Help! I'm interviewing a cleaner in half and hour. How can I tell if she's nice.

[maretta]

Does anyone have any advice.

I really need help with the house but how can I tell if I can trust her. What sort of questions should I ask?

Thanks
M

Go by your gut reaction in terms of whether you like her or not.

For trustworthiness, get the names, addresses and phone numbers of referees and speak to them if at all possible. Ask her why she left each job and see if it marries with what the referees tell you.

Make sure she's really a cleaner. There's nothing wrong with aspiring to better employment, but you don't want to take on someone who views cleaning your house as bottom of her priorities and feels she can mess you around. So I wouldn't recommend taking on an aspiring media type. (And yes, I've done it).

She didn't sound the aspiring media type on the phone but you never can tell.

I would ask how long she has been a cleaner and whether she enjoys her work, and see where the conversation leads from there. You might wish to check whether she has experience of cleaning houses rather than flats, and whether she cleans when the owner is present, if that is relevant to you. If she gives the slightest impression that she doesn't quite understand that it's your house not hers, don't employ her. Anyone who wants to play music while they work, other than on a personal stereo, is likely to be a liability. I'd expect some cluelessness over how to use your particular variety of vacuum cleaner - that should only be a short term problem.

1.Keep the relationship professional - my last cleaner ended up sobbing on my shoulder about her bastard boyfriend while I made her cups of tea!

1. Be very explicit about what you expect done in the time. Next time I would write up a list of what I expected and ask a potential cleaner if they thought that was reasonable within the timescale.
2. Make sure she has cleaning experience - lots of students think "how hard can this be" but actually haven't got a clue.
3. Always ask for, and check, references.

sunnydelight - how true! I spent quite some time listening to an ex-cleaner's problems over her son not learning to read.

maretta - you've probably interviewed your prospective cleaner by now. How did it go?