Terms & Conditions

1. Pest Control Services

Smyth Pest Control will carry out inspections and treatments using professional methods and products considered appropriate for the pest species, property and circumstances identified at the time of our visit.

The treatment programme required will depend on factors including the pest species, extent of the infestation, condition of the property, access available and surrounding environment.

Where more than one visit is required, the customer should allow the agreed treatment programme to be completed before assessing the final result.

2. Our 30-Day Treatment Guarantee

Unless otherwise stated or agreed in writing, qualifying pest-control treatments carried out by Smyth Pest Control are covered by a 30-day treatment guarantee.

The guarantee period begins when the agreed treatment programme has been completed, normally from the date of the final scheduled treatment visit.

The guarantee applies only to:

• The original pest species being treated
• The original pest problem
• Areas included within the agreed treatment programme
• Work carried out directly by Smyth Pest Control

If the same treated pest problem is reported within the 30-day period, we will assess the circumstances and, where the problem falls within the scope of the original treatment and guarantee, arrange an appropriate follow-up.

A follow-up visit does not restart, renew or extend the original 30-day guarantee period.

Once the 30-day guarantee period has expired, any further inspection, attendance or treatment will be considered a new service and will be chargeable.

3. Proofing & Pest Entry Points

Successful rodent control can involve more than treating the infestation itself.

Mice and rats may gain access through holes, gaps, service penetrations, damaged structures, drainage defects and other entry points.

Where these are identified, Smyth Pest Control may recommend proofing work as part of the treatment programme.

Proofing is intended to reduce the opportunity for pests to regain access to the property once the existing infestation has been controlled.

4. Customer or Third-Party Proofing

This is an important condition of our treatment guarantee.

Where Smyth Pest Control identifies or recommends proofing work and the customer chooses to carry out that work themselves, or instructs a landlord, builder, maintenance contractor or any other third party to complete it, Smyth Pest Control cannot guarantee against continued or recurring pest activity associated with those entry points or proofing works.

This is because Smyth Pest Control cannot control or verify:

• The methods used
• The materials used
• The standard or quality of the work
• Whether all identified entry points have been correctly sealed
• Whether additional entry points have been overlooked
• Whether the completed proofing remains secure

Where proofing is necessary for successful long-term control, the 30-day treatment guarantee will only apply in relation to reinfestation through identified entry points where the relevant proofing has been carried out by Smyth Pest Control as part of the agreed programme.

If the customer declines recommended proofing or chooses to undertake the work themselves or through another contractor, any subsequent attendance required because pests have regained access through inadequate, incomplete, failed or omitted proofing may be treated as a new chargeable visit.

5. Guarantee Exclusions

The 30-day treatment guarantee does not provide permanent or indefinite protection against future pest activity.

The guarantee will not normally cover pest activity resulting from:

• A new or separate infestation
• A different pest species
• Untreated areas of the property
• Adjoining or neighbouring properties
• New pest entry points developing after treatment
• Structural deterioration or building defects
• Drainage defects
• Entry points that have not been appropriately proofed
• Customer or third-party proofing that is incomplete or unsuccessful
• Environmental conditions encouraging further pest activity
• Poor hygiene, sanitation or waste-management conditions
• Failure to follow preparation or aftercare instructions
• New sources of infestation occurring after the original treatment

Where there is uncertainty as to whether a problem falls within the original guarantee, Smyth Pest Control may inspect the property before determining whether further work is covered or chargeable.

6. Customer Responsibilities

Customers must provide safe and reasonable access to all areas requiring inspection or treatment.

Where preparation is required before treatment, the customer must follow the instructions provided by Smyth Pest Control.

Customers should inform us of any relevant circumstances, including pets, inaccessible areas, previous pest treatments, known drainage problems, structural defects or building work that could affect the treatment.

Failure to follow reasonable preparation, safety or aftercare instructions may affect treatment results and may invalidate the guarantee where that failure has materially contributed to the continuing pest problem.

7. Follow-Up Visits

Some pest problems require more than one treatment visit.

Where a quotation or booking includes a specified number of visits, these visits form part of the agreed treatment programme.

Customers should make reasonable arrangements to provide access for scheduled follow-up appointments.

Visits requested outside the agreed treatment programme or after expiry of the applicable guarantee period will normally be chargeable.

8. Treatment Results

Pest-control treatments can be affected by circumstances outside the reasonable control of Smyth Pest Control.

These include neighbouring properties, surrounding land, environmental conditions, building defects, drainage systems, hygiene conditions and new pest activity occurring after treatment.

For this reason, no pest-control treatment should be interpreted as providing permanent or indefinite protection against future pest activity.

Our service is intended to professionally control the pest problem identified at the time of treatment and provide appropriate advice to help reduce the likelihood of recurrence.

9. Quotations & Additional Work

Any quotation provided by Smyth Pest Control applies to the work specifically described within that quotation.

If additional pest problems, structural issues, proofing requirements or other work are identified, these may fall outside the original quotation.

Where possible, additional work and associated charges will be discussed with the customer before the additional work is undertaken.

