How to tell a good pest control company from a bad one

Pest control is important. Not only because of the health risk pests pose and the discomfort they bring, but also because of how damaging they can be to the structural integrity of buildings. As such, choosing a good pest control company is crucial for ensuring the threat of pests is taken care of properly. Don’t just pick the first company you happen to come across online or see an ad for on the tube; do your research and ensure you’re hiring the best people for the task. The integrity of your home may literally depend on it. Here’s our guide to finding a good pest control company.

Don’t focus on cost

It may be tempting to simply choose the cheapest pest control company you find. You may assume that pest control companies are fairly similar across the board, and that pest control service varies very little from company to company. This is far from the truth. In fact, the service you receive will vary significantly depending on which company you go with. Cheap often means poorer service.

That being said, a higher price doesn’t necessarily mean a better service. More recognised companies may charge more simply because they are well-known, not because they offer exceptional service. What we’re saying is, cost isn’t everything; there are more factors to consider when finding the right pest control company for your particular situation.

Read reviews

Reviews are an excellent way to see if a company’s product or service is as good as they claim it is. It’s helpful to read reviews before purchasing anything for the first time, and this rings true even more so for pest control. In a sense, reading reviews is like testing out the service before you’ve spent a penny. If a company has mostly poor/mediocre reviews, it’s probably best to avoid them altogether.

Check their licences

Good pest control companies will be fully licenced. Simple as that. Being fully licenced means that the company is legitimate in the eyes of the governing bodies of pest control and are permitted to perform pest control. Not only this, but all employees of the pest control company should be fully licenced too. This shows that they have gone through the required training and have the necessary experience to solve your pest problem safely and effectively. That’s the mark of a good pest control company.

Check their company affiliations

Companies in any industry will look to be recognised by or affiliated with the big organisations within their industry. For instance, financial services that are FCA-regulated and approved are far more trustworthy and provide a better service than those that aren’t. As well as this, when companies are affiliated with bigger organisations or governing bodies, they like to promote it, so it should be easy to find on their website. Pest control companies affiliated with reputable pest control bodies, such as PROMPT, are likely to provide a better service than those that aren’t. This is because there are rigorous standards and regulations which have to be met in order to achieve affiliate status.

Do they offer guarantees?

Good pest control companies will include a guarantee with their service. This is because they trust that their work is to a high standard and will keep your property free from pests for a considerable amount of time. When you hire a professional pest controller, you aren’t just paying for a one-off pest removal service. You’re also paying to be free from pest problems for the foreseeable future. As such, the best pest control companies will provide a guarantee of several months or even a year. Substandard companies are unlikely to provide a guarantee, since their work will be unlikely to live up to it.

Do they have liability insurance?

It’s important that the pest control company you hire has liability insurance just in case something goes wrong. For example, perhaps some chemicals seep into areas of your house where they weren’t intended. It’s the mark of a reputable company if they have insurance and compensation arranged, should anything unexpected happen.

Ask for a breakdown of the process

Asking this question will likely highlight whether the pest control company you’re speaking with is worth your time and money. Trained professionals will be more than happy to breakdown the process and tell you exactly how they are going to deal with your pest problem. A shady company or a less-qualified pest controller may be unable to answer this question accurately. When it comes to pest control, don’t settle for second best – the importance of good pest control cannot be overstated.

That concludes our guide to finding a good pest control company. Following our steps will ensure that you receive the best possible service. The key thing to take away from this article is: research, research, research! Do your homework to avoid being disappointed or misled. Here at Inoculand, we pride ourselves on being one of London’s best pest control companies. For more information on the services we provide, get in touch with our team today.