IN THIS ARTICLE: Checklist Introduction Hiring a Company Check What Their Customers Say Check Their Complaint Histories Think About What You Want Check Their Prices and Get Estimates Table 1—Low, Average, and High Prices Quoted by Firms for Illustrative Housecleaning Jobs Check Insurance Coverage Plan to Be Home for the First Few Visits Hiring an Individual Our Survey of Employers Table 2—Results from Our Survey of Subscribers Employing Individuals for Housecleaning Help Screening Workers Legal Requirements Guidelines for Dealing with Household Employees Wages and Hours Benefits Working Relationships Top Gripes About Housecleaning Services Better Business Bureaus

Ratings of 24 Bay Area Housecleaners Checklist  Before shopping for housecleaning help, think first about how often you’ll want service and what types of services you’ll want.  Decide whether you’d like to hire an individual or hire a company. To help you choose a housecleaning service, our Ratings Tables show how customers we surveyed rated their housecleaning firms and also shows results from our price shopping.  Since we found that prices vary widely from firm to firm, it is worth getting at least a few estimates before hiring a company. You may be able to get an estimate over the phone, but some firms won’t give a binding estimate unless they conduct an in-home inspection. Even if you can get prices over the phone, be sure to confirm the pricing for the firm you think you will choose by getting it to make an in-house inspection and to write up a contract detailing the work to be done.  The main advantage of employing an individual rather than a company is that you may be more comfortable dealing with a single worker for what is a very personal job. But a big disadvantage is that, as an employer, you’ll have added legal responsibilities (see below). Many families who employ household workers either are unaware of their legal obligations or choose to ignore them.  If you decide to hire an individual, make sure you first speak with past employers. Ask about any problems and describe what your job expectations will be. The former employers can fill you in on strengths and weaknesses.  Write out a job description that includes what jobs you want done and how often you want them done. Make sure you describe jobs you are picky about or that could be considered out of the ordinary. Review with the worker all terms of employment—duties to perform, pay, schedule, and benefits—and put them in writing.  Whether you hire a company or an individual, plan on being home for at least the first several visits and put valuable and/or fragile items away in a safe place.  Introduction  It seems like only yesterday that you vacuumed, wiped, scrubbed, and dusted to exhaustion. But now the house is a mess again, and it looks like you’ll spend a big chunk of your precious weekend doing it again.  Or you can do what you would if your plumbing failed or your washing machine broke down: hire a professional.  If you are considering housecleaning help, you have two choices: hire a company, or hire an individual. Hiring a company has one major advantage over hiring an individual—you do not have the responsibilities, such as paying various taxes, associated with being an employer. On the other hand, for this personal job, you may want an individual you can get to know and who will share with you a little pride and concern about the condition of your home. And it might be that a straight company cleanup job is not enough; you want someone who knows how to run a home.  The first section of this article deals with housekeeping companies. The second part will help you screen and fairly employ an individual housekeeper. It tells you what arrangements some of our subscribers have made with housekeepers, and gives guidelines for making your own arrangements. We also cover window washing companies and carpet and rug cleaning services.  Hiring a Company  You’ll want to be cautious when hiring a housecleaning service. We’ve received from our readers quite a bit of negative feedback on many firms. The following complaints are typical—  “They scratched and gouged my wood floors...and refused to pay for the damage… On top of that, they didn’t even finish the cleaning job they were hired for...”  “They increased their rates without prior notification. Quality of cleaning is not worth what they charge (even before the rate increase) and is inconsistent depending on which cleaning crew they send to clean your home. Even with the ‘best’ crew, it is still only adequate. Lots of dust remaining and missed areas …”  “With a constantly changing work crew, this firm went from bad to worse.”  “[We were] getting charged for two staff members working one hour and discovered that they were only staying for 30 minutes. Management kept changing dates and times of service.”  As you can see from the text below, most complaints we receive are related to sloppy work. We also often hear about the quality of work deteriorating over time.  Fortunately, not all the comments and ratings we receive are bad. Despite the difficult nature of the work, some services are able to satisfy their customers consistently—  “[They usually send] the same crew and they do a nice job almost every time. The crew has been stable for the past two to three years. If there are any issues, the firm is helpful in responding.”  “Friendly, trustworthy crew; the same crew every time; listened to and followed my requests.”  “We’ve been very pleased with their service. Our house is clean when they leave and everything is either in the same place they found it or close enough so that we never have to look for anything.”  “An excellent company in what appears to be a difficult business.”  “My house is always perfect when I come home. Highly recommended!”  