ComplaintsforAdcock's Rid-A-Critter

• Initial Complaint

  11/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On Friday, September 15, 2023, we met with a Ridacritter salesperson to discuss exclusion work for our property. The Ridacritter salesperson noted specific areas of concern (rafter tail gaps, soffit return holes, etc). He later provided an estimate in the amount of $2375.00 for this work. On Wednesday, September 20, 2023, two Ridacritter technicians came to our home to do the "full exclusion package" and install a ridge guard on our home. Per the work order, the full exclusion package included: sealing all wildlife/rodent entry points, sealing all roof junctions, sealing rafter tail gaps, sealing around the A/C, plumbing, exterior pipes and gas, trapping the animals and deodorizing the two attic areas.On Friday, September 22, 2023, we paid Ridacritter, **** $2375.00. On Wednesday, September 27 a Ridacritter, **** technician checked traps. On Wednesday, October 4, a Ridacritter, **** technician removed traps.We soon realized that they hadn't done the work that we'd paid for.We have an itemized list of all the work that was contracted and paid for, but wasn't completed. We have provided this list (over 15 areas) with photos to the company. On Tuesday, October 17, we met with the Ridacritter Salesperson and technician. We pointed out areas of exclusion that were missed. The neglected areas included: four openings in the soffits, multiple large gaps in the rafter tails, open attic vents, plumbing vents, a hole in the garage that led to the attic, a hole in the juncture between the house and the garage, and a hole in the front facing column of the house. The Ridacritter salesperson admitted to us that he saw "areas that we discussed when we first met (on Friday, September 15) that were completely missed." The Ridacritter technician agreed that there were rafter tails with large gaps that were not worked on. The technician then noted one roof junction "must have been removed by a rodent or by a person." As the owners of the home, we know for certain that there were no other workers who removed exclusion materials installed by Ridacritter. The technician did not speak to any of the other twelve areas on the work order that were missed. We spoke on the phone with a Ridacritter manager who immediately insisted that the only resolution was to continue working with Ridacritter under warranty to "make things right." We told him that we have a loss of faith in the company's ability to perform the work successfully. He reiterated (without being present at our house or acknowledging how many holes were missed) that the work must have been sabotaged by someone or something. At this point, we have come to the conclusion that we are dealing with severe negligence and/or malfeasance and will not continue working with Ridacritter, **** under any circumstances. This is a breach of contract. We are requesting a partial refund of $1575 to cover the exact cost of hiring another company to finish the job that we hired Ridacritter, **** to do. A letter has been send to ***************************, President - today 11/14/23, with attached work order, paid receipt and itemized list of neglected work with photos. The President of Ridacritter, **** *************************** replied today 11/14/23 (seemingly without reading the email or looking at the attached photos of the entire house): "I understand that Ridacritter did fulfill our obligations of sealing your home as was quoted. The roof junctions were sealed completely then the materials were later fully and cleanly removed. Animals would not have done such a clean job of removing the exclusion materials." --*************************** Ridacritter, ****We have photos of the 13 areas that weren't completed (note that he didn't mention the rafter tails or the vents in his letter above?) They weren't done. This is a breach of contract.

  

