ComplaintsforSaela Pest Control

• Initial Complaint

  11/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I recently enrolled in Saela pest control services with an 18-month contract, which stated that I had three days after signing to cancel without penalty. Unfortunately, I was dissatisfied with the first service, which took place within this penalty-free period. The technician missed several cobwebs and mud wasp nests and left our back gates open, which posed a significant risk as I have dogs. This incident occurred on July 4th, and had I not checked the gates, it could have ended badly for my pets.The contract outlined that I could cancel by either mailing a signed cancellation form to the headquarters in **** or visiting the local branch. Concerned about potential mailing delays, I opted to cancel in person at the local branch at ***********************************, during the posted business hours. However, I was met with a locked door and discovered the building was virtually empty, with no clear way to communicate with local staff. The only contact provided was a non-local phone number on the website, which resulted in a 30-minute series of redirects before I was finally able to cancel by phone within the three-day window.This experience was misleading and frustrating. Offering the option to cancel in person without a staffed branch creates an unnecessary barrier, increasing the risk of missed deadlines and associated penalties. This process felt unprofessional and gave me concerns about the company's practices, especially given the lack of transparency. I would strongly recommend that Saela either establish a properly staffed local branch or revise their cancellation instructions to reflect available options more accurately.

  

  Business response

  11/08/2024

  Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We genuinely apologize for the inconvenience and frustration you faced during your first service and while attempting to cancel your contract.

  We strive to provide high-quality service and to ensure our clients feel secure in their decision to work with us. We apologize for the missed cobwebs and mud wasp nests, as well as the oversight with leaving your back gates open. We understand the safety and security of your pets is paramount, and this was not the standard of care we aim to uphold. Your feedback will be used to improve our service quality, and we will ensure our technicians adhere to proper protocols going forward.

  We are also sorry to hear about the difficulty you encountered when trying to cancel in person. It appears there was a gap in communication regarding the local branch's availability, and we recognize this may have felt misleading and inconvenient. We understand your concern and are actively working to improve the clarity of our cancellation instructions and the accessibility of our customer support team.

  Thank you again for your feedback. We appreciate the chance to address these concerns and will work to enhance our processes. If theres anything more we can do to assist you or regain your confidence in our services, please do not hesitate to reach out. 

  Customer response

  11/08/2024

   
  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

  10/31/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  In July a Saela salesman came by and I told him I'd have to think about it. He came by the next day when I was gone, lied and told my husband I'd agreed, and had my husband pay. He told both of us that we could cancel at any time with no penalty. We forgot about Saela for a few months because we never seemed to be home when they came by; I'm not even sure they came every time.We tried to call and cancel about a month ago, and learned the salesman had lied and we were locked into an 18-month contract. If we tried to cancel, we would owe half of the contract's balance. This was not what we had been told, so the representative on the phone directed us to open our first email from them. We opened it several times to look at it during the phone call with them to see what they were referencing, and then they said that since their tracking showed we'd opened it multiple times, that meant we'd viewed and thus agreed to the terms of the contract.Despite the salesman lying to us in multiple ways, they would not honor what he told us and merely said they would "reprimand" him. Saela deliberately misled us, did nothing to correct that, and will not let us out of the contract. There is no incentive for the company to have their salesmen be honest, since that dishonesty brings the company money. All they would do was reduce the frequency of the visits on the contract, which perhaps saves us $50 but still puts us on the hook for over $1000 of pest control we don't want or need. The phone call making us view a digital receipt in order to make us liable is especially unethical. I have never felt so deliberately misled by a company in my life. It is not a "misunderstanding about contractual obligations," as their responses on here suggest. If they won't rectify the fallout from dishonest employees, then it becomes a deliberate choice to extort customers.We tried to file a complaint at the time, but the BBB website was down, so we are filing it today.

  

  Business response

  11/07/2024

  Thank you for the opportunity to review and improve our customer **********************.  We have spoken directly to the customer and resolved this matter. 

  Customer response

  11/08/2024

   
  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

  10/28/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had requested Saela Pest control to provide a free quote for my wife and I. They came out and let us know they needed a credit card on file but they would not charge us until we agreed to begin service. We specifically told **** **** that we were looking into other options and were adamant we were not ready to proceed forward with their quote. Saela pest control opted to charge my card for $489.99 without letting us know, having any consent to do so and without beginning any form of service. I now have no money to pay my mortgage (due in 3 days) or get any gas solely because they charged my card without consent for nearly $500. They said they tried to refund this amount after I called them but that has not been the case and I asked to speak with a manager and all they said is we will try to have someone contact you within 2 days. I now am without any money for who knows how long and literally can not buy gas to get to work tomorrow (the customer ********************** agent had no idea when the refund would process). This is the shadiest thing I have ever witnessed a company doing and they seem to not really care much since my request is on the back burner for a few days even after they promised me a call back today which never happened. I would highly recommend NEVER giving this company any credit cards because of their misuse in charging customer unknowingly. They sent us a ********************** agreement that was never signed and STILL charged us anyway.

