Tim's Carpet Cleaning

Review: On Sunday, 27 April 2014, I contacted Tim's Carpet Cleaning to inquire about deep scrubbing services for my home. My home is less than 5 years old, and I am the only owner, so there haven't been many concerns about my carpet over the years. I recently got a young puppy, and have been having problems with urine accidents. This was my main concern, and motivation for seeking carpet cleaning services, but as any other house...I had minor surface stains and traffic areas as well. [redacted] (the owner) is whom I spoke to when I called. I told him my concerns, and he said that he provides the services to help. We started speaking about scheduling an appointment, and came to the solution of doing it on the same exact day that the phone call was initiated (Sunday, 27 April 2014). The appointment was for later that evening. We agreed for him to come out at 1830hrs. [redacted] did not arrive to my home until 1915hrs. He also arrived with his son, whom I was unaware would be coming. Upon letting them into my home, his son immediately went to sit on my sofa. This I found to be really unprofessional, but [redacted] did not say a word. We started to go through the house for a pre-inspection of the carpet before he started cleaning. He brought in his black light to spot all urine stains. While going through, I also pointed out the surface stains that I wanted him to pay attention to. He said that with the deep scrubbing, it would get not only those stains out but also the urine stains as well that I couldn't see with the naked eye. He quoted me $250.00 for the entire house to specially treat the urine stains, but the advertisement and also what we spoke about before he came to my house was for $100.00 for unlimited square feet, including stairs. I asked him why the price went up, and he stated that it was because he would have to treat and deodorize the stains. We agreed that only the bottom level would be done (since that was the worst) and stay within the previously talked about price range. This is only after I told him that I wanted to think about it, and just call him back with an appointment if I decided to go with his services and quote. He kept insisting on him making me a good deal, and that he was here to "make me feel good". I felt a bit uneasy with the comment that he made because of the manner in which he made it, but dismissed it because I didn't think someone would be so unprofessional.

After agreeing to his deal to only do the bottom half, [redacted] and his son went to go get the equipment, and [redacted] started cleaning, while his son sat on my sofa again watching T.V. As soon as he plugged in his machine, he tripped my circuit and made the electricity go out on the bottom half of the house. When he went to reset the fuse box, some of the outlets came back on while others in my kitchen remained off. When I noticed this, I tried telling him that they were still not working. He said that the one he was using was working, and that the kitchen outlets weren't something that he did. I was stunned by his comment, but just tried to reset them myself. After hitting the reset/test button many times, the outlets came on, but the light was still out. So I made note of it, so that I can call the electrical company out to make sure he didn't damage anything.

As [redacted] was cleaning, I began to ask him about the type of solution, and the process of his cleaning, so that I can better understand what was going on with my carpet. [redacted] hesitated to answer my questions, and when he did he seemed very irritable. I asked [redacted] what was the name of his insurance company, just so I can know more about the company I was dealing with since I did not have the time to research before his arrival, and he did not have a website, but he did say he was bonded and insured. When I asked [redacted] this question, he act as if he didn't hear me, I asked again, and he he stated "you know that company in Fredericksburg"? I asked with confusion again the name of the company, he then stated "[redacted]". As he continued to clean, I noticed that even the surface stains on the carpet that I pointed out to him were not coming up. I would ask him if that was going to come out, and if he was going to go back over it to assure the stains were indeed being removed. He said that he would and that I needed to let him finish. I began to question his work ethic, and asked him to stop cleaning as I was not seeing any results, and my carpet was looking the same as if he never touched it. I also asked if he was going to extract the water that he was putting into my carpet, and he said no that it would dry within an hour and a half. I then became extremely concerned about how he was trying to clean the carpet and continued to ask him to stop. He said I needed to just let him finish so I can see the results, and that he would go back over the problem areas. I allowed him to continue, as I was starting to get uncomfortable with going back and forth with him. He picked up his equipment other than a small machine he did the stairs with, and came back upstairs to tell me the job was done. I then told him that I wasn't happy with the results, and he never went back over the areas that I spoke on. Every time I tried to voice my concern about the in particular areas, he would cut me off very rudely and tell me to show him where so he can fix them, but in a very irritable defensive manner. As I would try to show him, and continue to ask or say something, he would turn on his machine to drown me out and say things like "there are you happy, the stain is out, where is another one". I told him that he was starting to get extremely rude and aggressive, and that I did not appreciate the way he was speaking to me or handling the situation. He then got aggressive with his verbiage, and started to get really insulting. All of this happening while he was in my face and my daughter in the living room. I then started to ask him to leave my home because his composure wasn't being maintained, and he needed to first try listening to my concerns before he got so defensive. His son got up from the sofa and came to the kitchen area where we were standing and came right beside me. This made me feel very threaten as both [redacted] and his son had surrounded me. So I continued to tell him to leave my house. He told me to just pay him his money and then he'll leave. I said that I wasn't paying for services he did not render. He continued with his disrespect, and starting cursing at me calling me all kinds of names. All this happening in front of my seven year old daughter. I asked if there was anyone else I can speak to about how he was conducting customer service. He said that he was the owner and he has been in business for 32 years. So I told him that I would pay him half ($50.00) just to get him out of my home. He got loud and angry and said for me to give him his money so he can go. He asked if I was paying with my credit card or check. I told him neither, and that I would rather pay with cash because I did not trust him with my card information. I told him that I would go to the [redacted] to get cash, but he needed to leave and wait for me in the front of my home. He got upset, and continued to call me out of my name and yelled the whole way out slamming my door behind him.

