| When one hires a maid to clean their home or office, | | | | cleaners and polishes. You may have preferences for |
| they are basically permitting a stranger access to | | | | green products; find out if these are available. |
| their personal items. For this reason, you must ask | | | | Be certain of the charges, based on the tasks you |
| the right questions to make sure that you end up | | | | want performed, and the size of your home, |
| hiring an honest and reliable maid. The first place to | | | | whether you are hiring a maid privately or through an |
| start is asking friends and acquaintances for their | | | | agency. Other questions you will want to ask are |
| experiences with maids or maid services. You will | | | | whether there is a fee charged if you cancel the |
| then want to make a list of what you expect a maid | | | | service for a week or month because of illness or |
| to do, and how often. You will want to know what | | | | holiday. You will also want to be clear whether you |
| the current rates are for various cleaning services, | | | | will be expected to be home to let the maid in, or |
| and whether you will need additional homeowner's | | | | whether you can make arrangements to leave a key. |
| insurance. If you are hiring an independent maid on | | | | Ask whether the maid is comfortable with pets as |
| contract, find out what the tax implications are, what | | | | some people are allergic or uneasy around dogs or |
| must be deducted from the pay, and how you file | | | | cats. |
| those taxes. Check with the federal and local tax | | | | When interviewing a new maid, whether from an |
| offices to determine what your responsibilities are as | | | | agency or independent, some questions will concern |
| an employer. | | | | the methods for dealing with common tasks and if |
| If you are hiring a maid through an agency, you will | | | | you have items that require special care such as |
| want to know how long they have been in business, | | | | oriental carpets or antique furniture you will want to |
| ask for referrals of current clients, and whether their | | | | know how they will be treated. Make sure that you |
| maids are insured and bonded. Do they guarantee | | | | are clear about how to clean these items. You may |
| their services? Has the agency performed | | | | also discuss special requests, such as cooking |
| background checks on its maids? Does the agency | | | | occasionally or taking care of pets when necessary. |
| train its maids? Will the agency send the same person | | | | Observe how the children interact with the maid, and |
| every time, or is a team coming in to do the job? If | | | | her response to them. If the maid is not a native |
| it's a team, is there a team leader or supervisor | | | | English speaker, are you able to communicate well |
| on-site? | | | | enough? |
| When speaking to previous clients, inquire about | | | | Whether you go with an independent maid, or a |
| reliability, promptness, attitude, and how satisfied the | | | | service, being clear about your needs and |
| other person is with the work performed. Ask | | | | expectations at the start will help foster a good |
| whether the agency provides cleaning equipment and | | | | long-term relationship. Asking the right questions will |
| supplies. Many are complete services, bringing their | | | | ensure that you have a hired a professional and |
| own vacuums, mops and pails as well as rags, | | | | quality maid. |