  

  Business response

  11/07/2024

  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and stress this has caused you. Please be assured that we take situations like these very seriously. We understand that you only requested a quote and did not intend to move forward with any services at this time. We apologize for the miscommunication regarding our policies and the unexpected charge to your account. To address this, we have processed a full refund of $489.99, which should reflect back in your account. Please note that the time it takes for the refund to appear may vary depending on your banks processing times. We are committed to ensuring a smooth resolution and have reinforced our internal processes to prevent similar issues in the future. If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out directly. Thank you for your patience and understanding, and again, we apologize for any inconvenience caused.

• Initial Complaint

  10/23/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Door-to-door ******** said that the service was month to month, not yearly, and said that they would lock me into a rate of $79 per month. They sent me the contract via email and sat with me pretending to go over the terms of the contract to convey that the billing is month to month without allowing me to actually read it. I signed the contract as they sat with me for 4 hours on my porch.I then noticed that the rate was charged as $149 per service even though the paper contract said $79. I went to cancel after 4 months of service and their customer ********************** tells me that it was a year long contract and that Id need to pay 50% of the remaining service charges, which again were now $149 when I was promised $79. I was forced to pay $300 to cancel out of a year long contract that I didnt know I was agreeing to because their salesman pretended to read me a contract that didnt exist and had me sign it with the expectation of completely different terms. Customer ********************** was consistently coercive when dealing with this, lowering rates instead of allowing me to cancel for a full hour on the phone. Do NOT do business with this company. They even threatened to not charge my card and go straight to collections if I cancelled even though I said that Id pay the fee. They literally threatened my credit score if I cancelled.

  

  Business response

  11/01/2024

  Thank you for sharing your experience, and we apologize for any confusion or frustration you encountered with Saela Pest Control. We strive to ensure all terms of service are clear at the time of signing, including any contract commitments, service rates, and cancellation policies. We are concerned to hear about the communication you experienced and that our representatives may not have addressed your questions to your satisfaction.
  While our standard agreements are reviewed with each customer, we apologize if this process did not meet your expectations. We will review this situation internally, including the interactions with our sales and customer ********************** teams, to ensure greater transparency moving forward. In regard to your billing concerns, our team can review your account in detail to verify the rates, contract terms, and cancellation process. If there are any discrepancies, please know that we are committed to addressing them fairly. We have reached out multiple time via phone since this complaint was open and have not been able to connect. We would like to discuss a fair resolution to this matter. We value your feedback as it helps us improve, and we would like to resolve this to your satisfaction. Please reach out directly if theres anything further, we can do to assist. Thank you again for bringing this to our attention.

• Initial Complaint

  10/15/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We gave been customers for over 5 years. We want to cancel our service but every time I call I get a run around. Today I was told I have to keep the service until July 2025. Although they gave me a discount, I really just wanted out

  

  Business response

  10/22/2024

  We sincerely apologize for the frustration and inconvenience you've experienced with our company. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we appreciate you bringing this matter to our attention. We understand the importance of clear communication and reliable service, and we regret that we fell short in meeting your expectations. We will continue to work on improving our services. We have been trying to connect with you so we can make sure that you are satisfied and have been able to get a response back. We want to take care of your concerns so please contact the office at ************.
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  10/08/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  After a lot of pressure on a day when I was expecting company, I signed up for Saela Pest Service. The contract was for service, once every 3 months, for 18 months. I sold my house and moved in with family after two service days and was told that Saela would not drive the hour to my house to provide service, but that I could transfer service to my daughter. I agreed, but said that I would pay for the service. The person I talked with said she would take care of the arrangements. My daughter works, so she asked to be contacted for scheduling. A little over a week ago, someone showed up at my daughter's house without scheduling and asked her for payment. She and I then contacted Saela. I said I would be paying, and my daughter scheduled an appointment for a Monday. Before the Monday appointment, I received a text from Saela saying that it would be servicing the house I sold; and my daughter received a text saying her house would be serviced on Thursday rather than Monday. I again contacted Saela to tell them they were going to the wrong house. My daughter called to say that she had scheduled for Monday and wouldn't be home on Thursday. She was told that nothing was available on Monday (even though she had previously scheduled for Monday), so my daughter told Saela she was too frustrated to deal with them and to never come to her house. On Thursday, she stopped by her house between meetings and found that someone was spraying her house. She said that she had not authorized the spraying. The tech said he would make sure no one was charged and apologized for the confusion. That afternoon, I received an email charging me for a complete application. Dealing with Saela has been one of the worst experiences with a company I have ever had! Information is not communicated, and no one takes notes. It is often very difficult to reach anyone. I want no further dealings with this company!

