Congratulations! You’ve finally decided it’s the right time to hire a cleaner – and that means you’re one step closer to feeling the pleasure of walking into a fresh, clean home, without the hassle of doing it yourself. But now you have one more important decision to make to choose the best cleaner for you: Should you hire a cleaner from an agency, or find an individual working for themselves?
To help you make the choice that suits your expectations – and your budget – it’s important to consider some key pros and cons of agency cleaners vs individual cleaners to choose the best cleaner for you.
8 pros and cons to consider before you choose the best cleaner
1. Reliability and consistency of your cleaning service
Agency: Hiring an agency cleaner comes with a unique level of reliability. Because they have a team of qualified professional cleaners available, even if your regular cleaner is sick or unavailable, they’ll ensure someone else can look after all your cleaning needs to give you perfect peace of mind.
Plus, if your cleaner decides to make a career change, working with an agency saves you the worry and time of having to advertise for a replacement.
Individual: Working with an individual cleaner may not offer the same level of reliability. If your cleaner has personal commitments, is sick, takes a holiday, or has to deal with an unexpected event, your cleaning schedule could be disrupted – just when you need it most.
2. Long-term experience, processes and thorough training deliver quality results
Cleaning agencies have standardised processes, training and inductions that have been fine-tuned to achieve the best possible outcomes. This creates consistency and a high level of service.
Choose an agency with Quality Assurance Managers to monitor the work of all their cleaners by conducting regular spot checks that ensure a commitment to top-quality cleaning, every time.
Individual: You’ve probably seen this happen in your workplace. Once an individual gets through the honeymoon phase of their job, their level of motivation and attention to detail can change, and when it comes to keeping your home looking its best, that might mean you’re not always getting the premium results you’re paying for.
For an individual cleaner working alone, maintaining momentum and energy can be a challenge without the support of a team to talk to for advice and assistance. Let’s face it, cleaning can be lonely, isolated work. And as lovely as your cleaner may be, if you’re working from home or busy doing other things, you want them to focus on cleaning, rather than chit-chat to you for company while they work.
Plus, without the benchmark of clear, standardised practices to follow, a solo cleaner relies only on their own opinions and techniques, rather than the expertise of best practice approaches that have been tested, measured and developed over many successful years in business.
To ensure that the quality of their cleaning doesn’t dwindle as time goes on, the ability to check references and reviews matters. It’s worth noting that, because individual cleaners usually don’t have websites or a professional social media presence, this can be harder to track and explore.
3. Cost
Agency: Many individual cleaners charge around the same price as an agency but without all the added extras and protection for you!
Budgeting matters, but the reality is that, if you do find a cheaper cleaner, it may be because they don’t have the same level of experience, or the insurance cover and quality assurance processes that an agency can provide you. Yes, an agency may charge more for their services, but this investment offers you the back-up support of a team that can look after any concerns and queries. Pricing also includes insurance, careful recruitment processes with reference and police checks, guarantees of quality, the chance to experience a trial clean, comprehensive staff induction, the convenience of online invoicing (plus the potential to claim tax deductions if you work or run a business from home).
Individual: Individual cleaners may charge lower rates, making them a budget-friendly option. This can be particularly appealing for those who need regular cleaning but want to keep costs down. However, it’s important to consider that they may not have the same level of insurance or liability coverage, which may be a risk if something goes wrong during cleaning.
Before you commit to a cleaner that isn’t with an agency, be sure to ask them for proof of references, police clearance and the insurance cover that will protect your home and contents.
4. Range of services on offer
Agency: Home cleaning needs do change seasonally and that can lead to specialist cleaning services. Cleaning agencies typically offer a broad range of services, including deep cleaning or spring cleans, or specialised cleaning services – such as the oven and BBQ, carpets and rugs, windows and pool fences, tile and grout – and their cleaners have the tools and equipment needed to get the jobs done.
It’s an offering that gives you a one-stop-cleaning-shop that can save you time and money. Ask them if they offer a 100% service guarantee for extra assurance.
Individual: Sole operator cleaners typically tend to specialise in a particular area, such as regular, basic cleaning, or more costly and time-consuming end-of-lease cleans. Requests for additional services are often not catered for – forcing you to spend time searching for other providers you can trust to do the specific cleaning tasks that will help your home sparkle.
