him. I asked why he waited so long to call back, and his response was "I'm just too busy." **************** should always come first. I was explaining that we felt a refund of some sort was reasonable due to them refusing to let us out of the contract. He stated that they will not refund us but will "waive our cancellation fee." We literally would've been up this month. We literally paid for this month. Finally after 30 minutes I told him that it's fine, and I'd contact the BBB. His response was (with a snarky voice) "Go for it." I said "don't get snippy with me, to which he said the BBB can't do anything. I called the ************* to file a report with corporate and was promised a call back. That was 2 weeks ago. We've tried to call, we get the same spiel. That's why I come to you guys. I'd really like to make some of my money back and show this business that they can't just mess with people and keep there money. As HR myself, someone would've been fired talking to people the way he did to me.

  Business response

  06/10/2024

  After reviewing the customer account, I see a note for a voicemail left and an unanswered call from Fenix to the customer in return. The only notes I see regarding service complaints are from the day that the customer cancelled. As with any pest issue, some issues do need multiple services to eliminate, which is why we always offer free reservices in between regularly scheduled services. Since the customer was unhappy with the services, we did let them out of their agreement earlier without penalty ($151) and without finishing their monthly payments ($39). 

*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. ↩