Just as sure as the sunrise, it’s
guaranteed to happen every Spring. They promise to clean all the carpets in
your house for $59.00. Sound too good to be true? It probably is says the top
exec at AllstateCleaning.Com in Hamilton, New
Jersey. To make matters worse, they finally show
up–three hours late-in a beat up pick-up truck with no company name, and hop
out in torn jeans and a soiled tee-shirt. Then you realize it: you’ve been the
victim of a bait -and -switch campaign.
What is bait and switch? Bait
and switch scams work like this: a company advertises cleaning a roomful of
carpet for a ridiculously low price. When they arrive, they inform you the
price they quoted is only for the traffic lanes and doesn’t include any
cleaning chemicals.” That’s like taking a bath with no soap,” says a senior
textile inspector at www.AllstateCleaning.Com
So you agree to pay extra for
the chemicals because you are thankful someone showed up. In the end, the final
bill ends up costing you hundreds of dollars. Another typical scam is hearing
that a company will clean a set amount of rooms for a very low price ( like 5
rooms for $49.00). After they begin, you discover a linen closet, hallway, foyer,
or regular closet counts as a room, and you wind up paying a lot more than you
thought you would. Bait-and-switch scams are especially targeted at the
elderly. Seniors are more likely to be intimidated by high pressure tactics and
by someone who “promises” to give then a good deal.
The latest carpet cleaning ruse
is promoted through deal-of-the-day websites. That’s where you’re offered 3
rooms of carpet cleaning for $50. To take advantage of this offer, you have to
prepay for a non-refundable certificate that expires in 90 days. Also, the
website that makes the offer IS NOT responsible for the quality of the work.
Plus all sales are final. What you don’t know is that most companies that do
this went into business yesterday.
Then, they have to give half of the $50 or $25 to the
deal-of-the-day websites. Do you really think that they can afford to clean 3
rooms of carpets in your house for $25 and still make a profit? Of course not.
Most of the time, they don’t even show up for appointments. If they do show up,
then they'll tell you that you're going to get a quick dash and splash job that
just uses water.
If you want a better job, you'll have to fork up more money
for them to use a cleaning chemical. Or they get so many calls, they’ll book
you out three months in advance and then the certificate expires. If they do
show up, the job won't be guaranteed. If you complain about them to the Better
Business Bureau, , Yelp or Google+, that’s OK. They’ll be in business tomorrow
under another name as quick as you can change your socks. Then they’ll do it
all over again.One reason why they may clean for such a low price is the
cleaners might be gang members or illegal aliens with criminal records. Entering your home allows them to
"case" your home to plan a future burglary or home invasion. Also,
they may sell your credit card information to an identity theft ring.
So how can you avoid a becoming a crime victim or being
scammed by a bait-and-switch carpet cleaner ? The best protection against
bait-and-switch is to ask some pointed questions before the cleaner arrives at
your home. Call several local cleaning companies. If the company cannot answer
simple questions, move on to another company. Remember, if it sounds too good
to be true, it probably is. Here are 9 questions you should ask:
1. Are you certified in carpet cleaning? If
not, what type of formal training do you have?
2. How many years has
your company been in business? ( the longer, the better)
3. Can you provide a
link to consumer online reviews or references I can call?
4. Is your company
drug, alcohol and criminal free? ( Companies that don’t screen their employees
can put you and your loved ones at risk. To be on the safe side, DO NOT deal
with companies or cleaners who don’t pre-screen and drug test their employees
and who are not bonded )
5. Can you provide
proof of insurance and a business license?
6. What steps will be
included in your cleaning process?
7. How long will it
take for the carpet to dry?
8. Do you offer free,
no-obligation, on-site written quotations?
Do you offer a written,
satisfaction or money back guarantee?
9. Can you verify
that your cleaning solutions are safe for my family and my pets ?
” When you have decided on a
cleaner, make sure you pay your bill with a major credit card. Sometimes it’s
difficult getting a cleaner to come back to fix a problem after you’ve paid the
bill Paying by credit card will give you an option to dispute the bill if the
problem is not resolved to your satisfaction.”
About AllstateCleaning.Com: Based in Hamilton, NJ, www.AllstateCleaning.Com is Central
Jersey's leading certified organic carpet cleaning ,upholstery
cleaning, drapery cleaning and floor
cleaning company. The firm is a family owned, criminal, drug and alcohol free
organization. The company is a member of the Institute Of Inspection Cleaning
& Restoration Certification , the International Cleaning Restoration
Association and the Carpet & Rug Institute’s green seal of approval
program. Over the last three decades, almost every major carpet mill, hard
flooring manufacturer, and nationally recognized concerns across the nation has
engaged it’s services. They have an IICRC Certified Master Restorer and Senior
Textile Flooring Inspector on staff and offer certified textile and flooring
inspections, lab analysis and court testimony.
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