ComplaintsforMaid Brigade

• Initial Complaint

  07/29/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  2022 **** Better Business Bureau BBB Maid Brigade Complaint On June 9, 2022, Minnesota Housekeeping Services, LLC doing business as Maid Brigade of **************************, was contracted to perform a deep cleaning of ************************************* home. Maid Brigade set up the payment to be made through ************************************* CADI waiver services, indicating the cleaning company and personnel knew he was a vulnerable adult with severe disabilities. The cleaning was poorly performed (documented with 30+ photos), and a refund of $346.21 is required.Possibly due to being upset about a request to remake his bed correctly, my king-size antique Scandinavian teak bed was severely damaged. The bed needs to be rebuilt as a replacement bed cannot be purchased. The collapse ruined the mattress, voided the warranty, and requires replacement (purchase invoice attached). Bed damages are also witnessed by the personal support worker who makes the bed and pictures.Damages for replacing the mattress and repairing the antique Scandinavian teak bed have been explained, documented, and sent in a letter by certified mail to ** Housekeeping Services, LLC DBA Main Brigade of ************************ on July 27, 2022 (tracking number *******************). Payment of $11,314.33 is required immediately, as the broken bed and mattress continue to create additional pain and health issues and escalated to such a level that it required an emergency room visit on July 26th.

  

  Business response

  08/05/2022

  We do our best when working with the mentally ill but this complaint is without merit.  The individual asks for a refund but did not pay for our service.  No damage was reported by our team.  No damage was reported by the manager who inspected the work.  No damage was reported by the customer prior to this complaint date.  The individual waited 7 weeks before claiming that there was damage from making the bed.  The individual indicates that the bed is also made by other people.  No explanation is provided as to how making the bed could cause such damage or why we should be at fault.  Nevertheless, if this individual has his licensed social worker contact us direct, were willing to work with them to refer the matter to insurance.

  Customer response

  08/10/2022

   I am rejecting this response because:
  1. The respondent dismisses the complaint as one concocted from mental illness and, therefore, not worthy of merit. As a person with disabilities, I find it objectionable that a non-medical business owner would presumptuously diagnose a disability and proceed to disparage me on that basis. This is an example of the pervasive discrimination against people with disabilities, including the ignorant fallacy that physical disabilities imply mental illness. 

  2. Maid Brigade attempts to collect for the service upon receiving the certified letter/BBB complaint are documented.  The request remains for the invoice to be shown as $0.

  3. No damage was reported... Putting aside the ludicrous idea that employees would voluntarily admit to destroying property, the damages were not immediately noticeable. The quality of the bed frame materials ensures it did not accidentally fail, and it has never failed over decades of use. The destructive actions were intentional and performed in a deceptive, devious manner to avoid immediate detection and maximize potential harm.

  4. how making the bed could cause damage... Cleaners who make the bed do not need to access the mattress support structure. The boards are notched and fitted to not fall out accidentally: having never failed before.

  5. A social worker is not required to file a complaint: another example of the respondents dismissive tone based upon their non-medical diagnosis of mental illness.

  6. Exchanges after the visit communicated issues of discrimination and homophobic harassment. The actions were abusive, traumatizing and resulted in physical injury and pain. This formal complaint is easily within the submission timeframe.

  The Maid Brigade's response is dismissive, discriminatory against persons with disabilities and demonstrates a lack of understanding of how the damages occurred. I reject their response and maintain my claim for an immediate remedy for the damages they created.

  
  

  

  Business response

  08/17/2022

  We are pleased to be able to respond in more detail: 

  
  1) Rather than pejorative, our prior comment was meant to convey that we try to be accommodating where mental illness may be involved. 
  2) There is no outstanding balance on the account at this time.
  3) The baseless allegation that our staff would be deliberately destructive is both absurd and defamatory.  
  4) We agree - since our staff did not move the box springs, slats or supports we do not understand how we could we could possibly have caused any damage.  
  5) Our concern was that a vulnerable adult may not be fully cognizant of the civil & criminal penalties associated with fraudulent insurance claims. Rather than act on his behalf, we requested the input of a licensed third party, such as his social worker, prior to this step.  Alternatively, if the individual can confirm that he does not have a mental disability, disorder or illness and can accept full responsibility for his own actions, then we can refer to insurance without a licensed third party.
  6) We note all calls and retain copies of all electronic communications within which no report was ever made of physical damage to the bed.  The bed is used daily and claiming damage from an event 7 weeks after our service is not timely.
  

  We continue to believe that the complaint is without merit.  Nonetheless, we are still willing to refer the matter to insurance based upon either resolution proposed in point 5 above. 
  

  
  

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