(UnhappyFranchisee.com) Is the STRATUS BUILDING SOLUTIONS Franchise a scam? At UnhappyFranchisee.com, we’ve received a number of Stratus Building Solutions franchise complaints.
Strangely, Stratus Building Solutions is ranked #20 in Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500 (READ: Top 100 Franchise Opportunities 2011: Behind The Hype)
In fact, when Unhappy Franchisee asked for commercial cleaning franchise complaints, half of the negative comments were against Stratus Building Solutions franchise opportunity.
Why are some franchise owners calling Stratus Building Solutions franchise a big scam? The complaints are the same as those levelled against Jani-King, Jan-Pro, Coverall, Cleannet USA and the other commercial cleaning franchise companies out there: Underbidding accounts, fraudulently taking cleaning accounts from one franchisee to give to another, etc. etc.
The question remains: Why are these janitorial franchise companies allowed to get away with these despicable practices?
Chris wrote:
Stratus Building Solutions, Especially the one is Pittsburgh is a big scam. Please do not go to Stratus.
“I bought a franchise and now they plan on taking the one and only account off of me. That leaves me with zero income. The way the contract is written is that they are able to take off of you any accounts they say. They tell you they have complaints about the cleaning you have been doing. They tell you ‘We warned you now the account is taken from you. We need to protect our intrest too.’
The contract favors them. I lost $13,700 Also even tho you think you own a franchise you really do not. They get you accounts that belong to them. so you can not sell your franchise. The only way you can sell it is to go door to door and get your own accounts. You could have started you own cleaning and keep all the cleaning money yourself. Please listen to me. The contract does not protect you at all. The contract benefits them.
Please help me stop Stratus of pittsburg and Stratus corporate from swindleing any one. The solution to me is to go clean places on your own. By the way, if you do get your own places to clean while you are with stratus, you still have to pay percentage.
Ale wrote:
stratus is all bull shiet !! its a fucking fraud!!!
Javier Santos on March 31st, 2011 7:27 pm wrote:
STRATUS is A Big Scam! Don’t let them ruin your dreams they take advantage of good people to fill up their pockets.
guest on May 14th, 2011 10:15 pm wrote:
Stratus Building Solutions Franchise has received a grade of “F” from the Better Business Bureau of Orange County
http://www.la.bbb.org/PublicComplaints.aspx?CompanyID=100103761
Stratus Building Solutions Franchise complaint 1:
“Posted 3/11/2011 Summary – Consumer alleges services were not rendered as agreed.
Complaint Description Consumer alleges services were not rendered as agreed. Consumer paid your company $1000.00 down for a franchise business opportunity on 7/19/10. She completed the classes needed to get certified on janitorial services on 8/24/10. Once the classes were completed she was going to start getting job sites were she had to provide janitorial services, using her own equipment and would receive a check for services rendered minus a 25% fee from your company. To date consumer has not received job sites. Every time she calls to get assistance she is given the run around. She requested to get her money back for the down payment on the franchise however you refused. Consumer wants a refund of her monies.”
Stratus Building Solutions Franchise complaint 2:
“Posted 4/15/2011 Summary – Consumer alleges services were misrepresented and no refund has been issued
Complaint Description Consumer alleges services were misrepresented and no refund has been issued. Consumer purchaser a franchise from your company on 7/14/09 and paid $22000.00. He was promised to have his own business, his own building to provide the janitorial service that will pay $120000.00 a year. To date he has made $17000.00 in one year. He is not running his own company, instead he is introduce to clients as if he was working for your company. He had to pay 25% fee from each check for insurance, processing fees etc. When consumer complains to your company and ask for a refund of the money he invested you refuse. Consumer wants a refund of the $22000.00 he paid because the franchise was not as represented.”
Stratus Building Solutions Franchise complaint 3:
“Posted 4/21/2011 Summary – Consumer states company failed to provide proper services.
Complaint Description Consumer states company failed to provide proper services. Consumer paid $14,500 to the company. The company stated they would assist her in getting contracts with franchises, to clean their facilities. A list of potential leads would be provided to her. The lists they provided are not valid. When she requested a refund, she only received the runaround.”
Rob on June 2nd, 2011 wrote:
Stratus Building Solutions Franchise in Philadelphia is a big SCAM, Please don’t made same mistake I did and do not Buy franchise from them, they take advantage of good people, You are actually paying 10′s of thousands of dollars to make between $8-$10hr. You can’t even hire people without taking a loss, the ONLY people making real money are the people selling the franchises.
anonymous on July 15th, 2011 3:22 pm (Edit)
What bothers me the most is that with all the cleaning companies out there, they all repeat the same deceptive, abusive, misleading and unethical practices. They prey on the average american who wants to legally make money and work hard doing it. Often people have invested their life savings into the hope of making a better way for their families. It is unbelievable how the state and federal government aren’t doing anything after years of complaints and law suits to protect people from these modern day ponzi schemes.
