Corky's Pest Control Review

Weights add to 100% without the factors marked N/A. How the adjustments work

How we review companies Handshake Score v1.5.0 (rules v1.0.7, confidence v1.2.1)

“In score” marks the profiles counted in the customer-satisfaction factor.

In reviewers’ words

Quoted verbatim, up to 300 characters, as recorded by our researchers with the reviewer’s first name and last initial at most. Low and high ratings are shown alternately.

Profile scope: California: one BBB file, Corky’s Pest Control Inc, 150 Vallecitos de Oro, San Marcos (BBB Mountain West & Pacific Southwest). The company’s offices are all in Southern California. BBB does not show an unanswered count on this file; every one of the 9 complaints displayed has a business response, so unanswered is recorded as unknown.

Scored: Complaint record, Sales and contract fairness (−1)

Complaint themes

• Billed monthly for visits that were missed or late (6-week/quarterly service)
• Refund disputes after canceling
• Incomplete rodent/termite/bee work
• Billing for add-on services the customer says were one-time

From BBB complaints and reviews

• BBB complaint · August 31, 2024

  “I was concerned about the cost but was told they were one-time charges and that rodent trapping was guaranteed to resolve my issue. In June, I was charged $62 for rat service.”

  Name not shownRead on BBB

• BBB complaint · February 9, 2024

  “I signed up for REMOVED's pest control service in 2023, under the agreement of $62/month with services scheduled every 6 weeks. However, the company has consistently failed to uphold their end of the agreement.”

  Name not shownRead on BBB

• BBB complaint · May 14, 2026

  “This company reneged on their promise and on what they got paid to do. I have made at least 4 follow up calls for them to come out and finish the job”

  Name not shownRead on BBB

• BBB complaint · February 23, 2025

  “Subsequently, I received a bill for $150.00. But it read that I had paid $26.00 which I hadnt, so the bill read that I owed $124.00.”

  Name not shownRead on BBB

BBB profiles

• Main profile · A+View

Door-to-door sales: N/A

N/A: the research didn’t establish door-to-door selling. It isn’t proof that the company never knocks.

No door-to-door evidence found: searches for door-to-door sales, reps knocking, and summer sales jobs (search ids corkys-pest-control-d2d, -knocked, -door2, -jobs) returned nothing tied to Corky’s, and no reviewer read describes a rep at the door. The site sells by phone and web form (‘Call’, free inspection), the leadership list has an Inside Sales Manager, and a BBB reviewer signed ‘over the phone’. The careers page now redirects to the contact page. Not enough to say ‘no’ with certainty, so ‘unknown’.

• “STEP 1: CALL Call Corky’s and speak with a local team member who understands the pests common in Southern California.”

  corkyspest.com · retrieved October 28, 2026⁷

• “Never offered complete pricing information before having me sign a contract over the phone.”

  bbb.org · retrieved October 28, 2026⁸

• “Omar Aguirre Inside Sales Manager”

  corkyspest.com · retrieved October 28, 2026⁷

Contract terms and pricing

• Published Services Agreement (incorporated into the signed Order Form): the agreement runs for an Initial Term of 1 year unless the Order Form’s front page states another expiration date.⁹

  “unless a contract expiration date is expressly identified on the front page of the Order Form, continues for a period of 1-year (the “Initial Term”)”

  Scored: Sales and contract fairness (−1)

• Auto-renewal: at the end of the Initial Term and each Renewal Term the agreement renews automatically for one-year terms; a party that does not want to renew must give notice at least three months before the end of the current Contract Period.⁹

  “At the end of the Initial Term and any applicable Renewal Term, the Agreement shall automatically renew for consecutive one (1) year terms (each a “Renewal Term). If a party does not wish to renew the Agreement, that party must notify the other party of their intent not to renew no later than three (3) months prior to the end of the then current Contract Period.”