  Business response

  11/17/2023

  Ridacritter performed a rodent exclusion on the Hollanders home on 9-22-23.  The job was straightforward, nothing out of the ordinary.  In addition to the exclusion work, the Hollanders approved the quote to perform our attic restoration services. After approving the additional work, ********************* informed the technician, *************************, they needed this work done on a specific Sunday when we did not have two people available, as it takes 2 people to operate and  maintain the trailer mounted vacuum. ********************** then called the technician to let him know that he found another wildlife company who could do the work on the Sunday he requested and was going to hire them.  We fully understood his situation and everything was good, until the other company showed up to perform the attic clean-up.  Shortly afterwards is when ********************** called ******* informing him the other company had seen daylight from inside the attic and had gone outside and put ladders up to take pictures of areas Ridacritter did not seal. The other company then demanded approximately $1,600 to seal the house or they would not perform the attic clean-up. The technician assured ********************** that the work had been performed by himself and his helper.  ********************** was insistent that Ridacritter pay the other company solely because the other company said so. The technician then contacted the salesman, ***********************, and the salesman in return contacted me.   After hearing what had taken place to that point and the demands from *********************, I thought it best for 2 representatives of Ridacritter go back to inspect the house Instead of just the technician.  I asked *********************** to accompany ******* back to the ********* house and to take care of any and all of the Hollanders concerns, to make sure they were happy before they left.  *********************** has 13+ years experience as a technician prior to moving into sales, so he was very qualified to inspect and address issues alongside the technician.  ****** scheduled with the Hollanders and himself and the technician showed up on time the day they had agreed upon.  Shortly after getting started with their Inspection the Hollanders told them to stop as they did not trust Ridacritter anymore and only wanted money back.  ****** informed the Hollanders that from the ground it didnt look like 2 of the roof junctions were sealed and the gaps around the rafter tails werent sealed.  He then asked ******* about these areas and ******* assured him and the Hollanders that the roof junctions had been sealed and he climbed his ladder and took a picture to prove it. He then told ****** and the Hollanders the gaps around the rafter tails looked much smaller once you got up to them with a ladder and he did not seal them as they were too small to warrant sealing.  Much of the work the technicians do is on an as needed basis, and on the Hollanders quote and invoice it states those areas would be sealed as needed.  The technicians make judgment calls on pretty much every house on various areas. Whether they seal it or not, the entire house is still covered under our warranty. Our work is not invisible, so technicians try not to seal areas that dont need it, as we get more complaints about customers being able to see the work, then work not being done.   ******* told the Hollanders he had sealed the junctions, and he didnt seal the gaps around the rafter tails as he believed they were too small.  ****** again told the Hollanders that himself and ******* would reseal the junctions and seal the other areas of concern right then. The Hollanders again refused to let them perform any warranty services and again demanded money to pay the other company.   At this point ****** called me, informed me of what they saw and what ******* had told him. ****** gave *********************** his phone so i could speak to her directly.  I told her I had two qualified Individuals with ladders already at her house ready to address any issues her and her husband had, and she again refused and only wanted money back.  I repeatedly told her that Ridacritter, nor any other company that I knew of, would give money back just based on the word of a competitor.  That is when ********************** jumped in the conversation and said Will you get away from this other company? There is no other company.  We didnt hire another company that inspected your work. Those were his exact words.  He just told me the exact opposite of the whole reason Ridacritter was there that day, the exact opposite of what his wife just told me, and the exact opposite of what he himself had told the technician.
   That is when my radar went off, and I knew something wasnt quite right with the situation as it was being told.    *********************** then started to become more agitated and accusatory that we were not being ethical, even though we had 2 guys standing mere feet away from her, ready to fix anything she didnt like. After multiple attempts to get me to agree to pay them, and me telling her multiple times that is what a warranty is for, I finally had to tell her she would have to take us to court, to end the back and forth.   ********************** then got on the phone demanding we pay them and told me I was performing poor business. He asked if this was where we were at with a refund, and I replied yes sir, and that was the end of the conversation.
  
  After ****** got his phone back, I asked him to have ******* send me the picture he took of the roof junction that he claimed proved he had sealed the junctions.   Once I received the picture, I knew my radar was correct, as the photo clearly showed someone, not an animal, had removed our repairs. You cpuld clearly see the foam residue on the house and s**** holes. Someone had to physically take the screws out and pull the screen out of the foam sealant to remove it.  If an animal had gotten back in, they would have chewed and clawed a very ragged hole in the screen, this screen was gone, cleanly removed, showing some effort to clean the foam off. After seeing the picture, I was quite frustrated that another company would sabotage our work then demand payment from the customer to fix it.  Even with my frustration I still wanted to resolve the problem for the customer, so I emailed the picture to ***********************. I told her in the email what the picture clearly showed, and even after seeing it, I was still willing to have a technician come back to her house and re-seal the junctions, at no charge.   Several days went by with no reply, then I get an email back asking for before and after pictures of all work performed. I replied to *********************** that the technicians don't take before and after pics while they are working. Several days went by and she emailed me again, this time asking for a detailed list of all work performed and materials used.  I replied that all of that information was listed on the quote and invoice that she already had.  That was the last time Ridacritter heard from them until they sent a threatening email demanding payment, or they would do X, Y, and Z.  And I believe Y was file a BBB complaint.
  
  *****************************
  Ridacritter ****

  Customer response

  11/19/2023

  Complaint: ******** - Rejecting Ridacritter's response.
  

  The response from Ridacritter is misleading and evasive, failing to acknowledge their incomplete and substandard work. Ridacritter fulfilled three of the eight areas of exclusion that we paid for per the paid contract.

