Hiring a Housekeeper

January 8, 2013

You’ve worked a full eight-hour day at the office, and now you want to relax and spend time with the family. But the dishes need to be done and the floors should be vacuumed- what to do? Housekeepers aren’t just for the rich anymore more and more people are finding that hiring a housekeeper is the perfect solution for their over-scheduled lives.

Finding the perfect housekeeper for your family requires planning, diligence and careful interviewing, but the rewards are well worth it. Here are some tips for how to hire a housekeeper: Write out a job description. You need to make decisions about exactly what you want the housekeeper to do and how often.

Decide whether you want to hire a housekeeping service – a team who will get the job done quickly – or if you would prefer to give only one person access to your home.

Additional Criteria To Consider When Hiring A Housekeeper

Learn about employment laws regarding hiring a housekeeper, including paying social security taxes, age restrictions, and work permits. If you hire a housekeeping service, you can usually avoid this step.

Screen prospective housecleaners over the phone first, but always conduct in-person interviews before making a final decision. Ask about their employment history, days and hours available, salary requirements, services offered, and if they will provide the cleaning equipment. Security is important: check references before you hire a housekeeper. You may also want to consider criminal and background checks.

For housekeeping services, contact the Better Business Bureau to see if there are any outstanding complaints. When you have decided on the housekeeper you want to hire, give them the opportunity to make a bid, or tell how much you are offering.

Consider whether you want to pay a flat fee-which encourages speedy completion of the job but might result in some corners being cut – or if you’d prefer an hourly rate – the work may take longer, but the housekeeper might be more careful. Decide together when and how they will be paid.

Finally, make sure there is a written contract to protect both you and the housekeeper.

Questions to Ask of a Housekeeping Service

Some people prefer to hire a professional housekeeping company rather than an individual housekeeper. There are pros and cons to both. You should ask the following questions and make sure they are answered to your satisfaction if you are hiring a professional cleaning company instead of an individual.

  • What is your guarantee?
  • How long have you been in business?
  • Do you have references?
  • Do you have insurance?
  • Are your employees bonded?
  • Can I trust the maid and house cleaners you send to my home?
  • What happens if something is broken, damaged, or turns up missing in my home?
  • What happens if the maid gets hurt on my property?

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