Unauthorized Alteration Charges - Warning to Customers…read more
I am writing this review to warn the public about the deceptive billing and unauthorized service practices I experienced at this business.
***Below is a photo of the receipt from Knox Cleaners. The male employee marked TWO items for dry cleaning and ZERO for alterations. It also reflects the date - 08/08/2026.***
On Aug. 8, 2026, I took two garments to Knox Cleaners strictly to receive a price quote for potential alterations. The other two garments were for dry cleaning. I made my request very clear to the male employee that day and via phone on Aug. 10, 2026.
On Aug. 13, 2026, Mia told me that alterations had been completed. I told her that they did so without my consent and never gave me a quote. Subsequently, Mia and her mother, Ericka, demanded full payment for the unapproved work - $20.00. Note that on Aug. 22, 2026, I was forced to pay $23.22, not $20.00 like both women originally stated.
Additionally, the $15.68 that I paid for the dry cleaning was also charged to my credit card in bath faith because a few minutes after I left that place, I realized that they failed to give me the black and gold belt that I left with the black blouse that I wanted dry cleaned. Knox Cleaners may have engaged in malicious conduct by depriving me of the black and gold belt because I told Ericka that I was going to call the police and report them to the Attorney General's office. They may have done this in retaliation.
Key issues with this experience follow below:
No Authorization: Work was performed entirely without my signature, verbal confirmation, or consent. While I left the clothes on their counter and Ericka failed to answer the calls and texts regarding my request for a quote, that did not mean that I authorized them to proceed with alterations. See photo of receipt below.
Refusal to Honor Quote Request: A request for a price estimate was treated as an immediate order. Knox Cleaners is liable because Ericka executed dishonest and deceptive practices when she said that I "left the clothes there" after previously admitting that she received the texts from the male employee on Aug. 8th. If that is that case, it follows that she intentionally failed to provide me with a quote. Their bad faith practices benefited the business when I was forced to pay them for something that they are not entitled to by law. Ericka told me that she "tried" to work with me - she contradicted herself. If she truly believed that when I left the clothes thereby authorizing alterations, she never would have allegedly contacted the owner of Knox Cleaners to see what could be done. Ultimately, I was unwilling to negotiate with them because demanding payment for unauthorized services is illegal.
Unfair Billing: Under duress, I was forced to pay for services I never agreed to just to get my property back. I had to call the police, who showed up as a stand by.
Scope of employment: Ericka engaged in deceptive actions when she first denied receiving a text from the male employee when I requested a quote for alterations. Her conduct falls within the scope of her employment because she communicated with me from the business phone about a disputed transaction. Likewise, the conduct of the male employee and Mia falls within the scope of their employment because I told them both that I only wanted a quote when they were both at work and on the clock. Thus, the owner is vicariously liable for the actions of its employees.
Be extremely careful if you come here just to ask for a quote. Get everything in writing , or take your business to a transparent, honest, and ethical dry cleaner that upholds consumer rights, and follows proper authorization protocols.
On the receipt, write that the payment is "under dispute for unauthorized services." Dispute the charge with your bank/credit card company. Next, obtain an incident report from the police. Finally, report them to the AG's Office and the BBB should something similar happen to you.
