Care tag
- Check licenses and businesses for free at Verify.tn.gov and the Secretary of State’s business search.
- Ask for insurance certificates that show a current effective date.
- Tennessee officials say never pay cash and never pay in full before the work is done.
Carpet and rug cleaning is a small job compared with a new roof, but it still means letting a company into your home and trusting it with something you may have owned for decades. Tennessee’s Attorney General and Department of Commerce and Insurance publish advice for hiring home improvement contractors, and most of it applies just as well to a cleaner. Here is how to use it.
Start with the free state checks
In a joint release, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and the Department of Commerce and Insurance said home improvement scams top the list of consumer complaints received by the Attorney General’s Division of Consumer Affairs. Their first advice is to verify, not trust: “don’t take their word for it.” The state points to several free tools:
- Verify.tn.gov, a free database to check the license status of thousands of professionals and businesses.
- The Tennessee Secretary of State’s business search, to see whether a company is organized in Tennessee or has authority to operate here.
- Your county clerk’s office, to confirm a local business license. The state notes that a business license is separate from a contractor’s license, and construction contractors generally need a county business license if their annual gross receipts exceed $3,000.
- The Division of Consumer Affairs, which can provide complaint history for companies by email at consumer.affairs@ag.tn.gov.
The release also suggests checking reviews and complaints on independent platforms such as the Better Business Bureau’s website, and warns that scammers may also be active on neighborhood groups and referral sites, so recommendations there still need checking.
Does a cleaner need a contractor’s license?
Tennessee requires a contractor’s license before bidding or negotiating price when a project’s total cost is $25,000 or more. For smaller jobs, the state tells consumers to ask their local government’s building codes office whether a state or local license is needed. A routine cleaning visit is a far smaller job, but if cleaning is part of a larger flood restoration with repairs, those rules may come into play; see Carpet After a Flood in Nashville: What to Save, What to Throw Away and How to Stay Safe.
Insurance and written terms
Ask for copies of the company’s insurance certificates showing a current effective date, covering workers’ compensation, damage and general liability. Tennessee officials warn to avoid companies that will not put terms in writing. For cleaning, that means a written estimate that names the rooms or rugs, the method, any treatments such as stain or odor work, the price and what happens if a stain does not come out.
How to pay
State officials advise never paying cash, never paying the full amount before the work is complete and considering a credit card with purchase protection. For home improvement work, Tennessee law prohibits requiring more than a one-third down payment. A cleaner that demands full payment before starting, in cash, is showing two of the warning signs at once.
Warning signs
| Red flag | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Door-to-door offers with deep discounts | The state warns these often seem too good to be true |
| Pressure to decide today | Short-time-only offers leave you no time to check the company |
| Cash only | Leaves you no record and no way to dispute a charge |
| No written estimate or contract | Nothing to hold the company to if results disappoint |
| Payment demanded upfront | State law caps home improvement down payments at one-third |
Match the company to the job
Not every carpet cleaner is the right choice for a valuable rug. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notes that if an item is expensive or of sentimental value, you may wish to consult a specialist, and it lists carpet and rug cleaning among the specialties. Ask whether the company cleans wool and hand-knotted rugs in its own facility or only cleans wall-to-wall carpet in place. Wool rugs have their own risks, from fiber damage to moths, covered in Caring for Wool and Oriental Rugs: Vacuuming, Moths, Pads and Storage.
Tip: Before the crew arrives, photograph each rug and any existing stains or wear. If there is a dispute later, dated photos make it much easier to resolve.
Why the checks are worth it
Tennessee’s Board for Licensing Contractors received 884 complaints in 2024 and took disciplinary actions totaling $990,896.25 in civil penalties, according to the state’s release. Most contractors play by the rules, the commissioner said, but a few minutes of checking separates them from the rest. The same tools work whether you are hiring a cleaner, a flooring installer or a restoration company.
If something goes wrong
Tennessee consumers can file a complaint about deceptive business practices with the Division of Consumer Affairs at tn.gov/consumer. Complaints about licensed contractors go to the Board for Licensing Contractors at (615) 741-8307. Keep your estimate, invoice and photos together.
For the specific questions to ask on the phone, see Questions to Ask a Carpet Cleaner Before You Book, and the Answers to Listen For.