To help you choose a firm, our Ratings Tables report information we have collected on area housecleaning services. But you’ll need to do some legwork on your own.  Check What Their Customers Say  One way to start your search for a high-quality housecleaning service is, of course, to ask friends and neighbors for recommendations. The ratings shown on our Ratings Tables are a way for you to check with area CHECKBOOK and Consumer Reports subscribers on their experiences with area housecleaning operations. (For more information on our customer survey and other research methods, click here.)  Check Their Complaint Histories  On our Ratings Tables, for firms that were evaluated in our last full, published article, we show counts of complaints we gathered from local Better Business Bureaus (BBB) for a recent three-year period. Where we were able to, we have also reported on our Ratings Tables a complaint rate for each firm, calculated by dividing the number of complaints by our measure of the number of full-time-equivalent housecleaners who work for the firm. These complaint rates are intended as a rough way to take into account volume of work and the fact that firms that do more work are exposed to a greater risk of incurring complaints.  You can check current BBB complaint information on any firm by contacting the BBB where the firm is located (see below for contact information). For firms that were evaluated in our last full, published article, you can check current ratings on our Ratings Tables in the details under the firm’s listing. Click a link to the local BBB to go directly to the BBB’s most up-to-date report on the firm.  Think About What You Want  Before contacting firms, you’ll need to think about what types of services you’ll want. Then you’ll need to find out which firms do those types of work. Almost all dust, vacuum, empty waste cans, mop floors, and clean kitchen and bathroom fixtures. On the other hand, most will not shampoo carpets, clean exterior windows, or do household laundry.  You’ll also have to decide how often you’ll want the firm to come. Some firms will arrange to come daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or only as needed. Some offer only weekly or bi-weekly service. (Some firms charge somewhat more per visit for less frequent visits.)  Check Their Prices and Get Estimates  When you have decided on the services you want, call a few firms for estimates. To help guide you on price, for firms that were evaluated in our last full, published article, our Ratings Tables show price index scores. These scores are calculated based on price estimates our researchers collected by calling the firms at different times for different jobs and giving clear job descriptions (without disclosing an affiliation with CHECKBOOK). Many of the companies stated they wanted to see the house first but nevertheless gave us estimates by phone.  We got four separate estimates, each for a different house. Most firms indicated they charge a higher fee for the initial cleaning visit than for following visits—not surprising since it may take one visit in some homes to bring total squalor under control.  Some firms stipulate homeowners will have to provide cleaning equipment and/or supplies. Others furnish supplies and equipment themselves. Still others provide these for an additional charge. Because of the differences in policies on supplies and equipment, care must be taken when comparing firms using the price index scores. Our Ratings Tables show which firms told us they bring their own equipment and/or supplies.  Fortunately, shopping on your own is relatively easy, since most housecleaning firms will give some type of free estimate. While some insist on in-home estimates, many will give phone estimates on routine weekly cleanings or on an easily specified job like cleaning and waxing floors. Phoning for estimates enables you to compare prices quickly, but keep in mind that the broader the range of tasks included in a job, the less meaningful a phone estimate will be.  When getting phone estimates for any kind of house-wide cleaning, give a careful description of your home—the number of floors, bedrooms, bathrooms, and other rooms to be cleaned; which rooms are carpeted, which have wood floors, which are tiled; roughly what the rooms’ dimensions are. If furniture has to be moved, decide whether you can move it or whether the company should. Note any problem areas like heavily soiled or stained places. Also note any carpeting or furnishings that you know require special treatment—wood furniture that requires a special polish, for example.  When workers arrive for a job based on a telephone estimate, confirm the description of the work and the price before they begin. (Given the discrepancies we sometimes found in telephone quotes from the same firm, you might even do well to call back for a confirmation before the workers arrive.)  In-home estimates require you to put aside time for the estimator to come, but the time may be well spent. As you can see on Table 1, prices firms charge for the same job vary dramatically. Since we have found that a $30 per visit ($1,560 per year) firm-to-firm difference on weekly housecleaning services is common, it is probably worthwhile to get three or more in-home estimates for such regular service. Many firms will accommodate your schedule by coming in the evening.  Table 1 Low, Average, and High Prices Quoted by Firms for Illustrative Housecleaning Jobs Description of job Low price Average price High price Once-per-week cleaning Two-story house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms $76 $97 $125 Every-other-week cleaning Two-story house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms $85 $132 $190 Every-other-week cleaning Three-story house with four bedrooms and three-and-one-half bathrooms $119 $173 $240 Once-per-week cleaning Condo with two bedrooms and two bathrooms $77 $101 $125 When calling to arrange in-home estimates, stress that you want only an estimate. Otherwise you may be visited by a crew ready to begin work. When the estimator comes, describe what you want done much as you would over the phone. Some things may seem too obvious to mention, but you are better off being overly detailed than saying too little.  