Handing a stranger the keys to your home is a bigger decision than most people treat it as. The good news is that professional cleaners welcome scrutiny. The ones who avoid your questions or give vague answers are the ones to walk away from. Here are the ten questions that actually matter, and what a confident answer sounds like.
The 10 questions
1. Are you registered as a business, and what is your NZBN?
A professional cleaning service should be a registered company with a New Zealand Business Number you can verify on nzbn.govt.nz. This gives you legal recourse if something goes wrong.
2. Do you carry public liability insurance?
Ask for the cover amount (reputable operators carry at least $1 million) and whether they can email you a certificate. If a cleaner breaks your 65 inch TV, you do not want to be chasing them personally.
3. Are your staff employees or subcontractors?
Employees are vetted, trained, and covered by the company's insurance. Subcontractors may be neither. Neither answer is automatically wrong, but you should know which it is.
4. How do you vet new team members?
Look for a combination of reference checks, identity verification, and either a police check or a trial period supervised by the owner. A shrug here is a red flag.
5. Will I have the same cleaner every visit?
Consistency matters more than most people realise. The same cleaner learns your home, your preferences, and what you do and do not want touched. If the company rotates staff randomly, you will be re-explaining yourself every fortnight.
6. What products and equipment do you bring?
Professional cleaners should arrive fully equipped with their own products, vacuum, and cloths. If you have allergies, pets, or young children, ask about eco-friendly or fragrance-free options. At Cleaning Instyle we use the Sutter Zero Natural Force range, a plant-based Italian eco product that is safer around babies and pets.
7. How do you handle keys and alarm codes?
You want a documented key-handling policy: labelled (never with your address), stored in a locked safe, signed in and out. Same with alarm codes. Never give either to a sole operator until you have met them and seen a reference.
8. What is your satisfaction guarantee?
A professional company will return to re-clean any area you are not happy with, at no extra cost, usually within 48 hours. Get this in writing.
9. Can I see recent reviews or local references?
Google reviews with location names (Orewa, Whangaparaoa, Gulf Harbour) carry more weight than generic testimonials. Ask for two local references who would take a call.
10. How do you handle cancellations and schedule changes?
Clear cancellation windows (typically 24 to 48 hours) protect both sides. Make sure the policy is written down before you book.
Red flags to walk away from
- Cash only, no invoice, no GST
- No written quote or service agreement
- Pressure to pay upfront for multiple cleans in advance
- Vague or evasive answers to insurance questions
- No fixed address or only a mobile number