To choose a cleaner you can trust, check three things first: proof of public liability insurance, a DBS check for every cleaner who will enter your home, and genuine, recent reviews from local customers. Then look for a clear fixed quote, an easy way to raise problems and someone who asks sensible questions about your home before they start.
Handing over your house, and often your key, to someone new is a real step. In Hull and East Yorkshire many people find a cleaner through a neighbour’s recommendation or a quick search, and the checks below work for a company or a self-employed cleaner alike.
Key takeaways
- Ask to see proof of public liability insurance, not just a verbal yes.
- A DBS check shows criminal record information, so ask how recent it is and whether every cleaner has one.
- Read reviews on more than one platform and look for detail, not star ratings alone.
- A fixed quote agreed in writing before work starts avoids awkward conversations later.
- Start with one clean and give honest feedback before committing to a regular slot.
What makes a cleaner trustworthy?
No single badge proves a cleaner is right for you. Trust comes from a mix of paperwork, process and how someone behaves before they’ve even picked up a cloth.
- Insured – they carry public liability cover, so accidental damage isn’t left for you to argue about.
- Vetted – they have a current DBS check and, with a company, have been through a proper recruitment process.
- Accountable – there’s someone to call if a clean falls short, and a clear way to put it right.
- Transparent – the price and what’s included are agreed in writing before work starts.
- Consistent – you see the same face where possible and are told in advance if that changes.
Those five points are the backbone of our regular house cleaning service, and they’re a useful yardstick for anyone you’re considering. It also helps to know what a normal visit covers before you compare cleaners, and that page lists it room by room.
Both companies and independent cleaners can be trustworthy. A company usually handles vetting and insurance for every cleaner and can send cover when your usual cleaner is ill, while a sole trader offers a more personal arrangement but leaves the checks to you. We set out the trade-offs in our guide to choosing between a cleaning company and a self-employed cleaner.
Check the cleaner’s insurance properly
Public liability insurance covers accidental damage to your property, or injury to someone else, caused by the cleaner while they work. Without it, a cracked hob or a bleached carpet becomes a personal dispute between you and them.
What to ask to see
- The insurer’s name and the name on the policy, which should match the business or person you’re hiring.
- The policy dates, so you know it’s current.
- What it covers, including accidental damage to client property and loss of keys if they’ll be holding one.
- For a company, confirmation that cover extends to every cleaner they send.
Employer’s liability insurance
A cleaning company that employs staff is normally required by law to hold employer’s liability insurance as well. It covers the business if one of its own cleaners is injured at work.
Tip: Ask for the insurance certificate by email before the first visit. A reputable cleaner will send it without fuss, and you can check the dates in seconds.
DBS checks: what they show and what to ask
A DBS check comes from the Disclosure and Barring Service and shows information from criminal records. There are basic, standard and enhanced levels. Standard and enhanced checks are reserved for specific roles, such as work with children or vulnerable adults, so a domestic cleaner will usually hold a basic check, which shows unspent convictions and conditional cautions.
A DBS certificate has no official expiry date. It’s a snapshot of the day it was issued, so ask when the check was done and whether it’s refreshed from time to time.
With a company, ask whether every cleaner is checked before they start working in homes, not just the owner. Our cleaners are DBS-checked and vetted before they’re sent to anyone’s home.
Vetting matters even more if you won’t be in during the clean. Our guide to giving your cleaner a key and how key holding works covers the security side in detail.
How to read cleaner reviews (and spot fake ones)
Star ratings on their own tell you very little. The detail is where the useful information sits.
- Look for specifics. Reviews that mention particular rooms, problems solved or how a complaint was handled are far more believable than a two-word “great service”.
- Check the dates. A steady trickle over months or years is a better sign than a cluster posted in a single week.
- Read the negative ones. Every business gets some. What matters is whether the reply is calm and offers to fix things.
- Cross-check. Compare Google reviews with comments in local Facebook groups and what neighbours say.
Word of mouth is still one of the best filters. On terraced streets around the Avenues, or in family estates in Kingswood and Sutton, it’s common for several neighbours to use the same cleaner, so ask around.
Get a fixed quote and be clear on what’s included
A trustworthy cleaner will want to understand the job before they put a price on it. Expect questions about the number of rooms, the current condition of the house, how often you want visits, pets and anything you particularly care about.
Cost depends on the size of your home, how much work it needs, how often the cleaner comes and any extras. We agree a fixed quote before work starts, so there are no surprises on the day. Be cautious of anyone who won’t commit to a price or to what it covers.
