Customer Guidelines – Terms of Service
Dear Valued Client;
Thank you for your trust, and we promise to continue to work hard to meet and exceed your expectations. We specialize in residential home cleaning and are thrilled to be celebrating our 20th year in business. We do not have contracts - never have. We are in your home solely because you love our service. Please do not hesitate to give me a call if you need further clarification on any of our Client Guidelines - Terms of Service. “Touching” people’s homes is a personal and emotional task. We do it every day with as much care and respect as possible. Thank you for your confidence!
Customer Guidelines - Terms of Service
Freshen Your Nest is an independent, locally owned and operated cleaning company. Our employees are W-2 employees (not Independent Contractors), and meet strict hiring and training standards. They all meet Federal requirements regarding their ability to work in the United States legally. They are insured, covered by comprehensive worker’s compensation insurance and all payroll taxes are paid through our office.
Office Hours – Our office hours are Monday – Friday 8:00AM – 4:30PM. Our office telephone number is 856-228-2229. We welcome your calls, texts and emails. Our general email is [email protected]. Please contact us if we can help in any way.
Access to your home - Our techs require timely access to your home to perform their job. Our time starts when we arrive to clean. If we have to wait on someone to unlock the door or to access a space there will be less time available to clean the house. Unfortunately, if we are not given adequate notice for cancelling a scheduled cleaning appointment, or are unable to gain access to your home, (same-day cancellations, holiday week cancellations, inability to access your home upon arrival, animals untamed, double dead-bolt locks, lock box not in place, or turning our employees away at the door upon arrival) a “Lock Out” fee equal to 100% of your service rate will be charged to your card on file.
Secure access to your home – We believe the best way to serve you is for you to issue 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.
Getting ready for the cleaning - Don’t clean before we arrive but, do pick up as much as possible. This will allow us to focus more on detail and quality for you. If you need us to assist with house prep? Give the office a call we are happy to arrange this add-on "Tidy Up" service for you. If for some reason you do not want a particular room cleaned, please just leave us a note or close the door and we will honor that request.
The Setting – The ideal cleaning situation is when no one is home. Since this is not always possible, please eliminate as many distractions as possible so our technician(s) can work uninterrupted. Try to schedule your cleaning day when there will be fewer people at home. Please secure pets and keep children in another area for their safety as we are working with equipment and damp floors. More time may be available for purchase, or we may need to adjust which tasks can be accomplished or we must forgo due to insufficient time allotment and schedule them to be completed on another day and time.
Pets – we love them! But please secure any pet that may be a threat. Our employees are trained to be aware of pets when entering and exiting your home. Obviously, we do not want to upset your pet with the introduction of new people and different noises. It has been our experience that pets are best kept away from the cleaning area and team members, if possible. When speaking with our office, please remember to provide us the name of your pet so our staff can use the pet’s name when entering. For the safety of our staff we do not touch litter boxes nor do we clean up after sick pets or pet accidents.
Clutter: We do ask that you provide us with a clutter-free environment. If, that is not the case, we'll do our best to work around it. Clutter slows us down so we may not be able to clean your home in the allotted time and extra charges may be applied with your prior approval of course, without it the quantity and quality of your cleaning will be compromised.
Cleaning Equipment & Supplies - We will provide all cleaning supplies, vacuums, and equipment. Should you wish for us to use one of your products, or vacuum - prior to our use we require a signed Release of Liability. Please contact the office to make the necessary arrangements.
Quality Control & Inspections – Our quality control system is interactive and dependent upon your feedback and communication to function. We need your input on the overall experience and quality you are receiving so that we may address issues that are important to you.
Usually changing services will not eliminate a problem since we are all in the human business. Human nature sometimes prevails if not confronted, and that’s our job. We will correct or address any issue we are made aware of. Our cleaning professionals take great pride in the work they do and also want to be informed when you are happy with the service and equally should you ever be disappointed with a service. We complete a 52 point inspection upon completion of every job and sometimes this includes pictures of finished work. We ask that you please use our simple, one-click client satisfaction survey each and every time your home is cleaned. Surveys arrive by email within (30) thirty minutes of the completion of your cleaning(s). Those surveys are key to ongoing communication with our office and your Tech. Happy staff = happy customers, our tireless pursuit!
Extra cleanings & Additional services - We are happy to add any of our additional service offerings for you. Pre-scheduling is often required. Just log into your client portal a minimum of 48 hours in advance of your cleaning or give us a call in the office @ 856-228-2229 to schedule, email is another option, whichever is easier for you. Please know if, you leave a note for the technician requesting additional cleaning tasks they may not have the time or materials/supplies to handle your request that day. If, this happens they will return your note to the office and the office will contact you to schedule for another day.
Tipping – Is appreciated and a great way to reward the team for a job well done but not required. A suggested tipping range is 5% to 25% of the fee before sales tax. Call our office if you wish to add tipping to your credit card payments.
