Theft By Individual Maid

A person recently wondered why we post so many articles about maids stealing from customers. The person thought that such negative talk could lead to a negative impression of our own business. The answer should be simple.

The constant posting of articles detailing thefts by individual maids should serve as a constant reminder that cheap sells. Individual maids are cheap. That's their thing. An out-of-work maid knows that the easiest way to make some quick money is to simply offer ridiculous low rates and the customers start rolling in.

It happens time after time. And all sorts of problems arise soon after the hire. Some people are lucky. Some people just hire real bad cleaners. Some people just hire unprofessional cleaners. And some people aren't lucky at all. Some people hire individual maids that steal.

A quick Google search of news articles across this country reveals countless numbers of articles that proves my point. You are risking everything by hiring an individual maid.

There are several reasons to hire a professional housecleaning company. One reason is because our customer service is 100% better than someone that is just cleaning "on the side". Another reason is because you become a customer rather than an employer. But one very important reason should be obvious. The safety and security of your family is at risk when you an individual maid. I'm serious. It happens everyday. Don't let it happen to you.

Individual Maid Steals From Niceville Homeowners

There's been countless numbers of articles detailing thefts by individual maids. Often, those thefts occur in places such Ohio, Texas, California, or Georgia. In other words, a long way from northwest Florida.

NICEVILLE, FL -- A joint investigation by the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office and Niceville Police Department has led to the arrest of a Valparaiso woman on multiple counts of grand theft.

Thirty-year-old Jennifer Michelle Denney is charged by the OCSO with six counts of grand theft and six counts of dealing in stolen property. The Niceville Police Department has also charged Denney with one count of grand theft.

Investigators says Denney stole more than $30,000 in jewelry from various homes in Niceville and the Bluewater Bay area while working as a housecleaner.

The Reverse Lottery Ticket

Hiring an individual maid is like playing the lottery in reverse. At best, you'll hire a cheap, quality driven cleaning professional. At worst, you'll hire a cheap thief.

It never ceases to amaze me how easy it is for these crooks to steal your money. You would never let a stranger enter your at home at 9PM just because she knocked on your door. But that caution goes out the window if that same stranger offers you a low rate for housecleaning.

Hiring a professional cleaning company costs you more money in the short term. But hiring an individual maid can certainly cost you more in the long term. Here's a couple that nearly lost more than $100,000 simply because they hired a stranger to clean their home.

Housekeeper Steals $107,000 Worth of Jewelry

The stranger may have a newspaper advertisement. The stranger may look decent. The stranger may even have references. But what do you really know about that stranger???

Has she been convicted of a crime in the past? How long has she been in business? Is she bonded and insured up to at least $300,000? Does she carry workers' compensation up to at least $1 million dollars? How can she guarantee your satisfaction each and every time? How can she guarantee her arrival time each time? And how can she guarantee you that she will be in business this time next year?

Those are the first questions you should ask every single prospective maid. But here's the first and only question most people ask.....

What are your rates?

The Typical $1000 Cleaning Business News Article

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- With the nation's economy in disarray, people around the country are searching for ways to supplement and earn additional income.

While many may consider starting a home based business an interesting solution, the thought of sinking tens of thousands of dollars into a start-up is scary.

But some people have found a less expensive solution. When Lawrence Yancy retired as a food inspector he decided to start his own business, and he did for less than $1,000. "It cost me $529," said Yancy.

These are some other potential businesses that cost $1,000 or less:

E-Commerce Consultant: Use your computer smarts to help others grow their online businesses.

Theft Prevention: Many people don't know how vulnerable they are. If you have police or a security background you can teach other business owners how to prevent thefts.

Residential Cleaning: Secure a number of clients, whether for homes or apartments and go to work. On average a cleaning company will charge $15-to-$25 an hour.

And there you have it. Just like I've been telling you for years now. Starting a housecleaning company takes little money. It takes little initiative. It takes little education. And it takes little courage. After all, it's only a few hundred bucks down the drain if your new company goes belly up.

Of course, a real professional cleaning company costs much more than $1,000 to start.

