Looking for MNetter advice and experience!
DH has today engaged a cleaner, a recommendation from one of his work colleagues. It has not started SO well, but this could be down to the big language barrier thing and DH not being clear. My suggestion is that we write it all down and check it with her.
So we rent a 3 storey town house. We moved into it when it was new. Everything is painted white with either tiles or wooden floors. After 3 years of my slack attempts at cleaning, it is OK on the surface but really needs Kim and --Aggie a good spring clean - dust in corners, marks on doors/walls etc etc
There is a big room on the top floor, currently occupied by lodger. On the 1st floor there are 3 bedrooms, a shower room and a bathroom. On the ground floor, there is a hall and loo, and one big open room with a kitchen in one corner.
So DH basically asked to start downstairs and deep clean everything, then gradually move up. When this is done, in a few years weeks, we would like to get some ironing in if possible. All OK. She can come Mon and Fri for 3 hours so 6 hours in total. And off he went to leave her too it for a couple of hours.
So when we got home, she had basically gone through the book shelves and the desk - really thoroughly I might add - all the books and cds out, glasses washed etc etc, but nothing else. No general dusting, no hoovering etc.
So I am a bit 
but would like to give her the benefit of the doubt. But I think we need to be clearer on what we expect ie to me I would expect each week that the bathrooms are cleaned, the floor is hoovered and mopped, Kitchen wiped over etc, the "general" cleaning really. Then each week to concentrate on one area ie wiping down doors, cleaning behind things etc.
But I have no clue how much I can expect her to get done in 6 hours. I need to write a her a list. Has anyone got a similar sized house and a cleaner? Help!