Know Thy Rights
All of us, at one time or another, are consumers. And as consumers, at some stage in our lives, we will invariably find ourselves with a complaint about unsatisfactory goods or services. Some people find it easier to complain than others because they know their rights as consumers. For others, they may find it difficult to complain, partly because they may not know their rights as consumers and how they can assert such rights.
Those who have made complaints will testify that complaining is not only time-consuming but at times can be rather frustrating. If something you have bought turns out to be faulty or a service you have paid for is unsatisfactory, what will you do?
In many cases, people are reluctant to complain, partly because they are not sure of their rights. But at times, they think it simply isn’t worth the hassle. Worse still, they expect their retailers or service providers to come up with excuses.
Consumers with termite problems also enjoy these fundamental consumer rights. But more importantly, they have the right to request any pest management company for certain important background information about the company and its service before deciding whether to engage the company. There are at least 15 areas that every consumer should be fully aware of before making a final decision to engage the services of any pest management company.
| Company’s Background/Operations |
Implications/Evidence |
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| 1. | Membership with the Pest Control Association of Malaysia (PCAM) | This will ensure that the company will uphold the code of ethics and standards set forth by PCAM. |
| 2. | Full commitment to the business | This will be shown in the following areas:
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| 3. | Minimum usage of chemicals | You have to check with the pest management company whether they have an alternative treatment besides the use of chemicals. An example of such an alternative is the baiting technology. |
| 4. | Chemicals used must not pose any risk to humans and the environment such as water sources, plants, etc. | Chemicals used must be approved by the Pesticides Board. |
| 5. | Termite Field Inspector must be adequately trained. | He must have undergone a minimum of 40 hours of classroom training which covers the following topics:
He can then be knowledgeable enough to detect and identify the species and that appropriate action can be recommended. Besides he must undergo a medical check-up at least once a year to ensure he is healthy and is not a disease carrier. He must pass the Examination and granted the Pesticide Applicator’s Licence by the Pesticides Board, Ministry of Agriculture. |
| 6. | Have an in-house Entomologist | A qualified Entomologist needs to undergo the scientific study of insects. The studies will enhance the quality of termite elimination by correctly identifying the termite species. |
| 7. | The solution provided must not only be able to control but to eliminate the whole termite colony. | You would like to see that the termite colony is totally eliminated otherwise the problem will persist and cause further damage to the property. Only by eliminating the whole colony will the root of the termite problem be addressed. |
| 8. | Should be less intrusive to the property – no drilling inside and outside the premises, no dust from drilling and no odour. | You take great pride of your home and do not wish to see your beautiful flooring damaged by any drilling and dirtied by the resultant dust. |
| 9. | The treatment is aided by the usage of the latest revolutionary termite detector with no drilling or prodding. | Using this new technology will give you timely information when termite presence is detected and thus ensuring action can be taken immediately to arrest the termite problem. Termatrac is the answer to termite detection without disturbing the termite activity. |
| 10. | Method used must have been scientifically proven and documented. | This is to ensure that you do not fall prey to exaggerated and unsubstantiated claims by any pest management company. |
| 11. | The procedure of the termite treatment must be adhered to in accordance with the specifications and instructions laid down. | Having the checklist of the whole termite treatment procedures will ensure you that the pest management company strictly adheres to the specifications and instructions for an effective treatment. |
| 12. | In the event of the treatment being unsuccessful, the guarantee given should not just cover the retreatment only but also any damage caused by termites. | You may want to know that the queen termites multiply very fast – laying a few thousands eggs a day and the worker termites working and eating the wooden structure 24 hours a day. As such, the damage can be substantial as a result of unsuccessful treatment. |
| 13. | It should be a totally RISK-FREE buying decision. Should the product or treatment fail to perform the intended purpose and meet your expectations, you must know the recourses available. | Being a consumer, your interests must be protected at all times. You can then engage the services of the pest management company with peace of mind. |
| 14. | Price has to be measured against the total value. | You have to study the total package offered by the pest management company. Do not compare just on prices – you need to compare an orange with an orange. The lowest price may not give you the highest value. |
| 15. | Fees have to be calculated scientifically. | You want to ensure that the fee charged by the pest management company is fair. |
These 15 pointers for consumers with termite problems are not exhaustive and basically serve as a guide only. It is important for every consumer to evaluate a pest management company before engaging its services. After all, you are about to invest in an important service to protect your property which is your major investment. Any wrong decision could put your investment at risk as the service may not resolve your termite problems and you may end up having to spend much more to repair your property. As consumers, we must always reach an informed decision based on a set of good buying criteria which is in line with the Government’s concerted efforts to make all of us smart consumers.
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