How to Get Out of a Uniform Rental Contract (part 3)
October 9, 2017
(This is the third part of a three part series on how to get out of a uniform rental contract early)
The second portion of the "Service Guaranty" clause gives more details on the procedure for terminating a service agreement early):
“…allowing (name of vendor) at least 30 days to correct or begin to correct the deficiencies, and giving (name of vendor) 30 days’ written notice (by certified mail, return receipt requested) containing an explanation of the material deficiencies that (name of vendor) has not begun to correct…”
This means that you need to begin a 30-day countdown from the day the vendor signs for your certified letter. After these 30 days, chances are, life isn’t much better for you. Your uniforms, mats, and towels all still look soiled and old. The over-charges on the invoice haven’t been refunded. Driver is still late every week or refuses to upgrade old garments. After 30 days, you need to draft and send another certified letter to the vendor detailing exactly what you originally complained about, and why it has not been fixed. The emails between yourself and their Managers really are useful here. I often copy and paste their responses from their emails into the letters I draft. That satisfies the requirement outlined above, “…containing an explanation of the material deficiencies that (name of vendor) has not begun to correct.”
Send your certified letter to the location, and that is it! Once they receive your letter, you can call or email the Service Manager over your account and inform them that you are stopping service, and schedule your final pick-up date. If you made it this far, then you are luckier than most!
Be prepared, they will try and charge you for every item, claiming it’s too damaged or worn-out to be used again. This, honestly, is a judgement call. It is probably easiest to just agree to pay for anything they try to claim is damaged. But, insist you and the Manager inventory everything together at their final pick-up. You should ask to see every single item they claim you destroyed. If it is damaged, tell them you are keeping it. It is easiest to just eat the cost, but do not let them walk out with the item. Don’t give them the satisfaction! If they charge you for something, you now own it.
If they claim an item is too worn-out and they need to charge you, then you contest. Because after all, the certified letter you sent said you were not satisfied with the quality of the items, correct? So tell the manager, “if you had fixed the problems with these items, then we wouldn’t be here, would we?” and watch his jaw hit the ground. I will be releasing an article going into greater detail on the difference between damaged and worn-out shortly.
That’s it. You will get a final invoice the next week for any lost or destroyed items. Make sure to pay any past-due invoices, even ones you don’t agree with, because they will turn you over to a collections agency. It is not worth having your business or your own credit score lowered just to spite a vendor. Consider it the price of victory. This is your first post! Something interesting should be said.