Can anyone recommend a good cleaning lady??? (rental, insurance)

[AliciaMaria]

Cleaning lady, housekeeping services, maid, whichever.. Beaches area, preferably.. Ive been searching on craigslist without much luck.

For information's sake.. We'd need someone for our home, for two of our employees' homes (like a bonus-type thing for them) and our office.. Recommendations would be awesome. Thanks in advance, all!

[EricBoyd]

Try these folks: ACS Pearlfection Services, 904-288-0696. I've called on them a few times for cleaning newly vacant rental properties and they did a really good job.

[donisanasfan]

Maids on The Run has done a great job for me in the past. They do a lot of nice extras like giving the "spa" look to your towels and making animals out of towels for your kids bathrooms. Personally I would shy away from craigslist for house keepers as you may find your house cleaned out, instead of being cleaned.

[AliciaMaria]

Thanks you two! I kind of want to steer away from a 'service' where they're just the middle man and dole out jobs to various people. I'd rather give all the money to the cleaner and not the person who sits back and collects.

As for craigslist, I know you have to be careful, but that's with anything. We've found all of our employees on Craigslist, fwiw.

[EricBoyd]

Originally Posted by AliciaMaria

Thanks you two! I kind of want to steer away from a 'service' where they're just the middle man and dole out jobs to various people. I'd rather give all the money to the cleaner and not the person who sits back and collects.

When I hired ACS, they were the ones doing the work, not a sub-crew.

[AliciaMaria]

^ thanks Eric!

[Robyn55]

I've only had 2 housekeepers here in 15 years. When I was between the first and the second - I interviewed some services. Many didn't do the necessary SS/Medicare withholding - or pay for things like workers' comp. Said they couldn't afford it <jerks>. Make sure that any service you deal with is "kosher". And - if you hire someone personally - you are responsible for SS/Medicare payment/withholding unless your employee is operating in corporate form or you pay them less than $1700/year/$1000/quarter. I personally won't deal with anyone who wants to be paid "under the table". Believe me - this can bite you in the a** if you don't follow the rules. Robyn

[Ryde41]

904-994-4966 This lady is really nice, her name is Maria.
She does an awesome job and is serious about her work.

[AliciaMaria]

Oh Robyn, we wont hire anyone who asks us to pay them under the table.. if we have to pay our taxes, then so do they..

Thanks Ryde!

[Robyn55]

Don't forget you have to pay the employers' share of FICA - SS/Medicare (you file the form with your 1040). I always pay both ends - figure I can afford it more than my employees. You also need to get an EIN (employer's identification number). Get an I-9 (immigration form) for every employee. And give your employees the tax forms that show what you paid them every year. You may also have to pay unemployment insurance taxes depending on how much you pay (you said you were paying for you and some other people and your office - so there's a reasonable chance you'll have to pay unemployment insurance taxes).

And don't forget that although your homeowners' insurance will probably cover you for injuries sustained by household employees who come by your house once a week - it will probably not cover you for people you hire to work at other peoples' houses. Frankly - if I were in your position - I'd just give my employees a few extra dollars - let them hire their own household workers if they care to.

With regard to your office - you'll have to look at your liability policy there.

And you may - depending on circumstances - have to pay for a workers' comp policy as well depending on how many people you have working for you - and how much you pay them.

Who said life was easy! Robyn