Customer Guidelines – Terms of Service

 

 

Thank You for Your Trust

At Freshen Your Nest, we are deeply grateful for the trust you place in us. Our mission is to continue exceeding your expectations, and we’re proud to celebrate 21 years of providing exceptional residential cleaning services.

We don’t rely on contracts—our relationship with you is built solely on the love you have for our work. We are here because you choose us, and we’re honored to care for your home.

If you ever need further clarification on our Client Guidelines or Terms of Service, please don't hesitate to reach out. We understand that cleaning your home is a personal and emotional task, and we approach it every day with the utmost care and respect.

Thank you for your confidence. We look forward to continuing to serve you with excellence!

Our Promise to You

We are an independent, locally owned and operated cleaning company with employees who meet strict hiring and training standards. We are committed to quality, safety, and ensuring you have the best possible experience with our team. Our employees are W-2 employees (not Independent Contractors), insured, covered by comprehensive worker’s compensation insurance, and all payroll taxes are handled through our office.

Office Hours & Contact Information

• Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• Phone: 856-228-2229
• Email: service@freshenyournestllc.com
  We welcome your calls, texts, and emails, and we're here to assist you in any way possible.

Service Delivery & Scheduling

• Access to Your Home
  We believe the best way to serve you is for you to be home to greet us when we arrive, although we understand this isn't alway possible other options could be a garage code, door keypad code, a door lock box code or a house key.  This ensures you never need to leave your door open, hide a key in a potentially unsecured location or wait at your home to meet your techs.  If you do choose to meet your techs for access to your home, we offer you one of two arrival time slots (between 8:30 am and 1:00 pm or 11:00 am and 3:00 pm.

• Arrival Time & Window
  We aim to arrive within the agreed time window. If you need to adjust the time for your cleaning, please let us know at least 72 business hours' in advance.

  • Timely Access: To provide the best service, timely access to your home is essential. Our time starts when we arrive to clean, so please ensure access is ready.

  • Lock-Out Fee: If we cannot access your home or if a cancellation is made without proper notice (same-day cancellations, inability to access, or turning our technicians away), a “Lock-Out” fee equal to 100% of the service rate will be charged to your card on file.

• Skipped Cleaning & Rescheduling:  see Fees & Additional Charges below.

• Late Arrivals or Delays
  While we strive to stay on schedule, there are occasional delays. If we anticipate being more than 10 minutes late, we will contact you promptly.

• Weather-Related Cancellations
  In cases of severe weather or hazardous conditions, we may need to cancel or reschedule your cleaning. We will notify you as soon as possible to arrange a new appointment.

• Special Requests & Add-Ons
  Any special requests or additional services should be scheduled 48 hours in advance. If a technician is asked to complete additional tasks not initially discussed, extra charges may apply.  See "Additional Services & Extra Cleanings below.

• Service Frequency & Price Adjustments
  Regular customers who change the frequency of their service (e.g., from bi-weekly to monthly) may experience a change in pricing. Price adjustments will be discussed with you in advance.

• Holiday Scheduling
  During holiday weeks, we will do our best to keep your scheduled appointment. However, due to increased demand, your arrival window and day of cleaning may change.  See below for a list of the Holidays our office is closed.

• Technician Substitution for Absences
  We understand that you may have a preferred technician for your cleaning services. However, when your regular technician is unavailable due to illness, personal leave, or other reasons, we will send a qualified substitute to ensure your cleaning appointment is completed as scheduled.

  • Substitution Policy: We reserve the right to assign a different technician to your service if your regular technician is unavailable. The substitution may occur on the same day or a different day, depending on scheduling availability.

  • No Option to Delay: You will not have the option to cancel or delay the cleaning without incurring a fee. If you choose to reschedule for a later date, the regular cleaning fee, along with a catch-up fee, will apply.

Getting Ready for Your Cleaning

Please don’t feel the need to clean before we arrive—just pick & tidy up as much as possible. This helps our team clean more deeply and efficiently, focusing more on the details and quality of your cleaning service.

• Clutter-Free Environment: Please clear surfaces to allow us to clean effectively. We do not clean areas that are cluttered, as it impacts both time and quality of the service. Extra charges will apply if additional time is needed, with prior approval.
• Preparing Your Home:  To help us deliver the best cleaning service possible, here are a few simple steps you can take.
  • Clear Surfaces: Please remove any personal items (like paperwork, small décor, or items on countertops) so we can clean surfaces more efficiently. This allows us to focus on details like dusting and wiping down surfaces.
  • Tidy Floor Areas: Clear the floors of toys, shoes, clothes, or other items. This will allow our team to fully vacuum and mop all floor areas.
  • Secure Pets: For the safety of both your pets and our team, please ensure that pets are kept in a separate area during the cleaning. This helps us avoid distractions and potential accidents.
  • Bathrooms Prep: To help us clean your bathrooms more efficiently and thoroughly, we recommend the following steps:

    1. Remove Throw Rugs: Please remove any throw rugs from the floor so we can mop and clean the floors more easily. Feel free to launder them before or after our visit.

