Delaware Wins $600K Settlement Against Pest Control Company

State of DE - Attorney General Kathy Jennings has reached a settlement with door-to-door pest control company Aptive Environmental, LLC. The deal was reached through her Consumer Protection Unit and has been filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery.

The settlement asks the court to award the state $600,000 for Aptive's violations of Delaware's consumer protection laws. It also asks Aptive to take specific steps to make sure these violations don't happen again.

"Aptive's history of misleading customers with their sales practices and locking them into unwanted terms is equal parts shameful and unlawful," said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. "That behavior is exactly the type of lawlessness that the Consumer Protection Unit was created to stop, and it's what we intend to do here."

For several years, especially during summer months, Aptive used high pressure sales pitches on Delaware homeowners. The company is accused of misrepresenting the contents of its contracts and leaving out key details, including a fee charged to customers who wanted to cancel.

Customers were asked to sign a contract that only appeared on an iPad. Many say they were given no real chance to read it and had to rely on what the salesperson told them.

Aptive is accused of multiple violations of three Delaware laws. Those are the Consumer Fraud Act, the Deceptive Practices Act, and the Home Solicitation Sales Act.

Delaware's Home Solicitation Sales Act is meant to protect residents from high pressure door-to-door sales. Salespeople must show an ID card from the Department of Finance and can only sell door-to-door between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Customers must also be given a full copy of the contract. They must be told they have three business days to cancel it.

The Attorney General's office is reminding Delaware residents to read any contract carefully before signing. Getting quotes from other companies first can help protect against unfair deals.

Residents should be cautious of any salesperson who asks them to agree to a cancellation fee.

That kind of fee is often used to trap customers in a contract they don't want.

If a door-to-door salesperson shows up and you're not interested, you don't owe them a conversation. It's okay to say no and close the door.