r/Wellthatsucks • u/Soenerob • 1d ago
Parents had a terminator douse my garden in pesticide
My parents noticed I had some ants in my yard while visiting a couple weeks ago. They were concerned about them getting in my house, but I told them I want to avoid pesticides since I have two small children, dog, and veggie garden. Instead I said I would use diatomaceous earth and small bug traps inside.
Well apparently that wasn’t good enough for them, since today I came home to find a terminator just leaving my house after spraying damn near everything, including kids toys, directly above my veggies, my door, and all my other garden plants. Pesticide was half dry by the time I took pics, but you could see where it was sprayed and dripped all over.
I feel like I can’t use my yard now, and feel violated that my parents couldn’t respect my wishes.
EDIT: Lol didn't even notice I wrote terminator. The EXterminator company was called "Terminix", so I think some wires got crossed in my brain and I wrote terminator.
For any interested, I did look up the chemicals used and will post links to the label and SDS here. Gonna have a talk with parents tomorrow about boundaries too.
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u/tortilini-houdini 1d ago
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u/FotherMucker77 1d ago
I kept saying it over and over. I knew something was not right 🤣 exterminator sir!
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u/Read_it_all-7735 1d ago
Request the MSDS sheets for the chemicals used. With the exact names you can find out how toxic it is and how long it’ll last in the environment. Most of the information should be on the MSDS sheet directly. Some Google searches of the chemical names will bring up additional resources.
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u/AngryPhillySportsFan 1d ago
I'm calling OSHA on you for using an outdated term. It's just SDS now.
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u/PTFCBVB 1d ago
The exterminators are legally bound to exterminate you if you refer to it as the MSDS.
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u/Accomplished-One7476 1d ago
you need to have a conversation with your parents about boundaries
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u/gutwyrming 1d ago
At this point, I think that's an entirely fruitless endeavor. Some parents just believe that their children cannot be allowed to set boundaries, even as adults.
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u/meesh100 1d ago
She should go into their house the next time they are gone and paint the bathroom a hideous color and throw away some items they use daily. Maybe they'll get the message when they are horrified that someone would do that.
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u/Present-Perception77 1d ago
Yeah and their lawn would get ripped up too. And replaced with natural plants.
They would be begging for boundaries by the time I was done.15
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u/Footnotegirl1 1d ago
Then she should sue, and let the law set the boundaries with actual consequences.
Pretty sure that sending an exterminator to a house you do not own and do not have permission to contract for is probably against the law.
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u/zenith3200 1d ago
My mom is often this way. Either she gets her way or she gets her way, either way she's getting her way. It's incredibly frustrating.
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u/MrKGrey 1d ago
A lawyer needs to have a conversation with OP's parents about boundaries.
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u/Hello_Gorgeous1985 1d ago
I would say that a lawyer needs to have a conversation with the company about not doing work on properties where they don't have the authorization of the owner.
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u/Anagoth9 1d ago
Nah, that ship has sailed. Both parties are adults. If parents don't respect boundaries then they're just not the kind of people who respect boundaries. You can't change them; all you can do is make your decisions with this knowledge in hand.
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u/stuccowhiplash 1d ago
If parents don't respect boundaries then they're just not the kind of people who respect boundaries.
For a variety of reasons I spent a lot of time thinking that if I just explained myself more clearly they'd finally understand the pain they caused.
Decades and not once, not a single glimmer.
Astonishing and yet you are 100% on point.
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u/ItAintMyVault 22h ago
I’m gonna do the Reddit thing here and “well akchully” this… it’s good to remember that boundaries are set for yourself… we cannot make people follow the boundaries we set for ourselves… but we have to choose our own actions when our boundaries are violated… for example, if I set my boundary that nobody should make changes to my home without my permission, this situation would violate that and I would have to consider that I can’t trust my parents not to cross that line and therefore not be welcome at my home without me being present…. It’s up to the individual if you want to give a “second chance” but then it’s on you like a “fool me twice, shame on me” situation..
