As we are all aware, the infestation of black ants in Suva is a real scourge, with these proliferating insects invading and causing damage to our homes, gardens and even our own selves.

In a bid to seek control of this problem, in November last year, we had approached a pest control company in Suva, and after inspection of the site, they provided quite an expensive quotation of about $500 for ants treatments both inside and outside the house, assuring us (verbally) that the control would be effective for about two months.

Once the service was done, upon returning to the premises, we noticed that many places in the garden had not been treated at all.

Calling back the company, they assured, they would come back for a return job, once their technician would be available again, which was seven days later.

Meanwhile, many of the ants started coming back to the previously treated areas. After the second return treatment, once again we saw that several places were missed.

A third return treatment was booked by the company for 12 days later.

By that time, some ants from outside were coming back inside the house. The third treatment having also not been done well and ants having invaded the house again, we complained to the company to complete the job properly, otherwise it would be useless since ants from non-treated areas were re-infecting treated areas.

At this point, it was raining, and the company said they would call us back once they can book another return treatment.

They never did.

Now three months later, both outside and inside our premises are full of ants even more than prior to starting treatments; most fruit, vegetable and flower shrubs are dying and our bodies get covered with ants whenever we step anywhere near our garden.

Then out of the blue, the company called — not to offer another treatment or sympathy for our problem, but to ask for payment, threatening legal action, if we did not comply.

The person at the other end did not wish to entertain any discussion about the previous inadequacies of their control treatments, simply asking for payment, claiming that a quotation was signed, and that their control treatment was only valid for a period of two weeks (nowhere on the quotation was a validity period mentioned).

We find this type of behaviour very dishonest, as it appears that companies are offering expensive services while they very well seem to know that they will not be able to provide adequate long-lasting control. We humbly request that the Consumer Council of Fiji and relevant authorities look into such matters to offer better protection for us consumers at the mercy of not only ravaging black ants, but also inefficient and/or unscrupulous pest control companies.