Christine Merrilees: Hi! My name is Christine Merrilees and I am with Merry Maids and toady we are discussing how to select a cleaning service. First, I'll discuss security. Well it may be tempting to price over the phone, you really want to meet with someone inside your home. Ask to see insurance documentation. You will want to make sure that the company carries general liability; this protects you should something be broken or show up missing inside your home. It's also an opportunity to meet with a representative and understand the quality of service that you will be receiving for the price that you have quoted. Again, it's also an opportunity to ask about insurance, to make sure you're protected. Be sure to ask about worker's compensation. Now some consumers don't always understand what this means, they assume that their home owner's insurance will cover them should an employee be hurt or injured when inside their home, and well in fact that's true it does not protect the homeowner if that employee should sue for lost wages. You will also want to ask the cleaning service representative about background checks, not all services provide them and if they are provided ask if they are local or national background checks. National background checks are much more thorough. When speaking with the prospective cleaning service representative, be sure to ask if the company will be sending an employee or a subcontractor to your home. If the company sends a subcontractor to your home you will be less protected. Be sure to clarify who will be providing the 1099 tax form to that person or those people, will that be your responsibility or will the company take responsibility.

And, finally, you will want to ask how your keys will be secured. Ideally, your keys should be stored in a lockbox inside the office, without any kind of identifying information such as address, telephone number or name. And next, we will discuss the quality considerations you should keep in mind when choosing your cleaning service.