company policy

Our Workplace is Your Home!

A Residential Cleaning business is different than many businesses in that the employees of the company are considered to be at work while in your home, whereas it is your private home. These separate concepts can be problematic in perception, especially by the client.

All companies are regulated by different government agencies, such as the IRS, Department of Labor, and OSHA. Insurance companies also have many regulations and guidelines that companies must follow in order to keep their insurance rates low. Since our customer’s encounter these same issues in their own jobs outside of their home, we would like to highlight a few of the main points regarding the regulations we must adhere to. Also, we would like to discuss some items that will make the service experience better for both customer and employee.

Our Workplace is Your Home!

100% Satisfaction Guarantee:

We do our best to meet or exceed your expectations. If you’re not satisfied with the job we did, please notify us within 24 hours of service completion, and we’ll return and complete the job to your satisfaction.

Office/Service Hours:

Monday through Friday 8:30am ~ 5:30 pm
The best way to assure that you receive excellent service, is to let us know how you’d like us to improve or what you’d like done differently. Feel free to call, text or email us at any time, and we’ll make sure that your concerns and requests are taken care of. .
If we are very busy, you may get our voice mail. We return our calls promptly. If you reach us after hours (after 6pm or before 8am, or over the weekend), your call/text will be returned by our next business day.

Payment:

Payment (by check or credit card) is due in full at or before each service appointment. Please leave payment on the kitchen counter or table, or send through the mail. If you forget one payment, please contact our office immediately. If you would like to pay by credit card, please fill in the Credit Card Payment Authorization and send it to the office by mail or email.

Cancellations and Re-Scheduling:

You’re welcome to cancel or re-schedule with at least 24 hours notice. We plan our schedule ahead of time, and our staff depends on the regular income of a full schedule. When you cancel on short notice, we still need to compensate our staff fairly. When we schedule your cleaning job we reserve that time for you and you alone, and turn other business away. We charge a $25 missed appointment fee for late cancellations or late re-schedules. The cutoff for requests is 11am of the previous business day.

Estimated Arrival Time:

We’ll give you an estimated window of arrival 3~5 business days prior to the service by email and/or text. While we schedule for travel time, we can’t control traffic conditions, and earlier clients’ appointments may take more or less time than scheduled, or be cancelled.
You may request a “first appointment of the day”, and we’ll accommodate you if available (even with these, traffic sometimes trips us up!). We’ll also try to accommodate requests for “not before” or “not after” a specific time. You don’t have to be home to receive service, as long as you provide for entry.

Safety Precautions:

Please do not ask our staff to:
- Remove our shoes or use shoe covers. We are required by federal law to wear slip-resistant shoes at all times.
- Use ladders other than the small step ladder we provide, or climb up on any furniture. We carries extension poles to reach high areas.
- Lift or move heavy items.(more than 20lbs)
- Clean up human or pet waste, blood or bodily fluids.
- Restrain or move an aggressive or barking dog. If your pet is aggressive or uncomfortable with strangers, please restrain her/him before our cleaner(s) arrive. Otherwise we may not be able to provide service, and you may be charged a late cancellation fee.

Tipping:

Tipping your cleaner(s) is optional and always welcome. Not like the pizza delivery man, we are paying the reasonable rate to the employees not to expect tips from the customers. Tips may be given directly to your cleaner(s) or added to your check.

Breakage or Damage:

We train our staff to take extra care with your belongings, however occasional accidents do happen. Our staff is instructed to report breakage or damage immediately to the office and to you if you’re available. If you believe that something has been damaged or broken by us, we need to hear about it within 24 hours after your appointment. We do not take responsibility for damage not reported within this time frame.
Except for cases of intentional damage, Sandi Cleaning Services total liability for other property damage is limited to a refund of the amount paid for the cleaning service rendered on the date that the damage occurred. Sandi Cleaning Services, at its sole discretion, and without admitting liability, may offer to replace or repair the property, in lieu of a refund. Sandi Cleaning Services will choose the method, manner, and person or persons to perform or supply such repair or replacement.
You are responsible for letting us know if there are valuable or irreplaceable items such as heirlooms, so that we can instruct our staff not to touch them. In addition, we cannot take responsibility for damage to items that were broken because they were not properly attached or secured (for example, a hanging picture that was improperly attached to the wall), or items that had prior damage.

Suspected Theft:

We screen our staff carefully upon hiring. Theft by household workers is rare, and usually items believed to be stolen are eventually found in the home. Most people are honest, however we can’t guarantee that theft will never happen, and we want to assure you that we’ll cooperate in any way we can in the event that you suspect that our staff has taken something from your home. If you suspect a theft has taken place:
– Contact us immediately so that we can talk with our staff. They may have seen the item, or the conversation may give us additional useful information.
– Search your home carefully.
– If you conclude that the item has been stolen, we urge you to contact your local Police and request an investigation.
– We’re bonded, and our Janitorial Bond will cover stolen items if the person responsible is found and convicted.
We know that the police frequently do not follow up on this sort of report, so we strongly urge, as a precaution, that you keep your valuables out of sight and in a safe location.