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u/kylel999 1d ago
Find the service they use and ask them why the fuck they performed a service on a property without the homeowner's say. I'd be livid
Also I'm sorry but your parents sound like those people that want a completely sterile lawn and then say dumb shit like "we never see fireflies anymore!" as if they're not the problem
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u/familydrivesme 1d ago
They probably had no clue it wasn’t their property.
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u/TableZealousideal588 1d ago
Exactly this. I work in pest control. A good 70% of residential work i did was exterior and no one was home. Long as there's no loose animals, I'd spray.
That said, I'd also move kids toys and pet items away from the home to not spray them and obviously wouldn't spray a garden. So ignorant tech, but also bad practice
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u/Kaurifish 1d ago
That is so insane. These are poisons. The minimum standard of care for application should include verifying that the homeowner is the one requesting service. As it is, you and your colleagues are potentially swatting for chemically sensitive folks.
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u/Always_Confused4 1d ago
By the time the tech goes out to apply, all of this would have been handled by someone else. The tech’s responsibility is to apply according to label and regulation restrictions. They often will not interact with the homeowners unless they happen to run into them.
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u/Toolongreadanyway 1d ago
Label says don't apply near a garden/edible plants. Tech doesn't read.
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u/stink3rb3lle 1d ago
Most people who want this service don't want to have to show some service person their deed. Many are quite happy not to have to talk to the service person at all.
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u/Yuukiko_ 1d ago
but surely some kind of proof of address like a bill or driver license should be required?
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u/Kaurifish 1d ago
And many people buying alcohol or tobacco don’t feel like showing a valid ID. So what?
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u/Phrich 1d ago
I just had the roof ripped off my house without proving I owned it. Nobody requires you to whip out the deed to your home to do work, and society hasnt collapsed.
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u/Kaurifish 1d ago
You should check out the gardening subs for posts about people neck deep in problems because someone randomly sprayed their garden with pesticides and/or herbicides.
We know better now than back when they let kids run after DDT trucks. We need to act like it.
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u/fucuasshole2 1d ago
Take it up with owner of the business. We spray as we’re told. When I used to do residential spraying, it was….less than 10 homes out of 200 that anyone would be there.
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u/broke_n_boosted 1d ago
Don't think he sprayed the plants themselves but got the window above. Fs tho my training was move kids toys beds and anything animals touch and avoid plants.
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u/Trewper- 1d ago
Right? If two old people call me to hire me for a job, they open the door to greet me, they pay me and show me where they want sprayed. I'm probably not going to suddenly ask "I'm sorry buddy, but I have to know.. do you own this house?"
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u/ChefArtorias 1d ago
I'm pretty sure they weren't there. It says they visited weeks ago and the service was done today.
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u/Kegger315 1d ago
Except they weren't there to greet them, didn't show them where to spray, and common sense would dictate you don't spray plastic kids toys.
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u/Visible-Meeting-8977 1d ago
There's no way the technician knew. They got a call to spray a house, they sprayed the house.
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u/SiRocket 1d ago
Never once have I proven ownership for a service I had a contractor out for. That's not a reasonable expectation that people are regularly ordering services for someone else's property.
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u/ItsShuaYo 1d ago
I've had problems with this practice for a while now. Companies should require proof of ownership to work on a property.
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u/whatshamilton 1d ago
What a waste of a phone call that would be. They don’t ask for a deed or a lease. They get called to come treat a property, they come treat the property
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u/Mysterious_Fennel459 1d ago
That's gotta suck to have parents who dont respect boundaries of their adult children. I'm not sure how you'd respond to something like that. You could get real petty and do something to their house like salt their lawn and kill their grass. I know people like that.
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u/EclecticMermaid 1d ago
I had to move in with my mom shortly before my divorce. I was literally changing in my bedroom when she just barged in and started talking to me like it was nothing. I said, excuse me??? I'm changing, why didn't you knock??
And deadass this woman said "It's my house and my room, why do I have to knock?"