A real cleaning company has to provide its customers maximum protection such as general liability insurance, workers' compensation and bonding. Maximum protection will cost a real cleaning company at least $5,000 annually.

A real cleaning company also provides cleaning supplies and equipment. Professional cleaning supplies cost about $500 for each cleaning crew.

A real cleaning company also has to follow the law. Following the law means paying payroll taxes, paying local licensing fees and paying federal income taxes. The amount of this cost is based on two things; 1) How busy you are - and 2) How honest you are. A conservative estimate is for all three taxes to cost a cleaning company somewhere between $5,000 - $15,000 annually.
The costs continue to build as the legitimacy of your business increases. But that's not the point of this story anyway. The point is this:

If you started a housecleaning business and it costs you less than $1,000, what will you do when:

1. One of your employees steals from one of your customers?
2. One of your employees breaks a customer's expensive vase?
3. One of your employees breaks her ankle while cleaning your stairway?
4. Your customer base suddenly drops off?
5. Your husband gets a new job in another town?
6. You get the flu?
7. You find a stable job?

The answer should be obvious. You'll quit. You'll quit for the very same reason you started. Because starting a housecleaning business takes little money. Little initiative. Little education. And little courage.

The Virgin Housecleaning Customer

There's a story like this everyday in at least one newspaper in this country. The story goes a little something like this. A couple hires a housecleaner. The couple hires the housecleaner primarily because her rates are sooo good. The housecleaner starts out pretty good. The couple laughs at their neighbors who hire the more expensive professional housecleaning company. The housecleaner gets comfortable and one of three things occurs:

1. She starts slacking off. And in some cases, she just starts showing up whenever she wants to show up. And quite often, she's just stops for no apparent reason at all.

2. She steals money from you.

3. She gets injured while in your home.

If you're lucky, your housecleaner will just stop showing up. Because your individual housecleaner isn't going to return the stolen money or goods. And if you're just plain unlucky, then your housecleaner will sue you for thousands simply because she can. After all, you're the employer and she's the employee.

Of course, none of this will happen to you.

That's exactly what one of my good friends said about three months ago. We're buddies and he wanted to hire my company because - well - we're buddies. But my rate was about $50 more than the two Columbian ladies that cleaned his neighbor's home. So I told him to hire the other "company" and then report back to me in a few months.

That report was filed today. And while he didn't give me the authority to reprint his email, just assume that hiring the two Columbian ladies didn't work out so well for him. And yes, he's now one of our customers.

Unfortunately, getting burned is the best formula for hiring Two Maids & A Mop. The virgin housecleaning customer just doesn't get it. You have to live it to understand it.

Dirty Maids Strike Again

HOUSTON, TX - Could your housekeeper be cleaning you out? It happened to a Houston woman-- her identity, stolen, by a couple of "dirty maids."

Now, two years later--she's got big tax troubles, over something she didn't do.

Shannon Lackey hired them to clean her house. “I said, wonderful job and then asked them to come back,” Lackey said. But Lackey had no idea her housekeepers were sweeping up more than dust.

“They were going around and cleaning people's houses and helping themselves to the identity and checks of their unsuspecting victims who thought they were just getting their house cleaned,” Assistant DA Mike Elliot said.

Joyce Butler and Harrison Johnson are the "dirty maids" who owned a company they called Afford-A-Maid. Butler and Johnson both pled guilty and were convicted of felony theft and money laundering. Johnson's now doing 18 months in a Texas state jail. Butler got 4 years probation, with 90 days in jail.

Lackey felt relief. “I thought it was behind me,” Lackey said. But she got the phone call last week from the IRS saying she has a $21,000 tax lien. Someone had filed a phony tax return-- in her name—and at the same time her housekeepers were busy doing their dirty deeds..

No one knows for sure who's behind that bogus tax return, but one thing is for sure: Lackey's troubles are far from over. “I just balled. I just balled! I thought it was over with,” she said.

And ironically, Butler still works as a maid but cleaning commercial businesses instead of homes.

Lessons To Be Learned
1. Just because someone calls themselves a "company" doesn't mean that they're really a company. Anybody can create a professional sounding business name. It takes about five seconds and zero dollars. Don't be fooled.

