Consumer complaints regarding unexpected additional fees charged on-site after booking cleaning or drain unclogging services have surged.

In particular, there is a growing number of cases where service providers, after agreeing to a contract via phone or online without a prior on-site estimate, demand hundreds of thousands of won in additional fees on the day of the work, citing reasons such as the level of contamination, the structure of the home, or the condition of the pipes. Consumers are advised to exercise caution.

The Korea Consumer Agency announced today (July 15) that it had analyzed 1,204 cases of damage related to cleaning and sewage sanitation services reported from 2023 to the first quarter of this year. The analysis revealed that 292 cases, or 24.3% of the total, were related to demands for additional fees.

In the first quarter of this year, the number of damage cases related to additional fee demands increased by approximately 3.3 times compared to the same period last year.

The rise in such complaints was particularly notable in sewage services, such as drain unclogging.

For cleaning services, poor service quality, such as inadequate cleaning, was the most common issue at 42.8% (510 cases), followed by demands for additional fees at 20.5% (244 cases), and damage or loss of household items at 15% (179 cases).

Disputes over additional fees mostly occurred when contracts were made non-face-to-face without an on-site estimate, and the service provider demanded extra payment on the day of the cleaning, citing factors like the level of contamination or the home's structure.

There were also many instances where providers refused to fulfill the contract or refund the deposit if the consumer rejected the additional charges.

In sewage services, such as drain unclogging, poor service quality was also the most frequent issue at 48.9% (68 cases), with demands for additional fees accounting for 34.5% (48 cases).

Some companies, in particular, advertised a base rate of around 50,000 won for toilet unclogging on their websites but then demanded hundreds of thousands of won in extra fees on-site, citing reasons such as the need to remove the toilet or use specialized equipment.

Many cases were identified where consumers found it difficult to refuse payment because the service provider had already disassembled the toilet or opened the sewage pipes.

To prevent such damage, the Korea Consumer Agency advised consumers to obtain an on-site estimate before signing a contract rather than booking online or over the phone, and to verify the reasons and costs for any potential additional fees beforehand.

The agency also recommended that consumers thoroughly inspect the work site before paying the remaining balance upon completion and secure evidence, such as photos taken before and after the work, in preparation for potential disputes.