Your CLEANER knows you… but do you know your CLEANER?
There are more than 3,400 cleaning businesses in operation in the UK. But don’t be fooled by colourful photos and catchy websites. Lot of these cleaning businesses are run in the owner’s kitchen and in many cases in shared accommodation. The shocking truth is that everything the cleaner knows about your life; name, contact details, holiday dates, preferences, hours you are out, alarm codes, keys, may be kept next to their breadbasket. How do you find the cleaning business you can trust?
Your biggest enemy is ASSUMPTION. We tend to assume that anyone with a business name and a website is a professional cleaning company. But if all you have is a name and a mobile number what do you do if there is a problem? Not to mention cash-in-hand cleaners.
One of our regular clients, Megan, said when we first met her in 2003, “We’ve hired many people to carry out household cleaning over the years and could tell you some scary stories.” It doesn’t have to be this way of course, and you can avoid all the horror stories and being another Megan by making a few quick and simple checks.
Here is the 5 Top Tips for hiring the right help for your home:
1. Check the business address:
Always check the office address and you can do a quick search to see whether they are registered with Companies House.
If there is no office where is your private information kept?
Is there a system in place for sensitive information? eg: keys, codes
2. Ask whether the cleaner is insured
Is the company or the cleaner insured and how do you make a claim?
Companies are legally obliged to be insured but sole trader businesses are not.
Who pays the excess if there is a claim?
3. Never ignore the Law
Are you employing the cleaner yourself or hiring the company?
Do you have a contract or terms and conditions?
Who do you have the contract with?
Does the cleaner have a signed contract with the business owner/company?
4. Are you liable for their Tax?
Are the cleaners legal workers?
Confirm who will be responsible for paying their tax?
5. Check the basic practicalities
Do you have a point of contact if there is ever a problem?
If the business is a one-man-band, what happens if the boss is on holiday?
What training and experience does the cleaner have?
What are their cancelation policies?
If the cleaner or the company did not come from a recommendation check Google reviews.