10. Payment at the Point of Booking

Unless alternative payment terms have been agreed in writing, payment is required at the point of booking.

An appointment is not considered confirmed until the required payment has been received.

Payment secures the agreed appointment and allows Smyth Pest Control to allocate the necessary time and resources for the service.

Any additional work requested or required outside the original booking or quotation may be charged separately.

Commercial customers operating under previously agreed account terms will remain subject to the payment terms stated on their invoice or service agreement.

11. Consumer Cancellation Rights

Where a consumer books a service by telephone, online or by another distance method, they may have a legal right to cancel the contract within the applicable statutory cancellation period.

Where the customer specifically requests that Smyth Pest Control begin or complete the service during that cancellation period, the customer’s cancellation rights may be affected once work has commenced or been completed.

Where work has already started following the customer’s request, the customer may be required to pay for services supplied up to the point of cancellation, where permitted by law.

Nothing within these Terms & Conditions is intended to remove or restrict any statutory cancellation rights available to consumers.

12. Cancelling or Rearranging an Appointment

If an appointment needs to be cancelled or rearranged, customers should contact Smyth Pest Control as soon as reasonably possible.

If the customer cancels or rearranges an appointment with less than 24 hours’ notice, a £60 cancellation charge will apply to cover the cost of the reserved appointment. Cancellations are accepted Monday to Friday, 8:00am–6:00pm only.

Where our technician attends the property but cannot gain access, an attendance charge may also apply.

A charge may also apply where treatment cannot proceed because preparation instructions provided to the customer have not been completed.

Any refund or cancellation charge will be handled in accordance with applicable consumer law and the circumstances of the booking.

13. Access & Safety

Smyth Pest Control must be provided with safe and reasonable access to areas requiring inspection or treatment.

We reserve the right to postpone or refuse work where conditions are considered unsafe or where suitable access cannot reasonably be provided.

This includes circumstances where specialist access equipment, scaffolding, building work or another appropriately qualified contractor is required before our work can safely proceed.

14. Bee Removal & Specialist Access

Bee colonies located within chimneys, roof spaces, wall cavities and other parts of buildings can require specialist access.

Where scaffolding, building work, removal of bricks or other structural access is necessary, this will be discussed with the customer.

Unless specifically included within our quotation, scaffolding, building work and reinstatement of the structure remain the customer’s responsibility.

The customer is responsible for arranging any necessary third-party contractor and ensuring appropriate and safe access is available before our bee-removal work begins.

15. CCTV Drain Surveys

A CCTV drain survey provides an inspection of accessible parts of the drainage system at the time the survey is carried out.

Where damage, defects or potential rodent entry points are identified, we will explain our findings and may recommend further investigation or repair.

A CCTV survey does not itself constitute a drainage repair.

Drainage repairs or other specialist work identified following the survey are not included unless specifically stated within the quotation.

16. Property Damage & Existing Defects

Smyth Pest Control will take reasonable care while carrying out inspections and treatments.

We cannot accept responsibility for pre-existing damage, deterioration, concealed defects or damage caused by pest activity independently of the work undertaken by Smyth Pest Control.

Customers should remove or protect valuable, fragile or sensitive belongings from treatment areas where reasonably possible before work begins.

17. Circumstances Outside Our Control

There may be circumstances outside the reasonable control of Smyth Pest Control that affect treatment results or our ability to complete work as originally planned.

These can include severe weather, unsafe working conditions, restricted access, neighbouring infestations, structural defects and circumstances affecting third-party access or works.

Where this occurs, we will explain the situation and advise the customer of the appropriate next steps.

18. Complaints

If you are unhappy with any aspect of our service, please contact Smyth Pest Control as soon as possible so that we have an opportunity to investigate the matter.

Where the complaint relates to treatment results, we may need to inspect the property and review the treatment history before determining the appropriate action.

Smyth Pest Control Complaints Procedure

Smyth Pest Control handles complaints about pest control services carried out by Smyth Pest Control.

Smyth Pest Control is a member of the British Pest Control Association (BPCA). We handle complaints in line with the BPCA’s complaints procedure.

Complaints we can consider

We can consider complaints about:

• the quality of a pest control service, including public health or wildlife work;
• customer service;
• suspected illegal conduct;
• unprofessional conduct.

How to submit a complaint

Before submitting a complaint, please follow Smyth Pest Control’s complaints process. Send your complaint by email within five days of the treatment to warren@smythpestcontrol.co.uk. Include photographs and enough information for us to investigate.

Useful information may include treatment reports, quotations, invoices, survey documents, photographs, and details of the issue you experienced.

Complaints we may not be able to consider

We may be unable to investigate complaints:

• about a treatment carried out more than five days before the complaint was submitted, unless special circumstances apply;
• while related legal proceedings are underway;
• about another company;
• about a service outside pest control, such as specialist cleaning;
• that rely only on hearsay, opinion, an informal second opinion, or lack supporting evidence.

19. Your Statutory Rights

Nothing within these Terms & Conditions is intended to exclude or restrict any rights or remedies that cannot legally be excluded or restricted.

Nothing in these Terms & Conditions affects your statutory rights as a consumer.