(OT) Merry Maids - I'm ticked!

"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...



My cousin mainly employs Polish cleaners for her residential home for the
elderly, she only has to pay the minimum wage :-(

She finds them very reliable and hardworking and my aunt has a Polish
cleaner too who is brilliant.

Myself, I think they deserve to be paid more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So do I. I have been fortunate to have very reliable workers, and I always
pay extra (pet sitter, lawn care, etc.).

MaryL

On 07/15/2012 04:59 PM, Christina Websell wrote:
et wrote in message
...


jmcquown wrote:

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.

What does "bonded" mean?
+++++++++++
Simply stated, it is an insurance policy that protects against theft. If theft occurs, the bond company takes over the prosecution
of the thief

On Mon, 16 Jul 2012 00:13:17 +0100, "Christina Websell"
wrote:


"Judith Latham" wrote in message
...
...

I'm envious. I can't seem to manage not to iron our clothes. Even when I
get them out of the washing machine as soon as it's finished, give them a
good shake and hang them up carefully to dry, they are still creased. I've
asked advice from all my friends (who are much more into housework than I
am and don't iron) and still I can't get it right. I bought one of these
steam systems but after giving a couple of months trial went back to my
ordinary steam iron but I would love to be able to box up both and put
them in the attic. As it is I'm training DH in ironing. . UK.

I have an iron but it's been in my cupboard for years. If you have creased
clothes just put them on and in no time the creases will disappear. I have
more to do than iron my clothes ;-)
Once upon a time I used to iron everything but why do it? It's not
necessary.

I have never ironed anything in my life. If it wrinkles in the store,
I don't buy it. If it wrinkles too badly when I wash it, I give it
away. Everything else gets washed, hung up to dry, and then put away
to take its chances. And thank the good Lord that John's compulsory
work shirts are non-wrinkling, non-staining etc etc. If he wanted them
ironed, he'd have to do it himself!

Christina Websell wrote:
"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote in message
...

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.

What does "bonded" mean?

People who hire them are insured against dishonesty on the part of the
employee. (They have to have references attesting to their honesty and
reliability which are vetted before they can be bonded.)

MaryL wrote:


"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...



My cousin mainly employs Polish cleaners for her residential home for the
elderly, she only has to pay the minimum wage :-(

She finds them very reliable and hardworking and my aunt has a Polish
cleaner too who is brilliant.

Myself, I think they deserve to be paid more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So do I. I have been fortunate to have very reliable workers, and I always
pay extra (pet sitter, lawn care, etc.).

MaryL

Well, in order to fulfill their "independent contractor" requirements,
my cleaners always told ME what they charged. (If it was more than I
could afford, I could find someone else.)

"Bastette" wrote in message
...
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?

--
I did not sense bad manners here, merely why when finance is a problem, why
cannot you do it yourself to save the cost of getting someone in.
I don't like housework myself but I do it. Because if I don't it will get
away from me.

"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...

"Bastette" wrote in message
...
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?

--
I did not sense bad manners here, merely why when finance is a problem,
why cannot you do it yourself to save the cost of getting someone in.
I don't like housework myself but I do it. Because if I don't it will get
away from me.



There was none looks like someone was having a bad day

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



MaryL wrote:


"Christina Websell" wrote in message
...



My cousin mainly employs Polish cleaners for her residential home for the
elderly, she only has to pay the minimum wage :-(

She finds them very reliable and hardworking and my aunt has a Polish
cleaner too who is brilliant.

Myself, I think they deserve to be paid more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So do I. I have been fortunate to have very reliable workers, and I
always
pay extra (pet sitter, lawn care, etc.).

MaryL

Well, in order to fulfill their "independent contractor" requirements,
my cleaners always told ME what they charged. (If it was more than I
could afford, I could find someone else.)


Yes, that is how those who work for me do it. They tell me what they
charge, and I accept it if I consider it reasonable and want them to work
for me. However, many of the people who work for me have done so for many
years. The man who does my lawn work has worked for me for more than 30
years!! The woman who does my house cleaning has worked for me for about 5
or 6 years. Etc. They both work very hard and are very reasonable, so I
sometimes give them extra (plus a gift at Christmas). I do not "tip" them
on a regular basis, but I do occasionally make the check for more than
requested and tell them how much I appreciate the work they do and that I
realize they go "above and beyond" what would normally be expected.

MaryL

On Mon, 16 Jul 2012 15:58:56 -0500, "MaryL" MaryL

Well, in order to fulfill their "independent contractor" requirements,
my cleaners always told ME what they charged. (If it was more than I
could afford, I could find someone else.)


Yes, that is how those who work for me do it. They tell me what they
charge, and I accept it if I consider it reasonable and want them to work
for me.

I've been an independent contractor for twenty years. The IRS
guidelines I follow are at:

http://www.erginc.com/pdfs/independe..._questions.pdf

Item 12 speaks to method of payment, but there is nothing about
setting rates. Sometimes clients approach me with a rate in mind,
sometimes I bid on jobs. Sometimes there is some negotiating involved,
but the process has no bearing on my status as a contractor.

wrote in message news
On Mon, 16 Jul 2012 15:58:56 -0500, "MaryL" MaryL

Well, in order to fulfill their "independent contractor" requirements,
my cleaners always told ME what they charged. (If it was more than I
could afford, I could find someone else.)


Yes, that is how those who work for me do it. They tell me what they
charge, and I accept it if I consider it reasonable and want them to work
for me.

I've been an independent contractor for twenty years. The IRS
guidelines I follow are at:

http://www.erginc.com/pdfs/independe..._questions.pdf

Item 12 speaks to method of payment, but there is nothing about
setting rates. Sometimes clients approach me with a rate in mind,
sometimes I bid on jobs. Sometimes there is some negotiating involved,
but the process has no bearing on my status as a contractor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have checked all this with the accountant who does my income taxes. The
woman who does my pet sitting and the woman who cleans for me do not work
enough hours (that is, earn enough income) for me so that I would have to
list them on my income taxes. The man who does my lawn care has his own
lawn care business. He uses his own equipment, sets his own hours, works
for people all around town, has a business name, etc. This is something
that really did concern me until I checked everything with the accountant
because I don't want to get into a position where I would have to file W-2
forms.

Thanks,
MaryL