Termites are terrible bugs that can cause severe damage to your home. If you do not take action as soon as you notice signs that could indicate a termite infestation, it will only continue to get worse until there is serious structural damage to your home that could put your safety and/or financial security at risk. Hopefully you already have a termite contract that protects your home with retreatment guarantees and repair guarantees. If there are signs of an infestation you should call your a pest control company in Alabama as soon as possible. Even then, though, you may wonder what the Termite Company’s obligations are to you. That depends on terms of your contract.
Termite companies usually work under a contract. Alabama law requires that the contract disclose in bold print on the first page of the contract whether the contract is for only retreatment or whether it includes a covenant to repair the home if an infestation occurs. In addition, the contract must specify in bold print whether it provides for what is referred to in the industry as a “defined treatment”. If you are purchasing a liquid contract, you should insist that the contract does not specify a “defined treatment.” If the contract does not reference a “defined treatment,” then the pest control company is required to perform a comprehensive post construction treatment, which is more intense and thorough than a defined treatment.
Termite contracts in Alabama are generally renewable annually. You should expect an annual inspection of your home by a competent inspector, which should include exterior and interior areas, as well as crawl spaces. Be sure to carefully read all parts of the contract and ask your pest control representative any questions you may have about the contract. Be sure to document any responses that your pest control representative provides.
You should expect your pest control company to be able to repair any damage to your home after an infestation. Believe it or not, in Alabama pest control companies are only required to have liability coverage in the amount of $150,000.00 for inadequate treatments or inspections. It would be wise to ask the pest control company for a copy of their insurance certificate, or to contact the Alabama Department of Agriculture to determine the amount of insurance that is on file with the Department. Some companies do not have adequate insurance coverage or the financial ability to pay for the repairs that they promise in the contract.
