A Bengaluru resident has taken to social media to express his disappointment with Urban Company, alleging that they cancelled his bathroom cleaning service after he requested their staff to communicate in Kannada. In a post on X, the user shared that he booked a bathroom cleaning service, and when the two workers arrived, he showed them the area that needed attention. However, one of the workers began speaking in a language the resident couldn’t understand. When he politely requested, “Kannada, please,” the conversation continued in the unfamiliar language, leading to a communication breakdown.
In an attempt to bridge the communication gap, the workers called a supervisor who spoke Kannada. According to the resident, the supervisor claimed that the workers were uncomfortable because he insisted on communicating only in Kannada. This response allegedly led to the cancellation of the bathroom cleaning service, leaving the customer dismayed.
“Surprisingly, the person said it’s difficult for their workers if the customer speaks only Kannada. I responded, ”I haven’t asked them to write poetry about my bathroom. Just clean and leave. What’s the issue?” Then they called Urban Company’s customer care, who also said she couldn’t speak Kannada. Since I prefer to be served in my language, I didn’t continue the call. After some more back and forth, they simply cancelled the booking and walked away,” the user wrote.
See the post here:
Today I learned that knowing a particular language might be necessary even to get basic services like bathroom cleaning in my own home. Thanks for the lesson, @urbancompany_UC@UC_Assist
I had booked a bathroom cleaning service via Urban Company. Two people arrived, and I showed…
— ಕಣಾದ (@Metikurke) March 23, 2025
“What I still don’t understand is—why should language even be a barrier for such a straightforward service? And if there is a need for communication, shouldn’t Kannada be the first choice in Karnataka? I remained polite throughout and even said, “Sir, clean maadakke bhashe yaake beku? Banda kelasa mugisikondu hogi.” But their attitude was cold and dismissive. It’s disheartening that speaking Kannada in my own home in Karnataka could lead to service denial. Urban Company, if you’re offering services here, shouldn’t language inclusion be a priority?” he added.
Responding to the post, Urban Company said, “Hi, thank you for reaching out to us. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience you faced. We would like to assist you with this matter. May we have your registered mobile number or email address via DM to check this further?”
