Categories: ALL POSTSCleaning FranchisesCOVERALL

COVERALL Franchise Complaints

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?

SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.

View Comments

Carol says:

February 9, 2015 at 9:51 pm

Adam would consider buying a franchise out of state in Ohio?
Jackman says:

March 1, 2015 at 6:41 pm

@ Carol, sorry you fell into it. If Adam bites (which I doubt) make sure you charge each account with a 3.6 multiplier as Coverall would ...

;)
Nasom says:

March 17, 2015 at 5:09 am

The Coverall Health-Based Cleaning System PLEASE DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY, with this Franchise whatever they offer is NOT TRUE, they try to make you accepts account you will be loosing money, THERE GOAL IS SELLING contracts, they miss treat the franchisee, in Lyndhurst NJ Tom Vissagio, Millie Estrada and Gianni Arevalo they make the franchisee to be scared enforcing them to do whatever they want, and holding the franchisee pay, and beside all that enforcing them to buy the Coverall product, and the worse situation they sell under the table contracts to another franchisee.
Karen says:

March 19, 2015 at 9:52 am

Hello, please HELP HELP
I need info about selling my franchise to Coveall or to new customer. But the sales person from Coverall say I'll be loosing a lot money, because coverall will pay me only 2% for my account and I'll end up with balance, or I could get new franchisee to buy my account, BUT the account won't be with warranty for the new franchisee.
I had pay 5000.00 already, I'm single mom I need to get my money back.
Ralph says:

April 2, 2015 at 4:31 pm

Karen email me, I may be interested.

If you'd like to exchange contact information, you can email me at UnhappyFranchisee[at]gmail.com -ADMIN
Annette says:

April 13, 2015 at 12:58 pm

I hired Coverall in February 2015 and what a mistake! In the beginning I did not know they are a franchise company. The first person cleaning smoked in our office and did a horrible job. I decided to give them a second change - my mistake number two and I have the pictures to prove it. They don't dust, don't clean microwaves, don't wipe off tables and this past weekend I came in to a muddy entry way. I cannot wait until the contract is over starting first of May. Do not hire these people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brian says:

April 13, 2015 at 7:46 pm

I tried to tell you guys a while back not to get involved with these people. It's not just one particular name franchise, they all have the same business model. They bid so low you can't even hire employees. I own a cleaning service, and have since 1985. These guys bid at 1985 prices just to get accounts to pawn off on you. Bid em to get em. Then you have to do a trash and dash just so you can make a profit. If you guys would form some kind of nation wide coalition against these bullies, you could do something besides bitch about it. There is definitely enough of you. Start a website, and from there unite then push back. They have the national franchise something or another defending them to protect franchising, but this kind of franchising is criminal. They are driving down prices in our entire industry and hurting the image of all cleaning services now. What they are doing to you guys is immoral, lawless,and just plain greedy. I don't see how they can sleep at night. I feel for you guys!
Jackman says:

April 18, 2015 at 2:33 pm

@ Brian - Well said. Own my own now ,also, after giving Coverall a whirl(you can read my experience and recommendation to others here ↑ above). Actually ran a service in the '80s with another fellow,had some employees, your right- franchise pricing of jobs is in the gutter. But, they're bottom feeders also, couldn't believe some of the crap they offered. Only interested in sales (which is all these outfits are - sales/clearinghouses for contracts).

Hopefully more will realise what they are,avoid them or pull out and let 'em whither on the vine.
Ben says:

May 26, 2015 at 11:32 pm

wow !!#
What a sad discovery. I was just about to buy into coverall. It's a shame. I have 30 yrs in the building field. So was going to ride on this experience to increase income. but now I guess I'm going to need to this on my own. Yes your Simone said there is a lot of info on the Internet about starting your own cleaning business but are there reputable. Any Recommendations? Any accounts for sale ?
Cheryl says:

July 21, 2015 at 9:18 am

Brian is exactly right. Coverall does serious damage to our entire industry by driving down our prices. I've been in business since 1981 and have been very successful. But seeing Coverall business cards land on my customers desks makes me cringe. Their lowball pricing tactics are disgraceful. I've often thought about whether or not i could take legal action against them simply for that. It does affect our earning potential to have to compete with these unreasonably low prices.