HOW DO YOU FIND A GOOD CLEANING COMPANY?

If you are thinking of hiring a cleaner for your home or business have you considered using the services of a cleaning company?

You may have to pay a little more per the hourly rate, but the advantages are definitely worth it.

1. No management, employee issues, confrontation or hassle.

2. No NI or PAYE, payroll, employment contracts, HR and H&S to worry about.

3. Holiday, sick, maternity, paternity and any other leave covered. Replacement provided if the
    cleaner leaves, permanently!

4. Ordering/replacement of equipment and cleaning materials dealt with directly by the company.

     (if included.)

5. Full employee, public liability insurance for total peace of mind.

So, now that you've decided that it would be a great idea, how do you go about finding a good cleaning company?

This can be a headache as there are many companies out there and how do you distinguish good from bad? Word of mouth is a good start. You may have a friend, or a friend of a friend, or relative who is already using a cleaning service themselves, either for commercial or domestic purposes.

People generally will not recommend a product or service they are not happy with, we certainly wouldn't.

If not, there  are various online directories that list cleaners and search engines are also obvious choices. Local magazines, newspapers, yellow pages, newsagent and Post Office windows can be good ways of sourcing local companies. Reviews, good or bad can also be helpful when making your decision.

We would be very dubious, however, of hiring any company that has no website, and only lists an email or mobile number as way of contact.

It's a good idea to look for a company that has been established for a good number of years as this can be a sign of an experienced,  reliable, reputable company. You can also check with Companies House to make sure the company actually exists.

A cleaning company local to you, or within a 10 - 25 mile radius is preferably better than one miles and miles away. Problems with your service or equipment need to be dealt with as soon as possible.

The majority of companies offer free, no obligation quotes, so we would always recommend taking advantage of this. Never accept a verbal quote over the telephone (apart from the standard hourly rate) even if you ask for one a good company will always insist on a site visit. Size and condition of property need to be assessed prior to pricing. This is also an excellent opportunity to get a 'feel' for the company representative, manager or if you are lucky owner! 

It's the norm to obtain at least three quotes and never feel worried to ask for a more detailed one, including a full specification of daily, weekly and monthly tasks, including a full yearly breakdown of costs. Negotiate the price you have been given if you feel it's outside your budget, most companies include materials/equipment in the hourly rate, but if you want to provide these yourself communicate this. It may or may not result in a price reduction. Never be worried to ask questions. This is part of the process.

Always ask for references from existing customers. A good company will offer this anyway, as well as providing a copy of insurance, company registration and relevant H&S documents.

Finally, after choosing your cleaning company, don't sign the contract straight away. Agree an initial trial period, and then when satisfied with the quality of work and service you are receiving sign either the contract, T&Cs, or both.

We hope this information has been of some use to you. If you would like more information or advice on our house cleaning or office cleaning  please feel free to contact us www.elitecleaners2008.co.uk

Written by Julia Poole owner and Elite cleaner