It is challenging to find a reliable housekeeper, especially if you haven’t tried hiring one before. We understand that letting a stranger in your home can be troublesome as well. However, hiring a house cleaner gives you a lot of perks, such as allowing you to save time and energy. When you realize the benefits of having one, read on to learn how to find a housekeeper.
Independent Housekeepers or Cleaning Companies?
Many housekeepers work independently. They are excellent and reliable too. However, you might be more comfortable hiring cleaning companies. That is because they hire and screen their employees, so they have more accountability in a certain sense.
Hiring any of the two comes with pros and cons. If you want more security, you should hire cleaning companies because they perform background checks on their employees and make sure their check comes back clean before they begin working. On the other hand, if you want consistency and want to see the same housekeeper every week, you should choose a sole proprietor. Turnover is high in cleaning companies, so unless you request a specific housekeeper, you might find they send a different person every time you have a scheduled cleaning day.
No matter which you choose, you need to make sure that you’ll hire an excellent and reliable housekeeper. They should be licensed, insured, and bonded.
How to Find A Housekeeper that is Trustworthy?
We know that you just want to find someone you can trust and rely on. So, we made a guide on how to find a trustworthy housekeeper.
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Ask for Recommendations
The wisest thing to do if you want to ensure that you will get a reliable housekeeper is to ask for recommendations from your relatives and friends. Personal recommendations are the best way to get an overview of who you are hiring, their work ethics, how well they perform their tasks, and more. After all, it is better to hire someone tried and tested.
Aside from asking your family and friends, you can also put the internet to work. Google has business listings where you can find reviews from those who tried their service in the past. Facebook has the same feature too.
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Make A List of Needs
Once you have successfully shortlisted candidates based on their stellar recommendations and reviews from people you know and from online, the next thing that you should do is to make a list of your needs in advance. Doing so will help prepare you for when you have an interview.
Your list should include the frequency and depth of house cleaning you need, when they should access your house, and other special instructions. This list will give potential housekeepers an overview of your expectations.
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Invite Them for An Interview
When you have already finalized your list, it’s time to invite them to know them more. Here is a list of questions that you may ask them:
- How long have you been a housekeeper?
- What do you enjoy the most about your job?
- Who will provide the cleaning supplies?
- If you are the one to provide, what type of cleaning supplies do you use?
- Are you bonded or insured? What other guarantees do you offer?
- How do you charge for your services?
- What are your rates?
- How frequently can you offer cleaning services?
- Do you have references or a list of clients I can talk to?
- How many cleaners will come to my home?
- How would you access my house?
- What are your terms of service?
- What other services do you offer?
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Decide on A Flat Fee or An Hourly Fee
Cost is one of the most important considerations when finding a housekeeper. So, you have to decide whether you want to pay by the hour or pay a flat rate. You should also consult with your potential housekeeper as they could have their payment preferences or a strict non-negotiable policy about it.
If you pay by the hour, you might worry about the housekeeper stretching out the job to have more hours. On the other hand, if you choose to pay a flat fee, then there is a possibility that the housekeeper will rush the work. So, it is essential to discuss it with them and agree before hiring them.
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Invite Them to A Walkthrough
If you want to get a better estimate of the costs of having your house cleaned by a professional, you must invite them for a walkthrough. However, before you do so, make sure that the place is the same as when they will come to clean. This way, they will better understand how much cleaning should be done in your house and give you a more accurate estimate of how much it will cost.
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Agree to A Trial Period
Suppose you have already found your perfect candidate, to whom you will entrust the cleaning of your house. You shouldn’t have a long-term commitment established right away because you still haven’t seen them in action nor have they proven themselves.
They might not be as good as you thought they were, or you might realize other preferences and requirements that you did not consider before. So, it is best to start with a trial period of at least two to four weeks. This way, you will have the time to observe and decide if they are really a great fit. At the same time, they will also have their time to settle in.
The trial period will protect you and the housekeeper. If you are not satisfied after two to four visits or if your housekeeper still hasn’t settled by this time, then there is a high possibility that this relationship isn’t going to work.
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Create Clear Expectations and Boundaries
Last but not least, set clear expectations and boundaries. You need to have a clear idea of what you want them to do and don’t want to happen with your home. This way, you both understand your boundaries and expectations.
Now that you know how to find a housekeeper, we hope that these tips will help you in choosing the right one that you can trust and rely on. PCT Cleaning Services is one of those. We are a reliable provider of cleaning services in Atlanta, Georgia.
To know more about our services or if you want to book a cleaning visit, call us at (770) 422-5326.
