COVERALL Franchise Complaints
February 25, 2010
The Coverall franchise website states: “Since 1985, Coverall® has assisted nearly 9,000 entrepreneurs in becoming successful business owners and commercial cleaning professionals…
“Coverall provides its Franchise Owners with comprehensive training, an initial customer base, billing and collection services, financing, a global network of 90 Support Centers, plus the unique benefits of the Health-Based Cleaning System program, for measurably cleaner, safer customer facilities…. Coverall offers you the support you need to grow and develop your business.”
However, unhappy franchisee commenters have posted complaints about the Coverall franchise opportunity, with some claiming the Coverall franchise is a scam. In 2008, commenter “ntoi” on the Complaints Board website wrote:
I’m a franchise owner for Coverall for almost two years now in San Mateo, CA and I really regret it joining and starting my business with them because all they did is SCAM me. Coverall Cleaning Concept aka Coverall-Based Cleaning System is where you can start your janitorial business by buying a franchise. You basically starting your cleaning business by using their name and you pay them yet they automatically deducted 15% each month plus insurance other charges. They suppose to guarantee you an account so that way you can start making money right away. They only guarantee you with account just enough that they can take and make money out of you each month and you left nothing. Which what is happening to me. All this time which all I get is headache because I always have to call the office to give me more account but no result. Now their holding my check and their not paying me. I called so may time what happened to my check and they just pass me around and no on knows. I’m ready so sue Coverall all for all my lost. I’m ready take them to court.
Anyone who want to start a janitorial cleaning business do your research. As I tell DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH COVERALL CLEANING CONCEPT aka COVERALL HEALTH-BASED CLEANING SYSTEM because is a SCAM.
More recently (on the same board) “Coverall Franchise owner/until expires” wrote:
I totally agree with the complains. I am a franchise owner myself. they are totally liers. I made a contract for $20k, I gave $14.000 downpayment and we agree that I was going to pay the rest each month /deducted from my paycheck. I though I was going to get my acconts (offices to clean) in one month. But, they made me wait about a year, plus I was making $9 dollars per hour (fast and hard work) and I did not had any money to hired an employee to help me. How much I was supposed to pay if I hire one? 1 dollar? THEY ARE SCAMMERS. Yes, they are in the forbes magazine, of course because they make money but franchises dont. they will take you money and make you work like crazy. they also charge for administration but you are the one who has to comfront the office owners if something is wrong or if you want them to increase your payment because you are working extra hours. DONT MAKE ANY CONTRACT WITH THEM, They are not good, this business is not worth it at all. I am totally dissapointed :(
THEPUNISHER wrote that all janitorial franchises, not just Coverall, are scams:
JANITORIAL FRANCHISES ARE A SCAM! It might work for some but I guarantee it doesn’t work for the majority. This is how they work:
_You pay them a package, for example you pay about $16K for a $4k monthly income
_They’ll get you the accounts.
_Although they say you can choose to accept or not a specific account, it’ not true. They will turn around and say they satisfied the agreement of providing your accounts and if you didn’t take, they won’t give you more accounts.
_They underbid contracts to compete with everyone else, since they are NOT the ones doing the work..they don’t care. They get the accounts due the low price and you’re stuck working hard for few hundred dollars a month. You would be better off working for McDonalds getting $8 an hr. DO THE MATH!
_NOW This is the worst of ALL…once they have too many franchisees and can’t find enough accounts, they will find anything wrong in some buildings as a missed trash can and ask the company if they want another person to clean…since it doesn’t make a difference for them, they will say yes. Then the Franchise call you and say your customer requested to get another contractor because he’s not happy with your job. Now they sale that account to the newer franchisees so they honor the agreement to get accounts. THAT’S STEALING!
WITH A CLEANING FRANCHISE, IN REALITY YOU NEVER OWN YOUR OWN BUSINESS! If you owned the accounts you should be able to walk away with them after a period of time..right? NO..YOU CAN’T BECAUSE THE CONTRACT IS ON THE FRANCHISE NAMER…NOT YOURS!
I just hope that a Federal Court one of these days force all cleaning franchises to get the accounts on the franchisees’ names…not theirs. Create a money back guarantee and protect the little guys..the franchisees…I can’t believe in this age Cleaning Franchises are able to get away with this scam.
kbill, who claims to be a former Coverall franchise owner in Ohio, wrote:
I was also a Franchise owner through coverall in cincinnati OH. They are complete scam artists. I wasted 6 years with them, trying to get something started and they did not hold up to their end of the bargain. I agree with what you guys are saying. Buyer beware!!!
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE COVERALL COMMERCIAL CLEANING FRANCHISE?
IS COVERALL A SCAM OR LEGITIMATE FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY?
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Also read:
JANI-KING Franchise Complaints
JAN-PRO: Janitorial Franchise Warning
FTC Guide to Buying a Janitorial Services Franchise
FTC’s Janitorial Franchise Buyer’s Guide
Comments
112 Responses to “COVERALL Franchise Complaints”
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i ahey have been robing me blind on n m a coverall franchee for the past 7 years i just realise that they have been robing me blind they are realy robers i would like to get into the lawsuit against them can some one tell me how ?
I am ashamed to admit that every things that these poor people are reporting is TRUE. I will not discuss in detail every thing. But I was one of the top Area Manager for Cover All in the Orlando Fl Area. And I can honestly say, that ,it’s true.
