How to "recruit' a house cleaner

[questionsneverstop]

I am looking for a cleaner and I have contacted a person I saw on Nextdoor that is offering her service as cleaner.
I texted her and she is very keen to start this week.
I don't feel ready to tell her to come to clean, I was thinking it would be good to have a chat first and maybe show her the house and discuss few details.
For example, she asked me via text how many hours she should come for and I was surprise. Well, I don't know, I want a clean house so it could be from 2 to 4 hours but only she is the right person to know that once she sees the house.

Now, I would like to know: what is the best way to start this? Should I tell her to come for a chat? Or should I just give her a trial session and see if both of us re happy with each other?

I would be grateful with any suggestion.
Tia

Tell her you would luke a chat but that you are seeing several people. She’s being very presumptuous and a bit cheeky assuming you’ll just give her the job!

Hey. I would suggest you invite her over for a chat, show her the house and spell out what you want doing.

I ended up creating a schedule. I then agreed days and popped out for a short time on her first clean and returned before she left.

Agree also how long you need per week, what you expect to get done in that time, hours, days, rate of pay and specify anything you want. For example if you want ironing done or other tidying or household chores.

And ask for references - this is someone who will be in your house.

Hmm.. definitely meet her first.
Very presumptuous as others have said.

So she's got an unspecified number of "free" hours to offer you - which means she is not over-booked or anything.
I would prefer if the cleaner said - "I can do Tuesday pm or Thursday at blah blah" as she would then already be working for several people.

Interesting that she hasn't mentioned references or anything.

Of course she could just be very keen and even be just starting out, and maybe I'm reading it wrong.

Either way you will know when you meet her hopefully.

It's quite a major decision to make as she will have access to your home and everything in it, and it took me decades to find a really excellent and totally trustworthy cleaner.

INSURANCE!

Never employ a cleaner without this. One of my cleaners put a mop bucket down on my carpet. Left a bleach stain.

My carpet runs through the entire house. They don't make it anymore.

It cost £££££ to replace.

Thank you all. So, is it ok if i:
-text her and tell her to come for a chat and have a look to the house.

• i ask her references
• we agree on price and when she can come.

I will tell her also that both of us should only agree if she will come back after the first session in case anyone is not happy with the cleaning

Rhinocrash, who pays for this insurance?

I had a chat and run through the house with my cleaner, then first clean was a trial run. After that we settled down to 3 hours a week.

I'd be very cautious with her approach so far as she seems unprofessional.

I would invite her over and see how she comes across. Normally the first clean will take longer than a regular clean. Ask if she supplies her own cleaning products and if she has public liability insurance. If you're happy you need to decide what you want doing the whole house or just so many rooms. Remember if she has to tidy up this will take up some of her cleaning time.

Asking how long is standard, surely? I could pay for two hours for example but not four - so it wouldn't matter if the house couldn't be cleaned in two I'd have to accept it didn't all get done every week (this is all hypothetical for me, sadly!)