2. Do some research on your new cleaning company. Ask for references. Ask for proof of insurance. Ask for proof of the bond. And don't just hire someone because they're affordable. Would you hire a dentist simply because he's affordable? Better yet, would you let a dentist use a needle in your mouth if his business name was Afford-A-Dentist?

3. If you've hired a real cleaning company, make them prove to you that their employees are safe and secure. No reputable cleaning company will hire anyone that has a criminal background. And if you're bound and determined to hire an individual, do your own nationwide criminal background search. It costs about $50, but it could save you lots of heartache and money down the road. In this particular case, a simple background check would have shown that one of the maids had been an outstanding warrant for credit card abuse!

4. In a nutshell, treat your house the same way you treat everything else. Saving a few bucks is important - especially in today's economy. But seriously, would you hire just anyone to file your taxes? Would you hire just anyone to photograph your wedding? Would you hire just anyone to clean your teeth? Then why would you hire just anyone to clean your house?

Yes, we clean your toilets. And yes, we scrub your baseboards on our hands and knees. But that doesn't mean you should expect any less professionalism from us as you do from your accountant or dentist. In the end, you're still a customer. And no matter if we cleaning your kitchen sink or filing your taxes, it's our job to make you happy.

Start acting like a customer and these kind of news clippings will disappear.

Cheap Rates & A Big Smile!!

It's been proclaimed time after time on this blog. Starting a cleaning business is easy. So easy that just about anybody can do it. It doesn't take a lot of brains. It doesn't take a lot of money. Heck, it doesn't even take a lot of nerve. Because if your new cleaning business fails, what have you really lost?

A quick trip to Walmart and you have your supplies. All you need now is a customer. And you know that the trick to getting a new customer is simple: just offer your services for a low price. There's at least one person out there that will hire you because, after all, it's just housecleaning - anybody can do it.

That's the recipe for your new cleaning business. Cheap rates and a big smile!!

Of course, anytime something is that easy - you can bet something bad is bound to happen.

Click here for proof.....

How To Lose Your Personal Liberties......

A top U.S. Customs and Border Protection employee was arrested last year on suspicion of encouraging one of her cleaning ladies -- said to be an illegal immigrant -- to stay in the country.

An affidavit says Lorraine Henderson continued to employ a woman after being told she was an illegal immigrant.

Lorraine Henderson job as a Boston port director included helping keep illegal immigrants out of the United States. She was charged in federal court last year with harboring an illegal alien. An affidavit alleges that the immigrant was one of three Brazilian women -- all said to have been in the United States illegally -- whom Henderson paid to clean her condominium.

And just recently, Henderson was sued by two of her cleaning ladies for discrimination.

Of course, everyone knows why Henderson hired the illegal immigrant to clean her home. She was cheap. Cheaper than everyone else. So cheap that she legitimized the illegal activity.

If you hire a professional cleaning company, you never have to worry about being sued. You never have to worry about being audited. And you never have to worry about being arrested.

The question you have to answer is, " Do I want to save $10 - $20 so much that I'll endanger my personal liberties and freedom?" If the answer is yes, then go ahead and hire the cheapest cleaning lady in the world. If the answer is no, then go ahead and hire a professional cleaning company.

Hiring A Housecleaner Has Never Been Easier

Hiring a housecleaner has never been easier. With unemployment levels rising every day, that leaves more people than ever looking for a quick way to make an extra buck.

Cleaning your house has never required lots of money or intelligence - so you can bet that many of those unemployed people will be leaving a flyer on your door in the next few weeks.

Be careful. Just because someone calls herself a housecleaning company doesn't mean that she knows one thing about how to clean your house or run a company. Here's proof that hiring any 'ol housecleaner could cause you much more pain that you realize.....

My Housecleaner Stole From Me - How Can I get My Money Back?

Examining The Mind Of A Struggling Cleaning Business Owner

Everyone knows that it's quick, simple, cheap and easy to start a cleaning business. All it takes is a few bucks and little sweat. And for that reason, it's also just as easy to quit.

That's why so many people decide to contact a professional cleaning service. They just get sick and tired of going through countless numbers of cheap housecleaning "companies".