  Scored: Sales and contract fairness (−0.5)

• Termination fee schedule: $199 if termination occurs within six months of the Effective Date; $99 if it occurs in months 7–12.⁹

  “In any event of termination, (i) if such termination occurs within six (6) months of the Effective Date Customer shall pay a fee of $199 upon such termination, and (ii)if such termination occurs between the seventh (7th) and twelve (12th) months of the Effective Date Customer shall pay a fee of $99 upon such termination”

  Scored: Sales and contract fairness (−2)

  October 28, 2026 (live re-read): the schedule sits in the “Termination of the Agreement” clause and applies “In any event of termination”. It covers months 1-12 only; the published text states no fee for termination during a Renewal Term. The text gives the customer no termination-for-convenience right; the exit it describes is non-renewal notice 3 months before the term ends.

• Price increases: the company may raise service fees at each Renewal Term.⁹

  “Corky’s reserves the right to increase service fees at each Renewal Term regardless of payment terms or discounts applied.”

• Disputes: the published Services Agreement has a California governing-law clause and contains no arbitration or class-action-waiver clause; the separate signed Order Form is not published. Claims must be notified in writing within three months; liability capped at six months of fees.⁹

  “The Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of California”

  October 28, 2026 (live re-read): no arbitration, class-action-waiver or jury-waiver wording anywhere in the Services Agreement; the clause headed “Governing Law; Exclusive Jurisdiction” names California law but no forum. The Agreement is defined as the Order Form plus this Services Agreement, and the Order Form (with its appendixes and schedules) is not published. The published text names no channel for the customer’s non-renewal notice; the “Notice of Communications” clause covers only notices sent by Corky’s (automated call, email or text).

• Company BBB reply (August 11, 2025, Todd H. review): the customer signed a one-year contract and the cancellation fee was not waived.⁸

  “He signed a one year contract and if cancelled there is a cancellation fee. Management would not waive the cancel fee.”

  Scored: Sales and contract fairness (−1)

• First-hand BBB review (Dan H., September 23, 2026): signed electronically over the phone, canceled by email within three hours, was asked for $199 to cancel; the company replied it waived the fee and closed the account.⁸

  “They are now asking for $199 to cancel the contract.”

  Scored: Sales and contract fairness (−2)

• Billing model (company BBB replies): monthly billing for service visits every 6 weeks or quarterly.¹⁰

  “Customer is on a monthly billing and a 6 week service. They pay every month and get service every 6 weeks.”

• Guarantee (company statement): free retreatment if covered pests return to the treated area.⁷

  “If covered pests return to the treated area, Corky’s will come back and retreat it at no additional cost.”

Status and expiry dates are shown exactly as the issuing agency’s record showed them on the date retrieved.

Only resolved government actions count toward the score. Pending lawsuits, allegations and private matters are listed here but marked “N/A” (not counted in the score). Summaries are our researchers’ wording of the source; allegations are allegations, not findings.

• October 28, 2026 · BBB Mountain West & Pacific Southwest (San Marcos, California file) · Complaint summaryScored: Complaint record

  BBB file for Corky’s Pest Control Inc (San Marcos HQ; the company operates only in Southern California): 29 complaints in the last 3 years, 4 in the last 12 months; A+ rating; accredited since 10/1/1988. All 9 complaints shown have a business response.¹⁰

• October 28, 2026 · searches (AG, FTC, courts, wage-and-hour) · Complaint summaryN/A

  No state AG, district attorney, FTC, court, class-action or wage-and-hour matter naming Corky’s Pest Control was found. Searches: corkys-pest-control-lawsuit, -ag, -court, -wage, -spcb (results were unrelated). SPCB accusation PDFs under the PR number (pr_1382_acc, pr-1382_acc, pr-1382_aacc) return 404 (a miss proves nothing). CourtListener refused automated search (HTTP 405).³²

• December 8, 2025 · San Diego County Agricultural Commissioner (California) · EnforcementScored: Licensing and compliance (−0.5)

