A Palm Beach couple has filed a Demand for Arbitration against Terminix/Rentokil, alleging the company failed to complete termite damage repairs for six years, according to a complaint filed by John A. and Bonnie W. Stepan.
The Stepans, ages 80 and 79 respectively, reported termite damage to the loggia dining room of their home in 2020. As of the filing, they allege the repairs remain incomplete, leaving them unable to use the dining room for approximately six years.
The arbitration complaint seeks damages for breach of contract, systemic fraud, intentional infliction of mental distress, and violations of Florida consumer protection and elder abuse statutes. The complaint requests punitive damages exceeding $13,000,000, alleging the defendants engaged in a pattern of conduct that harmed vulnerable elderly customers.
According to the complaint, Terminix/Rentokil retained and later dismissed two previous contractors before work was completed. The company later hired One Stop Inc., a Coral Gables contractor, to perform the remediation. The complaint alleges One Stop performed defective work, used improper materials, violated electrical code requirements, and failed to address additional termite damage discovered during the project. Official communications from the Town of Palm Beach were sent to a former Terminix/Rentokil contractor and were not acted upon, the complaint further alleges.
The complaint also alleges that One Stop attempted to conceal termite damage that developed during the extended delay and sought additional payment to repair a damaged lattice screen that the Stepans contend was already included within the scope of work.
"This company has tortured the Stepan family for years," said attorney William D. McCann, who represents the Stepans. "Mr. Stepan made literally hundreds of calls to various Terminix/Rentokil personnel, only to experience no callbacks, untruthful excuses, and repeated delays regarding completion of the work."
McCann further alleges that after the Stepans retained legal counsel, Terminix/Rentokil agreed to pay for complete remediation but later conditioned payment on the execution of a general release. According to the arbitration complaint, this continued a longstanding pattern of alleged bad faith. The complaint also references another arbitration involving retired Alabama school teachers who reportedly received a $2.8 million arbitration award after alleging similar conduct by Terminix.
The arbitration remains pending, and the allegations contained in the complaint have not been adjudicated.
