There's no public league table of ant control companies, and star ratings tell you more about friendliness and punctuality than about whether the ants stayed away. A ten-minute phone call tells you a lot more. These are the questions we'd ask, whoever you end up hiring, including the business we refer to.
Seven questions for the phone call
- Which ant do you think it is, from what I've described? A good technician will ask about size, colour, where the trails are and how they behave, and may ask for a photo.
- How will you reach the nest? Listen for baits and non-repellent products placed where ants travel. "We'll spray inside and out" with nothing else is a weak answer.
- Who will do the work, and what qualification do they hold? Commercial use of some pest products needs the Urban Pest Control strand of the New Zealand Certificate in Pest Operations (Level 3) or another qualification the EPA recognises, or supervision by someone who holds one.
- Which products will you use, and what do I need to do about pets and children? You're entitled to know the product names and to read the safety information.
- Is a follow-up included? For Argentine and white-footed house ants, a second visit is often needed. Find out whether it's in the price or extra.
- What happens if the ants come back? Some businesses offer a free re-treatment period with conditions. Ask what the conditions are.
- Is the price including GST? Some Auckland businesses publish prices plus GST, which adds 15%.
What a good quote says
- the species, or the likely species, and where it was found
- the areas to be treated: inside, outside, roof space, sub-floor
- the method and products, in plain words
- whether a follow-up visit is included, and when
- any re-treatment terms, in writing
- the total price including GST
Red flags
- A price that drops sharply the moment you hesitate.
- Pressure to sign up for a long contract for a one-off ant problem.
- No questions about pets, children, or what you've already used.
- Unwillingness to name the products.
- A promise that the ants will "never come back". With Argentine ants on the street, nobody can promise that honestly.
Your rights as a customer
The Consumer Guarantees Act applies to pest control like any other service: it must be carried out with reasonable care and skill, be fit for the purpose you made known, and be finished in a reasonable time if no time was agreed. Any written re-treatment offer sits on top of those rights, not instead of them.
About the business we refer to
When you contact us we pass your request to one independent Auckland pest control business that covers the whole region. Ask them the questions above as you would anyone else. You're under no pressure to accept their quote, and you can compare it with others. How we're paid is explained on how referrals work.
Ant control questions
Should I get more than one quote?
For a one-off ant treatment, one good quote is often enough if it answers the questions above clearly. For a larger job, a commercial premises or a regular service contract, comparing two or three makes sense.
Is the cheapest quote worth taking?
Compare what's included before price: inside and outside, follow-up visit, re-treatment terms and GST. A cheap spray-only job that needs repeating can cost more over a summer than a thorough treatment.
Do pest controllers need a licence in New Zealand?
There's no general pest control licence. What matters is the qualification held by whoever applies the restricted products (the Urban Pest Control strand of the Level 3 Certificate in Pest Operations, or an equivalent the EPA recognises) and, for fumigation, a separate WorkSafe licence. Ant treatments don't use fumigation.
Where these facts come from
Checked 27 October 2026