Subscribe to contentTips for Finding a Reliable Local House Cleaner
Reliable house cleaning service is invaluable for people who have extremely busy schedules, are ending a tenancy, or who simply have special cleaning needs done best by a professional. House cleaners offer a variety of services from every day house cleaning to tenancy cleaning, and everything in between. And there are plenty of them in the U.K. So how do you find a reliable one?
House cleaning is one of those trades where the best way to vet is through word-of-mouth. Where a plumber or electrician does a limited amount of work which is forgotten if he does it right, the work of a house cleaner will be seen day after day by the home owner. A good cleaner makes for happy customers who are proud to boast to their family and friends. Ask around; see who everyone else is using.
If word-of-mouth doesn't produce favourable results, there are a number of web sites where contractors and customers can link up. These sites offer the option of leaving comments, either positive or negative, for the various contractors. Some even allow the posting of a full review. Business rating sites are not perfect by any means, but they are a good place to harvest names as your search gets under way.
With three or four names in hand, contact each cleaner and invite him to your home for an estimate. Be sure to discuss every aspect of the job including, services provided, frequency of visits, hourly rate, and billing methods. All these things vary widely from cleaner to cleaner. You want to make sure both of you know exactly what you're getting into.
House cleaners can be hired as individual contractors or through a house cleaning service company. One isn't necessarily better than the other in terms of quality, but if you have complicated needs, a larger company with several cleaner tends to have greater access to resources. On the other hand, the individual cleaner may offer more personalized service.
When you decide on a house cleaner, ask for proof of insurance, verifiable references, and a written quote. In many cases you may be required to sign a contract to secure the services of a cleaner. Contracts typically range from three months to a year. If you are given a contract, don't sign it right away. Keep it for a night and go through it line by line. Although most contracts are standard documents, you don't want to be stuck with the rare contract which leaves you little recourse as a dissatisfied customer.
Finding a local cleaner is a wise decision as well. Weather and traffic are just two of the things that could delay your service. The fewer the risks of delay, the more likely you are to have your cleaning done consistently on schedule.
Hiring a house cleaner can be one of the best things you've ever done. If you're not careful though, it could also be one of the worst. A little due diligence goes a long way.