    2. Leave Out Fresh Towels: Place fresh towels where you'd like them, so we can ensure they are neatly arranged and ready for use.

    3. Bathroom Prep:  Store Personal Care Items for a more detailed clean, please store away personal care items such as soaps, razors, perfumes, colognes, and other bathroom essentials in baskets or closets. Additionally, please dispose of any throwaway items (like used tissues, empty bottles, or old razors) to allow us to clean more thoroughly.

    4. Kitchen Prep: Make sure countertops are clear of dishes, and if there’s any major mess (like dishes or food scraps), we recommend putting them away for the best possible clean.

    5. Unclutter:  whether it’s paperwork, décor, laundry, toys or clothing — can block cleaning access and slow down your service. We do not clean around excessive clutter or move piles of items.

    6. Rooms You Don’t Want Cleaned: If there’s a particular room or area you don’t want cleaned, simply leave a note or close the door to indicate where we should not enter.

    7. Check Access Points: Ensure easy access to all areas you want cleaned (no locked rooms, cluttered hallways, or rooms that need a special key).

    8. Remove Fragile or Valuable Items: If you have delicate or irreplaceable items (e.g., fine art, collectibles), we suggest temporarily relocating them to a safe space. This helps prevent accidental damage.

Pets Policies

• Pets: We love pets, but for safety reasons, please ensure they are secured during our cleaning. We cannot clean litter boxes or attend to sick pets.

Cleaning Equipment & Supplies

• We provide all cleaning supplies and equipment. If you prefer we use your own products or vacuum, a signed Release of Liability is required. Please contact the office to arrange this.

Additional Services & Extra Cleanings

We’re happy to provide additional cleaning services to meet your needs! To ensure we can accommodate your request and deliver the highest quality service, we kindly ask that you pre-schedule any extra tasks in advance.

Here’s how to schedule:

• Log into your client portal at least 48 hours before your scheduled cleaning.

• Alternatively, feel free to call us at 856-228-2229 or email us to make arrangements.

Please note: If you leave a note for the technician requesting additional tasks, they may not have enough time, materials, or supplies to complete the request during that day’s cleaning. In such cases, the technician will return the note to our office, and our team will follow up with you to schedule the additional service for another day.

We strive to provide the best service possible, and advance notice ensures we can meet your expectations!

Tipping Policy

• Is appreciated and a great way to reward the team for a job well done but not required.  Choose from four options to add a tip for your cleaning technicians.

  • Log into your client portal

  • Add a tip when completing your survey

  • Give a cash tip for the team

  • Feel free to call the office and we'll add it for you

A suggested tipping range is 5% to 25% of the fee before sales tax.

Holidays & Scheduling Adjustments

We observe the following holidays and are closed:

• New Year’s Day

• Memorial Day

• Independence Day

• Labor Day

• Thanksgiving

• Christmas Day (and the day after)

If your cleaning falls on a holiday, we will contact you to reschedule. During holiday weeks, schedules may shift, so please contact us early for flexibility.

Referral Program & Employee Solicitation

• Referral Rewards: We appreciate referrals! When you refer us, you earn Free Cleaning as our way of saying thank you.
• Employee Solicitation: Poaching our employees is prohibited and will result in a $2,500 finder’s fee.

Special Services

• Cancer Cleanings: Through our partnership with Cleaning For A Reason, we provide free cleanings for cancer patients. Please visit www.cleaningforareason.org to register a client in need.

Customer Feedback  

We believe your feedback is essential to maintaining our high standards. We encourage you to share your thoughts after each cleaning, as your input helps us continually improve our services. Whether you’re happy with the service or if something was missed, we want to know!

How to Share Your Feedback:

• You’ll receive a one-click client satisfaction survey within 30 minutes of your cleaning. This easy-to-use survey is an important part of our communication with you and helps us address any issues quickly.

• Correcting Issues: We strive for perfection, but we understand mistakes can happen. If you notice any missed areas, please contact us by 11:00 AM the day after your cleaning, and we will arrange for a re-cleaning to correct any oversights.

Quality Control & Inspections

We take pride in the quality of our work, and we want to ensure that every cleaning meets your expectations. To do this, we rely on a strong quality control system that includes routine inspections.

