Cleaning The Casa

There once was a "Cleaning Expert"

who labeled it all "loose dirt."

If the truth be known,

your "goodies" all flown,

went out the door 'neath her skirt.

"Tidy Maid" or "Made Tidy" may be great names for cleaning services, but there is more to choosing a good service or helper these days than ever before.

You are going to let someone, or a team of someones, into your home or apartment to help with cleaning, or organizing, or decluttering, and the risks today or enormous.

I talked with a person yesterday who had her dog groomed. Someone took a photo of the check she used to pay for the grooming, and then took $4,000 out of her account. It was another of the thousands and thousands of cases of identity theft.

That person behind you in the supermarket check out lane who appeared to be reading a text message, she was actually photographing the front and back of the credit card you used to pay for your week's groceries. Just another case of identity theft.

Today you are considering getting some professional help with your house cleaning.

Realize that you are hiring one or more people to come into your home and have potential access to all of your personal information, from canceled or blank checks, to all your personal identification.

These days that is much more of a risk than simple theft. You are putting your future at risk.

Here is a checklist of what you need to consider in hiring that "Cleaning Expert."

References

A real professional cleaner and cleaning service will have done the job before and should be able to provide valid references. Check them out.

Bond and Insurance

Real professionals who do this for a living will be licensed, bonded, and insured. Ask if they are, and "why not" if they aren't.

Hourly Rate

As with most services, you are likely to pay for what you get. If the hourly rate is substandard, the chances increase that the worker or business counts on making their "profit" from something other than their hourly rate. Be doubly cautious, if the deal seems "too good to believe."

Ask Questions

Check for a valid identification of the "Cleaning Expert" and copy the information. If that makes them nervous, follow your instincts. If it is a business, where are they listed in the phone directory? Check the validity of their license. Are they listed with the Better Business Bureau with good ratings? Have there been complaints, even criminal charges filed? Who owns the company? If you are hiring an individual, be as thorough as possible in knowing who you are hiring, who they have worked for before, and realize you will be placing a great deal of faith in that person by having them in your home or business, even if you work alongside them. Do an online search first, for any information on the person or firm.

Keep A Record

Keep a record of who came and when, what access they had to different areas they cleaned, etc. Have a receipt for what you paid. Note both the quality of the work done, and anything unusual.

Keep Some Balance

Realize that there are honest, reputable "Cleaning Experts" and persons who want to earn an honest living from honest work. If you have done your homework and know, as best you can, that you can have confidence in who you are hiring, give them the benefit of whatever doubt remains, until and unless you have cause to feel otherwise. Don't be careless about any temptations to dishonesty, but be a good employer of their service.

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Copyright 2014 Demas W. Jasper All rights reserved.