When we're consistent, the pest control guy comes every three months for a house call. We have used these necessary services from the same company since the fall of 2004, when I was tired of losing the battle with the mice living in our attic and and giving them peanut butter instead of my boys and then having to reset the traps again. This procedure wasn't proactive enough, and it was time to pass the task over to the professionals, pay them, and save our peanut butter.
During our first consultation, we were given a flat rate fee and were told it would never increase as long as we kept using them, and the contract was even transferrable to the next owner if we ever moved. For only $95, they will put the chemicals out throughout the various favorite mice locations, and if the mice thought they happened upon gold, they'd eventually meet their demise out in the woods from where they originally came. Windowsills are sprayed, as well as the outer perimeter of the house foundation. If we happen to hear little feet in the walls before the next scheduled appointment, they will come out to service our needs at no extra cost.
Remaining consistent is key, although we have been known to let a month or two lapse now and then. The owner of the company became less proactive in keeping to his schedule and since he forgot to call us and remind us we were due for service, we forgot as well. And as long as the walls were quiet at night, our forgetfulness tended to extend into another month. Still, to ensure that our $95 towards the service and chemicals didn't go to waste, I would eventually contact them when I couldn't remember when they were last here, concluding it was certainly longer than three months, perhaps even four or five.
Three months ago, a new technician contacted me about us being due for service and since we were overdue, I scheduled the appointment. He quoted me a different price writing up the receipt, and I told him I was paying nothing more than $95 due to our agreement with the owner. He attributed the increase to the high fuel costs and I almost conceded to the new fee, but stood my ground. A contract is a contract and as long as the original owner was still in the picture, I was not giving them one more dime. No doubt, recent customers are paying a substantial amount more for their quarterly services than I am, so the business is surely not suffering.
Last night, the same technician called. Apparently, three months have come and gone and we are due for service. I was used to getting to stretch the fee into another month or two and this was not a good time for us financially. Then again, it will be worse in another month, but I would probably just put them off for another month until I would resort to having them come. I requested he call me in a month and he said I could call them or somebody would call me in a couple of weeks. I had to give him credit for staying on top of things and credited the owner for hiring him because he was no doubt increasing their profits by being so proactive with the accounts.
I woke up this morning around 2 AM to a familiar noise, but couldn't place it at first because it wasn't above me. Was it coincidence that the tech had called to make the service call within 12 hours of my hearing a sound I should not be hearing at all since he was here less than 90 days ago? Did I treat the house properly or cut corners? Did I have to follow him around when he came out again to ensure I was getting the same service our $95 entitled us to that it did four years ago? Why was I hearing mice within the middle walls of the house and not up in the attic? Did the mouse get trapped in the wall? Was it chewing the wires of our thermostat? Because I could hear its little feet scurrying just below where the thermostat is kept, just outside of our bedroom.
I will call the tech back today and schedule our appointment. We are due, after all. And there is no room for any unwelcome guests.
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