📣 An Open Letter to Google – From a Small Business Owner Who Refuses to Be Silenced

In recent weeks, our team at NeatCleaners has faced a challenge no small business should ever have to deal with — a completely false and damaging review on our Google Business profile. The review accused us of theft, despite being written by someone we’ve never served.

We’ve reported it, appealed it, and spoken directly with our customers about it. Now, we’re speaking directly to Google — and to anyone who believes that trust and truth still matter.

Below is the full open letter from Marek, the owner and cleaning manager.

To the Google team,

As the owner of NeatCleaners, a small, family-run cleaning company based in the UK, I’m writing to you not just with concern — but with urgency. Like thousands of local businesses, we rely on our Google Business Profile to represent our work, our team, and most importantly, our reputation. That reputation has been built slowly, honestly, and with care — one customer at a time.

Recently, a review appeared on our profile accusing us of poor service and, more shockingly, theft of a customer’s personal property. The reviewer, hiding behind anonymous initials “O O,” has never been a customer of ours. We have no record of this person or any such incident. The accusation is entirely false.

We reported the review, flagged it under your policies, and submitted a formal appeal. And now, we wait — our business, our team, and our reputation hanging in the balance.

Let me be clear: this isn’t just a case of “someone leaving a bad review.” This is an accusation of criminal behaviour — made publicly, without evidence, and with no accountability. If I were to post something this false about a person on your platform, you’d likely suspend my account. So why is it that businesses, especially small ones, are left exposed, without protection, while anonymous users are free to defame us?

This is bigger than us. I’m speaking up not just for NeatCleaners, but for every small business owner who has felt helpless in the face of fake reviews. The current system is broken. It gives more power to anonymous strangers than to real, hard-working businesses who show up every day, do good work, and genuinely care.

We ask you — Google — to do better.

Verify reviews that make serious claims. Take stronger action on clear policy violations. And above all, treat small businesses like partners, not targets.

To our customers, friends, and fellow business owners: thank you for standing with us. We won’t let falsehoods define us — and we hope this message reaches those inside Google who still believe in fairness.

Marek and Neatcleaners Team