  County agricultural commissioner administrative civil penalty, San Diego County, NOPA EA-37-2026-028 (agricultural civil penalty, ACP) against “CORKY’S PEST CONTROL, INC.”; license type PCB (DPR Pest Control Business branch), license number recorded as “Unlicensed”; code sections FAC 11701 ($250) and 3CCR 6738 ($250); incident date December 8, 2025; final fines total $500. FAC 11701 makes it unlawful to operate as a pest control business without a valid DPR pest control business license. A fine under $5,000 with no settlement, consent order or judgment.^{29, 30}

  Identity: the file has no address column and no license number for this row (‘Unlicensed’), so the usual license-number match is impossible. Attributed on the exact legal name (California SOS: CORKY’S PEST CONTROL, INCORPORATED; SPCB: Corkys Pest Control Inc), in San Diego County where the company is headquartered; no other SPCB registrant or California corporation of that name is active (licensing). Dated by incident date.

• December 8, 2025 · San Diego County Agricultural Commissioner (California) · EnforcementScored: Licensing and compliance (−0.5)

  County agricultural commissioner administrative civil penalty, San Diego County, NOPA EA-37-2026-029 (ACP) against “CORKY’S PEST CONTROL, INC.”; license type PCB (DPR Pest Control Business branch), recorded as “Unlicensed”; code section FAC 11701; incident date December 8, 2025; final fine $250. A separate NOPA (case) from EA-37-2026-028.^{29, 30}

• August 3, 2009 · Structural Pest Control Board (California), via the Attorney General · EnforcementN/A

  An SPCB case document for field representative license FR 18880 (an individual) refers to Corky’s Pest Control, Inc. as a company involved in the facts. Individual license matter from 2009; the PDF is a scanned image whose text could not be read, so the outcome is unknown. Context only; not a company action and outside every scoring window.³¹

Workplace score: N/A. It carries 10% of the Handshake Score when at least 20 employee reviews are on file (otherwise excluded and remaining weights renormalized).

Awards and certifications

• BBB Accredited Business (A+), BBB Mountain West & Pacific Southwest, 1988³

  Source shown; issuer check not recorded

What the company says about itself

These are the company’s own claims, quoted from its materials. We haven’t verified them.

• Serves over 30,000 families.⁴²

• In business since 1967 / more than 50 years (the About page also says ‘25 Years of Protecting Southern California Homes’).^{5, 42}

• Same-day service when called before 2 pm on weekdays; free retreatment for covered pests; free general home inspection (not a WDO report).⁷

• Site header shows ‘EXCELLENT 2,455 reviews’ (a review-widget total, not verified).⁷

• Part of Anticimex, ‘operations in 22 countries, 260 branches, and more than 12,000 employees’.⁵

Mentions

• PCT (Pest Control Technology) · Trade press · November 4, 2022 · Neutral toneRead

  Anticimex Announces Acquisition of Corky's Pest Control

  Anticimex bought Corky’s (deal closed July 17, 2022) and combined it with Pro Pacific to form its Southern California platform; founder Corky Mizer comments on the sale.

  “Corky’s and Pro Pacific (acquired by Anticimex in December 2020) will combine to form the Southern California platform.”

• The Coast News · News · March 24, 2011 · Positive toneRead

  Pioneering the pest control industry

  Profile of owner Corky Mizer’s company (reads as a business feature/advertorial): termite division, botanical products, four decades in San Diego.

  “Owner Corky Mizer has over time added more services, products and diversity to his company in order to provide his customers with the greatest value.”

• 10News (KGTV San Diego) · News · January 21, 2016 · Neutral toneRead

  Illegal animal trap discovered at local park

  Corky’s David Mizer is quoted as an expert on an illegal trap found in a Clairemont park and describes the company’s cage traps.

  “David Mizer of Corky's Pest Control said it looks like a gopher trap and that it lacks a state mandated identification number.”

• Reddit r/sandiego · Reddit · Date not shown · Negative toneRead

  Pest control company recommendations? : r/sandiego

  A commenter advises avoiding Corky’s.