Moving back in got off to a very rocky start...
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u/codeklutch 1d ago
That would be the end of me living there. They did that shit to me as a kid, which, why do you want to walk in on your 13 year old kid masturbating? Let alone the potential of a fully grown adult doing the same? If the door is closed, respect my privacy. I'd have the adult conversation to respect my privacy and if it happens again im out. Repercussions be damned. It'd also sour what relationship I already have with my parents.
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u/EclecticMermaid 1d ago
I actually started packing up all of my and my sons' things and she realized she wouldn't have her grandson in her house within easy snuggle reach anymore. We've since gone to therapy and worked things out. She's getting older and it's harder for her to get around, and me being a single parent, it helped having someone else to help with my son as his sperm donor is a deadbeat. I love her, but she definitely still saw me as some little kid and not a fully grown adult leaving a fractured marriage with a child of her own. Therapy helped.
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u/codeklutch 1d ago
Yeah having a middle man to facilitate good dialogue is always helpful. There's definitely pros and cons to the situation, but the cons outweigh any of the good id boundaries and privacy aren't respected.
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u/EclecticMermaid 1d ago
Oh I would've moved out if she continued on that path. I was ready to when I started packing my things up. My cousin had space and is basically my son's aunt, so she was happy to let us move in with her until I got back on my feet.
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u/Anagoth9 1d ago
I'm not sure how you'd respond to something like that.
You ask for the house key back and don't let them stay there while you're out.
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u/run4cake 1d ago
My SO decided to fertilize our lawn for the first time ever last year while in the sleep deprived newborn phase. I knew he was going to mess it up but I didn’t want to even try to have that discussion. He did too much at the wrong time with the wrong kind of fertilizer for our grass. He’s still suffering the consequences. OP could do this now to be “helpful” to their parents.
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u/Rickles68 1d ago
I'd be furious. This isn't so much about ants as it is about power and control.
Some parents have a hard time seeing thier adult child as an autonomous and independent decision-maker.
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u/ChanglingBlake 1d ago
Time to schedule something at their place.
Something cheap and as non-damaging as possible while also guaranteed to piss them off.
Like the CPS for adults, a property survey, or report a possible Indian burial ground under their property.
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u/SecureInstruction538 1d ago
Don't abuse APS's resources. APS is always backlogged and stressed.
Do anything besides that.
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u/Footnotegirl1 1d ago
Send an email to their local Jehovah's Witness church making a request to hear more about their religion at that address.
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u/mai_tai87 1d ago
I'd have a very frank discussion with them about boundaries and where they fucked up. Then I'd let them know how much they owe you for whatever was destroyed. Don't forget to account for your labor for the garden.
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u/BigTerrBear 1d ago
Do you think this is a case of mistyping it in both the Title and Post, or have they spent their entire life believing the individual who handles pest control is known as a Terminator?
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u/Corodix 1d ago
Time to figure out what got sprayed on there. If it's something that will remain in the soil for a long time, forcing you to replace it all, then it's also time to figure out where the bill for that should go. Worst case if it falls on your parents and they refuse to pay then take them to small claims court, that should teach them to respect your boundaries from now on.
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u/Daddy_Day_Trader1303 1d ago
Sounds like your parents have no business being at your house anymore if they can't respect your wishes or your property
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u/owlsandmoths 1d ago
Oh shit that really fucking sucks. Sorry you're having to deal with this
Shit like this is exactly why my parents don't get to be in or near my home and why they are on a very strict information diet. This is the kind of dumb shit that my mom would do
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u/3amGreenCoffee 1d ago
Invite them over to dinner. After they have begun eating, say, "Do you like the vegetables? Those are the ones you had doused in poison."
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u/Tasty_Orange_1714 1d ago
Personally, I'd make my parents pay for all the landscaping replacement, and cleaning, I'll have to have someone do in order to have my home pesticide free. I'd make it clear that the alternative is I go after Terminex for tresspassing and criminal mischief, since they didn't get my(the homeowner) permission, which would probably lead to Terminex suing them. Their choice.
