I am very happy with the service, quality of cleaning and Kerry who is excellent.
It was really nice experience with clean home. Emma was very helpful. Got very nice service even on urgent request. I must say clean home made my life easier!
Excellent service all round.Very satisfied.
The realisation that you could do with some extra help around the house can come about for a number of different reasons. A hectic working life may be getting in the way of completing those time consuming domestic chores or perhaps you simply want to enjoy your retirement and leave these often mundane tasks to others. It’s an easy decision to employ a domestic cleaner but there is still much to consider.
How do you choose the right domestic cleaner for you?
It can be a daunting task, especially if it’s the first time you have had to make this most important decision. You may worry about allowing a total stranger into your home without having any prior knowledge of that individual for example.
If you have employed a domestic cleaner for several years and then face losing someone you completely trust and know, it’s understandable that you may be concerned about finding a suitable replacement with the same high standards. It’s unfortunate but clearly inevitable that even long-standing cleaners will eventually decide to leave your service for all sorts of reasons.
If you have had the unfortunate experience of employing a cleaner or cleaning service and have been left unsatisfied with their overall performance, you will know that it can be difficult as well as time-consuming to come to a satisfactory resolution.
Having been in the cleaning business for several years we have unfortunately heard many horror stories from various clients about their past experiences. We understand exactly how difficult it can be for you to establish the best option for you and your home so helping others to achieve a smooth recruitment solution has been the driving force of our organisation.
By following a few simple steps outlined in this article we hope we can help reassure you that it doesn’t have to be a headache that it may have been in the past.
Private cleaners work for themselves; they generally find their work by using friends and family as referrals. The perceived benefit of using this option is that the person is already known and trusted by others. The main drawback of using a private cleaner comes to light when something goes wrong, as it has the potential to cause a rift between you and your friend who referred them in the first place.
Cleaning Service Agencies will be registered with Companies House as either a ‘Sole Trader’ or a ‘Ltd Company’ and as such are obligated to fulfil various UK regulations that are there to help protect the rights of their clients. They will be required to carry a public liability insurance certificate for example which will undoubtedly go a long way in providing the peace of mind that you’ll need.
By visiting and searching the Companies House website for the organisation you propose to use, you can also get valuable information about how long they have been established.
For those that have access to the internet, additional research can be done prior to contacting a cleaning agency. A professional organisation will always have an established website that can be easily found on Google Business and they will hopefully have a number of ‘Google Reviews’ from past clients to look over.
It’s a good idea to check on their availability and ask what sort of contingency cover they will provide in the event of an illness or if a cleaner can no longer continue to work with you.
If you choose to use a cleaning service then you should be prepared to pay slightly more, however, there are several benefits that make the extra cost worthwhile.
By employing a cleaning service, you will be signing an agreement or contract which is legally binding; therefore you will understand your rights. They will certainly carry liability insurance, so you will have peace of mind if something goes wrong but always ask them to confirm this. There will be a person who you can use as a point of contact to resolve any issues which you may have.
Cleaning services operate in various ways, some provide you with teams of cleaners and others offer individual cleaners. Many people are happy with a team of cleaners arriving at their homes with the cleaning equipment and materials, others prefer to see the same person every time.
Therefore, it is always best to do a comparison by looking at two or three different cleaning services to examine which suits you best.
Always select a local business who is close by where you can find support easily in the event of a problem.
There are many ways in which you can find a local cleaning service; here are just a few suggestions to help you.
GOOGLE – Google is the largest and most well-known internet search engine. How many times have heard someone ask “Where can I find ???” and the answer has been “Google it!” Use your favourite internet enabled device and open your browser of choice to search for what you are looking for. It’s normally a good idea to append your search with the name of the town or city where you are located. Typing in “cleaners in York” for example will help you find local cleaning companies located in York. TIP – always check out a couple of pages not just the first one you see.
YELL – Yell.com is the UK’s leading online business directory. This is a great place to find any local business. Type in your search category i.e. Domestic Cleaner enter your place name and it will show a list of local business in your area.
BARK – Helps you find professional services in your area. Type in your search description i.e. “Domestic Cleaner” then enter your postcode or area. You can leave some details of the duration, frequency, what and when you want things done etc. You will then start to receive quotes from various services which cover your area.
All of the above involves using the internet so for those of you who are not online you can check your local papers and magazines for ads. Many local services send out leaflets, so it is always worthwhile checking through everything that comes through your letterbox before you dispose of them in the bin.
Hint: The most expensive quote will not necessarily deliver the best Domestic Cleaning Services and the cheapest may not be the worst.
There are lots of variables for you to consider in the beginning and completing your due diligence at this early stage will pay dividends in the long term.
Here are some tips and questions you might ask that will hopefully assist you in your quest of finding the right Domestic Cleaner for you and your home.
• Have a budget in mind you are happy with and you can easily afford.
• Think about the time of day you would ideally like the cleaner to come to your home.
• Be realistic with your expectations on timings for the amount of work that you require to be done. Professional agencies will have great experience in giving accurate estimates based on a simple consultation process.
• The more flexible you are on the days you want the cleaning to be done gives the cleaner or cleaning service a better chance of meeting your requirements.
• Are you open to receiving teams of different cleaners or would you like the same cleaners each time?
• Take your time and select four or five different cleaners or services to research in more detail before making a final decision.
• Call each one. Do they answer the phone? If they ask you to leave a message then it’s a good idea to log their response time. Imagine that you have a problem and you are looking for help, is the response time acceptable?
• Ask how long they have been in business and the size of their client base – this will give you an indication of how well they look after their clients.
• Check that they carry Insurance and ask for all the related costs for the clean.
• Check that you get to meet the people involved, i.e. the cleaner or agency representative prior to any work commencing. First impressions count and this will help ensuring a “good fit” placement.
• Check if there are any ‘get out’ clauses in the contract if you want to terminate the employment of the cleaner at any time.
• Always ask how the cleaners are vetted and checked?
Never feel under pressure to decide, take your time and evaluate everything before you choose the right cleaner for you. Only you can make the final decision.
We have always prided ourselves in our ability to add value to both the client and the cleaner’s that we introduce to you. We are a franchise that started operating in May 2016. In March 2018 we welcomed our 200th client. If you would like to find more about our cleaning service or would like to receive a no-obligation quote from Cleanhome York then please visit our website.
We cover Thirsk, York and Selby please check out our video here.
We hope you found this article useful and if so please share it with your friends and family if you believe it may assist them too.
Cleanhome South Derbyshire – Bespoke Service.
We are not happy until you are! Your cleaner will usually tailor their services to fit exactly with your requirements, including spring cleaning and ironing.
Just to let you know we are open for business as usual and you can continue to have your cleaner clean your house.
The government has made it clear that cleaners are still permitted to work inside peoples' homes as long as Government Guidelines on social distancing and staying safe are followed (see below). In summary:
You can be outside of your home for work purposes where your place of work remains open and where you cannot work from home, including if your job involves working in other people's homes.
The full text can be found here New National Restrictions from 5 January (in England; there are similar texts available for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). Specifically relating to cleaners, the guidance continues: 'This guidance applies to those working in, visiting or delivering to home environments. These include, but are not limited to, people working in the following areas:
Note this guidance is for people who are fit and well, and is dependent on the following social distancing guidelines being followed:
The good news with regard to cleaning is that the cleaners can social distance from their clients very easily, and we would advise that, if you are at home when they are there, that you remain in a separate room to your cleaner.
If you are happy to adhere to the government guidelines - and if your cleaner has not been in touch already - then please just call the office and we will ensure that your cleaning continues.
Best regards
The Cleanhome Team
