Urban Company service denial in Bengaluru sparks language inclusivity debate

A Bengaluru resident’s experience with Urban Company has ignited discussions about language inclusivity in Karnataka. The resident posted on X that his restroom cleaning service was canceled after he requested the workers to communicate in Kannada. 

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According to his account, two workers arrived for the service but neither of them spoke Kannada. When he requested, “Kannada please,” they continued speaking in another language. Realizing the language barrier, the workers called someone who could communicate in Kannada. However, instead of resolving the issue, the supervisor reportedly said the workers felt uncomfortable because the customer insisted on Kannada. The resident found this response baffling, questioning why language should be a barrier for such a basic service.  

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

The workers then contacted Urban Company’s customer support, but the representative also could not speak Kannada. Frustrated, the customer chose not to continue the conversation. Eventually, the workers canceled the service and left without completing the task.

Expressing his disappointment, the resident pointed out that this was not an isolated issue but part of a larger concern in Karnataka. He questioned why Kannada shouldn’t be the primary language for communication in the state.

Urban Company’s response 

Urban Company later responded on X, apologizing for the inconvenience and asking for the customer’s contact details to look into the matter. The incident comes shortly after Urban Company faced backlash for its newly launched ‘Insta Maids’ service, which provides users with on-demand maids within 15 minutes.