subject: Hiring A Maid Service And The Factors You Should Consider [print this page] If you think hiring a maid service is just for the fabulously wealthy, cast those thoughts away! Think of all the time you can get back by having a professional team come in and clean your home once or twice a week. Far from being a luxury for the ultra rich, this is something that can help busy working families more than anyone else. Surprisingly, it isn't as expensive as you probably expect. However, it takes almost no effort to start up one of these companies, so you need to be cautious when it comes to the hiring process. Here are some factors that should go into your decision:
Amateurs vs Professionals
While technically anyone who accepts money for their work can be deemed a "professional," everyone knows there is a big difference between a neighborhood handyman and a master electrician. The guy down the street may accept $50 to help you change your tire, but that doesn't make him a professional mechanic. The same holds true for a maid service. There are plenty of people advertising in the classified sections of local newspapers. They may even do a fine job. But you don't have the peace of mind that comes with hiring a professional company. Consider that you're not only putting the cleaning job on the line, but your home's safety as well.
Insurance
Here is another reason why you should hire only a professional maid service: insurance. If you hire a person to come in and clean and they injure themselves in your home, you are at risk for being sued for negligence. In fact, if they are not properly insured, it is almost a certainty that you will be held liable for any medical bills they may have. That could get extremely expensive. Even if you don't care to hire a professional company, you need to make sure anyone you do hire is properly insured before you let them take a single step into your home for work purposes.
The Interview
Whether you decide to go with a professional maid service or someone out of the classifieds, it is important that you schedule an in-person interview before hiring. Prepare some questions, and make sure they have an appropriate and satisfactory answer for each one. Evaluate their professionalism-look for uniforms and cleanliness in a company, and general good presentation in an individual. Someone who shows up for an interview in cutoffs and a tank top is not mature enough to handle the responsibility you're ready to hand over. In either scenario, make sure your expectations are known and will be met before you decide.