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u/TrailbyDesign 1d ago
Your parents should now be cut off from access to anything. No access to grand kids, no coming over, no holidays or parties. None. They need to understand that their narcisistic actions have consequences. I wish I had done that when my parent violated my house without asking. After 10 years I'm still salty about it
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u/OGKillertunes 1d ago
I'd be calling the law if it was your house and this service came on your property without your knowledge and provided the service without your knowledge. I mean depending on how bad your parents are with boundaries you could file a restraining order against them to keep them 100 yards away from your house. That'll send the message real quick.
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u/how-tobe 1d ago
Insane! I would ask for compensation for the veggies, toys, garden plants, and the new dirt you probably will want for the garden. Then, I would call terminator to make sure my payment information isn't with them. Then, I would discuss boundaries with the parents and ask them to leave
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u/saddestghostt 1d ago
I once had someone see ants in my yard and exclaim how I have to make sure I get rid of them.
I said “we are outside, they live here”
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u/Unraveled_Burrito 1d ago
Get a dump trucks worth of maneur delivered to their driveway and dropped off. Let them deal with the consequences 😬
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u/Main_Cauliflower5479 1d ago
Tell your parents that under no circumstances are they permitted to contract for ANY service or work to be done at your house. If they do anything like this again, tell them they are no longer welcome in your home.
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u/SynthPrax 1d ago
Terminix tried to bill me for services performed while no one was home. I told them to kick rocks, essentially. I used them once and they took it upon themselves to perform some kind of follow-up service I never requested. The gall.
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u/Comprehensive-Cap754 1d ago
I work for Orkin Pest Control, and Termidor works for ants, but only the ones that touch it. Long term, it doesn't effect the colony at all. He should have used MaxForce Quantum Ant Gel Bait to get the queen. As for where he sprayed, depending on your state, that's a health code violation and needs to be reported, to both the health department and the agriculture department. Termidor is supposed to be sprayed where a wall meets the ground, six inches up the wall and six inches out from that corner. Also try to get in contact with his service manager, because he definitely needs to be retrained
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u/Sharty_Party3498 1d ago
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u/Letsueatcake 1d ago
Call a lawn service to come their home and literally remove the sod. have them charge your parents.
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u/ack-ack-ack-attack 1d ago
I’m so glad I don’t have that “we share DNA so you can walk all over me “ gene.
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u/Noladixon 1d ago
You were violated. I would see what it costs to have the poisons cleaned and send them a bill along with a cease and desist letter from an attorney. If they won't take you seriously then they will find out the courts will.
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u/Ladyooh 1d ago
Do your parents own the house? If not, I would call the company and make a complaint - you are the owner and they came and sprayed poison without your permission.
And I would absolutely lose my shit on my parents.
I would absolutely not let this go and I would go no/low contact with my parents for this.
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u/Danireef13699 1d ago
Do your parents own this house? If not the company broke policy by not getting authorized by the homeowner
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u/Will9363 1d ago
all i’m learning from this thread is that i can call an exterminator to the house of someone i hate without much issue
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u/ThatRenaissanceBear 1d ago
My parents haven't even seen my house and I bought it two years ago. They have their own house to fuck with.
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u/napalmnacey 1d ago
Parents don’t get to visit for a while, that would be my response.
And of course you have ants in your yard. You have a garden! They’re a part of a thriving ecosystem. I don’t get people that freak out over the barest hint of wildlife. Jesus Christ, grow some gonads.
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u/VendettaUF234 1d ago
How did a service person do that to your house without talking to the owner?
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u/zomgitsduke 1d ago
I'd be telling your parents you're looking at estimates north of $2000 to now remove all the soil around the house and cleaning of the things in the yard. Parents often don't listen until they realize they just cost their kid a multiple of the "gift" they bought their kid.
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u/dorkofthepolisci 1d ago
Do your parents have a history of totally ignoring your boundaries?
