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.
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
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View Comments
Is Coverall Mountain & Pacific the same company as Coverall North America?.... the sale manager told me that its difference company....is that true?........any ideas?
Yes and No: They are a "master licensee" for Coverall North America. ServiceMaster had the same setup a few decades back. Though the actual management of Coverall Mountain and Pacific is different, they are part of the same brand.
Bottom line is, same business model, basically the same name, but different owner/executive management.
Sorry, I had to answer, 1st amendment is out trying to find his wife to take out for dinner. SEIU is out playing hide and seek with his new best friend Todoro and the other "players" on this site are out getting drunk because the actual Leader of the SEIU informed them they are about to lose their gravey train.
I asked this about Jan-Pro and have the same questions about Coverall.
Which specific Coverall Master franchisees have the worst reputations? Which have the most complaints against them, either in lawsuits or on the internet from franchisees?
Are there any with good reputations and no franchisee complaints?
If there are any good ones, why don't they speak up on here and defend their specific franchise company, or do they all operate the same?
Thank you for any insights you can share for those considering a franchise.
Hello Ang
There is so many lawsuits and complaints against coverall and other cleaning franchisors all over the country. I suggest that you don't buy a cleaning franchise with anybody. I have talked to people who bought from different cleaning franchisors and I hear the same horror stories from everybody. When I used to go and buy my cleaning supplies at my local janitorial supply store I would always meet people from different cleaning franchisors and it was always the same story on how cleaning franchisors were ripping them off.
If you look all over the internet you will see so many complaints. Save your money and don't buy these fake cleaning franchises because after you pay them all that money you still don't own NOTHING
I hope this article warns anybody about buying these fake franchises.
You can read the rest of the article by going to http://www.franchisetimes.com
here is the link to read the rest of the article.
http://www.franchisetimes.com/content/story_result.php?article=01374
Ang: Please see the "post" on the other site. It goes for Coverall and all of them in my opinion. You are an investor in their business, you should be treated that way, you should expect to ask plenty of reasonable questions, remember, unlike 1st amendment, you can actually WALK AWAY!!!!!
That is unless you are like 1st amendment and do the following
1. Don't read the FDD, don't attempt to hire any help, seek and counsel
2. Turn over 10K to someone that you don't like, don't trust, don't want to work with
3. Stumble through training, not read the Policy and Procedures
4. Turn down multiple accounts, accept finally two accounts
5. Complain about the two accounts you accepted
6, Not return the customers phone calls
7. Not return the office's phone calls
8. Throw a fit in the regional office, cussing, throwing things, acting like an idiot
9. Have customer send an email requesting your immediate removal from bldg.
10. Throw another fit and refuse to give up keys to facilities
11. Refuse re-training offered
12. Blame everyone else for having failed in his attempt in the cleaning business.
1st amendment: I hope this doesn't "end" our relationship, but I've got some BAD News to tell you. Soon, you are going to be getting a phone call from "Liz and her terribly drunk, suicidal, down right unhappy band of attorneys" they are going to tell you they have petitioned the court and asked to be removed from the remaining "class action" lawsuits pending. This of course, includes yours.
Now she's going to tell you that there are other things on her plate and your California based attorney will do a fine job without her. Of course, the next phone call will be from your California based attorney who will "FIGHT the Good FIGHT" but she needs at least 5K a month until this goes to trial and then will need up to 10K a month once its in "process".
You of course will call your good friend, buddy, pal, monkey loving SEIU. Who will have changed his number, moved back to MA, thought about going to Mexico to be with the other Americans there.
Needless to say, you really need for the remaining issues in the "aiwah" case to go 100% your way. Even with that, the rumor on the street is, new Leadership at SEIU can't afford another Arkansas problem and someone is "sniffing around" about the misuse of UNION DUES.
If you have been ripped-off by jan-pro or any other fake cleaning franchisor you can file complaints with the following agencies.
1. Federal Trade comission http://www.Ftc.Gov
2. Atorney General http://www.justice.gov/ag/
3. Another goverment agency that goes after Fraud http://www.stopfraud.Gov
4. There is also ongoing class actions against these cleaning franchisors. If you would like more information on this you can get my contact information by going to complaintsboard.com you will find my number and e-mail adress there
Here we go again
This time coverall was sued in Massachusetts for
1. Breach of contract
2. Misrepresentation
3. Missclasified as independent contractors
4, Underbiding cintracts
Machado. et al v. Coverall North America. Inc. (U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts, Case No. 05 CA 11884 RGS), filed September 16, 2005. Plaintiffs, eleven current and former franchisees, filed this purported class action variously claiming that they were misclassified as independent contractors and that they were or are employees of Coverall; breach of their Janitorial Franchise Agreements; misrepresentations regarding the time necessary to clean customer accounts and the location of customer accounts; underbidding of customer contracts; and unfairly targeting franchise candidates with limited English language skills. Coverall filed arbitration demands against ten of the Plaintiffs. The case was settled and Coverall paid $300,000. The case was dismissed with prejudice on December 19, 2006; as were all pending claims filed by Coverall against the Plaintiffs.
1st amendment: Again, ancient history. They aren't going to settle your case, they didn't settle the "aiwah" case. "aiwah" is now setting with 200K in judgements against him with a minor part of his case undecided. When he loses that part, Liz will be pulling the plug on your case by asking the judge to remove herself and her TEAM from the case, SEIU is pulling the plug on the money because there are allegations of misuse of UNION DUES for the paying of these class action lawsuits.
Your day will come, hope you are ready.
Did you take your wife out for dinner yet?