  “Would recommend staying away from Corky's, they are useless at best.”

• Reddit r/sandiego · Reddit · Date not shown · Positive toneRead

  Ant invasion : r/sandiego

  A commenter suggests having the perimeter sprayed by Corky’s for ants.

  “Have the perimeter sprayed by Corky's pest control, or you can do it yourself.”

• Reddit r/sandiego · Reddit · Date not shown · Neutral toneRead

  Roaches?? : r/sandiego

  San Diegans remember Corky’s long-running TV/radio ads and jingle (several threads).

  “In the early 2000's this pest control company called “corky's” ran back to back to back ads for like 10 years in San Diego.”

Reddit hasn’t been searched for this company yet.

7 locations on file in California (7).

Overall confidence in this score: High, 7 of 11 points.

Where it fell short of full marks:

• 3,908 western US Google reviews behind customer satisfaction (10,000 or more earns full points).
• Too few independent non-Google reviews to blend in (Google only).
• Verifier rated the legal and regulatory record medium (high earns a point).
• 19 independent websites cited (25 or more earns a point).

How confidence is set

Gaps in the record

• Yelp (San Marcos ~609 reviews, Los Angeles 58): Yelp’s terms forbid automated access, so only search-snippet counts are recorded; no rating; not scored.
• Indeed reviews page blocked by Cloudflare (403); rating 3.4 from 16 reviews is snippet-only and not scored. A second Indeed profile (CORKY’S PEST CONTROL, INC) was not read.
• Glassdoor blocked (‘Humans only’, 403); only a snippet compensation sub-rating (1.8/5). No RepVue or Comparably profile found. Workplace not scorable.
• Facebook (corkyspestinc), Nextdoor and Trustpilot not fetched (terms restrict automated collection / no Trustpilot profile found in search). Facebook recommendation % unknown.
• DCA License Search blocked (Cloudflare Turnstile); SPCB data comes from the October 1, 2026 bulk file, which has no insurance, bond, qualifying-operator or discipline fields. Branch registrations BR 5789/5809/5813/5814/5818/5823 all carry the HQ address, so which field office each covers is not shown.
• SPCB disciplinary PDFs: none found under pr_1382 names (404); fr-18880_his.pdf (2009, individual) is a scanned image whose text could not be read; recorded from the search snippet only.
• The list shows only a current issued-or-renewed date, so the history of the San Diego branch license (PCB 47475, 3/11/2026) before December 2025 is not shown.
• County penalty identity rests on exact legal name and county (no license number or address in the DPR file for these rows).
• California SOS bizfile Online is blocked; registry data from the OpenCorporates mirror (incorporation date hidden behind login).
• CourtListener refused automated search (HTTP 405); court coverage relies on web searches, which found nothing.
• PMP (mypmp.net) acquisition article blocked (403); the PCT article covers the same facts.
• CBS8 2018 ant-season story blocked (Access Denied); not used.
• San Diego Union-Tribune ‘best pest control’ award (2014) appears only on a LinkedIn profile snippet; not verified with the issuer, not recorded as an award.
• Door-to-door: no evidence either way beyond phone/web sales; recorded as unknown.
• Google review excerpts were not expanded (Maps reviews tab not read); positive excerpts come from the company’s Google-review widget instead and are labeled as such.
• Anticimex’s own ownership (investors) not researched.
• No Pro Pacific Pest Control SPCB registration appears in the October 1, 2026 licensee file (canceled registrations are omitted, so this proves nothing).

Open questions

• Overall 6.8 vs 6.9 in memory.
• San Marcos Google listing is at the SPCB PR 1382 address but not on the company’s office list: kept.
• Ownership parent is recorded as “Anticimex (Sweden)”; the Anticimex siblings (Official Pest Prevention, Eastside, Northwest) also name EQT as Anticimex’s owner. Same type (subsidiary); the parent text could be harmonized at consolidation.