'Why Is Language Even A Barrier Here?'-Urban Company Cleaners Walk Out Over Kannada Request

(MENAFN- Live Mint) A Karnataka resident took to social media to express frustration after his bathroom cleaning service, booked via Urban Company, was cancelled simply because he insisted on communicating in Kannada .

According to his post on X, two workers arrived at his home, and he showed them the bathroom to be cleaned. One of them started speaking in a language he didn't understand. He requested Kannada, but the conversation continued in another language. The second worker also spoke in a different language.

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When he repeated, "Kannada, please," they made a phone call to someone who spoke Kannada. That person then told the customer that the workers were uncomfortable because he was speaking only in Kannada. Confused, the resident responded, "I've booked a service and shown them the bathroom-they just need to clean and leave. Why is language even a barrier here?"

The workers then contacted Urban Company 's customer care, but the representative also couldn't speak Kannada. Since the customer preferred to be served in his own language, he ended the call. After some back and forth, the workers canceled the booking and left.

He wrote in his post, "I haven't asked them to write poetry about my bathroom. Just clean and leave. What's the issue?"

The incident quickly sparked a heated debate online. One user commented:

"I doubt any Kannadiga will come n clean toilets. May b too much pride. But having said that, bro, those poor fellows came to clean ur shit hole. For once think, wat they will be feeling." [sic.]

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To this, the poster replied:

"never expected them to speak my language-I genuinely empathize with them. But the lack of basic gratitude towards the state and the people they serve is worrisome. The least they can do is show some respect. And to be clear, I'm not blaming the workers. The real issue lies with UrbanClap and similar companies that don't even enable this basic courtesy. Even I address them as“sir.”

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