In every industry there are those that stand out because of the stellar service they provide or awesome products they produce, and there are those that are popular for the wrong reasons. Know when you’re dealing with a dodgy cleaning service with these telltale signs.
Keep reading to find out some of the biggest red flags of a bad cleaning service.
Too good to be true prices
As a consumer, you’d want to get the best bang for your buck but this doesn’t have to mean that prices have to be suspiciously low.
When a cleaning company offers their services at an extremely low price, you can be sure that you will be getting your money’s worth — cheap prices almost always mean substandard services. You might also be dealing with a scammer or people who simply want to gain access to your home. The very thought of strangers who have ulterior motives is unnerving.
Do keep in mind that not all companies are like this. Start up companies would want to offer their services at a relatively low price to help gain loyal clientele. At this point in time their main goal is to gain your trust and by word of mouth you can recommend them to family and friends.
Low prices can act as a warning sign. Make sure to do your research and don’t be afraid to ask more questions about their services. Doing a thorough background check on the company will save you from being scammed — you might even discover a wonderful company that offers affordable services.
They are not registered
A glaring sign that the business may not be after your best interests is if they are not duly registered. Any legal business would have been registered and should be under state laws; any business that isn’t registered means they are avoiding paying taxes, among other things.
You would also have no hold over them. In incidents of theft and damage to property, they won’t be held accountable. Ironically, it will be the homeowner who gets the blame; they decided to hire a shady cleaning company and are now paying the price for it. Avoid being in this situation by asking for proof registration. A legitimate company won’t hesitate to show you theirs.
They have no permanent address
When was the last time you walked into a shop and booked a service? It has probably been years since that happened and we can’t blame you — almost everything is done online nowadays. Unfortunately scammers conveniently pose as service providers to gain easy access to people’s homes. When it comes to hiring a professional home cleaner, never forget to check if they have an office address.
When you want to file a complaint for whatever reason, may it be bad service, damage to property or theft, going to the head office is your best course of action. If the company has no permanent address or lists a fake one online, you are most likely dealing with scammers.
Their employees are not bonded and insured
This is one of the first things you should be inquiring about when you are shopping for a professional home cleaning service.
As we all know, anything can happen. Whether it’s job-related injury or something serious such as intentional damage to personal property or theft, an employee who is bonded and insured protects both themselves and the homeowner.
It is also important to note that these policies are renewed annually and you should double check with the company if theirs is updated. Avoid hiring anyone who isn’t bonded or insured for your peace of mind!
They are not fully equipped with proper cleaning tools
Another telltale sign to watch out for is the lack of professional-grade cleaning tools. When you think about it, this is one of the most obvious red flags you need to pay attention to — you are, after all, hiring professionals and not some rinky dink cleaning company. If they come without proper tools, you might as well have cleaned the place up yourself.
While other homeowners prefer that certain products and appliances be used in their homes, this does not mean that professional home cleaners shouldn’t come with their own set of tools. When a cleaner comes empty-handed, this is a warning sign that they’re about to give you service that is not worth your time and money.
The cleaners should be properly screened
Aside from providing their clients with high quality service, professional home cleaning companies are also concerned about the security and safety of their homes. With this in mind, professional cleaners should be properly screened and vetted before they are hired by a reputable company.
You wouldn’t want to compromise your family’s safety and security by letting a random stranger enter your home. We’ve seen it in movies sometimes — gaining access to a person’s home is as easy as posing as a professional home cleaner. While the likelihood of it occurring might be slim, there is still that small chance of it happening and you won’t want to risk it.
Subcontractors are used
If you don’t know what a subcontractor is, it is a third party entity hired by a company. They are not employees of the company, but they are being paid for the services they provide.
Subcontractors are a huge red flag in the cleaning industry. For one thing, you don’t know if these people are insured and bonded, properly screened, and trained. Another issue that may arise is if any mishaps occur, the company you hired are not responsible for any damages or losses because they hired a subcontractor.
Running a cleaning business is costly and needs a lot of time, attention and effort. A cleaning company must invest in cleaning tools and equipment. It must also have the financial capacity to hire employees, do background checks on them, and have them insured and bonded. As you can see, a professional cleaning service is not just all about cleaning. There are intricacies within the business that we know little about, but hopefully with this guideline, you can make a more informed decision!
Know what to ask when you inquire about home cleaning services here (link).
Call a Professional Today
Enlist the help of a professional home cleaning service you can trust when you contact Pristine Home. Our team of home cleaning professionals have been properly trained and are experienced in the art of cleaning. We take pride in providing a variety of services that you may need in the near future. Call us today for a discounted price on your first booking.