Holidays – Our office is closed on New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day and the day after. If, one of your scheduled cleanings should fall on one of these holidays we will contact you by email along with a follow up telephone call in advance to arrange an alternate date. During holiday weeks our schedules are very full: you may wish to contact our office 6-8 weeks ahead of time for maximum flexibility rescheduling. It is our long standing policy to reschedule the cleanings that fall on holiday(s) to another day during that same week either before or after the holiday - whenever possible. When we are in a holiday week everyone's normal cleaning day and/or arrival window may and often do change to keep the schedule flowing. Please know that these changes are only for the holiday week, everyone's schedule returns/resumes as normal once the holiday week commences. Any cancellations during a holiday week we will charge $150.00 or your full cleaning rate whichever is higher.
Unfair Solicitation Agreement – We invest a lot of time and money in hiring and training the very best staff. Poaching our employees is forbidden and will result in a $2,500 finder’s fee if breached.
Referral Rewards – We love referrals and appreciate it when you tell family, friends and neighbors about our service. We reward you with Free Cleaning when you refer us! Thank you for your confidence in us! We promise to take good care of them just as we do for you.
Free Cancer Cleanings – Through our partnership with the Cleaning For A Reason Foundation we provide free cleaning for people in our community undergoing treatment for cancer. To register someone you may know please go to www.cleaningforareason.org
100% Happiness Guarantee
Our services are 100% Guaranteed. We have built our business and reputation by providing our clients with the best possible cleaning service available anywhere. Still, we realize that because our employees are human beings, they sometimes make mistakes. If you are home and notice that the cleaner overlooked something please don’t keep it to yourself! Feel free to ask them to re-clean the area or call our office before the cleaner leaves your home. Our office must be contacted before 11:00AM the day after your cleaning is completed (Monday if your cleaning is on a Friday). If you fail to contact us before 11:00AM the day after your cleaning, we are unable to give a 100% guarantee. If it is before 11:00AM the day after your cleaning you must allow our technician/team back into your home to correct any items missed, to qualify for our 100% guarantee. Complaints filed more than 24 hours after the completion of cleaning fall outside the warranty period, and unfortunately may not be covered. Our technicians/teams are quality inspected by management on a regular basis. They may enter your home after the technician/team leaves. These inspections ensure the highest quality standards. Please allow for some dust resettlement after we leave. We try to limit the dust in the air but cannot prevent this entirely. We cannot guarantee the results of window blind cleaning.
Payment – We only accept credit card payments. We do not accept cash or check payments. Cash payments are not accepted as they can pose a safety concern to our staff. We require a credit card to be on file that will be billed upon completion of service. All Move In, Move Out, Rental Inspection, Fresh Start Deluxe and Super Deluxe services are only guaranteed with an advance $250.00 credit card non-refundable deposit. All other services are only guaranteed with an advance $100.00 credit card non-refundable deposit. The balance of your services will be charged to your credit card on file on your date of service.
Sales Tax - New Jersey state sales tax is applicable to all cleaning services.
Late Payment Fee - When your payment is not received within 3 business day of your cleaning a $10.00 convenience fee will be added to your cleaning. If payment is not received within 30 days we will assess a $35 late fee to your account. Each month thereafter that the account is past due, an additional $35 late fee will be assessed to your account. After 90 days late accounts will be referred to an outside collection agency.
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.
Returned Check Fee - A $65 fee will be charged for any check returned by the bank.
Rate Increases – We strive to provide you with the best cleaning service possible. Our rates/fees may be subject to change at any time, but we will always provide advance notice of any price increase. Additionally, if the conditions or needs of your home have changed, a price adjustment may be necessary. If you discontinue service or later reinstate service, you may receive a new rate.
Preferred Rate vs One-Time Pricing - The price quoted to you for recurring service is our preferred pricing and is exclusively for recurring service customers. Recurring service is defined as no less than eight (8) consecutive weekly or every other week completed service appointments per four month interval. If, for any reason you later decide this will be a One-Time service you will be charged the difference in the balance between the preferred rate and the One Time cleaning rate. The One-Time service rate is $105.00 per cleaning hour plus sales tax.
Reschedule/Skipped Cleaning - To reschedule/skip a service appointment please see this form. Fees may apply.
Cancellation - If you cancel service with less than 72 business hours notice, you will still be charged the full amount of the cleaning visit or $250 whichever is greater.
Lockout - Unfortunately, if we arrive to your home for a scheduled cleaning appointment and are unable to gain access to your home, (same-day cancellations, holiday week cancellations, inability to access your home upon arrival, animals untamed, double dead-bolt locks, lock box key not in place, or turning our employees away at the door upon arrival) a “Lock Out” fee equal to 100% of your service rate will be charged to your card on file.
Cancellation of Your Service - It is agreed that this is an at-will relationship no contract term is implied. Services may be cancelled at any time and no contract is implied. To avoid cancellation charges at least three full business day's notice is required.
Utilities - We need electricity, working heat & air conditioning, and hot water! If upon arrival your utilities are turned off, we can reschedule the appointment and charge you a $225 non-refundable travel fee. If you opt to cancel the full amount of your cleaning will be forfeited. If electrical power to your home is lost during the cleaning process we cannot guarantee service completion due to circumstances beyond our control.