I invested my money into Stratus Building Solutions to later find out that im not a owner of my own business but merely a employee, i paid $11000 to work a job. The gross revenues arent guranteed, they underbid contracts just to build their portfolio. Some of the jobs break down to be less than minimum wage. A business is meant to grow, not keep you stuck in one place where you have to do all the work to get by. If you speak against their actions they totally cut you off, no contact, even when they still owe you money.
IS THE STRATUS BUILDING SOLUTIONS FRANCHISE A LEGITIMATE OPPORTUNITY OR A FRANCHISE SCAM? SHARE YOUR COMMENTS BELOW.
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You get out of it what you put in, just like with anything else. It takes some hard work, yes, but you can be successful too.
My name is Jonathan Fortman and I'm an attorney in the St. Louis area, the hometown of Stratus.. On August 13, 2011, I filed a class action lawsuit in the Circuit Court of the City of St. Louis on behalf of 3 plaintiffs who purchased Stratus franchises. The franschisees allege that Stratus gave them false and misleading information to get the to sign tbe franchise agreement, failed to provide services it agreed to provide in the franchise agreement and violated Missouri law by terminating franchises without proper notice. We are seeking to have the case certfied as a class action on behalf of all Missouri franchisees who had losses due to the improper conduct of corportate. I would be happy to discuss any of your experiences you had with this franchise. Feel free to contact me anytime at (314) 522-2312 or by email at jef@fortmanlaw.,com. . If you are already represented by an attorney, please pass this message to your attorney. I wish you all the best of luck in this matter. Just remember you are not alone.
Jonathan E. Fortman
LAW OFFICE OF JONATHAN E. FORTMAN, LLC
79 Hubble Dr., Suite 101
Dardenne Prairie, Missouri 63368
(314) 522-2312
(314) 524-1519 fax
jef@fortmanlaw.com
The Law Office of Jonathan E. Fortman, LLC has filed a lawsuit in Missouri on behalf of franchisees of Stratus Building Solutions. The lawsuit seeks to recover damages on behalf of the franchisees for fraud and breach of contract. The lawsuit is asking the Court to certify the case as a class action. The investigation is ongoing, if you, or anyone you know, has had a franchise terminated by Stratus or any of its master franchisors, if you believe the company gave you false or misleading information to get you to pay money and sign the franchise agreement, or if the company has failed to live up to its obligations under the franchise agreement, we would like to talk to you. You can contact us anytime by calling the number below. There is NO CHARGE to you to discuss this matter and your call will be kept in confidence. Please call us as soon as possible.
Law Office of Jonathan E. Fortman, LLC
(314)522-2312
jef@fortmanlaw.com
Coverall LOST ! Franchisor Hit HARD !
Cleaners WIN !
Franchisor Hit HARD For Pretending Employees Are Franchisees.
The Supreme court Smacks Coverall with huge bill forlabeling its employees as franchisees.
Here is the link to the article article
http://www.bluemaumau.org/10644/fran...re_franchisees
Stratus Building Solutions is a scam......period!!!!!! They jack up the price on any and all equipment....uniform attire that one would use. For example the business cards they get for you only cost $15 to make and get shipped.....but they will charge the Franchise $50 not kidding. Shirts and polos only cost about $7-$10 for them to buy but they double that price when it gets to the Franchisee. STAY AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!
I am a Franchisee for Stratus Building Solutions. Stratus does not recognize federal law requiring that cleaners be paid travel time when traveling from account to account. They franchisees are offered accounts that are not profitable. When they are forced to give them up because they lose money, the franchisor transfers the account to another new unsuspecting franchisee. The franchisor will make money whether or not it is profitable to the franchisee. It seems the business is not set up to find new profitable accounts but to find new gullible franchisees because that is how the franchisor can make a quick buck.
Does anyone have a Stratus St. Louis FDD that they can send me a copy to my email. I want to compare it to the one I got at Houston. Don't know if these guys have change things to make it more wors
@ Jose.....whts ur email. I wanna show u something.
Nunya & Jose:
We don't allow posting of personal contact info on the site, including email addresses.
If you would like to exchange information, you both need to email your request to unhappyfranchisee[at]gmail.com.
Thanks
What a bunch of crap. I am a stratus franchise owner, started out small and now receive over $15,000 per month in payments. All you have to do is follow the work schedule and not short cut customers. They pay for their business to be clean, clean it and you can make bank. I am grateful to stratus for changing my life. There are thousands of satisfied franchisees. Seriously all you comnplainers have you ever been successful at anything in your life? Oh yes You have blaming others for your lack of success.....