Don't get taken to the cleaners...by the cleaners

Dear Consumer Ed:

Are dry cleaners required to disclose the prices for items to be cleaned at the time they’re dropped off?

Consumer Ed says:

In Georgia, dry cleaning businesses are generally not required to post the pricing for their cleaning services. However, they are obligated to comply with their stated pricing or related policies. So, if a dry cleaner has disclosed or advertised its prices and fails to honor them, this may be an unfair or deceptive practice and a potential violation of Georgia’s Fair Business Practices Act. If you believe that a dry cleaner did not properly comply with its stated pricing, or that its pricing was otherwise unfair or deceptive, you can file a complaint with the Georgia Department of Law’s Consumer Protection Unit by going to consumer.georgia.gov or by calling 404-651-8600. You can also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission by visiting www.ftc.gov or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).

If a dry cleaner has not disclosed its prices, you can still protect yourself from being handed a surprisingly large bill by asking about the cost before you leave your clothing with the business.

Consumer Ed is brought to you by the Georgia Department of Law’s Consumer Protection Unit. Go to ConsumerEd.com to submit your question and read additional consumer tips. Remember…we do not give legal advice. Always consult a lawyer about legal issues.