Cleaner asking for payment in advance

[Withgraceinmyheart]

Is this standard?

I’ve decided to get a cleaner as I’m struggling to keep up with housework. I sent out a load of enquiries but only one agency has replied. We’ve been emailing for a couple of days sorting out details and agreed a start date.

Now I’ve been asked for part payment to ‘secure the booking’ which has caught me off guard.

I’m just wondering if this is normal? I can understand from their perspective they dont want a wasted journey, but I feel uneasy about doing a bank transfer to someone I’ve never met and have only exchanged a couple of emails with.

First of all, what if no one turns up and I’ve lost the money completely? Second, the money is a deposit against the first months cleaning...what if I decide after a couple of weeks that I’m not happy with the work? Is it normal to for a cleaner to ask for a months commitment before starting?

I’m totally clueless, just looking for other people’s experiences! Thanks :)

I have never been asked this

Nope. We’ve always paid when the job is complete.

Agency?

I was never asked for a deposit & pay by bank transfer when I get home on the day they are due to come. There has been times she's not shown up, so I will only send the transfer once I know she's been.
I would never pay in advance.

I have usually paid cash on the day to any new cleaner. Once we have a relationship and they trust me, I usually deposit the money on the day via bank transfer - that the cleaning had been done.

I amwith a new agency at the moment and they bill me monthly.

I would not expect to pay to "secure a booking", but would expect the work to be done, and to either pay by bank transfer or there and then when the work is done.

Yes I have had his before with an agency and all was fine

I pay my cleaner on the day she comes she is very trustworthy and reliable. There are plenty of cleaners around why would you need to pay in advance to secure a booking, , particularly if it's the first time and therefore that person will be untested and could prove to be unsatisfactory. My son and girlfriend asked me to hire some cleaners on their behalf when they moved out of their flat, they were away at the time and and the flat was near us, I'd loved to have asked my Polish cleaner to do the job but she couldn't provide the necessary invoice, that the letting agents required, I therefore went to a well known local agency who were able to provide the paperwork, the cleaners they sent didn't do a good job. Do you never get flyers through your door OP from cleaners working for themselves? That's how I found mine, agencies won't necessarily provide the best cleaners.

I wouldn't pay up front for a month you may not be happy with the standard of cleaning.

Thanks everyone. I think we’re short of cleaners in my area, we never get fliers through the door!

I think I’ll trust my instinct and look elsewhere. I don’t want to be stuck with someone rubbish for a month!