Some firms use a printed checkoff list of tasks for estimates; others use a type of receipt blank. Whichever, be certain a description of the work you want done is spelled out and signed by the estimator. A piece of paper with a dollar amount scribbled alongside a vague work description leaves too much room for misunderstanding.  Check Insurance Coverage  Ask each firm about its insurance coverage. A housecleaning company should have general liability and workers’ compensation insurance. Although some firms advertise bonding, this does not directly protect the homeowner. The type of bond available to housecleaning companies for their employees is a fidelity bond. It protects the company from theft by its employees, but you still have to collect from the company or the employee if you are victimized.  Whatever insurance a company has, your best bet is to be careful. Before a firm comes to clean, take the time to put away cameras, jewelry, and other valuables in a safe place. Put out of harm’s way any heirlooms, china, or other fragile articles that are apt to be knocked over, spilled on, or otherwise damaged.  Plan to Be Home for the First Few Visits  During the first several visits, you’ll want to be home to oversee the work. Do not be afraid to supervise, but be sensible. Following a worker’s every move takes as much of your time as you would spend doing the work yourself. On a one-time cleaning job or when you have a new worker from a company that does regular cleanings for you, wait until a section or room is done, examine it, and bring up any problems you find before the worker goes on. Make a final inspection to be sure the work you asked for has been done.  Hiring an Individual  Hiring an individual to help with housecleaning differs substantially from hiring most other service providers. Your relationship with a household worker is inherently more personal and less structured than with, say, a plumber.  The person who cleans your house will have charge of your home and belongings. Your household worker may come every two weeks, every week, or even more often. He or she will be an employee, not a contractor. You must negotiate pay and benefits. The tasks your employee performs will probably vary from visit to visit.  You will want to be able to work comfortably with your employee on a regular basis. He or she must understand and meet your particular expectations as to what jobs are to be done and how well they are to be done. Your employee has the burden of doing this for each of his or her employers.  The personal nature of your relationship can at times be a problem. You may feel ill at ease giving orders or bringing up complaints about how a job is done. Your employee may feel awkward asking about a raise, asking for extra pay for special jobs you request, or requesting time off.  To help you screen a household employee and define a satisfactory relationship, the remainder of this article contains several kinds of information: results of a survey of our subscribers who use housecleaning help; guidelines for household employment formulated by the National Committee on Household Employment, an organization (no longer in existence) that represented household workers; and a summary of employer legal responsibilities.  Our Survey of Employers  We surveyed 227 of our subscribers who said they employ an individual. The frequency of visits ranged from daily to less often than once per month. Most have help either weekly or bi-weekly. Answers to some of the questions we asked these subscribers are reported below—  How did you find the person? Eighty-two percent of the household employers said they were steered to their employees by friends, relatives, neighbors, or coworkers. The next most frequent source was from advertisements.  How did you check out the person’s competence and honesty at the time of hiring? Of respondents who found their employees through sources other than referrals from friends, relatives, neighbors, or coworkers, only about 30 percent said they checked their employees’ references at the time of hiring.  How much do you pay the person? We asked about pay per visit, the number of rooms in the respondent’s home, and the number of hours spent in the home on a typical visit. We found big variation in pay rates. For example, some of the surveyed homeowners pay a rate that calculates out to less than $10 per hour while others pay more than $40 per hour.  What other types of payments or benefits do you provide? Table 2 shows percentages of respondents who provided several types of payments other than a straight salary.  How do you rate your employee? We asked the respondents to rate their employees on doing work properly, neatness of work, promptness/coming on time, and overall performance. Table 2 reports the combined results for all household workers in the 227 surveyed households. Compared to the average scores from consumers who rated housecleaning companies, the ratings of individuals were, on average, substantially higher.  What problems have you had with any household worker in the past? Sixty-six percent of our subscribers who employed an individual housecleaner mentioned problems. The most often-cited problem involved broken household items. Homeowners said that workers were too rough, broke things, and then often didn’t tell the homeowner. Many employers had language-barrier problems with workers and with declining quality of work over time. Some mentioned theft, tardiness, not showing up, and not being thorough.  