To get a more in-depth analysis of how the mind of a quick, simple, cheap and easy cleaning business owner works....... read this. Here's some nuggets from the linked article.

1. How To Start a Business Without Any Money - Start A Cleaning Company!!
"I am 21, a student and a business owner. Seven months ago I opened a cleaning business (I couldn't afford to open anything else) and since then my life has been a living hell."

2. How To Hire The Cheapest Labor Possible - And Get Away With It!!
"The first month I found it hard to get a contract, but I did get one eventually, and found some employees willing to work part time. In two months, something was stolen from the place I was cleaning... they almost gave up the contract but I returned the goods, fired the employees, and found new ones."

3. How To Quit Your New Company - And Leave Your Customers High And Dry!!
"In January my car broke down and needed a major repair on the engine. I needed to get the cash from my cleaning contracts for December but they didn't pay and I cannot pay my university, car insurance and taxes. I am so sick of it and I feel I am coming to a nervous breakdown pretty soon. Is running a business always so painful? Am I too weak, or did I just chose a complicated domain? I am starting to think seriously about closing because I feel I just cannot take it anymore."

Of course, that's not easy to read. There's no pleasure in knowing that someone is struggling. But the point of this post is to illustrate to you how the mind of a struggling cleaning company operates.

Since there is no investment in time or capital, there's really no need to pursue the venture any longer. Eventually, the business closes and leaves its customers searching for another option. The option for that customer is then two fold.

1. Do you keep on hiring the cheapest cleaner?, or...
2. Do you finally decide to pay a few more bucks and hire someone that you can depend on?

Cheap rates keep on selling - especially in this down economy. But eventually, time proves that your cheap rate is cheap for a reason.

A Housekeeping Sweatshop

Reprinted From A San Fransisco Newspaper -

Q: Our longtime housekeeper (a foreign-born legal resident) has grown her business, hiring a Mexican woman (here illegally) to clean houses. Of the $80 I pay the housekeeper, between $10 and $15 goes to the woman who actually cleans. She speaks no English and probably couldn't have gotten the job on her own. If we offered her $60 directly, she'd be paid more fairly and we'd save $20, but our original housekeeper would lose. Should we do it?

A: "Grown her business" — yes, much like Pharaoh grew his pyramid-building operation. By subcontracting her work at $2 to $3 an hour (assuming five hours to clean a house), your housekeeper has breached ethics, the minimum-wage law and ordinary human decency. For you to benefit from this exploitation is thoroughly discreditable. You must provide the actual worker a fair wage. Talk to her with the help of a translator and seek a way to pay her directly without imperiling her other jobs. You might also consider calling the cops to shut down the sweatshop your longtime housekeeper is running.

Nothing is wrong with subcontracting if a boss provides a legitimate service, including finding work for employees and not simply skimming their paychecks, offers a living wage and decent benefits and heeds relevant laws such as those governing Social Security, insurance and licensing. But if you paid the Simon Legree housekeeper $80, why not pay the honest worker the same? The well-off should not try to save a buck at the expense of the poorest and most vulnerable. You might also consult a lawyer about legalizing your employee's immigration status (or abandon all hope of running for the Senate).

From Two Maids & A Mop -

Even when you know you're breaking the law.... Cheap keeps on selling!!

From Across The Pond.....

Here is a classic example of what can go wrong when you hire an individual housecleaner.

UNITED KINGDOM - Police are searching for a woman after about $50,000 in cash and jewelry were stolen from a family home.

Gaytri Mondal worked as a housekeeper but disappeared in September, along with $10,000 in cash and various items of jewelry.

Investigating Officer Matt Holman said: "Gaytri had earned the trust of this family over a long period of time. However, this trust has been abused and she is suspected of taking a large quantity of money and jewelry."

Call a professional.

Another Individual Maid Strikes Again

IDAHO - A woman was arrested for allegedly stealing money from houses she was contracted to clean. The Major Crimes Division went to investigate complaints of missing money at three different houses.

Investigators believe an independently contracted house cleaner, hired by all three homeowners, stole the money.

