Consumer Advice

Whilst it has to be acknowledged that not all good carpet and upholstery cleaners belong to the National Carpet Cleaners Association, IICRC or Woolsafe Organisation, the consumer should consider using carpet and upholstery cleaning technicians who have undergone and passed a training program like that of the NCCA and whose insurance credentials have been checked as meeting the minimums consumers should expect.

As a consumer, you could ask questions over the telephone which would avoid you wasting your time before you book an appointment for a quotation, but do not expect a price over the telephone as this will often be inaccurate for many reasons and you could end up feeling misled from the outset, after all, you are the only one who can see the task in hand. The contractor is trying to see what you see based only on your description. You should enquire about the carpet cleaner's experience, methods of cleaning, guarantees, insurance cover and trade association membership (check this in particular as many make false claims on memberships and this is an easy catch). If you decide to agree to an appointment with the prospective cleaner for a quotation, ask for proof of his or her answers e.g. insurance policy, training certificates etc. etc.

If you are not going to check your carpet cleaners trade affiliations and confirm they are legitimate, here are some more tips to avoid getting caught out by a rogue trader or disreputable practice:

1. Get a written quote specifying the basis of the charges e.g. which rooms are included
2. Check to see what your quote includes e.g. stain removal, carpet protector
3. Check the carpet cleaner's insurance cover - remember that public liability insurance does not cover the carpet or upholstery or fabrics being cleaned - this requires separate specialist cover called "Treatments Risk" or "Products Liability" cover. If your carpet cleaner does not know what these are or says that they are included in his public liability cover - RUN !!! - this is a rogue trader or a naïve novice!!
4. Unless you have high confidence in the credentials presented by the person giving you the quote, references would be a good idea.
5. Ensure that the payment terms and guarantees (including "money-back") are clear.

Avoid:

1. Avoid accepting a price over the telephone - they haven't seen the job and have no idea what is involved, what they are cleaning, the condition of what they are cleaning and they do not know how much furniture they have to move or how long the job will take!! The price often goes up when they arrive or you could end up having a bad experience.
2. Avoid paying cash without a receipt!!
3. Avoid any trade without a published address and land-line number

Remember:

1. A low price may be poor value for money
2. A low price may result in poor service and a poor experience
3. A higher price may mean a better job, better service and a more positive experience!!

At VCRS we are likely to be one of the highest priced carpet cleaning services but we are certain that if you use us you will never consider using any other carpet cleaning service.

Our Guarantees • Pricing Policy • Technician Qualifications • Our Insurances • Our Affiliations