Things to Avoid When Hiring a Housekeeping Service
If you are anything like the average American, your morning checklist may look something like this:
- Get dressed
- Wake up the kids
- Get the kids ready for school
- Pack lunches
- Make breakfast
- Rush off to work
When you get home, there are just as many things to accomplish–not to mention taking time for yourself.
Let’s face it, when you’re juggling a hundred responsibilities, something is bound to slip through the cracks.
If you feel like you can’t do it all, you’re not alone. 10% of American households use a housekeeping service to take one thing off their plates.
But not all housekeepers are created equal.
If you want to ensure that a housekeeper makes your life easier and not more stressful, check out these 5 things to avoid when hiring a housekeeping service.
1. Hiring Without Checking References
As with anyone whose services you’re going to be using, always take the extra time to check out your housekeeping service’s references before hiring them.
If you know other people who use a cleaning company, ask about their experiences. Who have they worked with that they really enjoyed and who gave them a negative experience?
Getting a referral from a trusted friend is the best way to find a cleaning company that you can trust.
If you don’t happen to know anyone who can provide you with personal anecdotes or referrals, don’t fear, a reputable housekeeping service may be able to connect you with former customers.
Ask your prospective housekeeping service if they can put you in contact with any current or former customers or if they have any reviews that they can share with you.
Of course, you should be wary of reviews provided by the company and should do your own independent research as well. Looking online for reviews can help you separate the best cleaning services from the worst.
2. Hiring Without Liability Insurance
Unfortunately, accidents happen. It’s possible that while cleaning your house, something that you own will get damaged or someone could get hurt.
It’s essential that the house cleaning service that you hired has proper insurance coverage to handle any such accidents.
When you’re looking into maid services, ask about what kind of insurance they cover. Most companies will carry liability insurance, worker’s compensation insurance, or other types of bonds that will protect both parties in case of an accident.
Don’t be tempted by companies that may have lower rates but don’t offer this type of insurance. You may be paying a lot more in the long run.
Any cleaning company should be able to answer what would happen in the case of damaged or missing property and/or bodily harm caused to a cleaner.
If they can’t answer that question or try to assure you that these types of accidents are unlikely and you shouldn’t worry about them, perhaps they aren’t the company for you.
3. Hidden Charges/Fees
It’s a stereotype that a maid service is only for rich people/families, but this isn’t necessarily the case. You can certainly find an affordable housekeeper that fits into your family budget if you prioritize it.
That being said, if you are on a budget, make sure you are upfront about what you are expecting to pay and ask them to communicate with you.
Various housekeeping services may charge in different ways. Some may charge an hourly fee and others a flat rate.
Certain cleaning services may be billed differently, such as one-time cleanings, recurring/regular cleanings, deep cleanings, move-in/out cleanings, etc.
Be sure to ask your cleaning service for a quote and confirm any fees with them so that you aren’t surprised in the future.
4. Not Being Upfront About Expectations
A lot goes into cleaning a house that you wouldn’t expect and what qualifies as “clean” in someone’s eyes may be quite different in someone else’s.
In order to ensure that you’re happy with the services provided by your housekeeper, it’s important to communicate your expectations.
For one, consider what services are included. Many housekeeping services only include surface cleaning and not “deep” cleaning. Other household chores like washing the dishes, doing laundry, etc. are not likely included in your housekeeper’s job.
If you have a larger house, it may not be clear which areas are included in the housekeeper’s domain.
Additionally, certain cleaning companies have rules about what state your house needs to be in to qualify for a clean. For example, if you have clothes all over your floor, the housekeeper may not be able to sweep or mop.
When negotiating your fees and rates, make sure to go over in detail what you expect your housekeeper to cover and what you don’t.
This way, your expectations will be met and your housekeeper will be set up for a successful clean.
5. Not Meeting Your Staff
Housekeeping can be a very intimate profession, after all, you’re letting a stranger — or multiple strangers — into your home.
If you will be working with the same staff every single time, it may be a good idea to ask to meet them before they begin work. You’ll want to get to know the person who will be working in your home.
If this isn’t feasible for you or you’ll have different housekeepers each time, you can ask your cleaning company about how they hire their staff. Ask about background checks and referrals.
This way, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that a trusted professional is cleaning your house– not a complete stranger.
Housekeeping Can Be Life-Changing
Your home should be your sanctuary, a place that you love coming back to. When your life is already busy or stressful, an unclean home can compound your stress.
Hiring a housekeeping service to take one item off of your plate can be a way to relieve some pressure and be able to spend more time on yourself.
You’d be amazed how much more relaxed you’d be if you could outsource one of your biggest stressors.
Get a free quote today to see if our housekeeping services can help you reclaim your house and your time!
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