Check what sits outside a standard visit. Inside the oven is usually separate, which is why many people book professional oven cleaning alongside regular visits. If the house hasn’t had a thorough clean for a while, starting with a one-off deep clean gets it to a standard that weekly or fortnightly visits can then maintain. Our guide to the difference between a deep clean and a regular clean explains why that matters.
12 questions to ask a cleaning company before you book
Once you have a shortlist, work through these questions with each company. A good company will answer them happily, and comparing the answers side by side makes the decision much easier.
1. Are you insured, and can I see the certificate?
You want public liability insurance that covers accidental damage to your home, plus employer’s liability insurance if the company employs staff. A good answer is a simple “yes, we’ll email it over”.
2. Are your cleaners DBS-checked and vetted?
Ask whether every cleaner is checked, not just the owner, and how cleaners are recruited. Our cleaners are DBS-checked and vetted before they work in anyone’s home.
3. How do you look after keys and alarm codes?
If you won’t be in, ask how keys are stored, whether they’re labelled with your address (they shouldn’t be) and what happens if one is lost. Our guide to giving your cleaner a key explains key holding in more detail.
4. What does a standard clean include?
Ask for a room-by-room list. A typical regular house clean covers dusting, hoovering and mopping, kitchen worktops and surfaces, and bathrooms. Inside the oven, inside the fridge and inside windows are often extras. The room-by-room checklist on our regular cleaning page is a handy list to compare answers against.
If your home needs a thorough reset first, ask whether they’d recommend a deep clean before regular visits start. An honest company will tell you if routine visits won’t shift months of build-up.
5. Do you bring your own equipment and products?
Some cleaners expect you to supply everything. Our cleaners bring their own equipment and products, which saves you buying and storing them.
6. Can you use eco-friendly products, or products I provide?
This matters if anyone in the house has sensitive skin, allergies or asthma, or if you have surfaces that need a specific product. We offer eco-friendly products on request.
Tip: Mention pets, hard water or problem areas such as black mould on the first call. It helps the company send the right products and quote accurately.
7. Will I have the same cleaner each time?
Consistency matters. The same cleaner learns your home, your preferences and where everything goes. Ask how often cleaners change and whether you’ll be told in advance.
8. What happens if my cleaner is ill or on holiday?
This is one of the biggest differences between a company and a sole trader. A company can usually send cover, while an independent cleaner may simply have to cancel. Our comparison of a cleaning company vs a self-employed cleaner goes into the trade-offs.
9. How long will each visit take, and which days are available?
Visit length depends on the size and condition of your home and what you want covered. Ask which days and times are available and whether they can work around shift patterns or the school run. We’re open 7 days a week, which makes it easier to find a slot that suits.
10. How is the price worked out, and is it fixed?
Price depends on the size of your home, its condition, how often you want visits and any extras. Ask whether the quote is fixed before work starts or whether it can change on the day. We agree a fixed quote first, so you know exactly where you stand.
11. Is there a contract or notice period?
Ask how much notice you need to give to skip a visit or stop altogether, and whether late cancellations are charged. You should be able to get these answers in writing.
12. What happens if I’m not happy with a clean?
The answer should be specific: who to contact, how quickly to report it and what they’ll do about it. We offer a re-clean if something isn’t right, as set out in our guarantee.
Red flags when hiring a cleaner
- They can’t or won’t show proof of insurance.
- Cash only, with no receipt, invoice or written record of what you’ve agreed.
- No fixed price, just a vague plan to “see how long it takes” with no agreement on scope.
- Pressure to sign a long contract before you’ve seen a single clean.
- Nobody to contact if your cleaner is ill, late or doesn’t turn up.
- Reviews that read as if they were written by the same person.
- Requests for your alarm code or a key before you’ve even met.
- A different person turning up each week with no warning.
For a fuller list to work through on the phone, use the 12 questions above.
Start with a first clean and give honest feedback
The first visit is a trial for both sides. Walk round with the cleaner if you can, point out your priorities and anything that’s off-limits, and mention surfaces that need special care, such as natural stone or oiled wood.
A little preparation helps the first clean go well. Our guide to preparing for your first professional clean covers what to tidy, what to leave and what to tell your cleaner.
Afterwards, check the house against what you agreed. If something isn’t right, say so promptly. A good cleaner would rather hear it than lose you quietly, and we’ll come back and re-clean under our guarantee if something has been missed.
Finding a trusted cleaner in Hull and East Yorkshire
Our team covers Hull and towns across East Yorkshire, from Beverley to Cottingham. Every cleaner is insured, DBS-checked and vetted, brings their own equipment and products, and works to a fixed quote agreed before the first visit.
If you’d like to talk through regular cleaning for your home, or just put a few of the questions above to us, get in touch with our team. We’re open 7 days a week.
