Do dry cleaners have to disclose prices upfront?

Dear Consumer Ed:

Are dry cleaners required to disclose the prices for items to be cleaned at the time they’re dropped off? 

Consumer Ed says:

In Georgia, dry cleaning businesses are generally not required to post the pricing for their cleaning services.  However, they are obligated to comply with their stated pricing or related policies.  So, if a dry cleaner has disclosed or advertised its prices and fails to honor them, this may be an unfair or deceptive practice and a potential violation of Georgia’s Fair Business Practices Act.  If you believe that a dry cleaner did not properly comply with its stated pricing, or that its pricing was otherwise unfair or deceptive, you can file a complaint with the Georgia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division by calling 404-651-8600.  You can also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission by visiting www.ftc.gov or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).

If a dry cleaner has not disclosed its prices, you can still protect yourself from being handed a surprisingly large bill by asking about the cost before you leave your clothing with the business.