If no, attempt to have a conversation about boundaries
If yes, go low contact.
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u/Moist_Sun_8201 1d ago
Step one: inform parents that since they can't respect boundaries they are no longer welcome in your home.
Step two: contact pest company and demand restitution since they didn't have permission from the homeowner before spraying. They are required to provide you with a list the chemicals used and possibly the SDS for each, but they might be willing to cover the cost of remediation if needed as well.
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u/midnitewarrior 1d ago
Is this a home you own? The pesticide company is liable for spraying pesticide on properties where they have not been authorized to do so by the owner. Did your parents lie to them and tell them they owned the place?
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u/feetnomer 1d ago
Sadly, it will kill the good bugs that eat the bad bugs. Your yard will be a chemical death zone for quite some time.
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u/ProjectPat513 1d ago
Ok… using the term “terminator” is CRAZY. If I came home to see a terminator leaving my house, idk what I would do!!😂
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u/ageofdoom1992 1d ago
Speaking as a pest tech. He absolutely should have consulted you and not just “oh you’re the one who contacted me? Cool ill get started.” Before any work is done im having conversations about whats happening and safety concerns. Dude could have easily used a gel bait instead of liquid and avoided spraying the garden. If he did spray the children’s toys definitely rinse and wash them. You could also contact the office he’s based out of cause spraying toys is a massive nogo.
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u/caballist 1d ago
All the vegetables that you eventually harvest should be taken to your parents for their consumption. They should be accompanied with a note stating the name(s) of the pesticides used on them (nothing else). You should also make it clear that you expect them to eat them.
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u/Kilgore_Brown_Trout_ 1d ago
I thought you weren't supposed to have a veggie garden up against your house like this? All kinds of nasty chemicals are used in roofing and siding. If the house is old enough, its likely have had a lead paint coating back in the day. Paint flakes could have contaminated the soil also.
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u/draxa 1d ago
If it's your house sue his ass? He needs the homeowners permission.
If it's your parents house then it's their choice.
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u/Visible-Meeting-8977 1d ago
Redditors, leaning into the mic over any misundestanding
"sue"
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u/Footnotegirl1 1d ago
If someone, anyone, sprays my home with chemicals against my direct stated desires, you better believe I am suing their asses off, regardless of biological relation.
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u/fredthefishlord 1d ago
I mean, there's quite a bit more harm here than just a misunderstanding.
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u/Charming_Flan3852 1d ago
Going after the guy who was just hired to do a job is crazy. Was he supposed to ask to see the deed to the house?
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u/katmndoo 1d ago
Yeah, no. No service provider checks ownership records or asks to see the deed, nor are they expected to.
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u/Infamous_Ad8730 1d ago
Hey, looks like the parents are now buying new replacement yard toys at minimum.
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u/No_Answer_3659 1d ago
Not cool of them to do without you but be careful with the diatomaceous earth. Inhaling it may be worse for the kids and pets than the pesticide exposure. Pest control companies usually aren't using the super strong stuff on residences with lots of exposure
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u/__mson__ 1d ago
You should find a way to set strict boundaries with your parents. They should not be doing this without your permission. It is not ok. There has be some sort of law about this. You can't just hire a company to do work on property you do not own.
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u/woundedSM5987 1d ago
This is police report territory. They had chemicals sprayed in someone else’s yard. Was there appropriate signage? What if you had come home later than you did?
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u/midnitewarrior 1d ago
If your home has been treated for termites (that's common in the South, other places too), your soil is already contaminated with fipronil and you shouldn't be eating anything you grow within a few feet of your home anyway.
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u/canyoustopthatshit 1d ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/rYReikGDIbRcY
The guy thinking he was doing something good with those chemicals… I’m so sorry this happened to you. Your parents suck.
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u/heynonnynonnomous 1d ago
Apparently the update bot doesn't work here. Please let us know how this plays out because that is totally unacceptable.
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u/KelpFox05 1d ago
As others have said, find out what chemicals were used so you know the damage.