• Every cleaning is followed by a 52-point inspection, sometimes including photos of the completed work.

• Our cleaning professionals are dedicated to delivering high-quality service, and are always eager to know how they performed.  They want to hear from you when you’re happy or if something needs attention.

• We believe in rewarding their hard work. Our technicians earn bonuses based on customer satisfaction and performance.

  • Customer Feedback: Technicians earn bonuses when customers provide positive feedback through our satisfaction surveys. The more positive feedback we receive, the greater the reward for the technician.

  • Performance & Efficiency: Our techs also receive bonuses based on their efficiency and ability to meet cleaning targets while maintaining quality.

Why This Matters: We believe in fostering a work environment that motivates our technicians to perform at their best, and we truly appreciate the effort they put into making your home shine. Happy staff lead to happy customers. By actively listening to feedback and making adjustments as needed, we ensure a continuous cycle of improvement that benefits both our team and you.

100% Happiness Guarantee

We stand behind the quality of our work. We’ve built our reputation by consistently providing the best cleaning service available anywhere, and our goal is always to exceed your expectations.

That said, we understand that sometimes mistakes happen. If you notice anything that was overlooked during your cleaning, don’t hesitate to speak up! Our technicians are happy to re-clean any missed areas on the spot, or you can contact our office before they leave your home.

To Qualify for Our 100% Guarantee:

• Please contact our office before 11:00 AM the day after your cleaning (or by Monday if your cleaning is on a Friday).

• If we are notified within that time frame, we will arrange for our technician/team to return and address any issues.

Important Details:

• Complaints made after 24 hours from the completion of your cleaning fall outside of the warranty period and may not be covered.

• Our technicians are regularly quality inspected by management, so they may return to your home even after the cleaning to ensure everything meets our high standards.

• Please allow for some dust resettlement after we leave. While we make every effort to limit airborne dust, we cannot guarantee that all dust will be fully contained.

• Window blind cleaning results are not guaranteed due to factors like oxidation, fading, and the fragile nature of blinds.

We’re committed to providing the best possible service and ensuring that you’re always satisfied with our work. Thank you for trusting us with your home!

Payment Policies

To ensure a smooth and efficient service, we require a credit card to be on file for all clients. This allows us to securely process payments upon completion of your cleaning and ensures we can provide consistent service without delays.

• Accepted Payment Method: We accept credit card payments only. We do not accept cash or checks for safety and efficiency reasons.

• Billing: Your credit card will be charged after each cleaning service is completed.

Fees & Additional Charges

We believe in transparency, which is why we’ve outlined any applicable fees for your convenience. Please review the following so that you’re aware of any charges that may apply to your service:

1. Sales Tax: New Jersey state sales tax is applicable to all cleaning services. This tax will be added to your final bill, and the total amount, including tax, will be reflected in the payment processed on your credit card.
2. Advance Deposit: Certain services require a deposit to secure your  services.

   • $250 deposit required for Move-In/Move-Out or Rental Inspection, Fresh Start Deluxe, Super Deluxe Post-Construction cleanings.

   • $150 deposit required for all other services.

   • Cancellations made the day of your scheduled cleaning, your deposit is non-refundable. Cancellations with less than 72 business hours' notice will result in the deposit being non-refundable.

3. Reschedule Fee: 
   If you need to reschedule a cleaning appointment, please notify us 72 business hours' in advance to avoid any rescheduling fees. If you fail to give sufficient notice, a $150 fee will apply.
   Schedule Change Needed?  Use this quick link to our "Schedule Change Needed Please" form available to you 24//7.  It's the fastest way to get started on your request. You’ll also find a link to this form in every email reminder we send about your upcoming service appointments. Please note: Fees may apply.

4. Skipped Cleaning Fee:

   • A cancellation/skipped cleaning made the day of service will incur a fee equal to the full service rate.

   • A cancellation/skip cleanings with less than 72 business hours' notice will incur a fee equal to $150 + a catch up fee of $75.00 per hour required to get your cleaning back on track at your next scheduled cleaning appointment.

   • A cancellation/skipped cleanings with 72 business hours' or more notice will incur a catch up fee of $75.00 per hour required to get your cleaning back on track at your next scheduled cleaning appointment

   • For holiday week cancellations, any cancellation during a holiday week (e.g., New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas) will incur a fee of $150.

5. Utilities & Service Completion:

   To ensure the best quality cleaning, we require that all utilities be functioning properly at the time of service. This includes electricity, working heat and air conditioning, and hot water.

   • Non-Refundable Travel Fee: If your utilities are turned off upon our technician's arrival, we will need to reschedule your cleaning. In this case, a $225 non-refundable travel fee will be charged to your card on file.

