(OT) Merry Maids - I'm ticked!

jmcquown wrote:

"Bastette" wrote in message
...
"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote:

I suppose they vary from state to state, but the time or two I used
Merry Maids in California, I found them satisfactory, and not TOO
expensive. (Although I had much better luck with cleaning people I
used
on recommendations from friends for whom they'd worked.)

I also prefer to hire someone who works for herself (or himself). That
way, all the money I spend goes directly to the cleaner. With a business
that sends people out to your house, you have to pay more, because the
business needs to make a profit. And the cleaners get less, sometimes a
lot less.

--
Joyce


I can understand that! But I also want the person to be licensed,
bonded and insured. Homeowners insurance doesn't necessarily cover if
someone mops the floor, falls and claims and injury. Usually
individuals who clean places aren't.

Well, of course you have to confirm that they are bonded - "licensed" is
irrelevant, IMO. (But I wouldn't hire a pet-sitter who wasn't bonded,
either - or anyone else to whom I grant access to my home when I'm not
there.) Certainly all those I ever used have been bonded.

trubble wrote:


Do you have some sort of physical disability that prevents you from
cleaning the house yourself?

If two or three people could do it in one day, why couldn't you do it in
two or three days???

What am I missing here???

What are you missing? Common sense, apparently. People who are
employed outside the home often hire someone to clean house for them.
Certainly I did, as soon as my salary reached a point where I could
afford it. (Does ANYONE clean house when they don't have to?) Jill had
explained she wanted a thorough, professional cleaning in preparation to
selling her house, so her reasons are clear. (Although her reasons
shouldn't concern you - "disabilities" aside, many people have more
interesting and important things to do with their free time than clean
house, if they can hire it done.)

Cheryl wrote:

You could also insist that the person be bonded,

I always did, even though they were referred by friends who had used
their services.

William Hamblen wrote:
On 2012-07-14, Cheryl wrote:


In the USA you are responsible for unemployment insurance (federal and
state) and Social Security insurance for household help if you pay more
than $1,800 to the employee in a year's time. Whether you withhold income
tax is between you and the employee, but you do need to file W-2 forms.
The paperwork is enough to make a lot of people either ignore the law
or hire a service firm.

Unless you're a politician, in which case it may come back to bite you,
most "normal" households who use a weekly, semi-weekly or monthly
cleaner employ people who are free-lance. Those I used were smart
enough to adhere to the guidelines for self-employment - setting their
own hours, providing their own supplies, etc. (And of course, being
bonded.)

"Joy" wrote in message
. ..
"jmcquown" wrote in message
...

"trubble" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 11 Jul 2012 11:16:36 -0400, "jmcquown"
wrote:

(This is a long rant; I apologize in advance.) You know I want to sell
this
house. The realtor I'm working with is very knowledgeable about the
housing
market where I live. He said I would need to have it completely
cleaned,
including the carpets. Get it in "showing condition" so he can list it
for
top dollar.

I contracted with Merry Maids to do a whole house cleaning.
(snipped self)
Jill

Do you have some sort of physical disability that prevents you from
cleaning the house yourself?

If two or three people could do it in one day, why couldn't you do it in
two or three days???

What am I missing here???


You missed the part where I admitted I'm lackadaisical when it comes to
housekeeping. Maybe you'd like to come over and help? Meet me out back.
I'll be out there with a sudsy sponge on an extension pole, washing then
rinsing the windows with a garden hose. The windows in the living room
are at least 22 feet high. In fact, the entire back of the house is
nothing but windows. See?

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/...46690505frUyss

Why shouldn't I hire someone to help get the house in tip-top condition
so I can sell it ASAP? And expect them to do the job I paid them to do?

Jill

It's nobody's business if you want to hire somebody to do it. In fact, in
this economy, you're doing a service by providing somebody with a job,
even if it's only for a day or two.

