How to 'find' a Domestic Cleaner?

[Augustus]

My mother is in need of a domestic cleaner to give her house a good clean approx once a fortnight, the trouble is that she doesn't know who to ask. And neither do I, hence this message.

Naturally she wants someone 100% trustworthy and reliable - are there any good companies who she should approach, or other options which she should examine? I've already phoned Age UK and am awaiting a reply.

She lives in North Somerset.

Thank you.

[Papaumau]

Hi Augustus....That's a rather strange request for this forum !

As I like to think that I try to help as many folk as I can each day, I will try to give you some ideas.......

There are two main sources for such help: 1). The local authority and the Social Work Department where you might get such help at low cost of even free, and...2 ). The commercial sector, where a company will provide vetted people to do that job ( at a price ).

Word of mouth is also a good source of this kind of help as if people already have a good "home-help" of this sort they will recommend them to you.

You can always look through the Blue book or yellow-pages but this might not deliver safe help without some form of vetting before-hand.

Best of luck to you as every person that cares for their mother like that should be appreciated and rewarded.

[Augustus]

Thanks for your help and advice.

I just want to make sure that she gets a cleaner who is not only good at their job but also trustworthy. I'll persue your suggestions.

[avalonmpk]

Hi Augustus!
Beware of local authorities an their domestics - I will send you a separate cover as to why-
There are a couple of very good agencies in Bath & Bristol and a further one in Wells all probably in yellow pages.
Make sure of the following: References and surety two guarantors up to a sum equivalent of a years wages each and at least three references and do speak to previous employers. and finally employ someone as close to your mothers age as is practical.

[Augustus]

I've been partly going on this site:

http://www.cqc.org.uk/

also basing my opinion on talking to other people and also speaking at length to the care company who I've decided to give a try out (pending an initial meeting next week).

[Papaumau]

That looks like an excellent site Augustus !

I would be VERY wary of doing what Avalonmpk says as not all local authorities are like that.

Some people on this site are too willing to stereotype any group that we may be discussing. Stereotypical behaviour is a very unfair way to go.

As the "private" agencies are driven by the profit motive I would much rather look at what they are offering with a pinch of salt before engaging them.

It is the privatisation of such tasks that has brought many councils into disrepute as once they hand over those jobs to private carers these carers start to do their jobs against the clock.

I aquired first hand experience of this as I wached how the PRIVATISED care company looked after my mother-in-law.

These jobs, just like the hospital cleaning jobs, are much better done if they are done IN-HOUSE. ( Of course this means that the operatives on such in-house tasks have to be managed properly too. Some aren't ). 

[avalonmpk]

Papa Your arrogance is only surpassed by your ignorance!
The agencies I have in mind, one is run by and for the benefit of disabled ex-servicemen and their families another is supported by the TUC and the third is a ladies only organisation.
If you have a single thread of decency in your body you should send a donation to Help for Hero's!
HANG YOR HEAD IN SHAME and don' t  talk about thing of which you are ignorant.

[Papaumau]

"Beware of local authorities and their domestics" is a stereotypical indictment if I EVER heard one !

Like with all such services one needs to be discerning.

Local authority carers are set up under government guidelines and because they are representative of GOVERNMENT services they have to be held to some standards that private ones are not. These services are issued under the auspices of the Social Work Departments that are most likely to be cheaper than the private ones. ( I am sure that Augustus is looking for good VFM when he chooses the group that wiill care for his mother ).

I would hope that he would not have the severe bias that you seem to have when thinking of Social Work Department caring facilities. After all it is they that are the experts in this field.

I am not saying that you may not know of some "good" services, I am saying that they all need to be vetted as almost all of them that do that job under the profit motive are at risk of doing it poorly and in a hurry.

You may also note that I do NOT attack you in particular; I attack what you say when you leave the door open for such attack.

Augustus does not know you so he should take any such pointed or specific advice you give as open for scrutiny.

In any case he is going to have to carefully check out ANY carer group that he might employ for his mother's needs.