Deal or no deal results
The coupons advertise carpet cleaning for less than ten bucks
a room. Sounds like a good deal, right? To find out, we filled a house
with hidden cameras. Out of the four companies we tested, only one honored
its advertised price. We got quotes ranging from $57.98 to $384.70. What a
price difference. Remember, we have coupons that have a two room mimimun
so we should be spending less than 20 dollars! So where does $384.70 come
from? We wanted to know as well, so we confronted the salesman who didn't
give us very many answers. Guess what...his bosses never returned any of
our calls either.When does
$9.95 Apply?
We did hear from some of the other companies. They all tell
us the advertised price is for a basic steam clean. They tell us they do
hundreds of basic steam cleans, but mostly for repeat customers who get
their carpets cleaned on a regular basis. Companies admit the $9.95
doesn't really apply to new customers because often their carpets are more
dirty and they need deeper scrubbing and they charge for it. But get
this....according to the IICRC or Institute for Inspection Cleaning and
Restoration Certification (sort-of the industry setting body for the
carpet cleaning industry) customers should expect these basics in all
carpet cleaning: Vacuuming, Preconditioning, Extraction, Grooming, and
Drying. While the IICRC sets the standard for carpet cleaning, these are
just recommendations. So in essence, there should not be an extra charge
for scrubbing since the IICRC says that's a basic part of carpet cleaning.
But, again, the IICRC just recomends companies follow those standards --
they don't require it. And, not every company is a member of the IICRC.
Finding an IICRC company
To become an IICRC certified firm you must meet tough criteria that aims
to protect consumers. To find one in your area...go to the following
website.
http://www.certifiedcleaners.org/locator.shtml
Changes on the way
Two carpet manufacturers (Shaw and Mohawk) are making changes to their
warranty. The carpet industry hopes this helps customers from getting
taken by unscrupulous cleaners. Starting in 2008, customers must use IICRC
certified cleaners when getting their carpets cleaned. .
It's expected this will help the situation, but
it's likely these bait and switch tactics will continue in some form.
So have you found your carpet coupon to be a deal
or no deal at all? Share your experience below....
