Did I get ripped off - cleaners

[Mellowlaz]

So my parents house is the best place to host Christmas. They have a large-ish kitchen and two sitting areas.

I go over once a week to hoover, mop and just chuck old newspapers, leaflets, boxes etc.

I don’t have time to do the biggest clean before everyone comes so hired some cleaners. They came yesterday. I paid £320 for:

• carpet clean living room - 14x12 feet
• Carpet clean stairs and landing
• fabric clean 3 and 4 seater sofa
• Deep clean family bathroom
• deep clean downstairs loo
• carpet clean

4 people came for 1:45 mins.

I’m okay with the results. Carpet feels fresher.

But the bathrooms left a bit to be desired. For that price I would’ve hoped that they deep cleaned the grout. The floor has been swept and mopped but it doesn’t look as perfect as I was hoping. I will probably find time to do it as it’s should be white but is a funny orange brown color. But they didn’t even give the towel radiator a dust. It’s in a good condition and I can get it to that pristine level now without having to do the hard graft. The white painted door wasn’t given a wipe. Water marks on it.

A coffee mark hasn’t been
Taken out. I understand it at not be possible but I feel like a previous carpet cleaner would have been able to manage this.

We live in the SE. The price I think is fair. But I would’ve been willing to pay a fair price for top quality work

Do I have a right to be disappointed?

I think you can still see some mud marks on the stairs from the dog

It sounds like it's mostly attention to detail that was lacking. Are you planning to contact them about it?

Have you contacted them/sent pictures?
I wouldn't be happy with the radiator and door. That should have been cleaned for the price you have paid.

How many hours were they there and was it more than 1 person?

You paid £320 for 7 cleaning hours (4×1h45)?

Going rate is about £20-25/hr here (expensive part of the SE), so I think you've been had. About twice the going rate, and they've not even done a good job

This wasn't a regular clean. It involved specialist equipment for carpet and upholstery cleaning, which does cost a lot more.

I haven't rang up as I wasn’t sure what could be done even if I do complain. Visitors are turning up this weekend.

(that last bullet point in my OP should be carpet clean one bedroom)

I was told it would take two/three hours. In the end it was only 1hr45 mins but I don’t know if they got more people in (4 people were here). I really was hoping for it to look immaculate. It looks clean but the grout wasn’t touched etc. I specified deep clean.

£320 is a massive rip off for that! You’ve been absolutely had.

But the thing is I was getting quotes of around £250 from everyone I rang for that carpet clean. The people I went with wanted £70 for the deep clean of the bathrooms which I thought was fair. If they did a thorough job. It was helpful not having multiple people in the house and just doing it one go which is why I went with them. The reviews online are all good.

I don’t think I could’ve got the carpet clean for much less. We are in Berks

Sofas are velvet. Not sure if that makes a difference

I’ve been quoted £100 for the sofas alone in the past. Multiple people. Assumed that was just the norm.

ive texted and said I was disappointed given that I specified a deep clean

Oh so I got a text saying that they will send someone back. I appreciate that but it’s just such a faff. They have cats and I’ve got to send my son over to make sure they don’t get locked out. Just wanted it to be in and out. First world problems I know! But we don’t do loads of gifts. Having a cosy environment is something i appreciate

Something I learnt is never ever hire cleaning companies, rather go with a local cleaner in the area. You will find personal recommendations and someone who will actually do what you have asked. You have been massively had. That is a joke.
i did this twice and the amount of stuff that they wouldn’t do, that is part of a common sense clean made me never use one again. I have a weekly cleaner who does a far superior job than any cleaning company

It’s such a horrible feeling when you feel like you’ve been had. Money is tight for most of us.

The reviews were good online but tbh anyone can write a fake review

Op take a picture of all the spots they have missed and email company saying tbeh need to send someone out to finish the job as it hasn’t been done to the standard agreed. I hope you have held off payment.

It’s ok it happens to the best of us. I had this a few years back. I took pictures of all the missed areas and sent them a very stern message. I had guests arriving that weekend. They quickly sent cleaners the day before who deep cleaned everything to the standard agreed. I paid but never went used them again.

you can still see where the dog runs up. It’s clearly just not been touched. There was a much more obviously muddy marks came off in my parents bedroom where the dog likes to sleep. And that’s completely gone. But it was hard to miss. This is just a lack of attention to detail.

The price actually seems ok to me - you hired someone who washes carpet which is an expensive cost. Some stains are hard to get out particularly on the steps which is why the mud is still there. Important thing is they are coming back - shows a lot of integrity and not many would do that.

Ignore all the posters who say you've been had - you got multiple quotes and the price you paid seemed to be ok.

They are coming back but I don’t have high hopes tbh. The grout is not a fun job but it really is a case of elbow grease. I’ve done it myself but it does take time which I just don’t have right now. I specified I wanted the bathroom floor deep cleaned. The grout is white. Not an old bathroom at all. Maybe two years old. Very annoying.

But i don’t think mud is hard to get out. I have washed those exact marks out of my parents stairs VERY easily in the past using those machines you rent. It’s extremely satisfying but i just don’t have the time!

I think the price is fine if the work was done well. I was hoping to feel like a weight was lifted of my shoulders a bit. Instead I feel like I’ve just been conned a bit. Moneys tight but I though I’ll pay it so the jobs done and I don’t have to spend hours of my spare time scrubbing. Especially as I have my own house, pets and a young autistic child

Slightly off topic, but why are YOU paying to clean your parents house? Is it only your immediate family going there at Christmas or other family members too?

Everyone’s mucking in. I just didn’t go into that level of detail :)

That’s a lot of money. I’d be disappointed too.

I absolutely can get that grout looking white but it just takes time I don’t have.

Typical cleaning rate is £40 if they bring own equipment and cleaning products. 4 people over 2 hours would be £320, they don't count by quarters. Could have stayed there and point out what was missed and get it sorted out.