Choosing a pest control company in London
Choosing a pest control company in London
Choosing a reputable and trustworthy pest control company can be almost as difficult as it is getting rid of your pests in the first place. Who do you choose, how do you know if they are any good, are their technicians fully trained and qualified. Where do you start to look for a company, Yellow pages, the internet, Google, Bing, Yell.com, Thomson Local, Newspapers. It can all be so confusing and then you have got to contend with prices and number of treatments.
I have owned and run my own pest control business for over 20 years and have provided pest control services to thousands of homes and businesses so I know when I get a call from a potential customer who is wary of bogus companies and afraid of being ripped off that they are wary of anyone. Its bad enough having the anxiety and distress that comes with having pests and the last thing you want is to call a company who are inexperienced or out to make a quick buck and not be able to deal with your problem effectively. I have set out below what I believe to be a helpful guide to how you can choose a pest control company to deal with your pest problem. The guide is not fool proof and I cannot guarantee that you will choose the right pest control company but my guide will certainly help weed out some of the bad ones.
Here goes
I will use the internet as an example here as it seems that more and more people are using the internet in finding a professional pest control company. It is always better to use a company who is based in or near the area you live or run your business in, as they can respond to your call quicker if they are already in the area. The most searched for keywords for London pest control companies is pest control North London, pest control East London, pest control South London, pest control West London and pest control Central London. Other searches that may bring up better results are keyword searches with the actual specific area you live in like pest control Islington. On the internet some companies have got wise to this tactic and have been manipulating google so they come up on the first page all the time when you search for a keyword with your area in it, some companies will even pay google adwords to appear on the top of the first page. An easy way to weed out these guys is to go onto their site and look for their address and as a lot of them don't have their address on their websites you can disregard these companies. Another reason for choosing a local company is that they will have a good working knowledge of the area and the pests associated with it.
No address means we don't want you to know where we are based, stay away from these companies because if things go wrong you have no contact details apart from an 0800 number that keeps changing. Check their name, is it their trading name, are they a limited company, are they listed on the companies house register. If they are a member of the British Pest Control Association you can check their name against the register on the BPCA website.
Once you have identified a company you feel looks genuine its time to call them and get a quote for your pest. Always get 2 or 3 quotes so that you can compare not only price but the number of treatments and the type of service you will be getting, for example one company may charge you 80 to treat bedbugs and another will charge you 210 but you need to know what you are getting for that money. One treatment seems cheap now but if they cant get rid of your problem and you need more treatments then its not so cheap.
For starters one treatment is not enough for bedbugs and for most pests and usually these companies will charge small amounts and work on quantity rather than quality - which is getting rid of the pests. Beware of companies who appear to be too cheap, always ask if there are any additional charges before you book them. I had an experience with one client who called a cowboy pest control company out who quoted her only 45 to treat mice in her house. When they arrived they looked around and told her that it will cost an additional 250 as she needed lots of extra work and materials that were not included in the quote she received over the phone so please be careful.
When you call the company if they answer just with "hello pest control" ask which pest control company you have called as any reputable company would normally answer the phone quoting the name of their company why wouldn't they. If they are not the name of the company you saw on the internet and if they start to tell you that they are trading as this company or they are a sister company then be wary again if something goes wrong you don't know who to come back to.
Always make sure you know how much they will be charging you and for how many treatments and make sure that any prices quoted are including Vat as this is another little tactic the cowboys like to use. Normal run of the mill treatments like mice in a residential property can be quoted for over the phone so don't let them send a salesman round to pressure you into a costly treatment program. Some companies can give you a pest control quote online
Never pay for any treatments over the phone unless the company have arrived and they are carrying out the work in your house. Again I have personal experience with a client who called a company from the yellow pages and was charged 2500 and they never turned up you have been warned. If you want to pay by credit card make sure you pay when they arrive again if you don't have a local address and something goes wrong you are left in the lurch.
Always ask questions on how the treatment will be carried out, any professional company will have trained staff who can explain how they will treat your premises and would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Get a written quote by email its quick and easy and again any decent reputable company would be glad to give you a written quotation. I usually email a company I am looking to use and if they do not reply within the same working day I don't use them, if they cannot be bothered to answer a prospective customers email during the same working day how will they respond to a complaint.
Another question to ask if whether they are insured or not. All professional pest control companies must have some sort of public liability insurance and again any professional company should be able to email you a copy in a few seconds.
APPOINT A BPCA PROFESIONAL
The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) is the premier trade association for Professional Pest Control Companies in the UK. By choosing a BPCA assessed member you cannot be assured that the services you receive are from a trained and trusted company that meets out strict membership criteria but there is a big likelihood that they are more professional than the other cowboys. The BPCA logo is earned by members, ensure your contractor has it.
A professional service from A BPCA member will:
Adhere to their Industry Codes of Practice
Include detailed advice on Pest Prevention measures
Provide comprehensive reporting systems covering all treatment aspects
Meet legal and due diligence' requirements, complying with legislation and avoid possible prosecution
Be safe, ensuring staff, customers and members of the public are protected through RISK and COSHH assessment
Be carried out by a suitably trained and qualified expert committed to Continual Professional Development (CPD)
So lets recap on the guidelines again :-
Choose a company who advertises their address
Did they answer using their name
Get a fixed price over the phone and make sure they stick to it
Ask a lot of questions the honest company will be happy to answer them
Get a written quotation
Ask how many treatments you will be getting
Is the price including Vat
Are they insured
Pay by credit card only when the technician arrives
Get a receipt for any payments you have made
By law every company has to provide a written report on what they have used
I have tried be as clear as possible with these helpful guidelines and I hope that you find them useful in finding a professional pest control company and getting rid of your pest problem. If you have any questions on this article or any questions on pest control you can contact me on my email and via our website. A Guide To Summer Tops Know Your Travel Money Possibilities Smart Menswear For Summer Student living in Australia Celebrity Superstar Hulk Hogan Joins ViSalus Sciences Fashion Inspiration for Every Summer Occasion Australian culture and study in austrlia Fantasia Barrino Return To Serve Up American Idol Tremendous tour packages Explore the tourism of various cities of India Makemy Trip Hotels, Railways, Bus India Travel Packages and Mauritius, Singapore Tour Fabulous Holiday package – Online Holiday Package