5. Flexibility & availability of appointments
Agency: Because they typically have multiple team members in different locations, most cleaning agencies can be flexible and offer a variety of timeslots. This makes it easier for you to choose the day and time that best suits your unique needs. Great agencies prioritise regular cleaning clients so that they will always have professional cleaners available.
Individual: Individual cleaners may also offer flexibility, especially if you build a good rapport with them. They can often fit your preferences and adapt to changes in your cleaning needs. However, their ability to accommodate last-minute requests may be limited due to their personal schedules. Plus, if they are ever sick or need to deal with an unexpected situation, it can lead to last-minute cancellations that may leave you in the lurch when you need them most.
6. Trust and security
Agency: Reputable cleaning agencies should conduct a comprehensive recruitment process and background checks on all team members, along with strict hiring policies.
A commitment to careful recruitment processes provides you with peace of mind, knowing that you have an experienced management team on your side to ensure you have access to quality cleaners who have been screened, trained, inducted and checked for police clearances and references. Additionally, quality agencies will engage cleaners on a contractual basis, which means cleaners are provided with clear engagement terms and conditions they must adhere to.
Individual: Trusting an individual cleaner requires a certain level of comfort, especially since they may work alone in your home. It’s essential to ask for references and conduct interviews to ensure you feel safe and secure. While many individual cleaners are trustworthy and dedicated, the lack of formal vetting can be a concern for some clients – especially if your cleaner will be moving around your home while family members, including young children, are there.
7. No awkward discussions
Agency: If you value peace of mind and don’t enjoy difficult discussions, then an agency is for you! Engaging anyone to deliver any specific service can sometimes be challenging – and correcting mistakes or sharing concerns directly with that service provider can be difficult. It’s no different with your cleaner! But when you work with a reputable agency, any questions or concerns can be shared with the management team, who then disseminate the requests to your cleaner, so you don’t have to. A professional agency will always make sure your instructions are passed on and acted on, and you can call them with extra questions.
Individual: When it comes to dealing with a cleaner directly to pass on instructions, raise concerns or negotiate ideal outcomes, some people prefer a direct approach and feel totally comfortable managing communications themselves.
But for others, ironing out the finer details about what you want done around your home – and how you want it done – can feel awkward. And if you develop a close relationship with an individual cleaner, letting them know your feelings about things that may need addressing can become even messier. So…you ignore it, pretend everything is perfect and harbour a growing (silent) resentment that you’re paying for a service you’re not completely happy with.
As time goes on, things can become so awkward that you may even end up making an excuse about why you need to let that cleaner go (when all you needed was clear communication) – and that means going through the process of finding another cleaner.
8. Commitment to creating an ongoing business
Agency: Agencies that are serious about building a great business reputation invest in advertising, marketing, systems and recruiting the right team. To prosper for a successful and sustainable future, all agencies depend on testimonials and word-of-mouth referrals, which means that the smart ones are also committed to ensuring continuous improvement and creating a fabulous customer experience. For the fortunate clients of these quality agencies, the benefits are the best possible cleaning outcomes, thanks to adherence to best practice processes.
Individual: Cleaning is a challenging job, so it’s understandable that many cleaners are only in the game for the short-term.
More often than not, individual cleaners are in the market for a short time to help them between jobs or while they study. This means that they are focused on exchanging time for money to reach their goal, rather than focusing on building something that lasts for the long-term in the way an agency does.
And because they often don’t have a website or social media presence (plus, because they may only have capacity to work with a very small number of clients), they don’t typically put the same effort into ensuring they attract the amazing reviews that agencies depend on to grow their business bigger and better.
After weighing up the pros and cons, decide which cleaner is best for you
Choosing between a cleaning company and an individual cleaner depends on your specific needs, budget and preferences.
If you value reliability, a broad range of services and the security and financial protection of insurance coverage, a cleaning agency might be the better option.
On the other hand, if you prefer a personalised approach for the short-term, or you’re working within a tight budget, an individual cleaner may be your best option.
Whatever choice you make, and if you’re 100% happy with the quality of cleaning they deliver, enjoy! It’s hard to beat the special happiness of coming home to a freshly cleaned house. If you’ve never experienced that feeling, give it a try!
