PITTSBURGH – The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office has filed a settlement agreement with Terminix that includes the company paying more than $81,000 dollars in restitution and penalties to the state to resolve alleged consumer protection law violations regarding credit agreements.
According to a Sept. 11 filing in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, Attorney General Josh Shapiro filed the assurance of voluntary compliance with The Terminix International Co.
The attorney general's office alleges that through contracting with some Pennsylvania consumers, Terminix failed to comply with certain sections of the Consumer Protection Law, including a failure to provide consumers with a full, complete copy of the contract at the time of sale or the contract and failed to provide a notice of cancellation form.
"Respondent agrees to cease and desist from these alleged violations of the Consumer Protection Law, (Goods and Services Installment Sales Act), (Truth in Lending Act/Regulation Z, the E-Sign Act, and (Pennsylvania Electronic Transactions Act) and desires to comply with the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," the settlement says.
Among the allegations against Terminix, which stem from a Bureau of Consumer Protection investigation, are that the company failed to provide customers with copies of their closed-end credit agreements or make certain disclosures to consumers while collecting finance charges. The Attorney General's Office also alleges Terminix failed to obtain affirmative consent from consumers to be able to receive the disclosures of their agreement electronically or provide a notice of cancellation.
According to the settlement, Terminix has agreed to "honor all requests" by customers who want to cancel contracts in addition to agreeing to further comply with Consumer Protection Law and pay the monetary relief.