Joy
Bless you, Joy! I also have to keep the lawn mowed and the azalea bushes
and shrubs trimmed. Maybe "trubble" would like to come over and help with
that, too.

Jill

jmcquown wrote:

"Joy" wrote in message
. ..

It's nobody's business if you want to hire somebody to do it. In
fact, in this economy, you're doing a service by providing somebody
with a job, even if it's only for a day or two.

Joy
Bless you, Joy! I also have to keep the lawn mowed and the azalea
bushes and shrubs trimmed. Maybe "trubble" would like to come over and
help with that, too.

Jill

Of course, some people (I'm not one of them) actually ENJOY cleanig
house! Another task I avoid whenever possible is ironing. (If it isn't
"wash and wear", after the first wearing it hangs in my closet until I
eventually get rid of it.) My late sister-in-law, on the other hand,
found it relaxing. (They had a couple of fast-food restaurants, and
rather than use a laundry, she used to launder and iron their employees'
uniforms, herself!)

"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote in message
...


jmcquown wrote:

"Joy" wrote in message
. ..

It's nobody's business if you want to hire somebody to do it. In fact,
in this economy, you're doing a service by providing somebody with a
job, even if it's only for a day or two.

Joy
Bless you, Joy! I also have to keep the lawn mowed and the azalea bushes
and shrubs trimmed. Maybe "trubble" would like to come over and help
with that, too.

Jill

Of course, some people (I'm not one of them) actually ENJOY cleanig house!
Another task I avoid whenever possible is ironing. (If it isn't "wash and
wear", after the first wearing it hangs in my closet until I eventually
get rid of it.) My late sister-in-law, on the other hand, found it
relaxing. (They had a couple of fast-food restaurants, and rather than
use a laundry, she used to launder and iron their employees' uniforms,
herself!)

Wow! Different strokes, definitely (referring to your late sister-in-law)!
I haven't owned an iron for years.

Joy

On Jul 14, 2:22*pm, "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)"
wrote:
! *Another task I avoid whenever possible is ironing.

I don't even have an iron... All my clothes are wash and wear. I was
completely put off by my mum who used to iron everything including tea
towels and dusters. That in itself wouldn't have bothered me as much
as the fact she used to do it in the evening when dad and us kids were
watching telly in the same room whilst going on about how hard it was
that she had to do ironing while we all sat about enjoying ourselves-
to this day there are certain TV shows that if I watch them again I
can still hear her grumbling in the background

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

"Joy" wrote in message
. ..
"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote in message
...


jmcquown wrote:

"Joy" wrote in message
. ..

It's nobody's business if you want to hire somebody to do it. In fact,
in this economy, you're doing a service by providing somebody with a
job, even if it's only for a day or two.

Joy
Bless you, Joy! I also have to keep the lawn mowed and the azalea
bushes and shrubs trimmed. Maybe "trubble" would like to come over and
help with that, too.

Jill

Of course, some people (I'm not one of them) actually ENJOY cleanig
house! Another task I avoid whenever possible is ironing. (If it isn't
"wash and wear", after the first wearing it hangs in my closet until I
eventually get rid of it.) My late sister-in-law, on the other hand,
found it relaxing. (They had a couple of fast-food restaurants, and
rather than use a laundry, she used to launder and iron their employees'
uniforms, herself!)

Wow! Different strokes, definitely (referring to your late
sister-in-law)! I haven't owned an iron for years.

Joy
Major different strokes! I have an iron. I can't recall the last time I
used it. There's a reason we wear cotton and linen in the southern US...
everyone knows it wrinkles

Jill

trubble wrote:

Do you have some sort of physical disability that prevents you from
cleaning the house yourself?

If two or three people could do it in one day, why couldn't you do it in
two or three days???

What am I missing here???

The part where someone tried to teach you decent manners?

--
Joyce

God's original plan was to hang out in a garden with some naked
vegetarians.
-- Seen on a wall poster