Professional Cleaning - is it worth it?

[Charlie]

Could anybody explain what "professionally cleaned" means.

I am about to let my house again and wondering whether to get a professional cleaning firm in.

What do "professional cleaners" do, that normal cleaners wouldn't do

I only ask this as I have had professional cleaners in before and to be honest they did a pretty terrible job, with tiled floors, cupboards, sofas, fridges etc all left very dirty.

It hardly seems worth it if they can't add any value to what my cleaning lady could do or I could do myself.

Thanks

[Adrian]

Charlie gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Your cleaning lady IS a professional cleaner.

Assuming, of course, you pay her rather than her just doing it for kicks.

[Charlie]

Adrian,

I'm with you on this one but my cleaning lady doesn't steam clean carpets or upholstery, is this something that would be expected of a professional cleaning firm? Is there anything else I might be missing

Charlie

[Adrian]

Charlie gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

If you ask them to steam clean the carpets or upholstery, then - yes - I would expect them to do that. Similarly, if you asked your cleaning lady to, I'm sure she'd be able to hire a steam cleaner.

It's all down to what service you request of them, whoever they may be.

Equally, you could hire a steam cleaner and do it yourself, but you'd not be doing it professionally. You may make a better job of it, though, since you'd have less of an incentive to do it against the clock.

"Professional cleaner" doesn't imply anything about the services carried out or the quality of work - it just says you're paying 'em.

[Peter Crosland]

Why not ask a few and enquire about references?

Peter Crosland

[Jules]

I suspect it's a useful term that letters can throw around in order to neatly pocket part of the renter's deposit at the end of the agreement* (I've seen rentals that have been "professionally cleaned" - because I've known folk in the house before and after - and it always seems clear that bugger-all work was ever actually done)

• is there a legal obligation for letters to divulge receipts for "professional cleaning" to prior tenants if asked?

[Andy Dingley]

Mine does, if I supply her with one and pay for her time in doing it.

[Charlie]

Peter, that makes sense. I guess I was just wondering if there is anything implicitly impied by the term "professionally cleaned" or "professional cleaners".

Charlie

[Charlie]

Jules,

That's a good point about receipts, I pay my cleaner cash, so I wouldn't be able to get a receipt.

Charlie

[Charlie]

Andy, again that makes sense. I guess I was just wondering if there is anything implicitly impied by the term "professionally cleaned" or "professional cleaners".

Charlie

[Clive George]

Nothing more than "does cleaning" and "for money".

[Clive George]

I often pay shops in cash, and get a receipt. If you're saying you pay your cleaner off the books, cash in hand, no questions asked, no tax, then no, you won't be able to get a reciept. But then that payment doesn't exist, so you won't be able to claim it from a tenant.

If you employ them, no, there won't be a reciept, but there will be wage records (you need them for Tax/NI). If they're self-employed, there's no reason for them not to give you a receipt if it's all above-board.

[Lobster]

If you mean prior tenants who are objecting to having had X GBP deducted from their damage deposit for "professional cleaning", then yes - as would be the case for anything else you were billing the tenants for.

David

[Charlie]

I'm specifically talking about cleaning prior to a tenancy commencing. Want to ensure it's to an acceptable standard.

Charlie

[Steve Firth]

It means someone got paid to do the cleaning.

Some years ago I used to work in a supposedly Hi-Tech factory cleaned by supposedly "professional" cleaners. I got them sacked from the job after discovering that it was standard practice for them to mop the floors then use the same mop to wipe down the workbenches.

Finding a replacement was hard, we interviewed many potential cleaning companies but one recommended to us by another company on the same site showed signs of "clue". I showed the MD of the cleaners around the site, he returned later and took copious notes of the cleaning requirement and then inspected the current condition of the building. I can remember him spending an afternoon on hands and knees checking much and residue in the corners where the walls met the floor. He then sent me a report detailing the current condition (poor) and proposing the cleaning to be done.

It was an initial deep clean, which he would supervise, followed by a thorough regular schedule of cleaning with agreed QA standards. Since he regarded us as a key account he did the initial deep clean in person, and it was incredibly thorough - like "detailing" a car.

That's what I consider a "professional clean". Whether you can afford such a service is up to you.

[Lobster]

In which case you provide the property properly cleaned, simple as that. The onus is on the incoming tenant to ensure that the property is equally clean when (s)he hands it back to you at the end of the tenancy. Clearly you have no right to expect the property to be returned to you cleaner than when you let it out.

The usual issue with 'professional cleaning' is whether it's fair to insist that outgoing tenants have it done (ie regardless of how effectively they are able to clean the place themselves)... I've never come across any *obligation* on a landlord either to have 'professional cleaning' done before a tenancy, or to show receipts for same.

TBH I think if a prospective tenant of mine demanded of me to show him invoices for cleaning prior to moving in, I'd be tempted to show him the door instead...!

[Cicero]

==========================================

Cleaning can mean different things to different people. A fairly recent TV programme showed 'professional cleaners' employed in a care home or hospital who used the lavatory brushes (or similar) for cleaning the wash basins.

I would consider a 'cat's lick and a promise' more hygienic than the methods of such professionals.

Do it yourself if you want to be sure it's done properly.

Cic.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

They might use janitorial supplies rather than household products? (Wonder what happened to 'Joe' Stalin)

[The Medway Handyman]

I'll try, having been in the cleaning equipment trade most of my life & a qualified British Institute of Cleaning Science trainer.

It should mean someone with a detailed knowledge of proper cleaning proceedures, knowledge of how particular surfaces respond to cleaning, which detergents, cloths, equipment to use and training in proper cleaning methods.

In reality its Mrs Mop.

IME so called 'professional cleaners' are the biggest bunch of ignorant, semi lliterate, cheapskate tosspots you could wish to meet.

Par for the course.

They can't. Possible exception is a firm who are corporate BICS members, because at least they are trying, or a carpet & upholstery cleaning company who is a member of the NCCA.

[Andy Dingley]

Yes, I think there is - but there's no reason you can't achieve the same (or better!) standards with the right approach and adequate time.

My cleaner will do anything, given adequate time to do it. As this seems to be a bizarre notion to the other people she works for, she's happy to do work for us that's far in excess of what she hurries to achieve elsewhere. This is still far cheaper than getting in someone with a Yellow Pages ad or a franchise to support.