Recommendations for a reliable cleaner

[BillyB]

Has anyone used a reliable cleaner recently? There are so many adverts on the classified, I have no idea where to start. I'd rather hear from someone who has used a cleaning agency for a few months and is happy with the service provided.

I'd like someone to come in for 2-3 hours per week, on a weekly basis.

Recommendations welcome.

Thanks in advance!

[sundaymorningstaple]

Billy, while I cannot vouch for any of them myself, those outfits listed in my links page have been recommended via this board and another board over the years. The one codicil is that often things change and if nobody posts any negative about them, I don't know when to pull them off. It is only be recommendation that commercial ventures get put on the page (see my disclaimer).

[BillyB]

Yeah, I've seen the disclaimer and mountains of info on your page

I'll check some of them out - but you made the same point in that people come and go and owners change frequently hence why I was hoping someone could point me in the direction based on recent experience.

Cheers!!

[luminoso]

How are you going to get a recommendation that is objective?

Seeing as this is a public message board, any recommendations that you get will naturally be subjective, and you will not be able to verify the veracity of such a recommendation any more than you would be able to make a decision based on classified ads

For what it's worth, I have used two cleaning companies in the last year, Amahs on Wheels and Hibiscus Housekeeping. I have found both companies to be extremely efficient and far better than any freelance individual cleaners I have hired in the past because (amongst others) their housekeepers are better-trained and more professional.

With a freelance cleaner the problem is that they will sometimes not turn up for work because of personal reasons. Another (major) problem is that they will deliberately spend a longer than necessary amount of time at your home because they are paid by the hour. This results in less privacy, more inconvenience (esp if you are not willing to trust them with your keys) and higher costs. The two companies in question charge a flat rate regardless of how many hours they take to perform the cleaning tasks.

This is based on my own personal opinion which is highly SUBJECTIVE and you may find that it isn't any more useful than any classified ad, but if this helps you arrive at a decision then I will at least not have wasted 3 minutes of my life

[sundaymorningstaple]

Of course reviews here are subjective. But subjective views are better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. If you post a glowing review about something then it's you own credibility that suffers if it's a BS review. You only do yourself a disservice and while somebody loses a bit of money you lose face, which here is much more important.

As far as your recommendations are concerned, they are probably good. One has been on my links page for several years. The other, it's the first I've hear anything on. Generally there is safety in numbers.

[BigSis]

Did you find an agency BillyB - which one did you choose, are you happy with them?

I'm looking for a cleaning agency at the moment too - I used Amahs on Wheels years ago, I might try them again as they were OK back then.

[BillyB]

Did you find an agency BillyB - which one did you choose, are you happy with them?

I'm looking for a cleaning agency at the moment too - I used Amahs on Wheels years ago, I might try them again as they were OK back then.

PM'd you details

[stueyhall]

can you also send me the details of the cleaning company you used?

thanks heaps.

Stu

[smartine]

On the topic of cleaning agencies, I would like to share my experience with DomesticOne. I got a maid through them mid-February. First time she came round was over the weekend. Cleaning was good albeit slow. Ironing was a bit of a dissapointment. She was struggling with my shirts and when questioned she said 'I have actually never ironed a men's shirt before'.
So far the 'wide and strong pool of experienced and active domestic cleaners' DomesticOne promises on its website.

I showed her how to do it but after 3 more weeks of no improvement (sleeves were wrinkled, she managed to iron in new wrinkles on the front) I asked her to evaluate her own work. She said it was bad. And then she quit.

I provided the above feedback to DomesticOne and asked specifically for a maid who was good at ironing. The guy was very friendly, asked me to send a mail with my story and he would sort someone new out. Two days later he called back and scheduled a new cleaner. I asked whether my feedback was taken into count during the selection. 'Most certainly, Sir'. Then I kinda caught him off guard by asking 'What was my feedback?'. Awkard silence. Hesitant attempt: 'You want someone who cleans quicker'. Nice try. Told him for the third time that I wanted someone who was good at ironing men's shirts.

Second part-time maid came round and although a friendly woman, cleaning was not very good (water stains left on cabinets, mirrors only got a quick wipe, etc) and pretty slow. And more importantly, ironing was still bad. Wrinkled sleeves, shoulders not ironed and after the second visit one of my shirts was showing a suspicious brown mark in the form of an iron.

I called Domestic1 again to share my experiences. The guy suggested to send over someone new. I asked him whether he could guarantee that this one would actually fulfill his promise of an experienced cleaner. 'All our staff are experienced cleaners, Sir'. I disagreed, gave the example of the ironing 'All our staff know how to iron, Sir, perhaps just not up to your standard.' Some useless argumentation on the standard of ironing followed. I told the guy that as far as I am concerned he did not live up to his end of the bargain - sending me a decent cleaner - and as a result that I would prefer him to reimburse the agency fees I paid. He kindly declined. So I asked him what alternative solution he could suggest. Nothing.

Afterwards, I put my feedback into writing once more and asked him again what he would see as a suitable compromise. No answer.

That takes out the whole promotional line of 'Efficient in placement and responsive to customers' feedbacks' on their site as well I believe.

Bottom line: going through DomesticOne did not bring the advantages I'd hoped, namely a good maid with a minimum of hassle. I don't see the value they add (and charge SGD 180 for + SGD 30 they charge from every cleaner) and would advise against using their services.

[x9200]

I used to recommend them even on this board but it is not the case any longer and actually I edited out my recommendation. My experience is similar to yours. They are pretty good in exchanging the maids and handling the administrative parts. Of course your maid exchange counter clocks down regardless the reason the maid got exchanged. And as per my standards, experience and expectations (regarding the maids qualities) practically nothing they advertise in their web page meets the target.

[durian123]

My experience is depressingly similar. They remind of slave traders more than anything else.

I had asked for somebody who spoke good English and wasn't afraid of dogs, and got exactly the opposite. However, we were keen to make it work, and didn't want to get the lady fired, so after a while things managed to go pretty well.

Our cleaner had to go to Indonesia on a family emergency, so we asked the agency if they could send a temporary replacement: "Yes of course, it will cost you twice the price you normally pay." Why? "Those are the rules." Arguments like "we've been your loyal clients for 18 months and have never complained" or "since you're the manager, surely you CAN change the rules" got zero response.

When we pointed out that the cleaner was afraid of dogs and spoke no English, their answer was "you could have changed maid anytime if you were not happy with her." Pointing out that it was THEM who had not upheld the original bargain got zero response. Pointing out that we didn't want a lady who worked hard and had just lost her mother to lose her job on top of it all got an incredulous baffled response.

Ultimately, saying we weren't happy with the way they treated their clients or their employees just got a "sorry to hear that." Unsaid: "you paid your upfront fee, nothing else matters."

[stueyhall]

Just reporting back.

Called just about all of th cleaning service providers from the list of recommended on sundaymorningstaple's website. Was looking for a weekend service but availability was scarce across the board.

Finally got a the weekend morning slot I was after with removed by moderator and couldn't be happier. Very good cleaning all round, efficient and pleasant. Highly recommend.

FYI costs removed by moderator for 4x4hr shifts.

[x9200]

@stueyhall, you have a PM.
As you did not read it so far I decided to remove the company name from your post as I believe it is not really a good recommendation and may put some less paranoid people into more serious troubles. This is based not on a single case and not on an anecdotal evidence only.

Moderator