[joANE]

Hello all, id be grateful for any thoughts on this please.  Im a domestic cleaner (solo s.employed) and am being driven mad by customers who just expect me to carry on as normal whilst their houses are being pulled about around my ears!very often they will just drop it into the conversation that they will be having major works etc or worse still i arrive and find it all kicking off.  (of course they dont usually stay in to supervise the works so im left in the chaos)Im getting so fed up the assumed responsiblity for the clearing up of it all when im not actually there to do builders cleans plus the builders definatly take advantage of the fact the customers have a cleaner and dont attempt any clearing and even have been known to take the p* out of me whilst working  - haha look at this mess weve made you,ll be here for ages (that sort of thing) any advice on how i can approach this. I was thinking at least put up the prices for clearing up the mess  and the inconvenience it causes to MY work.  Its always me that has to move or change routine not the builders. Customers dont  expect me to say that  cleaning  will take longer, or that it isnt anything like the original work we discussed when i started ie domestic cleaning.It can me a good few weeks (working like a dervish) to get things back in shape  I generally have a group of longish term customers so am probably getting taken for granted now but if anyones got advice please help me. i dont know how much im entitled to whinge about it as i get the impression as one cleaner fits all (its only cleaning!)  when we all know it  doesnt work that way!  (I hate it! and im dreading this week as just been told today of one working all week at the house thanks in advance . K sorry for long post hope you aint gone to sleep

[PaulineH]

Hi joANE, I've encountered this same problem many times myself and yes it does pee you off,it amazes me when a client says "oh it will only take a couple of hours" when infact it will take at least 3 probably 4...I would have a word with your client and say that for the course of the building work they are having done,you recommend to have x amount of extra hours. Also have them speak to the builders about clearing after themselves as this doesn't form part of your services..Hope this helps Pauline

[Deep Cleaning Solutions]

Hi,i know nothing about domestic cleaning,
i mainly offer carpet cleaning,but here's what i would do.
When ever i come across problems like this,
i add it to my terms & conditions.
Write up some terms & conditions or some sort of mini contract 
if you have none.State in the t&t/contact exactly what services they are getting for there money, ie if there is any building work,DIY or professional the mess left behind is not included for general domestic cleaning.If they want it cleaning,an extra charge will be applied as it is classed as a builders clean.This will be easy to apply to new customers but what about your current regular customers.....,well i would say to your current customers that you have just updated your terms and conditions due to new government regulations and ask them to sign them.I hope this is some help.

[joANE]

 Manythanks pauline and keyplus for the support. yes i think i will be brave and discuss the next big building work that is coming up -  i could suggest 2 visits per week and i definatly will be telling them that my cleaning time is only worked out on the basis of a domestic clean etc especially with new clients. Ta again. sometimes when you work alone its hard to judge what is the norm in situations or whether its over reacting tho i think thats what some clients would like to believe yes pauline i know those comments a room full of soot  its only a bit of dust, wont take long :
Goodnight all. K

[Mike Mahoney]

hi Joanne,

I also don't tend to do alot of domestic cleaning, but we do a lot of commercial kitchen cleaning, the client always tries to get us in too early, ie while builders are on site, we tell the client if they insist in bringing us in we will not re-clean an area once it has been done. We then inform the contractor / site manager that when an area has been cleaned we will charge the building company for extra works resulting from them messing it up again. its amazing how much tidier they work when they realise they may have to pay for our services as a result of there lack of respect for my cleaning staff.

[joANE]

ooo mike your giving me ideas! i wonder if i say to the customer it will be more,  the more undomestic type clean i end up doing and it is up to them to deal with the builders and what they are going to do about their clearing. i would prefer customers or the builders getting in a cleaning team to do the last clean  they could  do it properly and quicker but whether they would buy that im not sure, ha they,d probably expect me to pay for it  but your right too it is about respect - that is probably the hardest bit to swallow ie the lack of it from all sides.
thanks for advice. k