We asked employers whether they had explicit agreements covering transportation expenses, vacation pay, holiday pay, and other terms. About 25 percent said they had no agreement, and only a handful of respondents reported having a written agreement.  Table 2 Results from Our Survey of Subscribers Employing Individuals for Housecleaning Help Average Pay Per hour $30.11 Per visit $96.96 Per room (counting bathrooms) $10.05 Percent of Employers Who Make Payments in Addition to Salary or Provide Other Benefits Transportation 3% Meals 6% Used clothing 10% Employer’s share of Social Security 13% Employee’s share of Social Security 8% Unemployment tax 8% Withhold income tax 3% Paid vacation 8% Paid holidays 10% Paid sick leave 3% Health insurance 0% Average Ratings of Individuals vs. Companies Percent of surveyed customers rating individual/firm “superior” for... Employers of individuals Customers of companies Doing work properly 60% 43% Promptness 66% 58% Neatness 66% 47% Overall performance 63% 45% Screening Workers  When recruiting a new worker, always speak with past employers. Even if an agency has checked references, you do well to make your own check. Ask about any problems and describe what your job expectations are going to be. The former employer can fill you in on strengths and weaknesses.  Before you interview a possible employee, have a job description written out. Indicate what jobs you want done and how often you want them done. Assess your own expectations honestly. If there are certain things you are very picky about, tell the candidate during the interview. If there are out-of-the-ordinary jobs you will occasionally need done, discuss those too.  Get all terms of employment worked out and clearly spelled out. Pay, sick leave, vacations, holidays, hours, and all rules regarding meals or rest periods should be discussed and determined. Also, work out a probationary period with the individual you decide to hire. A probationary period gives you and the employee the opportunity to back out gracefully if there are problems.  Use the probationary period to get acquainted. Be at home during the first visit or two and explain any peculiarities of your home. As work is completed, talk about any areas of dissatisfaction. Do not let complaints pile up and then bring them up after a month. Be straightforward and honest with criticism and directions.  Legal Requirements  One of the disadvantages of employing an individual rather than a service for housecleaning help is that you’ll have added legal responsibilities associated with being an employer. Many families who employ household workers either are unaware of their legal obligations or choose to ignore them. Indeed, few of our surveyed subscribers who employ individuals for household work said they pay Social Security or unemployment taxes. The following is a summary of the legal requirements for employers of household workers.  Verification of Citizenship or Work Eligibility  When you hire an employee, you are required by law to complete with the employee an “Employment Eligibility Verification” (Form I-9) for the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS). This form requires you to check the employee’s identification or other documents that prove either that he or she is a U.S. citizen or that he or she has the necessary documentation to work in the U.S. The verification form is not filed with USCIS, but you must keep the completed form on file for three years after the date of hire or for one year after employment ends, whichever is later. You can download the form at www.uscis.gov.  Federal Taxes  Federal law requires that Social Security and Medicare taxes be paid for all adults (over 18 years of age) who are paid more than $1,600 per year for household work. In 2009, the rate is 6.2 percent for Social Security and 1.45 percent for Medicare.  If you pay a household employee $1,000 or more during a calendar year, you must also pay federal unemployment taxes. The tax rate is 6.2 percent of first $7,000 in wages, but the federal government gives a credit to offset state unemployment taxes (see below) of up to 5.4 percent, regardless of the actual state tax rate. This means that if you properly pay state unemployment taxes, the effective federal unemployment tax rate is 0.8 percent.  Payments are made annually, and are made with your annual 1040 income tax return by completing a “Schedule H.” Failure to pay these taxes can result in penalties, as well as having to pay both the employer’s and the employee’s share of the taxes.  You are not legally required to withhold federal income tax. You are required to file forms W-2 and W-3 with the Social Security Administration each year. The Social Security Administration records earnings and sends the information to the Internal Revenue Service.  For more information, see the IRS’s “Publication 926: Household Employer’s Tax Guide.”  State Taxes  California does not require you to withhold state income taxes for household workers. State income taxes are the employee’s responsibility.  If you pay a household worker $750 or more in a calendar year, you are required to withhold state disability insurance tax for that worker and remit the amount to the state’s Employment Development Department (EDD). The disability insurance tax rate for 2009 is 1.1 percent.  If you pay a household worker $1,000 or more in a calendar year, you are also required to pay unemployment insurance and employment training taxes to the EDD. For 2009, the unemployment insurance tax rate for new employers is 3.4 percent of the first $7,000 of wages paid; the employment training tax rate is 0.1 percent, with a maximum tax of $7 per employee.  For more information, contact your local EDD office or visit www.edd.ca.gov.  