DeWine
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline) - Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced a settlement on Friday with a Columbus-area cleaning service company for allegedly engaging in multiple violations of state consumer laws.
Under the terms of a consent judgment order, Rob's Cleaning Service, which also used the names Ductman or The Ductman, and Robert Kimberly, its owner, must pay $7,500 in consumer restitution and $2,500 to DeWine's Consumer Protection Enforcement Fund. The company provides appliance, furnace, ventilation and duct cleaning and repair services.
"We received complaints from dozens of consumers about this business," DeWine said. "But the owner worked with us to reach an agreement where the company will pay restitution and conduct business in compliance with Ohio's consumer laws."
Rob's Cleaning Service gave consumers estimates on requested work after they called. Company employees allegedly arrived at the residences of consumers and said that extra work was needed or that the work discussed on the phone would cost much more than the estimate. Consumers were allegedly pressured into accepting the services or billed for services they did not ask for.
In some instances, consumers were allegedly told after a short inspection that their ventilation system contained bacteria or mold that required a much higher cleaning cost than the original estimate. Rob's Cleaning Service also allegedly failed to provide consumers with a notice to cancel the transaction within three business days, instead finishing the work during the three day window.