Customer Guidelines
Thank you for choosing Fresh Start Cleaners! Below are the guidelines we ask our clients to abide by. These guidelines have been put in place in order to provide a safe environment for our employees and set clear expectations with our clients so that we can continue to make your home sparkle for years to come! Please review and sign before your first cleaning and let us know if you have any questions!
How to prepare for your cleaning: We are thrilled to come clean for you and want to be able to leave your house sparkling. In order for us to be able to provide the highest quality cleaning possible, we would just ask for you to do a couple things to prepare for our arrival. Please put away anything that would inhibit us from cleaning certain areas, such as loose papers, dog toys, children’s toys, etc. Please make sure all dishes are put away so that we are able to thoroughly clean your kitchen. In addition, make sure the vacuum is accessible and anything of a sensitive nature is put away.
Technology: Fresh Start Cleaners utilizes technology to its fullest to provide an even smoother customer experience! You will receive an automated reminder email three days prior to service as well as a reminder text the day before. You may respond to the email, however the automated text messages are only one way. You do have the option to opt out of these.
No cash is accepted to the cleaners directly and all services will be billed to the card on file or invoice paid by you. Our cleaning techs clock in and out from our scheduling app on their phones and GPS coordinates are registered at time of input. This is to make sure they have arrived and left safely.
Man Hours vs. Clock Hours: For standard and deep residential cleanings, we typically charge by the man hour unless communicated otherwise. This means that if one cleaner were to be there for 8 hours, this would be charged at 8 man hours. If two cleaners are there for 4 hours, this would also be charged at 8 man hours, as the amount of labor time is the same. Typically, first time cleans will have 2 cleaners present unless the cleaning is for a very small home.
Work Estimates: When you provide us with the requested information for your home, we provide an estimate based on homes that are similar in size and reported condition. If our cleaners arrive and the home will require more time than estimated due to condition or not being picked up, we will communicate this to you before we go over estimated hours for approval/denial. We will reach out by phone call and text message, if necessary to ensure quick communication. Though we do our best to estimate as accurately as possible, everyone’s home is different, and two similarly sized homes can take drastically different amounts of time depending on how the owner lives.
Working in the home: The cleaning techs need to be able to work without distractions. Every effort is made for the cleaners to work safely, but we cannot assume liability for the safety of others while cleaning your home. This includes children and pets. In the event the cleaners are not able to work without distractions that affect their ability to work at their normal speed, Fresh Start Cleaners reserves the right to charge for their extra time spent in the client’s home.
If for any reason a cleaning tech of Fresh Start Cleaners feels that their personal safety is in danger enough to leave the job site due to actions by the client, client’s guests or animals, the client will be liable for the full cost of the service.
BIOHAZARD: Our cleaning technicians’ safety and health is of the utmost importance to us, so we ask for you to let us know if there are any potential biohazard situations. These can include mold, rodent or bug infestations of any kind, or human or pet urination or feces. If a biohazard situation is evident, our technicians will not be able to service your home and you will be charged the full rate of cleaning. Follow-up service cannot be performed until documentation is presented showing the situation has been resolved.
Safety: Our number one concern is for the safety of our clients and our cleaning technicians. Fresh Start Cleaners is insured and bonded and cannot perform any cleaning higher than a one foot step stool. Any heavy or large furniture must be moved away from the walls in order to clean behind them. Our cleaning techs will not move furniture in order to prevent damage and to remain safe. Cleaning under beds is not performed unless requested.
Time of service: It is very difficult to commit to an exact arrival time (apart from first thing in the morning) because of our ever changing schedule and the fact that we don’t finish cleaning each home at an exact time. We service homes between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5 PM. and will strive to be at your home within a two hour window of the estimated time given to you.
Entry to your home: We offer 3 entry options to choose from:
1. The client may opt to be home to allow access to their home the day of the service.
Please prepare for your cleaner to arrive. If no one is home or our cleaners are turned away for any reason you will be charged half the service price for that day.
2. The client provides a key, garage door opener or code to gain access to the home.
Keys will be placed in a secure safe at the Fresh Start Cleaners office. The cleaner or team will be issued a key the day of your scheduled service to gain access to the home. The key will be signed out by the cleaner or team and signed in after each scheduled service and placed back in the safe. The keys are not marked with any of your personal information in case they are lost. In the event the code given is not correct and cleaners cannot gain access to the home the client is responsible for the lock out and a cancellation fee of half the price of that day’s service will be charged to your credit card on file.
