Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  09/05/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Since September of 2004, my retail store (Wine Mine at Pacific Street Liquors in Telluride) has paid Alsco (American Linen) $41,836.17 for weekly floor mat service. In June of this year, I sold the store. The new owners told Alsco they wanted to discontinue the mat service. Alsco told the new owners that there was $4985.98 left to pay on the contract. I never signed a contract with Alsco and I am the only person who signs agreements and contracts on behalf of the store. Alsco sent two service agreements signed by the "manager" of the store at that time. (The agreements are attached.) The agreements state "authorized signer" on them. Neither of the individuals who signed on behalf of the store were authorized to do so. These are 5 year contracts with automatic 5 year renewals buried in the fine print. I would NEVER sign a five year agreement with any entity. We are a seasonal economy, the longest agreement I would ever sign would be 6 or 12 months. I stated this to Alsco, yet they still are pressing for payment. Alsco said they will reduce the amount owed to them to $2500, however I find it egregious for them demand payment for services that never will be rendered. There are numerous complaints with the BBB against Alsco as well as comparably deplorable Yelp reviews from across the nation. It appears nefarious business practices are part of Alsco corporate culture. On Friday, I received an email from Alsco's debt collector. I would like your help getting Alsco to curtail their pursuit of payment for future services that will never be rendered. For 20 years, I paid them without the knowledge of any contract being in place because it was the right thing to do. They now need to do the right and ethical by not strong-arming me to pay for services I will never receive. Thank you. I look forward to hearing from you.

  Customer response

  09/09/2024

  Thank you.

  
  

  I spoke with ****** earlier today, then forwarded an email to ******** at ******************** about 9:20 this (Friday) morning. Just to be sure you/she received it, the addition reads:

  
  

  "Regarding the service agreement signed on 6/30/22, the Alsco sales rep told my employee that in order to continue service, the agreement had to signed. It was never disclosed to my employee that the agreement was a 5 year commitment. “

  
  Thank you,

  
  

  ****** ***** ************

  Business response

  09/10/2024

  Since 2001- Alsco has received the following agreements from Wine Mine:

  2001- **** **** Opened the Account for Service-

  2004- ****** ***** (Owner) signed a renewal for a 5 year service agreement

  2005- ****** ***** (Owner) signed a 5 year service agreement for the additional mats

  2007-**** ***** Signed a New 5 year agreement listed as Manager (Filled out documents listed as Key Contact)

  2009- ****** ***** (Owner) signed a 5 Year service agreement

  2013- ****** **** GM updated the contact information to herself and signed an updated 5 year agreement

  2018- J*** ******** (Manager) - updated the contact information to himself received and signed a new agreement

  2022- J*** ******** (Manager) - Signed an updated agreement for 60 months until 2027 

  I previously responded to *** ***** and have attached that email- Alsco sincerely thanks *** ***** for the years of being a customer- however as with any agreement we expect parties to abide by such agreements due to our investment within the account and the forthcoming revenues these are a standard practice of our business. I responded to *** ***** with the attached Email- and as you'll see throughout the history of the account Wine Mine has had Managers sign authorize and enter into agreements with Alsco. Under no circumstance was the additional mats disputed, was payment refused etc. Alsco has always had the belief that the managers had the authority to enter into an agreement at the location. Alsco is only asking for the customer to honor their agreement with Alsco (either with Services rendered) or with the early termination of the latest agreement listed in Section 8. As I previously mentioned, Alsco believes it would be the right thing of the customer to honor such agreements that they have entered and both mutually agreed upon. We take numerous steps to avoid any confusion including but not limited to- Signing the front page of terms and conditions, initialing the second page of the agreement for accuracy on Key contacts (J*** ******** was listed) and Mr. Sullivan updated the information in the 2018 attached agreement and mailing the agreements to the customer (as it states on the final page "stamped with Mailed date") We take all these precautions to ensure the customer receives and has copies of such agreements. The customer is now disputing the buyout amount of 4985.98. We tried to find some middle ground such as reduced services for the remainder of the agreement or a reduced buyout amount. The latest agreement in dispute was signed for by J*** ******** store manager- in which Mr. Sullivan, signed his name, printed his name, and initialed the pages acknowledging the entirety of the agreement. The First page has the term clearly listed on 2. Term. The early termination of the agreement is listed under section 8. In this instance *** ***** terminated the agreement early however refuses to pay for the previously agreed upon Section 8 of the agreement. I am still open to working with the customer for a fair early termination cost. Alsco had every reason to believe that a manager of a store location had the authority to enter the business into a legally binding agreement, and henceforth are asking for resolution associated with such. 

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