Top Immigration Officials' House Cleaned By Illegal Citizen

Every few weeks for nearly four years, the Secret Service screened the IDs of employees for a Maryland cleaning company before they entered the house of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, the nation's top immigration official.

The company's owner says the workers sailed through the checks -- although some of them turned out to be illegal immigrants.

Now, the owner finds himself in a predicament that he considers especially confounding. In October, he was fined $22,880 after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigators said he failed to check identification and work documents and fill out required I-9 verification forms for employees, five of whom he said were part of crews sent to Chertoff's home and whom ICE told him to fire because they were undocumented.

In addition to the Chertoffs' house, the service once cleaned the home of former president Bill Clinton and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, as well as homes of Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright. In those cases, he said, his company worked as a subcontractor and billing was done by a larger contractor firm.

Red flags everywhere!!! Anytime you hear the word subcontractor - be wary. Be vary wary because subcontracting is most often used as a means to provide cheap labor. Plain and simple.

Of course, another red flag deals with the illegal employees. A simple nationwide background check would have verified the citizenship of each employee. It would have cost $50 per employee, a lot less than a $23,000 fine.

In the end, this article proves a much bigger point. Cheap sells - even to our most decorated public officials.

If you want to hire a professional cleaning company, don't expect for a low price to be the biggest benefit that you'll receive. Expect on-time service, every time. Expect legal, safe and secure employees. Expect customer service at its best. Expect quality, nontoxic cleaning supplies. And yes, expect a clean house too.

Be careful out there. Hiring a maid is easy. So is starting a maid service company.

The Formula For Theft

Step 1. Create a business name that makes you sound like a real business. ABC Cleaning Company. Superior Maid Service. Whatever it takes to sound professional.

Step 2. Plaster posters all over town offering a cheap rate.

Step 3. There is no step three. That's all it takes to get invited into your home. Cheap rates with a professional name.

Dont believe me? Then click the link for proof.
The Formula For Theft - Illustrated

Scary Stories About Your Maid

In the spirit of Halloween, here's a few scary stories that might hit home with you. (reposted from last year)

1. Your cleaning lady didn't show up today. Did ghosts take her away? Did aliens abduct her? Nope. She just quit on you. Just like you're last cleaning lady.

2. Your maid service is late again. Is it because they think your house is haunted? Is it because your house is located on a creepy hollow? Nope. They just don't care about you. They're unorganized. And they're late every time.

3. Your housecleaner keeps making the same mistakes over and over again. Did your resident goblin put that dust on your nightstand? Did your maid see a ghost in the mirror? Nope. They just forgot again. Just like last week.

4. Your maid keeps leaving earlier and earlier. Is it because your kid's doll is possessed? Is it because your dog is evil? Nope. She's just gotten too comfortable with you. She's your buddy. And you're no longer her customer.

5. You keep hiring one bad housekeeper after another. Did a wicked witch cast a spell on your home? Is your house haunted and you don't know it? Nope. You just keep hiring the same person. You want your house cleaned. But you don't want to pay too much for it. After all, it's just housecleaning.

But of course, if it was only about housecleaning then you wouldn't be hiring a new maid four times a year.

Happy Halloween!!

Individual Housecleaner Steals - Again

"A housekeeper was charged after investigators said she took items from a client’s home and reported the house had been burglarized, said the Sheriff’s Office.

The housekeeper was charged with two counts of felony larceny and one count of making a false report to a police station. Reports of missing items were received October 3 and October 15, first by the housekeeper and the second by the homeowner.

When detectives went to the house, they found no evidence of a home invasion."

It's been said before, but it bears repeating. You don't need a brain to become a housecleaner. You don't need money to become a housecleaner. About all you really need is a cheap rate. Because a cheap rate means that somebody will hire you eventually.

It keeps happening. Everyday. But never to you, right?

Don't hire an individual maid. The risk far outweighs the benefit.

Tales From The Front Line

Heard on the phone just yesterday.....

Caller: "Your rates are too expensive. I'd rather hire an individual cleaner anyway. They need the money more and they'll work harder than a business."

