Disgruntled customers: Carpet-scrubbing companies took us to the cleaners - MiamiHerald.com

Disgruntled customers: Carpet-scrubbing companies took us to the cleaners - MiamiHerald.com


<div id="storyBodyContent" readability="127"> <p> When Edward Karlin called up Nature Clean — the "all-green" carpet scrubbing company based in Deerfield Beach — last February, he simply wanted two vomit stains removed from his master bedroom rug at its advertised price: $59, with "No Gimmicks."</p><p>Here's what he got instead: a visit from twin brothers — one a recently freed felon — a bill of just over $2,000, and a rug that still has two dark rings.</p><p>"Either I was just too gullible or too stupid," said Karlin, an 81-year-old retired accountant who lives in Fort Lauderdale. </p> <p> Karlin's story is not unique, but it is a cautionary tale in the buyer-beware world of carpet cleaning. Nature Clean has been named in more than half a dozen similar complaints to consumer protection outfits across South Florida, with disgruntled customers alleging they were overcharged and underserviced.</p><p>Each reported instance is a variation on the same theme: Nature Clean representatives show up at your door, talk you into buying more service than originally planned, do a sub-standard job, secure payment, then take off for the day, with the promise they'll return to finish the work. Which they rarely do.</p><p>The check is usually cashed the same day.</p><p>Nature Clean manager Billy Anderson told The Miami Herald that such complaints were an aberration and that the company has since dismissed Jason Toltin, the subcontractor the company sent to Karlin's condo. Toltin brought with him twin brother Sean, fresh off a four-year prison stint for swindling another octogenarian out of $1,100 in 2003. </p><p>"When he worked for us, he was charging high, not making customers happy," Anderson said of Jason Tottin. "We don't put up with that. It's our policy, if they're not happy, we go back as many times as we need to make them happy. He wasn't doing that, so he was terminated."</p><p> Toltin, in turn, says he's been made the fall guy for following a standard operating procedure at Nature Clean.</p><p>Similar complaints against the company precede his employment there, including one involving a service call by owner Fred Groh. Kip Sprankle, a 71-year-old Jupiter man, told consumer protection officials that Groh charged him $294 for a grout cleaning job, butchered it, then refused to make amends.</p><p>Sprankle's complaint, like most every one made against Nature Clean, went unresolved. Due to a gap in consumer protection laws, carpet and air duct cleaners need no license to ply their craft and have essentially no oversight, regardless of their reputation or criminal history.</p><p>"If you wanted to be a carpet cleaner, you could go do that tomorrow," said Joel Metter, supervisor of Broward's consumer protection department. "There's a big difference between shady business behavior and illegal business behavior. And proving it's illegal is often difficult."</p><p> Nature Clean routinely ignores notices sent by consumer protection departments regarding customer grievances. Since most consumer affairs divisions have no authority to compel a settlement, order refunds or provide legal assistance, cases often die without the cooperation from the offending business.</p><p>The other option is to sue, but that can be costly and frustrating.</p><p>Karlin said he told Jason and Sean Toltin up front that he wanted the $59 deal — good for two rooms and a hallway — but Jason convinced him that his health was in danger if the entire condo wasn't sanitized, including the air ducts. </p> </div>