   • Cancellation: If you choose to cancel your cleaning due to utility issues, the full amount of your cleaning service will be forfeited.

   • Loss of Power During Service: If electrical power is lost during your cleaning, we cannot guarantee that the cleaning will be completed as planned. We may be unable to continue service due to circumstances beyond our control.

   We appreciate your cooperation in ensuring all utilities are active and functioning to avoid unnecessary delays and additional fees.

6. Additional Time or Services

   • If additional time is needed to complete your cleaning due to clutter, a $85/hour fee may apply (with prior approval).

   • For extra services like deep cleaning or specialty requests, pre-scheduling is required. Additional charges will be discussed and agreed upon in advance.

   • See "Additional Services & Extra Cleanings" above.
7. Lock-Out Fee
   If we are unable to gain access to your home at the scheduled time due to issues like locked doors, unkempt pets, or missed key exchanges, a 100% service rate fee will be charged to your card on file.

8. Late Payment Fee

   • A $10 fee will be added to your bill if payment is not received within 3 business days of your cleaning.

   • If payment is not received within 30 days, a $35 late fee will be applied. Each subsequent month of non-payment additional fees will be incurred.

9. Returned Check Fee
   A fee of $65 will apply for any check that is returned by the bank.

10. Collection of Fees - In addition to any amounts owed to Freshen Your Nest, you agree to be responsible for all reasonable collection and attorney’s fees we incur to bring your account current.

Preferred Rate vs One-Time Pricing

Our Preferred Rate is reserved exclusively for customers who commit to recurring service. Recurring service is defined as at least eight (8) consecutive weekly or every-other-week cleaning appointments within a four-month period.

If you choose to switch from a recurring service to a One-Time Service, you will be charged the difference between the Preferred Rate and the One-Time Cleaning Rate, which is $105.00 per cleaning hour plus sales tax.

We appreciate your commitment to regular service, which allows us to provide the best value for your home!

Rate Increases & Price Adjustments

We strive to offer you the best value for high-quality cleaning services. To ensure we continue to meet your needs and maintain service excellence, please note the following:

• Rate Increases: Our rates may be subject to change periodically. We will provide you with advance notice of any rate increases, ensuring you have enough time to adjust your plans accordingly.

• Price Adjustments: In some cases, price adjustments may be necessary based on changes to your home’s cleaning needs, size, or frequency of service. If the conditions of your home change, we will notify you in advance and provide a revised quote to reflect these adjustments.

We are committed to maintaining transparency and clear communication regarding any changes to your service.

Breakage & Damage

We take great care in cleaning your home. However, accidents can occasionally happen. Here’s how we handle breakage and damage:

• Handling Fragile Items: We ask that you remove delicate or irreplaceable items (such as figurines, vases, and jewelry) before our team arrives to prevent accidental damage. If these items are left out, we are not responsible for any breakage that may occur.

• Booby Traps: Items that are unstable or improperly secured (e.g., top-heavy decorations, wobbly furniture, or poorly hung pictures) are considered "booby traps." We cannot be held liable for damage to these items.

• Accidental Damage: If breakage occurs, we will provide a credit up to $100 for future services, as long as the damaged item is kept for inspection and value verification. For damages over $100, we recommend you file a claim with your homeowners’ insurance.

• Reporting Damage: Our technicians are trained to immediately report any damage and take pictures for documentation. You will be contacted promptly to discuss a fair resolution.

We strive to prevent accidents and treat your home with care, but we appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

Security & Privacy

We take the security of your home and privacy very seriously. We are committed to ensuring that your personal information and belongings are always treated with the utmost respect and care.

• Access to Your Home: Our technicians will always respect your access instructions, whether you’ve provided a key, code, or lockbox. We maintain strict protocols to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to your home.

• Confidentiality: All personal and billing information is kept confidential. We do not share your information with third parties unless required by law, and all transactions are securely processed.

• No Unauthorized Access: For your security, we do not allow anyone other than our technicians to access your home during cleaning appointments. We also do not allow our technicians to let in any third-party workers (e.g., repairmen or delivery personnel) during your cleaning appoiintment.

• Photographs and Social Media: With your permission, we may take before-and-after photos of cleaned areas to showcase our work on our website or social media pages. Rest assured, no personal items or identifiable information will be included in these images. If you prefer that no photos be taken, please let us know in advance.

• Personal Belongings: We ask that any valuable or irreplaceable items (e.g., jewelry, important documents) be stored securely before our technicians arrive. While our team is careful and considerate of your home, we cannot be held liable for loss or damage to personal items not properly secured.