Most of our current customers have already learned their lesson the hard way. I had to learn my own lesson the hard way. And this caller will also have to learn her lesson the hard way.

Individual cleaners show up late. Individual cleaners quit and leave town. Individual cleaners steal. But mostly, individual cleaners don't respect you as a customer. Of course, individual cleaners are also cheap.

And for some, that's all that is required. Until this happens.

Why Hiring Your Next Maid From A Road Sign is A Bad Idea

CLERMONT, FL -- Instead of picking things up, a cleaning service is accused of trashing someone's house. The landlord admits she made a big mistake hiring someone off a roadside sign, but what she didn't expect is that the quality of the job depended on the race of her tenants.

The landlord doesn't want to be identified, but claims a cleaning service refused to clean bathrooms and a refrigerator because of the ethnicity of former tenants. The house was trashed, with garbage in every room, and the landlord blames an angry cleaning lady.

Every wall in every room was keyed and the hundreds of feet of scratches will require an entire paint job. The doors of appliances were all bent so they no longer close and someone emptied vacuum cleaner bags all over the house.

No doubt that this landlord has learned her lesson. Will it take this kind of craziness for you to understand the difference between a housecleaner and a professional housecleaner?

On Hiring Just Anyone.....

We staff more than 40 maids every single day. Before one of our maids walks in your front door, we put the prospective employee through an extensive interview process.

Click here to find out how we hire an employee.

For those that didn't click, the main point that you need to know is that every single one of our employees undergoes a nationwide criminal background search. Of course, anything could happen. Just because you've never been convicted of a crime doesn't mean you'll never commit a crime. But it is important to know that we don't just hire anyone.

It takes a lot to get hired by Two Maids & A Mop. After all, we pay more than any other cleaning company in the area. We offer full medical benefits. And we offer a relaxed work atmosphere that can't be found anywhere else (try finding a job that pays you to listen to the radio for 1/3 of the day!)

Long story short, we work our tails off when we hire someone.

But you don't! There's proof everyday that you only hire because the housecleaner is cheap. Just keep scrolling through this blog and you'll see plenty of evidence.

Or you could jut read this excerpt from another chapter of a maid gone bad....

"A woman has been sentenced to a 51-month prison term for the thefts of credit cards and a tennis bracelet from a house she was hired to clean. The sentence was bolstered by the woman's criminal history, which includes felony convictions for first-degree theft, second-degree robbery, and six for drug possession."

What isn't shown is this former maid's rate sheet. You can bet that she was cheap. And you can bet that people chose her simply because she was cheap. Which, of course, was exactly what she was looking for in the first place.....

A professional housecleaner is a lot different than just being a housecleaner. Think about that the next time you're hiring another individual maid.

Hire A Professional Cleaner

You have to know by now that anyone can start a cleaning business. It doesn't take a lot of money. It doesn't take a lot of smarts. And it doesn't even require a lot of work. All you need are some mops and buckets and you're in business.

Even drug pushers know that the easiest way to make yourself look like a professional cleaning company is to buy some mops and buckets....

"Over a seven-month span, an undercover New Hanover County, NC deputy rode in a van filled with vacuum cleaners and mops, posing as a cleaning company and buying drugs from 117 people, according to the sheriff’s office. She bought $5,500 worth of drugs, mainly crack and heroin."

This is your home. The same home that you sleep in every night. The same home that contains tons of your valuable possessions. And the same home that gets treated like a car's gas tank when you decide to hire a housecleaner.

Treat your home with respect. Don't just find the cheapest price. Find a professional.

Ugghhh....

Quit hiring cleaning ladies. How many times does it have to happen before you wake up and realize that hiring a housecleaner should be treated in the same manner as hiring any other professional?

SCOTTSDALE, PA -- A cleaning lady faces charges of stealing more than $15,000 in jewelry, coins and cash from two residences where she was hired to clean a house and care for a dog.

Scottdale police charged Patti Banaszak with numerous counts of theft and receiving stolen property in the incidents.

Pamela Soforic told police she hired Banaszak as a cleaning lady in July. Soon after, she began to notice small amounts of money missing from a petty cash box in her home. Soforic said she then discovered two diamond rings missing from her bedroom dresser drawer. Concerned, she searched for other items and found them missing as well.