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.
Social Media Photos - At Freshen Your Nest, we take pride in showcasing the exceptional cleaning service we provide to our clients. With your permission, we may take before and after photos to post on our social media pages or website. We understand the importance of privacy and assure you that we will not expose any personal items, suck as family photos or names, in these photos. We will only showcase the areas we have cleaned and any furniture or decor that may have been moved for the cleaning process.
If you do not wish to have any photos taken of your home, please let us know before your cleaning appointment. We will always respect your wishes and your privacy. Our goal is to provide the best cleaning experience possible while maintaining your trust and respect. Thank you for considering allowing us to share our cleaning success with others.
Breakage – We make every effort to take the greatest care in your home and understand accidents happen. We believe in shining a spotlight on an issue rather than sweeping it under the rug. Kindly, remove expensive figurines or irreplaceable items to a location we do not clean. Sometimes breakage occurs when there are booby traps. Those are accidents waiting to happen (pictures not hung securely, top heavy items with unstable bases, wobbly, tipsy objects). Each incident is reviewed on a case by case basis. We cannot take responsibility for booby traps. From time to time small items will be knocked off a shelf when dusting, etc.. We will provide a credit for future services for incidental damages up to $100. Please save the broken/damaged item for value verification, inspection and/or repair. Above that, you will need to file a claim with your homeowners' insurance for damages caused by the routine nature of the cleaning. Damages due to negligence or malpractice on our part will be handled by our insurance provider. If something gets broken or damaged, our staff are trained to photograph it and report it immediately, without reprimand. They are careful and considerate of each space they attend, but every now and then something can happen (we are human, after all). Once reported to the office, we contact you to discuss a fair and quick resolution.
Health & Safety - OSHA regulations require that we take precautions for your protection and our employees: 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.
Our insurance does not permit our technicians to:
We do not:
- Step higher than a 2-step stool,
- Work on the outside of your home,
- We do not slide or move objects on wood, vinyl, tile, laminate, engineered wood flooring,
- Climb on or change sheets on Bunk Beds,
- Lift any object(s) over 20 pounds,
- We do not move heavy objects of furniture,
- Dust flat TV screens and other electronics,
- Prepare meals,
- Wash window draperies,
- Provide any pet or child related services,
- 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,
- Touch wet bars,
- Only dry dust leather and electronics,
- Appropriate footwear is required to be worn at all times where there is a risk of foot injuries from heat, water, slipping, falling objects, crushing or penetrating actions. Shoes must be enclosed and have non slip soles,
- Our staff safety policy is to lock the door to your home while we are cleaning and we do not allow access to unknown persons,
- Please don’t rely on our cleaning technicians to let workmen in during the time we are in your home,
- Please do not rely on our cleaning technicians to accept special delivery packages,
- During April thru October air conditioning must be set to a maximum of 73 degrees or lower is best to create an environment conducive to cleaning for the health and safety of your cleaning technicians. If, this is not possible we will be happy to reschedule your cleaning to another day,
- The safety of your home and our employees are equally important priorities. All firearms in a client’s home must be stored and locked,
- New Jersey State Law requires that we provide a smoke-free work environment for staff. If, this is not possible when we are in your home, we do understand however, we will not be able to be of service.
Grease - Kitchen grease takes extra time, supplies and equipment to remediate from cabinets, under cabinets, back splash, stove/range tops, hoods, vents, appliances, flooring, lighting etc. This is an add-on service and will need to be arranged with your estimator at the time you setup your service. If this service is needed talk with your estimator before scheduling service to avoid any unnecessary disappointment.
Wood floors – We do not move things on wood flooring without your written release of liability. It is your responsibility to place coasters or felt protectors under heavy or sharp furniture legs. We will repair damage to wood floors if we caused the damage.
Blinds - we use great care when cleaning blinds however, exposure to sunlight over time causes finishes to oxidize and fade. Oxidation is the process that gradually breakdown the layers of the blind. When the blind is oxidized, the dirt is taken off by cleaning, but there is nothing that can be done about the damage that is already underneath. Because of this, certain areas of the blind may appear blotched or streaked after cleaning.
Food products, grease and hard water spray can also cause damage. This typically happens to kitchen and bathroom blinds. The blind is clean, however it may have a speckled appearance that is only visible upon close examination. Vigorous rubbing to remove the food, grease, smoke, tar & nicotine, ground in dirt, water spots, etc. will only cause more damage.
Freshen Your Nest accepts no liability for any damage that may occur to window blinds because of oxidation, fading, bleaching, sun rot, discoloration, UV rays, broken ladders or pull strings, age, and poorly installed blinds. Window blinds are thoroughly inspected before cleaning and the homeowner will be notified of any defects and concerns that we might have about the condition of the window blinds before cleaning.
House Plants - Due to the delicate nature of artificial and live plants, we are unable to maintain them as part of our regular cleaning routine.
Thank you for reviewing our customer guidelines. We hope that they provide you with a clear understanding of our services and policies. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We appreciate your business and strive to make your experience with us a positive and memorable one.
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