Holidays:

We don’t provide service on the following holidays. If you have a cleaning appointment scheduled on these days, please call to re-schedule.
*   New Years Day (1/1)
*   Memorial Day (Monday)
*   Independence Day (7/4)
*   Labor Day (Monday)
*   Thanksgiving Days (Thursday & Friday)
*   Christmas Day (12/25)

Pets:

A company value is “safety is always first”. We ask that you please make sure that your pets are put in a closed off area or be under your control while we are cleaning. We want to avoid one of our staff members to be injured by a pet. We only hire those that are not afraid of animals, but please understand that your particular pet may not be as friendly with us, especially large dogs. Please don’t let your dog jump up on the staff members or “nuzzle” them. It can cause the employees to feel uncomfortable or even frighten them. In the event of a dog bite, it must be reported to the authorities first, and it would be the responsibility of the owner to pay any medical bills. We care about your pets and we care about our employees. We want an environment which is pleasant and safe for both.

Shoes:

Footwear must be worn by the employees at all times. Both the Labor Department and OSHA, as well as our workers’ comp insurance carrier insist on the staff wearing their shoes. In the past, we have had some clients ask the staff members to remove their shoes. The staff is never allowed to remove their footwear. The Company has provided employees the shoes, together with the uniforms, to change their shoes prior to entering the house for cleaning.

Stepstools & Ladders, etc.:

Since falling is the leading cause of accidents and injuries in the home, the staff members are not allowed, by our insurance carrier, to stand on any implement which will raise them above a two-step step ladder. That includes, stools, large stepladders, chairs, counter tops and the like. We don’t want them falling and breaking anything on themselves, nor falling and breaking anything of the client’s. Therefore, they may not be able to reach some high areas.

Unauthorized cleaning products:

There are many chemicals sold at retail stores for the home that are very caustic and harmful to humans, pets and the environment. We can use neutral ph and eco-friendly products, which are people, pet and environmentally friendly cleaning agents, at your request as part of our green cleaning program. Our staff members are not allowed by our insurance carrier and by OSHA regulations, to use any chemical which has an inhalation warning on the label, especially any chlorinated product or a product with ammonia as an ingredient. For these reasons, the staff members cannot use a customer’s product unless a waiver is signed for the Company. It’s not only for the employee’s protection, but also for the protection of the client. We train our staff members very specifically on the correct application of all of their cleaning products. Unfamiliar products can cause unexpected results or damage to both the client’s surfaces and to the employee’s health and well being.

Smoking by the Customer:

We know that smoking is a touchy subject, particularly when it is the client’s own residence. However, it is not only Federal & State laws and county ordinances that dictate a non-smoking environment for employees, but also the Department of Labor and OSHA become involved under this matter as well. As a company, we must provide a workplace which is free of second hand smoke for their employees. Our Company strives to provide a smoke-free environment. This is beneficial for all customers and non-smoking employees as well. Please be mindful of their health and right to work in a smoke free environment when cleaning your residence, and if someone is a smoker in the household, please have them refrain from smoking while the staff is present. It is a known health hazard in itself and some people are allergic to smoke or have asthma.

Dress Code for cleaning:

We are referring to how the client is dressed or undressed while the staff is servicing the residence. We have had some clients actually naked or in their underwear when the staff has arrived to clean. Please be mindful of how casually you are attired when they come in to service your residence. We strictly enforce the Company Dress Code policy for our staff members. They are to be properly attired when they are cleaning.

AC & Heating:

During the extreme temperatures of Summer & Winter seasons particularly, it is very much appreciated by the staff members if the home’s temperature is more conducive to physical activity. If it is during the summer months, please adjust your thermostat so that it is not a hot-house environment for them to have to work in. You should set the thermostat to a reasonable level for that day so that they are not too hot to perform their work properly – less than 78 degrees or cooler In the winter months, the recommended setting for comfort and efficiency is 68 degrees, or warmer. Please consider that you would appreciate and expect the same while working at your place of employment.

Valuables, monies & firearms:

Please take precautions when you have any outside service workers in your residence. Be conscientious about leaving certain items unsecured. We hire honest people and conduct background searches on everyone. But let’s not tempt anyone with cash, jewelry, credit cards, checks or other valuables which are easily accessible. Also, if there are guns or ammunition in the house, please have them locked away. We do have law enforcement officials and regular citizens who would fall under this category.

Other issues or concerns:

Please tell us if there is anything unusual, special or required in your household for our staff members to be aware of, in order to keep a safe, environmentally friendly and productive workplace, which would enable us to provide the best possible service for you.

released on November 1, 2015

effective from November 1, 2015