Bedbug Laundry Center

I have never written a Unilocal review before – I created an account today because I actually feel obligated to share this and try to prevent someone else’s misery. To give you the Cliffs Notes: it is a tale of incompetence, horrible service, wasted time, lost clothing, much anguish, and wasted money. (BTW I think they also operate under the name King’s Laundry Center, Bug Out Laundry LLC, and are owned by LCR Stillwell Ave LLC).
When I got bedbugs I freaked out, did a quick Google search, and scheduled Bedbug Laundry Center to come pick up every piece of fabric I own… which I hastily shoved in a bunch of big black garbage bags. I did not inventory my items, because it would have taken me forever and I was panicing. The guy on the phone I spoke with seemed helpful.
Pickup window was scheduled for Monday July 2 (same day I called – yes!) 1−3PM. By 4:30PM: nothing but radio silence, so I called them. After a few back and forths with the office and the driver I found out the driver wouldn’t be there until about 5:15PM. I had to go to a work event so I rescheduled for 10PM that night, slightly annoyed that I sat around waiting for nothing. 10PM it’s picked up and I get no receipt or paperwork or anything.
The website says they turn your clothes around in 24 – 48 hours. Keep this in mind.
By Friday July 6 I had not heard anything from anyone, so again, I called them. I wrote the delay up to the July 4^th holiday – understandable. We schedule a delivery for «any time before 1PM on Saturday July 7.» Radio silence until I call them AGAIN at 12:45PM on Saturday. Driver says he had no idea I needed my stuff before 1PM. I have to reschedule because I have another commitment.
They finally drop my stuff off at 7:30PM that night. Great! I open the plastic bag with my pillows and blankets inside and discover that they are 1. still wet, 2. smell moldy like they’ve been sitting wet in a sealed garbage bag in 90+ degree weather for a few days, and 3. stained. I call the driver, who luckily is still downstairs. I bring the stuff down to him to take back and re-​wash.
Later, I look at my dry cleaning and discover that the white skirt I sent away has come back beige. I also notice that a bunch of my stuff is missing, like a whole garbage bag of stuff. Also, I have someone else’s sock. I talk to the office who says they will look for my stuff and pick up the skirt when they drop off my pillows, blankets, and lost stuff.
They eventually find some unlabeled bags at the shop that they think are mine. My family has arrived from out of town – my mom visits once a year and i haven’t seen my brother in nearly a decade – and I am super busy at work; the drivers can’t deliver when I am able be there to receive. We eventually schedule for Thursday morning July 12. The driver says I will be the first stop in the 9−11AM delivery slot so that I can then go meet my family and not waste a day with them. RADIO SILENCE.
I call them again around 10AM Thursday morning. Back and forth with the office & the driver – I try being nice, I try negotiating, I cry at some point, I yell. Driver finally arrives at 11:45AM with my blankets and pillows which are now clean dry and smell good thanks to an excessive amount of dryer sheets. They drop off my lost stuff, which contains someone else’s belt and shorts too. They pick up my skirt.
The driver is a nice guy. He tells me they have had a lot of issues recently: clients throw money in his face, clients dump hot water on him out the window, someone got their laundry back completely wet, someone got their shoes back but was missing the second shoe of most pairs.
Over the course of the following days I realize I am missing 1 dress ($ 30) and 2 pairs of jeans (one $ 150 one maybe $ 20) still. They are used clothes and thus devalued significantly, sure. Those $ 150 jeans were definitely some of my favorites.
The following week I go back and forth for several days trying to get my skirt back. They keep saying they will deliver and never do. Never call. I text the driver: «sooooo I’m probably never getting my skirt back, right?» FINALLY on Friday, July 20 I get my skirt back and it is white again.
It is now July 27. Twenty-​five days after they first picked up my stuff. I should mention that they charged my card the full $ 450 on July 7 and I tipped the drivers the first time around in cash because I felt bad, it’s not their fault… To this day they still have not found my missing things. They have wasted hours of my time with the waiting & phone calls. They have caused a ton of stress in an already stressful situation. They still refuse to call me when they say they will.
For my troubles and lost items they are sending me a check for $ 50. I signed an agreement saying I believe this amount to be «fair» and «reasonable».
Not in a million years would I ever go back to this company and I really hope you read this and decide to launder elsewhere.