Housecleaner expectations
Hi family moved to a new 4 bd/3 ba house earlier this year. We chose a new housecleaner based on a BPN rec and we're paying ~$300 for a monthly house cleaning. However, the team is extremely fast such that we're effectively paying more than $60 per person per hour. We've asked them to do some additional stuff like mopping the kitchen but we are still noticing areas that aren't super clean after they leave (e.g., gunk remaining on the bathroom sink, dust on surfaces), so the quality isn't quite up to our expectations. Does this sound like we are overpaying relative to the time/quality? If so, is it worth giving more performance feedback about areas they missed or should we just try to gracefully part ways as they're probably unlikely to be as thorough as our prior cleaners regardless of specific feedback we give? We had set it up as a recurring engagement but don't have a formal contract... We had used our previous cleaner for many years and are feeling awkward about this!
Parent Replies
They are not doing a complete job for you. I would begin looking for a replacement. Personally, I have had much better luck hiring an individual housekeeper even if it means having them in the house for more hours. Again it’s just my experience that an individual takes more responsibility/pride in work and is less concerned with the clock (which teams are very focused on).
That is high for a one-time visit but the worst part is the quality you are describing. Gunk in the sink and dusting are very basic. You should not be seeing that. Mopping the kitchen floor is also very basic and should not be considered "additional" - that should be included in the total. I would get a new housekeeper if I were you. I would also have them come more than once a month. At least every other week. My 4br, 3ba house takes about 2.5 hours and I get it cleaned every week, and pay $200 per week for a 3-person team (and probably should give them a raise soon.)
The price is pretty high. I would take pictures of the unsatisfactory work, and make sure to be present when they are actually doing the cleaning. Have them clean what is not clean before they leave. If nothing changes, then find someone else.
I think $300 could be reasonable if they were doing an amazing job given the size of house, but it sounds like the quality is not there. You are entitled to good work — try not to feel awkward! I’d say give them honest feedback about your disappointments (photos of the issues help). If their work is not better within 1 visit — just tell them “thank you, we will not be needing your services anymore”.
Then you can trial some new folks and communicate upfront that you expect things a certain way. I’ve generally found that the larger cleaning agencies are more expensive and lower quality. Good luck!