The proverb “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is” is a cautionary saying that advises against accepting things that appear exceptionally good without being a little skeptical. If you’re like most people, Homeaglow’s television ads that promise to clean your entire house for just $19 falls into that category. It sounds like an amazing deal — especially in light of the fact that the average house cleaning service today charges $50 an hour — leaving most potential customers asking, “What’s the catch?” First, let’s look at the company. Homeaglow doesn’t directly employ any cleaners. Instead, it helps cleaners find work and consumers find cleaners. The company claims that all the cleaners on its platform must pass a rigorous certification process and maintain a 4.8 out of 5-star average platform rating. That, however, is not the story that customers who have filed complaints with the BBB tell. In addition to reports of cleaners arriving late or not at all, customers have complained about cleaners showing up under the influence, cleaners who only worked for half of the scheduled cleaning time, and cleaners who left before completing tasks. Now for the “dirt” on the $19 cleaning service. What many customers don’t realize is that the $19 advertised fee is just the price for the FIRST cleaning. Contrary to the company’s advertisement claiming you get your “entire” house cleaned for $19, if your house has more than one bedroom and one bathroom, there are areas of the house the cleaner won’t get to. The $19 cleaning gets you 3 hours of cleaning, period. But wait, there’s more! The $19 rate is only available IF YOU ENTER A 6-MONTH AGREEMENT FOR $49 A MONTH. While there’s a disclaimer saying customers can cancel at any time, if you cancel before 6 paid months, your first cleaning will be charged at the full price. The bottom line? If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