I immediately grabbed my daughter, secured my house and left to head to the [redacted]. After what I experience, I refused to go back to my home to make any payments by myself, and called my friend to assist and accompany me. While on the phone with her, [redacted] called in on the other line, and continued to yell and say that he will be waiting for me upon my return to get all his money. He continued to be insulting and started threatening to just take me to court for the full $100.00. I told him at this point the threats and name calling were enough, and that he needed to leave because I was not returning at that point with fear that he may get out of control. I told him that I would be calling the cops if he continued at the rate he was going. The more I talked the more upset and crazy he got. After explaining everything to my friend, she insisted that we went to the police station, as I was not going back to my house knowing he was sitting outside of it. I went to get my friend to head to the police station, and he started sending me text messages about taking me to court and being insulting. I did not respond. After telling the situation to the police, they insisted on them escorting me back to my home to assure he was no longer there, and if so to issue a no trespassing notification. He was no longer there when we returned and the police made sure he wasn't in the neighborhood. I immediately took pictures of my carpet. I contacted the insurance company name that he gave me the very next morning, and the company informed me that not only does he not have business commercial general liability insurance, but also that they did not carry that type of insurance. It was his automotive insurance that he use to have with them, but that had also expired in December 2013. I then realized why he became so defensive so quickly, and that I got myself involved with a scam artist.Desired Settlement: The owner has contacted me in a very disrespectful manner and threatening me with a lawsuit to pay for services he did not render. I would not only like for this harassment to stop, but also for others to be aware of this scam. He is running a bogus business, and does not know how to properly conduct himself.

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates that the business has not responded to you directly. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

At this time, I have not been contacted by Tim's Carpet Cleaning regarding complaint ID [redacted].

Regards,

Review: Tim's Carpet Cleaning did a horrible job cleaning my carpets. He shampooed my carpet in less than 45 minutes than left. Out of all the times I have got my carpet cleaned, my carpet was shampooed then vacuumed up. While he was cleaning my home he pulls up in a vehicle with almost no carpet cleaning tools inside, I almost didn't open the door. Then he tries to tell me it will be an extra 80 dollars if I wanted any stain to get out the carpet, ANY stain. I preceded to let him performed the extra cleaning until I realized he only had a shampooer. His helper cleaned the stairs and only cleaned the top steps not the stairs. I talked to him about the stairs and he said that is how it suppose to be cleaned. Cleaning 2 or 3 steps on the stairs is not cleaning all the carpet on the stairs. It took almost 8 hours to dry, now I hope I don't have any mold problems.Desired Settlement: I would like my refund back. I feel that I paid someone to put buffer lines in my carpet when I could of did that with my vacuum. I paid to get the carpet cleaned and I understand not every stain will come out but it shouldn't look worse than before.