Health & Safety Policies

OSHA regulations require that we take precautions for your protection and our employees:

• Children & Distractions: For the safety and efficiency of the cleaning process, please keep children in a separate area and minimize distractions.
• Medical Injections: If anyone in your home is receiving medication through injections, please inform the office immediately as certain precautions must be taken by our cleaning technicians.

• Temperature Control: During April to October, please ensure your air conditioning is set to a maximum of 73°F for the comfort and safety of our cleaning team.

• Smoke-Free Environment: New Jersey state law requires a smoke-free environment for staff. If this is not possible, we will be unable to provide service.

• Firearms: All firearms must be securely locked and stored in your home.

• Weather: In severe weather/storms, we may determine it is not safe to travel and/or carry equipment and supplies to your home and cancel that day’s service.

• Footwear Standards: For the safety of our technicians, appropriate footwear is required at all times in areas where there is a risk of foot injuries.

  • This includes risks from heat, water, slipping, falling objects, crushing, or penetrating actions.
  • Shoes must be enclosed (no open-toed shoes) and have a non-slip sole to prevent accidents and ensure stability while cleaning.

We take safety seriously, and these guidelines are in place to protect both our staff and your home.

What We Do Not Clean

For the safety of our team and the protection of your home, there are certain areas and items that we do not clean. Below is a list of exclusions from our cleaning services:

• Step higher than a 2-step stool.
• Work on the outside of your home.
• Wash outside of windows.
• Climb on or change sheets on Bunk Beds.
• Lift any object(s) over 20 pounds.
• We do not move heavy objects of furniture or appliances.
• We do not dust oil paintings or wall art that does not have a glass front for protection.
• Dust flat TV screens.
• Prepare meals.
• Wash window draperies.
• Provide any pet or child related services.
• Chandeliers.
• Remove paint.
• Empty diaper pails.
• Clean up any bio-hazard waste, human or animal (urine, feces, blood, etc.).
• Clean litter boxes.
• Clean up fire, smoke and or water damage.
• Remediate mold or mildew.
• Dust inside of any hutch/china cabinet/curio/closed glass cabinet.
• Clean wet bars.
• Only dry dust leather and electronics.
• We do not clean areas or surfaces that are cluttered.

Additional Terms

• Grease Removal: Kitchen grease requires extra care and is an add-on service. Please consult with your estimator if you need this service.

• Wood Floor Liability: We do not move heavy furniture on wood floors without a signed Release of Liability.

• House Plants: We do not handle live or artificial plants as part of our regular cleaning services.

  • Due to the delicate nature of both artificial and live plants, we are unable to include them as part of our regular cleaning routine. For the protection of your plants and the safety of our technicians, we kindly ask that you move or remove any plants from the areas we will be cleaning.
• Window Blinds: We take great care when cleaning your blinds. We are not responsible for damage caused by oxidation or wear on window blinds.
  However, please be aware of the following:

  • Oxidation & Fading: Over time, exposure to sunlight causes the finishes of blinds to oxidize and fade. This natural process breaks down the layers of the blinds, and while we remove the dirt, we cannot reverse any pre-existing damage. As a result, certain areas of the blinds may appear blotched or streaked after cleaning.

  • Food, Grease, & Hard Water Damage: Food products, grease, and hard water spray can also cause damage to blinds, particularly in kitchen and bathroom areas. Although we will clean the blinds, a speckled appearance may remain, visible only upon close inspection. Vigorous rubbing to remove stubborn stains like grease, smoke, or water spots may cause further damage.

  • Liability: Freshen Your Nest accepts no liability for any damage to window blinds caused by oxidation, fading, sun rot, UV rays, discoloration, broken ladders, pull strings, or wear due to age or poor installation. We will inspect your blinds thoroughly before cleaning and inform you of any visible defects or concerns regarding their condition.

Cancellation of Your Service

We value our relationship with every client, and we understand that circumstances may change. As such, we maintain a flexible policy regarding the cancellation/discontinue future cleaning services:

• At-Will Service Cancellation: You may cancel your service at any time. There is no contract or minimum commitment required—our services are available to you on a flexible, at-will basis.

• Cancellation Notice: To avoid any cancellation fees, we kindly request at least three full business days' notice if you plan to discontinue future cleaning services. This allows us to adjust our schedule and offer services to other clients.

• Cancellation Fees: Cancellations made with less than 72 business hours' notice will result in the full service rate.

Thank You for Choosing Us

We hope our Customer Guidelines help clarify our policies and services. If you have any questions or need further clarification, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for your trust in Freshen Your Nest. We look forward to providing you with continued top-quality cleaning services!