Every thing!!!!!!!! I had to tell the franchisee that the customer wanted a new cleaner when in fact the Owner’s wanted me to switch them out! Then we would sell that same account to another franchisee. After about about 2 years of putting fires out (as they so call it!) and ripping franchisee off. I could not take it. Looking at those faces, seeing those people being deceived. So I quit. (Now it’s my turn) So now they hold my check! tell me that there is a 20% finder’s fee for extra floor work that they had me do because certain franchisee either didn’t have floor machine or experience. So now they rip me off. Enough said! I am very sorry for what I allowed this company( Cover All of North America) make me do. I am not this kind of person. I tried to help out as many as I could by sticking up for them. And giving them a heads up when a complain came in.
I totally agree ALL FRANCHISE COMPANIES ARE A RIP OFF!! and I know them all. Don’t do it. Thanks
To Suzie,
Follow the instructions below, and contact these Attorneys they are suing coverall right and they need to here from you!!!! Good Luck
There is a National Class Action Lawsuit against coverall at this moment. To get more information on it you can go to my attorneys website http://www.LLRLAW.com I’m also a lead plaintif in a National Class Action Lawsuit against jan-pro. We need to get out there and warn people about these cleaning franchisors. We should go to the media and get the word out. Please go to http://www.franchisetimes.com and look for this article that talks about the recent lawsuits against Coverall. The article is Taking off the Gloves by Julie Bennett.
Take care,
Jerry
We bought a Coverall franchise here in Australia in June 2012 and had to walk away from it in September 2012. They did not pay monthly as promised and we only received two chequs in that time. We are still waiting to be paid for a months work we did in August last year. When we call, we get answering macines. We leave messages but they never call back. We e-mail and receive no reply !\We are $30,000 in debt because of these scam artists, and there is absoliutely nothing we can do about it ! Of course, they know that ! They know none of us can afford legal costs. The whole experience has made me sick to my stomach. DON”T GET INVOLVED WITH THEM!
to anne
If you are in NSW, You can suit coverall in CTTT, You do not need a solicitor. If you are in vic, You can suit in VCAT. It is cheap solution for you.
I want to sell my franchise. Do I have to sell it to another franchise owner of coverall or can I sell it to anyone.
I talk to my customers and they are happy with us and then the next thing you know coverall is stating that they are requesting another franchise owner. I am tired and want out. Please help!!!
THEPUNISHER you are right. I once long time ago work for them, sad to say. They are not a cleaning company. They are a SALES company. There job to to take as much money as they can from you and make the most commission at the end of the days. Yes, they will hear one complaint and ask the comstomer if they would like a new FO. If so, they would ask if the customer could put it in writing to make it looks like the Customer requested it. They are covering their ASS if it should go to court. Yes, many accouts are under bid, why? Commision and they do not have to clean it, you are.
Once you purchase your package, they will offer you accounts and if you say NO for what ever reason, it is counted against you. And now they do not have to offer anything else to you because they have full-fill there obligation and it is you that are not accepting the accounts. They are FO that have not recieve their full package for yearssss.
Good-Luck to all that is in already.
Those that have not. Save your money and go find a job, please.
If the company is so bad and not honoring their contractual agreements then why in the he’ll do you not due for bring of contract or agreement? I am not a franchisee of cover all yet i have however been doing my due diligence on the company and also I have had attorneys look over the agreement first, and my stste is a binding agreement state, i have also worked for another franchiser and i dont believe they are all scamers you have to remember they work for you, you pay them to provude you with the accounts so if they dont live up to theit end of the bargan then they are liable, notate everything take pictures fight fire with fire. I would also get written statements from your cleaning customers to rebut their claims that they ask to have you removed from the account.
When Coverall came to our office about cleaning they didn’t even mention a franchise. The poor woman who was assigned our office told me exactly what others are saying about all the fees Coverall takes. We didn’t use them for a long time but they REALLY ARE A VERY UNETHICAL COMPANY. I sure hope that other people don’t stop using them and that people read what a bad company to be part of.
I am a former employee as well and have to agree with Tom Hardy, If you can find a way to get out of the Franchise do so.
Tom Hardy- I was like you, trying to help and support franchise owners and Coverall did not like that. I was not “PRO COVERALL” but PRO FRANCHISE OWNER”. They made up a lie and accused me of doing something i did not, and fired me. All they want is money and dont care if the franchise owner cant afford it. i used to dispute the contracts that would come in from sales because they were underbid. they did not care and told us not to question it and sell it no matter what and get it started because they need the sales. i felt so bad for the franchise owner and i had to lie and manipulate for them to take it.
i busted my butt for them for many many years and did there dirty work, this is the thanks i get. in a way they did me a favor, the nightmare is over. Im gad they are being sued and hope they fall. shame on them!
all of these comments are true they rip everyone off I want out as well
I’m a current soon to be former franchise owner looking to file a class action lawsuit with the help of franchise owners who have experienced all and more of the damages I’ve seen in all of the above complaints. Not so sure it’s a a scam but very unethical and some illegal practices. I can be reached via mail for those who are interested in participating in any filings. They have already been exposed with other lawsuits that I have found online because I knew I couldn’t be the only one. My mailing address is [redacted]. Please send a letter stating your concerns along with your return contact information. I am in the very early stages of attacking this lawsuit but I will be giving it all might.
Editor’s note: We don’t allow posting of personal contact information for several reasons. Email me at UnhappyFranchisee[at]gmail.com if you’d like to discuss recruitment options. Thanks. ADMIN
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