Cleaning company faked a positive review using my wording: AIBU to demand it's removal?

[H2OWoe]

Had same cleaning company for quite a few years. In the past they have done a good job and in 2010 I sent them an email thanking them for the good quality of service.

They asked for permission to use the wording as a testimonial on their website, and I agreed to that.

Recently there have been lots of problems with the cleaners and the company has been unhelpful and awkward about resolving the issues so I've decided to stop using them. I've emailed them and asked them to remove my testimonial from their website and close out the cleaning service.

All Ok so far.

I was searching for cleaning companies online and my eye was caught by a postive review for a cleaning company. There is something familiar about the wording. Oh, hang on: it's the cleaning company I've just sacked and they have used their own office staff to pretend to be customers and created fake postive reviews and post them on websites, but they have used the wording from my email to fill out the reviews.

Apart from the fact that they are using their own staff to pretend to be satisfied customers, AIBU to be livid that they are using my wording - which is detailed and specific - taken verbatim from my email, in fake reviews? Can I insist they remove it?

Or should I just shrug and accept they are a pack of arses and spend my time finding a better cleaning company?

You can ask them, and if they don't respond, you could always add your own review and highlight this.

Perhaps the reviews predated your problems with them? They might have used staff to post your positive review on a range of review sites.

Depending on the sites, the cleaning company might not be able to remove the reviews so tbh I wouldn't waste your time asking them to remove them.

If you feel very strongly about it then post a negative review underneath explaining why you left. (I wouldn't get into an explanation that you think they've stolen the wording of your positive review - that would have the makings of a viral email and no-one ever comes out well in those!).

This is a job for ASA....

I've put a review in saying why I was unhappy and quick as a flash they sent me a horrible threatening email. Lovely company, not :-( I will try ASA, thanks for that idea.

What did they threaten?

Put your review on Yelp, Google Reviews, and their official review page. They can't do anything if you're telling the truth.

Grunt - they threatened legal action as they felt a comment was unsubstantiated. In reality I had tried to get them to discuss the issue with me but they refused to respond to emails and ignored my requests to discuss it.

HappySea - because they wouldn't acknowledge some of the problems they don't agree they are true. It's my word against theirs and not worth squabbling about. Ugh! In future I'll never give a company permission to use a testimonial, which is a shame as I do think good work should be acknowledged. Oh well - live and learn!