Workers’ Compensation Insurance  Workers’ compensation insurance covers costs such as medical care and lost wages for workers who are injured or killed on the job. California law requires all employers to purchase workers’ compensation insurance coverage for household workers who work more than 52 hours or are paid $100 or more during a 90-day period. You can buy a workers’ compensation policy from your homeowners insurance carrier or from an insurance agent. If you fail to maintain workers’ compensation coverage for an employee, and he or she sustains injuries while working for you, you will be personally liable for any medical or legal expenses and could face state-imposed criminal and civil legal penalties.  Guidelines for Dealing with Household Employees  The National Committee on Household Employment (NCHE), before it closed its doors, developed a set of standards for employers and their household employees. The standards were formulated in hopes of making employer-employee relationships more businesslike.  The standards were intended to be of help to both the employer and the employee in developing a working relationship they both could live with.  The guidelines below are taken from NCHE’s Code of Standards for Household Employment, with certain modifications made to reflect current circumstances.  Wages and Hours  The hourly wage should be no lower than the minimum wage, but where the cost of living is higher than the average, wages should be raised accordingly. The current minimum wage in California is $8 per hour. San Francisco’s minimum wage is higher than the state minimum, and as it is tied to the Consumer Price Index it can change each year; for 2009, San Francisco’s minimum wage is $9.79 per hour.  Higher wages should be paid for jobs requiring previously acquired training or special skills.  Wages and paydays should be discussed and agreed upon in advance.  Gifts of clothing and/or food should not be considered part of payment.  Any hours exceeding eight hours per day should be paid at 1 1/2 times the hourly rate. Any hours exceeding 40 hours per week should be paid at 1 1/2 times the hourly rate. Hours exceeding 48 hours per week should be paid at double the hourly rate.  Benefits  Social Security, income, and unemployment tax: Earnings should be reported and payments made in accordance with the laws for Social Security, unemployment insurance, and income taxes. See above for an explanation of legal requirements for employers.  Sick Leave: Employees working one day a week in one home should receive a minimum of one day paid sick leave a year. Full-time employees should receive a minimum of six days paid sick leave a year.  Vacations: Full-time day or live-in workers should receive two weeks paid vacation after one year of service.  Employees working one day a week in one home should receive one day paid vacation for each six-month period worked.  For longer service, there should be an agreed-upon increase in vacation time.  Holidays: Live-in workers should receive at least eight paid legal holidays per year.  Full-time live-out employees should receive six holidays with pay per year.  A day worker working one day per week in one home should receive one paid legal holiday per year.  Working Relationships  A written agreement between employer and employee should clearly define the duties of the position, including specific tasks and frequency. Click model contract for a model contract form for household employment.  Time schedules should be agreed upon in advance of employment.  If an employer does not require the services of a day worker for the agreed-upon time, the employee should be notified at least a week in advance or else be compensated in full.  The employee has the responsibility for notifying the employer as soon as possible if he or she is unable to report to work.  Rest periods, meal times, phone privileges, and time out for private activities (such as church or recreation times for live-in employees) should be agreed upon in advance.  Cleaning appliances should be efficient and safe, and should be used carefully.  Work and work relationships should be discussed periodically with the intent to improve efficiency and understanding.  A professional working relationship should be maintained by both parties.  Top Gripes About Housecleaning Services  Below is a summary of the various kinds of complaints we found in the reviews of housecleaning services we received from surveyed CHECKBOOK subscribers.  1.    Poor work or inconsistent results—Firm did not clean house properly according to rater’s standards or work quality was often inconsistent from one week to the next. Mentioned in 58 percent of complaints.  2.    Customer service—There was lack of responsiveness by service’s managers when problems arose, poor communication or rude treatment by staff, or failure to deliver on promises. Mentioned in 22 percent of complaints.  3.    Reliability—Firm missed appointments or was late showing up for appointments. Mentioned in 18 percent of complaints.  4.    Damage to belongings or property. Mentioned in 16 percent of complaints.  5.    Price—Service’s fees were too high. Mentioned in 14 percent of complaints.  6.    Language barrier—It was difficult to communicate with cleaning staff due to a language barrier. Mentioned in 10 percent of complaints.  7.    Fees and overcharges—Firm charged more than estimated, did not disclose all fees in advance, added undisclosed extra fees, billed incorrect amounts, or would not work with customer to satisfy billing disputes. Mentioned in nine percent of complaints.  Better Business Bureaus  Better Business Bureau of Silicon Valley 700 Empey Way #110 San Jose, CA 95128 408-278-7400 www.sanjose.bbb.org  Better Business Bureau of the Golden Gate & Northern California 1000 Broadway #625 Oakland, CA 94607 510- 844-2000 www.goldengate.bbb.org  Ratings of 24 Bay Area Housecleaners Back to top