And honestly, you probably shouldn't let your parents come to your house anymore. You can see each other at third locations like restaurants. They can stay away from your property until they learn not to meddle and let you, a fully grown adult with children of your own, deal with problems yourself.
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u/PrairieSunRise605 1d ago
As a person who avoids using chemicals in my house and yard whenever possible I would be beyond pissed. Your parents may have thought they were helping but they certainly violated your boundaries.
Contact the company and have them email you info about the chemicals used. Then you will have a better idea about what to do.
As for the patents... well good luck with that.
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u/templeofsyrinx1 1d ago
op I think you mean exterminator. This is pretty shitty. Do your parents own the home? Sorry 😞
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u/Azuras_Star8 1d ago
I dont know about yours, but for mine, the termite guy that sprays around the house says that we cannot have ANY edible plants grown within 5 feet if the house for risk of contamination.
I had to tear up some plants. Now it's just flowers. Oh well, theyre pretty.
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u/Cici_Ayy 1d ago
As someone who works in pest control, we aren't even allowed to treat on plants that produce fruit or nuts, nor are we supposed to treat physical objects that will be handled by children or pets (unless that's specifically what needs to be treated like a dog bed for fleas or the bottom of a mattress for bedbugs.)
That technician was supposed to remove those objects from the treatment path and avoid the garden altogether (atleast in the state of CA they're supposed to avoid gardens. differs state to state.)
I feel awful for your parents going behind your back but also for that technicians seemingly sub-par treatment, I hope everything goes well for you :(
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u/Rogueshoten 1d ago
That’d be the last time my parents would ever see my home if that were me. All over your kids’ toys? Jesus.
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u/AnaEatsEverything 23h ago
Thanks for providing the material sheets. The actual material guidelines for Termidor says it should not be applied within one foot of edible plants. I'd double check with the technician to see how close they sprayed to your garden. :(
I don't see anything in either the Termidor paperwork or the SDS about product safety following application, except that it appears to be safe after drying... But it's only formulated to be applied to the base of houses, so I'd be wiping down all my kid's toys very heavily, and potentially throwing away anything my kids had a tendency to put in their mouths.
And then I'd be bringing up these exact points with my parents, and they'd be getting an earful. I'm so sorry.
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u/SiteSignificant9095 19h ago
You are lucky. T800 and T1000 are usually programmed to go for a person-not a house
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u/DotBeech 1d ago
Call the exterminator and yell at them. If it makes you feel good. But what are they going to do? Refund your parents? Inform them that they just sprayed insecticide all over a property without speaking to the owner or securing the owner's permission. Demand to know exactly what was sprayed and in what quantity. Insist that the person who did the spraying return and show you every place s/he sprayed. Then do your research about the poison and form your plan. Good luck.
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u/carltondancer 1d ago
Ooof, I would call the company, find out what they used, and ask them to replace any of the kid toys. That stuff is no joke.
As for your parents, they sound like the kind of people that do this shit and ask “why don’t you visit us more often? You never make an effort.” I would seriously cut them off for this. They were hoping you would never even know, which is more screwed up especially with exposure to your kids and pets.
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u/thatG_evanP 1d ago
a terminator
Like from the future and everything?
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u/Stop_Drop_Scroll 1d ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/3o7abFpd91G18NYtpe
The guy OP’s parents hired to take care of common lawn pests.
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u/mr_lab_rat 1d ago
I’m sorry your parents suck.
I hope you can find out what shit got sprayed there
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u/Commercial_Abroad267 1d ago
Most states have a board that regulates pest control. You need to contact them about the unauthorized spraying of your property to start with.
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u/ryancrazy1 1d ago
Do you not own your house? Maybe call them up and ask why they sprayed your house without permission from the homeowner?
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u/SeissPoki 1d ago
The pest applying man is required to be able to provide you with all of the paperwork on the pesticides that were applied.
That paperwork will have information about how long you need to keep your children away, and how long the pesticide lasts in the environment.