Monday, January 18, 2010
Things You Need to Know When Hiring a Housekeeper
Now that you have decided that it’s smart to get help with housekeeping, how do you go about picking the right housekeeper?
A lot is involved in the process of hiring a housekeeper. It’s unfortunate but the world we live in demands that we be cautious. The safety of our family and home is too important to trust to chance. Due diligence is required to make the right choice.
Here are some basic steps for hiring a housekeeper:
- Clearly define what your needs are and how the service provider will fill them.
- How much experience does the service provider have: Ask detailed questions like, “How will you perform routine maintenance on my Oriental rugs?”
- Ask about their availability, frequency, and cancellation policy.
- Ask for references from 3 to 5 clients.
- Find out what guarantee you have if you’re not satisfied with the service.
Here are some essential things that might not have occurred to you:
- Verify that the service provider’s business license is active and in good standing. Check for complaints with your local Better Business Bureau.
- Verify the service provider’s insurance policy is active and in good standing by calling their insurance broker. You’ll want to understand coverage limits and discuss the process for handling a claim on damages or losses.
- Be informed on your rights to run a background check and also on the rights of your potential hire.
- Inform yourself on any legal and tax regulations that may apply to your situation so you know who’s responsible for taxes, social security and worker’s compensation.
- Discuss terms of employment—employee vs contract work, hours, benefits, sick days and vacation.
- Determine who will supply the equipment to be used.
- Get it all in writing. Outline all the costs and services before you begin the service relationship.
We know how overwhelming all of this can be. That’s why we at Simplify have assembled a team of top service professionals who can handle all your specific needs. We do the homework for you – our home and lifestyle management firm gives priority to your privacy, safety, and security. We are also fully licensed and insured for your protection.
If you live in these areas: the Bay Area Peninsula and South Bay, including Palo Alto, Los Altos, Menlo Park, Atherton, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Cupertino, and San Jose, we can get your service up and running quickly, eliminating the hassle for you. That way you can take the stress out of housecleaning, which is kind of the whole point!
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