HomeAdvisor, facing a lawsuit from the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office for deceptive advertising, has been ordered by a San Francisco judge to pull radio and television ads that claim the company performs background checks on workers who visit customer homes.
HomeAdvisor, facing a lawsuit from the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office for deceptive advertising, has been ordered by a San Francisco judge to pull radio and television ads that claim the company performs background checks on workers who visit customer homes.
San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon announced a lawsuit against HomeAdvisor in March, alleging that the home services company only performs background checks on the owner/principal of an independently owned business, not on every worker, as implied by its advertisements, according to a Denver Post report.
The order, signed by Superior Court Judge Harold Kahn earlier this month, states that HomeAdvisor ads that do not imply all employees underwent background checks are permitted to air as long as there is a disclaimer noting that “HomeAdvisor Background-Checks Business Owners But Not Employees,” according to the Post.
The DA’s office had originally asked that the ads be taken down in December, but the company refused.
“We disagree with the claims made in this case and have appealed the order,” HomeAdvisor said in a statement. “We continue to ensure that our advertising remains fair and accurate.”
Gascon said in a statement that the order protects the state’s consumers from being misled.
“HomeAdvisor needs to be honest about who they background check, so that consumers are well-informed when deciding whether to allow strangers into their homes.”
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