  Ridacritter's technicians admitted to missing key aspects of the job when confronted with evidence (while at our home during a walk through), as detailed in the attached itemized list and photos.  They later shifted to an unfounded sabotage claim, suggesting without evidence that another company removed their work. This claim is implausible, especially considering the other company's work was confined to cleaning the interior and Ridacritters work was confined to the exterior of our home. Additionally, the second company has a reputable standing with the Better Business Bureau and we (the homeowners) were present and obviously wouldnt have allowed any person to remove expensive exclusion work from outside the entirety of our home. How can Ridacritter justify a claim of sabotage when their own technicians admitted to omitting significant portions of the contracted work, a fact clearly evidenced by our photographs and their initial willingness to rectify these omissions on the spot?
  

  Ridacritter's warranty, which covers only completed work (see details below*), is irrelevant here as it does not address the omission of contracted tasks. Our request for a partial refund is based on their failure to complete the agreed full exclusion package, verified by our photographs, and is not a demand for a full refund but precisely the cost to pay to complete their unfinished work.

  The contractual obligation for a 'full exclusion package' was clearly breached, as evidenced by the unfinished tasks listed in the attached document. Despite Ridacritter's claim of fulfilling parts of the contract, significant portions were left undone, prompting us to take further action. We are prepared to pursue legal avenues and engage consumer protection agencies, not only to recover our costs but also to prevent others from similar experiences with Ridacritter.

  We are seeking a refund from Ridacritter in the amount of $1575.00. This is not only justified but necessary due to Ridacritters failure to fulfill their contractual obligations. Despite their partial completion of the work, the evident substandard quality, as corroborated by photographic evidence and Ridacritters own admission, falls significantly short of the agreed-upon standards. The warranty provided does not apply to incomplete or inadequately executed tasks, making it irrelevant in this case. Furthermore, the unsubstantiated accusation of sabotage by another company appears as a diversionary tactic rather than a valid claim, lacking any concrete evidence. Given these circumstances, a partial refund is the most reasonable and fair resolution. It compensates for the cost of rectifying the incomplete work and ensures accountability, upholding the integrity of business engagements. Ignoring these facts not only undermines consumer trust but also contradicts the principles of fair and honest trade practices.

  
  *Details below:
  Warranty terms on Ridacritters work order do not cover omitted work. It covers return to patch new holes created by animals during the subsequent warranty period.

  The following is Ridacritters warranty description from the paid work order.  

  Warranty Renewal Covers the residence (this offer is not valid for commercial or multi- family structures) against animal entry for 12 months from current renewal effective date, regardless of payment date. The warranty is attached to the residence not a person and is fully transferable to any occupant of the residence. If any animals get in during the warranty period we will remove the animals and seal any entry areas located for no charge. Rid-A-Critter will send a courtesy reminder, but it is the homeowners responsibility to renew their warranty. After 90 days past the expiration date Rid a Critter will renew the warranty at our discretion for an additional $100.00 reinstatement fee. If there is no interest to renew, simply disregard this letter.

  
  The following is the text from Ridacritters work order for complete exclusion.  

  Full Exclusion Package Includes sealing of entire home and removal of animals. Materials may consist of drip edge, metal flashing, RidgeGuard, galvanized hardware cloth, silicone, foam, mortar and cement but not limited to.  (Owners note: NOT DONE.  After Ridacritters work was complete and we paid $2375, our home was not effectively sealed with multiple holes missed - see attached photos.)
  Ridge Guard Install (Owners note: done)
  Roof Junction(s) Seal all  (Owners note: This was NOT DONE.)
  Chimney Box Seal holes in chimney box with sheet metal. (Owners note: done)
  Rafter tails Seal gaps on edges as needed  (Owners note: This was NOT DONE. When we met initially, a Ridacritter representative said that all of the rafter tails with a gap over inch would be taken care of.  Then the day of the work, the Ridacritter technician didnt do them.  When we walked around after the work was done a few weeks later, the same technician admitted that many of the gaps should have been done. Ridacritters President wrote to us (without seeing the house) that these rafter tail gaps are only done as needed, which is opposite of what was promised in our initial meeting with Ridacritter. 
  Exterior Pipes Sealing around A/C, ************* etc. (Owners note: This was NOT DONE)
  Trapping - (Free) Remove all animals in stucture at time of exclusion.  (Ownersnote: done)
  Attic Deodorizer (Included) When Trapping is complete, a commercial grade deodorizer/disinfectant will be applied to the attic area to help kill bacteria left behind in the urine/feces. (Owners note: This was NOT DONE)

