This is a local housecleaning service owned by a very pleasant woman named Dana.
I live alone in a one-bedroom apartment & keep things pretty tidy. I'm just too busy to keep up w/ dusting, vacuuming & cleaning the bathroom, so I was in the market for this service. I think I'm a low-maintenance client.
I purchased a Groupon for two hours of cleaning. I liked Dana & her assistant, I was satisfied w/ the service, the few reviews I found were positive & the price was fair, so I signed up for ongoing service.
After the initial service, I noticed the mopping left a smeary film on my hard floors in the kitchen & foyer. Imagine the residue you would see if you wiped a mirror w/ a dirty rag; it was kinda like that. Also, the cleaning didn't remove dried food drippings. I called Dana & explained I wasn't satisfied w/ the floors. She accepted my feedback with a positive attitude. She agreed to give those floors special attention on the next visit & try another cleaning technique that should produce a better result. I was fine w/ that.
The next visit was unsatisfactory. For example (not a complete list):
1. There were metallic scratches on my brand new sink. Some were surface scratches, others penetrated the surface. It looks like they may have used a pot scrubber; shouldn't a professional know better? I understand accidents happen, but would have appreciated a call or note to the effect of "This happened, we're sorry, here's what we'll do about it." Instead, they left it for me to discover. I'll post a photo, but I'm not sure if that violates Yelp's guidelines; it might be removed.
2. There was no improvement on the kitchen and foyer floors, despite my request for special attention to these previously reported problem areas. I suspect they weren't even cleaned; the food spots were still there & the smearing appeared unchanged.
3. When they dusted/cleaned countertops, etc., they didn't put things back the way I had them. This was the worst in the areas where it matters most - the bathroom & kitchen counters. I don't expect them to have a photographic memory or pick up on subtle nuances, but do expect them to be mindful about how things are arranged & try to put things back the way I had them. I had to return my bathroom scale, trash can, wash cloths, cosmetics, grooming tools, kitchen utensils, etc to their proper locations. I don't want to go thru my apartment after each cleaning to put everything back where they belong.
4. There were prominent dark streaks all over my expensive designer bedspread. My agreement calls for them to vacuum my upholstery, so it might have something to do w/ that process.
5. We agreed the service would include wiping down my patio furniture. This was not done. They also overlooked the bathroom mirror.
I was inclined to stop the service at that point. However, I liked Dana & wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt; after all, I was a new client & we were still getting to know what to expect from one another. To be fair, I reported all of my concerns to her in writing & gave her an opportunity to make things right. I made it clear that the sink must be repaired to my landlord's satisfaction at her expense. As to the bedspread, I wasn't seeking a replacement, but just wanted to know what happened. At worst, I said if it needed to be dry cleaned, I might ask for at least partial reimbursement. I invited her to come by & inspect the unsatisfactory areas.
Dana acknowledged my letter the next day (12/18/13) & said she would call me right away. She never called. My next scheduled cleaning day passed w/o any contact from her or services performed. At that point, I decided that I'm done & moved on, although I intend to pursue reimbursement if the cost to repair the sink is more than negligible.
Dana emailed me 01/06/14 (nearly 3 weeks later) saying she hadn't forgotten about me & wanted to discuss my concerns. I declined. The offer is too late. I expected better responsiveness under the circumstances.
I believe my concerns were reasonable & I gave Dana a fair opportunity to keep my business. I wanted it to work out; she didn't rise to the occasion.
UPDATE: I eventually spoke w/ Dana & she shared the nature of some commitments in her personal life that were taking her attention away from her business.To resolve the issue, Dana offered to refund the full price I paid for the second visit; I received it the next day.
BOTTOM LINE: Dana is pleasant to work with, even when making a complaint, and I believe she is capable of providing a high-quality service. My negative experience was probably an isolated issue related to bad timing. However, as a busy consumer paying for a service, I sympathize w/ Dana's personal situation but must be able to depend on consistent, high-quality work; I'm not in a position to let a service provider's problems create problems for me. I wish Dana well, but will not use her services again. read more