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Common problems with termite and pest damage repairs

What tends to go wrong, what it usually points at, and what your options are when a contractor won't put them right.

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Claims denied on a technicality

Bonds usually carry conditions about moisture, conducive conditions, and access. Those conditions are where denials are made, and they are often first raised at claim time.

What proves it
The contract itself, and the denial in writing. A denial that names a clause can be read against that clause, which is a much narrower argument than whether the damage is real.
What the business usually says
That an inspection was missed or a condition was not met. Check who was responsible for scheduling, and whether you were notified. That obligation is usually in the contract too.

Inspections billed but not performed

Annual renewal typically requires an inspection. Where no report exists for a year that was paid for, the guarantee was being funded and not maintained.

What proves it
Inspection reports against invoices. A report that does not exist for an inspection that was billed is the whole finding, and it is countable.
What the business usually says
That the inspection was performed and the paperwork lapsed. The technician's own route or scheduling records answer that, and they are the company's records rather than yours.

Repair coverage swapped for retreatment

The two are very different products at a similar price. Which one you hold is determined by the contract, not by what the salesperson described.

What proves it
The contract you signed against the one being applied. Repair coverage and retreatment only coverage are different products with different prices, and the renewal paperwork shows which you bought.
What the business usually says
That your plan was always retreatment only. The original agreement and what you were charged each year answer that directly.

Before you do anything else

What to gather

  • The original signed agreement and every renewal
  • All inspection reports, and a note of any year with none
  • Invoices and proof of payment for each year
  • The denial letter or written refusal
  • Dated photographs of the damage
  • An independent inspector's assessment

The part nobody tells you

Some of this expires

Most ways of putting pressure on a business run on a clock that starts at the work, not at the argument. These are the ones that shut first.

Chargeback
About 4 months. Your bank reverses the payment.
Financing unwind
About 12 months. The lender wears the claim, not you.
Manufacturer certification
About 24 months. Their certification goes under review.
Surety bond
About 24 months. The bond pays out against them.

See where you are on the clock for all ten routes.

What to do about it

Document what you were promised and what you got, keep every invoice and message, and photograph everything before anyone “fixes” it. Whatever route you take from there, whether talking to the business yourself, a licensed attorney, or us, the case rests on that record.

What this page covers

We're a consumer advocate, not a law firm, and this page is general information rather than guidance about your situation. It is here so you can recognize your own case in it and see what usually moves one. If yours needs an attorney, we say so and hand off, taking nothing for the introduction.
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More on termite and pest damage guarantee disputes we take on, or how the process works.

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