  Respectfully,

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

  

  Business response

  11/22/2023

  Before I address the specifics of ************************* reply, I just want to state Ridacritters overall position here.  Our position is the same as it is for any customer or any jobif ********************** makes a mistake of any kind while performing a wildlife exclusion on a home or business, Ridacritter repairs, replaces, or fixes any and all said mistakes under our Animal Free Warranty.  Performing a wildlife exclusion is not a black and white task, there is no manual or blueprint.  No two people do an exclusion the exact same way, not even within the employees at Ridacritter. There are a few areas that are always sealed on a home with a Ridacritter exclusion, gutter line, roof junctions, ***** vents, and crawlspace vents.  All other areas are subject to the Individual technician's opinion on whether an area warrant sealing and how they would seal it.  The possible areas on a house and possible ways to seal them are too many to list and many houses have one-of-a-kind issues.  
  
  
  Could ******* or his helper made a mistake or overlooked something on the Hollanders home, absolutely!  Everyone at Ridacritter is human and all of us miss things and make mistakes, as its just the nature of our profession.  Ive been doing exclusions for over 20 years, and I dont always find every hole or entry point the first try, that just doesnt happen within any wildlife company. If another company claims otherwise, they are not being truthful.   
  
  So, the issue for Ridacritter really isnt whether ******* or his helper missed something or made a mistake, as that is most certainly possible, our issue with this current situation is did Ridacritter try to remedy all concerns of the Hollanders in a timely and professional manor? The answer to that is 100% absolutely yes.  I had instructed *********************** to add an additional year warranty onto their job when himself and ******* were finished going over everything, to help show the Hollanders we were a good company and we cared about their concerns, but it went downhill too quickly during their visit, and they never were able to get to that point. 
  
  
  Now to ************************* specific concerns. Im not quite sure how ********************** Interprets our warranty as only holes animals chew in or new holes. She pasted our actual warranty in her reply from the quote and from the disclaimer at the bottom.  It clearly states, If any animals enter your home during the warranty period, we will remove the animals and seal the entry area at no charge. It does not say if animals chew or make a new hole, it says if you get animals, we take care of it at no charge.
  
  
   We have as good a warranty as there is in the business, and we made every attempt to honor that warranty in this case.  ****** and ******* tried to honor the warranty at their residence, with ladders off the trucks ready to go.  I offered over the phone to take care of everything under warranty. I even offered via email after seeing and sending the picture showing that at least one of our repairs had been removed (attaching picture to this reply). Im not sure how many other ways we could have offered to take care of any and all of their concerns.  
  
  
  Finally, Ridacritter did not perform or admit to performing sub-par work.  *********************** stated rafter tails werent done and didnt appear a roof junction was done. This was before ******* showed him the attached picture. ******* stated to the Hollanders he had sealed the roof junctions as the roof junctions were the main entry point on the house. He told them he didnt feel the rafter tails needed sealing as the gap wasnt big enough, but he and ****** would seal them that day since the Hollanders felt they needed sealed.  The pictures the Hollanders produced to come up with a numbered list were taken by one of our competitors as a way for them to make more money. ********************** specifically told ******* the other company took the pictures. I could go behind any company out there, from the best to the worst company, and find areas to take pictures of that would give the homeowner concern, since they arent experts at excluding houses.  Its not the first time another company has tried to make us look bad, and Im sure it wont be the last.  The difference in this situation and every previous one is Ridacritter has always taken care of any and all concerns under warranty and said customers have never had to pay additional money to us or another company. 
  
  
  Thank you, 
  
  
  *************************;
  Ridacritter Inc. 

  Customer response

  11/29/2023

   
  Complaint: 20869679
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Please re-read our previous message.  The work that we paid for wasn't done.  Completing less than half of what we paid for and then saying "we're all human, here's an extended warranty so we can do several more years of inadequate work" isn't reasonable when we are talking about paying your company over $2300.  

  Also the photos we provided weren't taken as part of a sabotage conspiracy by another company. Please stop evading responsibility. This is dishonest.  We had a conversation where both Ridacritter technicians admitted that exclusion work was "missed" and these photos show those areas.  If one or two were missed we wouldn't be having this conversation.  Over 10 significant holes were missed - and were discovered by us - the owners who paid the company to do the work.    

  We are asking again for a partial refund to pay for what it cost to complete the job that Ridacritter did not do.

*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. ↩