Better Business Bureau Houston/Fort Bend Texas The BBB has reduced my rating to "F" because I will not renew my membership!!! Houston, Texas

Did the BBB say they changed your rating to an F and would change it back to an A if you renew your membership?   Somehow I doubt that.

What is the name of your business?

I also find it hard to believe that many of your clients for an apparent cleaning service, consult the BBB for information on a routine basis.  IF they do, they must have a problem with your service and are checking you out.

I'll concede that the BBB could sometimes do bettter, something is very wrong with this report.

Sir your opinion of my company kind of baffles me considering that you do not even know who I am also, my rating changed the same day my membership expired.  I had an "A" with the BBB for which I have worked very hard to maintain. Also I am not putting this up on here for you to leave rude comments, I am putting it up here to inform others who have also had this problem. And, since my attorney has been called we have found at least 30 other people who this happen to them. So would you say they are all making this up too? People including myself have always thought the BBB was to inform people of companies that were Honest, so ultimately I decided to become a member. Other people trust them as well, or at least did. But if any other company were to pull this kind of activity they would be sued immediately. So yes it is effecting my profit and my work.

Actually you can search for "BBB Pay for Play" and read how some BBB's gave better ratings to people who became members, and if they didn't they penalized them with lower ratings.  If this person's business grade went from A- to F at the same time their membership expired, unless the BBB can show other reasons why they lowered it, they have some serious explaining to do.

I will say that the odd thing from the OP is the timing.  Not knowing the nature of the business it might be possible that a customer would check the BBB if they are happy with the service they are getting, but not likely.  It seems even more unlikely that according to the OP multiple customers did this within a very short time of the rating being lowered.   Also if they are truly happy with the service to not at least inquire about the rating before they switched.

However, if the OP can get these clients to say that they did leave solely because of the rating and the BBB has nothing to show why they lowered it, the OP probably has a very good case.

1: Ken was not rude to you. He simply did what anyone is entitled to do in this public forum when someone lays an unsubstantiated charge again a company here. He questioned the charge and requested clarification.
2: Now we need the clarification.

I found your business, April's Cleaning Service on BBB page:
http://www.bbb.org/houston/business-reviews/maids-and-butlers-service/april-s-cleaning-services-in-houston-tx-90016089/
The BBB has a Houston address. Manta has a Katy address for you.

Also in Angie's List, has your Katy address:
http://www.angieslist.com/companylist/us/tx/katy/aprils-cleaning-services-reviews-6272033.aspx

Is it possible the BBB downgraded you because they have outdated contact info for your business?
You indeed have an F. Shows you've been in business only a couple years.

By the way, are you the April Gossett that linkedin associates with a Houston, TX based Adams Cleaning & Maintenance Services?
(Linkedin page: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/april-gossett/17/120/495 which strangely links the company name with an Aussie firm, but I digress)
What I'm assuming is maybe you left them to open your own business. Not really germane to this post, but would provide some background history.

There are 4 results in Texas for 'Adams' + 'Cleaning' at http://www.bbb.org/us/Find-Business-Reviews/name/adams+cleaning/TX/

The one in Killeen, Adams Commercial Cleaning, has an A rating.
And they aren't BBB members.

Bottom line, there are tons of other non member companies with A ratings on the BBB, whose ratings I've looked up over time, sometimes, as in this case, out of curiosity after reading a report.

That indisputable fact makes it tough to accept they dropped you to an F for not being a member any longer. I won't say it's impossible, but it is hard to accept.

So what we need from you to better ascertain what the BBB there did wrong is to know what the nature is of the 1 complaint in the past 3 years they list as closed.
1: Was it due to address/phone info being wrong.
2: Did they close it due to noncooperation or no response from you? Was it one contentious problem that you figured wouldn't count for much against other happy customers. The BBB is very tough about this.
3: Did you choose to end your membership or did they revoke it? Your file was only opened according to them in June 2010. When did you become a member and when exactly did you let it lapse? We only know the date that you had contact with them after the fact.
4: Why would you have let the membership lapse when it was so crucial to your business, that you suffered so much afterward? Why look for such trouble?

So give your report more credibility by providing all relevant info and disclosure and stop taking normal rebuttal inquiries as some sort of personal attack. This is an open public forum and you invite such questioning when you post here.

I appreciate the input. One of the reasons that  have not included ALL of my information as I have been informed by my attorney not to disclose certain information publicly, as a result could legally  hang myself.  As far as any other companies being attached to me, there are none. I also would like to say that I appreciate the fact that people have a right to their opinion but, also as do we that feel they have been wronged needlessly. My posting was to inform and to find others who have had this happen to them and as luck would have it, we have.  I certainly also have right to defend myself, my company and anything else that pertains to this matter when detrimental information is posted about my company on the internet.  I have received an email from the company in question, that if I remove their name completely from any advertising, or explanations that were posted on my website, then my rating would be changed. And if it restored to the rating that I have worked very hard to maintain, I will be the first person to stop any complaining publicly or otherwise as this is ALL that I have asked for.  And I will also explain publicly that they have cooperated in resolving this matter. All that I want is what is fair and just. I have spent the last 3 years building this company with my bare hands from the ground up and I only want what I have rightfully earned. Good day.

Does anyone really doubt what the BBB is all about?  My goodness.

ABC News 20/20 did a show about their "pay to play" scam.

You can watch the 20/20 show on line at:  http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/business-bureau-best-ratings-money-buy/story?id=12123843

The retired journalist that was instrumental in exposing the BBB scam has a website:  http://bbbroundup.com/

I wouldn't trust the BBB for anything-it's not the organization my parents trusted when I was growing up.

I suggest the anyone having these issues with the BBB contact the editors/producers of 20/20.  The ABC show aired Nov 12, 2010.  It's been almost a year so I think it might be time to air an updated show to let folks know the BBB is still up to their tricks.  Even RoR has an article by Ed that is critical of the BBB.

I would suggest you have Angie's List remove the BBB rating/membership info from your listing, as I know the way the BBB works, they will further penalize you to the extent where even if you renew with them, you'll have to wait a year to be accepted.

As I noted on the mortgage firm's report, that company admitted to NOT responding to complaints brought via the BBB and that's why they were deep sixed. If that was not the reason for your F rating, then the 2 of your businesses situations are not the same.

I already removed the information on Angies list yesterday and now they are complaining because I had an explanation on my website referring to the "F" rating.  They sent me an email yesterday for which I forwarded to "ripoff editor" so that they could confirm what I was saying. They said and I quote "your rating will remain the same until all uses of the (name of their company) were removed from my website and advertisement". They are referring to the explanation that I left on my website explaining why they gave me a an "F" rating. I did not watch or read the information on 20/20 until just a few minutes ago. And now feel even worse considering those people paid in the range of 3-4 hundred dollars and my dues for last year were $642.00. I pay more and now have this happen.  I just can not believe that this is going on.  but, people need to be aware of these dishonest practices.  I am a good person and I run a very small but honest company and I feel like someone has pulled the rug out from under me.

As promised I wanted to let you know that My rating with the company that I originally had a problem with and filed the report with Ripoff.com has changed my rating back to its original rating.  I would like to thank everyone at Ripoff.com for making this possible and to all the people who gave advise on how to handle this situation. April Gossett/Owner of APRIL'S CLEANING SERVICES