3. The client can purchase a lock box to place a key inside and provide Fresh Start Cleaners with the pass code.
In the event if for any reason the key is not in the lock box or the code does not work when the cleaners arrive to clean the home; the client is responsible for the lock out and a cancellation fee of half the price of that day’s service will be charged to your credit card on file.
NOTE: In the event the client chooses to leave a door unlocked, or place a key under a mat or any other unsecured place for the cleaners to gain entry into the home, Fresh Start Cleaner will not be held liable for any damages or theft to the client’s home.
Home alarm systems: Fresh Start Cleaners will not be liable for any false alarm charges due to code changes not brought to their attention before servicing the home.
Schedule changes, cancellation of service: In the event that you reschedule, skip, add or cancel your service, we ask that you give a (48) hour notice. Without a (48) hour notice you will be charged 25 % of your cleaning. Cancellations on the same day of service for any reason will be charged half the rate of service. All cancellations must be made through our office.
Payment: The cleaning technicians do not handle any form of cash or check payment. Fresh Start Cleaners prefers a credit or debit card on file to eliminate the hassle of sending a check for each cleaning. After each cleaning, an invoice will be sent to you via email, which is due upon receipt. You will be able to pay with a card here, or send a check if you prefer. Note that lack of payment of previous cleanings means we will be unable to service your home until all bills are paid. If a history of late payment has been established, payment prior to cleaning will be required. A credit card is required on file as a back-up form of payment.
Tipping the cleaning techs is never required but always appreciated. Thank you in advance if you choose to do so.
Price increases: Clients are given advance notice of any price increases. Fresh Start Cleaners reserves the right to raise prices at any time.
Quality Control: Fresh Start Cleaners needs your feedback! Please expect random quality checks to happen on your home by a quality control manager to make sure you are receiving consistently fantastic service! All quality checks take place during the final phase of cleaning.
Pets: We love our clients’ pets! But for their own safety and the safety of our cleaning techs, please put your large or skittish pets in a secure area of the home or garage. Our cleaning technicians cannot clean animal feces of any kind in order to prevent cross contamination.
Breakage: We believe in shining a spotlight on an issue rather than sweeping it under the rug. If something gets broken or damaged, our staff are trained to photograph it and report it immediately, without reprimand. They are careful and considerate of each space they attend, but every now and then something can happen (we are human, after all). Once reported to the office, we contact you to discuss a fair and quick resolution.
If something happens to break during our routine service, we’ll do our best to repair or replace the item. Our residential housekeepers are fully insured, so claims can be filed when appropriate. We do ask that any irreplaceable items be put away and anything you are concerned about is noted at the time of booking. Please note, we don't repair or replace existing damage or improperly installed items. Fresh Start Cleaners can assume no liability for damage due to pictures not hung securely, items with unstable bases, floating shelves, items not secured properly, etc.
Damage: Clients should point out any damage to surfaces before service begins. Our cleaning technicians are trained to survey a home when they arrive and note/record any damage prior to starting cleaning. Fresh Start Cleaners is sometimes called in to correct damage that was already there or that another cleaning company was responsible for. In this case we may require that the client sign off on a pre-existing surface damage waiver.
In areas of the home with extreme clutter Fresh Start Cleaners reserves the right to skip those areas in order to avoid damaging items or injuring the cleaning techs.
Surfaces such as hardwood floors and natural stone should be in good condition and ready to clean without causing harm to the surfaces when using a neutral pH cleaner.
Fresh Start Cleaners uses non-toxic, eco-friendly products that do not stain or warp any surfaces. If you would like us to use your products instead, please understand Fresh Start Cleaners will not be held liable for any damage caused by your products. To prevent damage and for the safety of our cleaning techs, bleach will not be used even if requested.
Non-Solicitation of employees: When a client enters into an agreement for services with Fresh Start Cleaners the client understands that they will pay a [$1,500] training fee to Fresh Start Cleaners if they engage in a working relationship directly with any employee of Fresh Start Cleaners during the course of service other than through Fresh Start Cleaners.
Our guarantee: We want you to be absolutely delighted with the cleaning service! Report any concerns to our office at 941-444-6203 or to office@freshstartcleaners.net within 24 hours after the service. We will return and re-clean the area(s) of concern at no cost to you.