  

  Business response

  10/16/2024

  Thank you for the opportunity to review and improve our customer service.  We have spoken directly to the customer and resolved this matter. 

  Customer response

  10/16/2024

   
  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

  10/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I am trying to cancel my services with this company and they are refusing to do so. They continue to try and offer deals/promotions or scheduled days for my service but I don't their service any longer. Any time I try to reschedule a service they argue with me. I'm the customer, I'm paying. I should be able to reschedule or cancel services without hassle. Please help me discontinue my relationship with saela pest control

  

  Business response

  10/08/2024

  We sincerely apologize for the frustration and inconvenience you've experienced with our company. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we appreciate you bringing this matter to our attention. Your account has been closed.  If there is anything else that we can do please give our office a call at ###-###-####. Once again, I apologize for this issue. 

  Customer response

  10/08/2024

   
  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

  09/25/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Saela Pest Control is an extremely SHADY and CORRUPT company. They use aggressive and misleading sales tactics to lock customers into contracts for *********************** they don't need or haven't asked for. Their door-to-door salesmen will push you into contracts with "special" rates, and and promise that you will only be on the hook for X amount of services, but then continually try to come to your house, month after month, even when you aren't home, to perform services you don't need, and automatically charge you for. They make it extremely confusing and difficult to get out of your contract. DO NOT USE SAELA PEST!!!

  

  Business response

  10/04/2024

  Thank you for the opportunity to review and improve our customer **********************.  We have spoken directly to the customer and resolved this matter. 

  Customer response

  10/07/2024

   
  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

  09/21/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 16 August, a saela representative came to my home and lied to me to get me to sign a contract. The representative told me I would be signing up to get a one time service and to be locked in at a lower price ($156), which I could turn into a contract afterwards if I was satisfied with my service. When I called to tell them not to come and that I didn’t want to continue with the service because it killed one of my pet chickens. They let me know that I signed an 18 month contract and let me know that I opened my email 4 times so I should have read what I signed up for. They said they would continue to spray my property unless I payed them a 50% cancellation fee if I went through cancelling my contract. This is an invasion of my privacy to monitor my emails and how many times I open them. It is also a bad business practice to lie to potential customers to get money and force them into a binding contract and lying to them about the products being safe for “all pets”. I would also like to point out that I asked them not to spray near my chickens, but they did it anyways and it cost one of my birds her life and attracted more bugs to my home. The only thing the company agreed to was to lower the contract to 12 months, lower my rate to $134 dollars, my next service would be “free”, and a field manager would come to my house to see where the representative can spray safely. I am dissatisfied that I have to pay off these thugs or risk the lives of more of my chickens after I already told them not to spray my backyard or my back porch and they did it anyways. I also don’t appreciate being tricked into signing a contract and having my email activity monitored. Restitution for this would be to completely cancel my contract with no fees and for the company to never set foot on my property again.

  

  Business response

  10/01/2024

  Thank you for the opportunity to review and improve our customer service.  We have reached out to the customer and resolved this matter. 

• Initial Complaint

  09/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Date: 9/19/24. Amount: $3,160.46. I am writing to formally express my dissatisfaction with the services provided by Saela Pest Control concerning the clean out of our crawl space due to a mouse infestation. Initial Diagnosis: Saela assessed our crawl space and identified it as being occupied by mice. We were advised to subscribe to their pest control services. An inspector from Saela conducted an evaluation and reported that there was no rodent infestation and that all entry points had been addressed through exclusion work. Subsequent Findings: Two months later, an alternate pest control company discovered that there was indeed an infestation. Consequently, we agreed to work with Saela for a full clean out at a significantly discounted price due to their inspector's oversight. Over the three months leading up to the clean out, all reports from Saela indicated no further rodent activity in the crawl space. However, it became evident that Saela's employees were not performing the tasks as reported. They falsified reports that could have potentially negated the need for a full clean out. Clean Out: The initial clean out service was performed on July 18, 2024. The quality of work was subpar, necessitating three additional visits to return the crawl space to its original condition. When insulation was pulled, dead mice, droppings and mice urine were discovered. Around 7 mice were found. Misrepresentations and Management Involvement: Throughout this process, Saela's employees blatantly misrepresented the services performed. This led to our escalated involvement with upper and regional management to resolve the issue. The ordeal has not only been frustrating but has also raised serious concerns about the integrity and competence of the services provided. We feel that the handling of this situation was grossly inadequate and the repeated misrepresentations unacceptable. We did not approve the charges and request that they be completely reversed, or a full refund issued.

  

  Business response

  09/30/2024

  Thank you for reaching out regarding your experience with Saela Pest Control. We understand your dissatisfaction and the issues you've described. We have made several attempts to contact you via phone and text without success. Our management team would like to meet in person to review the situation further and work towards a resolution. Please let us know a convenient time for you to meet, as we value your feedback and want to address your concerns thoroughly.

*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. ↩