The inventory included a gold band, a diamond ring, a diamond tennis bracelet, a sterling tennis bracelet, three gold coins, a roll of uncirculated silver dollar coins, $100 in cash and a watch.

After police contacted local jewelry stores, they learned Banaszak had been to a store at least three times and allegedly sold the missing items. Most had been converted by the business for use in making jewelry, police said.

Police said while interviewing Soforic, her neighbor informed them she had given Banaszak a key to her home to take care of her dog while she was out of town the previous weekend. The neighbor checked her valuables and told police she was missing a gold charm bracelet and a diamond/gold bracelet.

Start Hiring Professionals!

More Victims Of Cleaning Thief in Virginia

Presenting the quote that should be at the top of every professional cleaning company's website or brochure..........

"We should have paid more attention when we started to have suspicion that something just wasn't right," said one resident who had employed Martinez for 11 years and developed deep ties with her.

You can't expect to be treated like a customer if you don't treat your service provider like a professional. Start acting like a customer. Start hiring a professional.

Another Cleaning Lady Steals From Her Customers

The choice is yours to make. You can hire a professional cleaning company and know that you are protected against any worst case scenario. Or you could hire a cleaning lady with great rates and cross your fingers.

This example proves all the important points. Check the bolded parts for explanation.

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA -- A cleaning lady has been accused of stealing jewelry and clothes from her clients.

Martinez cleaned homes under the company name Mirian Cleaning Services in Alexandria. (The first step to gaining your trust is to make yourself look professional by naming yourself a "company".)

Mirian Martinez is accused of stealing from at least four of her long-time clients, and police said there may be more victims. (The next step is to gain their trust by providing a decent service for a certain timeframe - then steal as soon they let their guard down.)

Fairfax County police said Martinez stole jewelry from a woman, and some of the stolen jewelry was sold at a pawn shop. Police said they are still looking for a diamond ring worth $42,000.

Two more of Martinez's clients also reported missing jewelry and clothing worth more than $62,000.

Martinez has been charged with grand larceny and selling stolen property. More charges are pending, police said.

Martinez was also charged in connection with jewelry thefts from another home in a neighboring county. (And the final step is to steal fast and steal often. You gotta get while the going is good.)

Housecleaning Is Easy Money

LAKELAND, FL - Two granddaughters of a housekeeper were arrested and accused of stealing jewelry valued at $17,000 from a client's home.

According to a Sheriff's Office report, the clients noticed that jewelry had started to disappear from the house whenever their housekeeper brought her granddaughter with her to clean. The jewelry included several diamond rings, a diamond bracelet, gold rings and a gold pendant.

The stories keep happening over and over again all over this country. Yet, we keep hearing this same tired phrase, "You're rates are just too much."

It always amazes me that someone will pay a professional accountant a small fortune to report their finances, but that same person will not even think about paying more than a few bucks to protect those same finances.

You already know this, but it bears repeating...

Hiring a housecleaner has very little to do with housecleaning.

Not To Beat A Dead Horse....

....but hiring a housecleaner has very little to do with housecleaning. The quicker you realize that - the easier it will be for you to understand that a professional cleaning company is far different than a cleaning lady.

SEBRING, FL - A woman who sheriff's investigators say worked as a cleaning lady remained in jail in lieu of $22,500 bond after a 71-year-old client reported someone took his cash, a watch and racked up charges on a stolen credit card.

Felicia Renee Carney, 38, also known as Felicia Silver, was booked on charges of burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, petty theft second offense, grand theft $300 or more but less than $10,000 while victim was 65 years of age or older, fraud - illegal use of credit cards to obtain goods or money $100 or more, and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription.

The total value of the grand theft was $1,949, the report stated, and petty theft amounts on the unauthorized credit card use added up to $720. Carney has a history of arrests.

The charges dating back to July 2004 include domestic violence battery, violation of probation for domestic violence battery, obtaining property by worthless check, giving a false name to a law enforcement officer, fraudulent use of a credit card and failure to appear, violation of probation for fraudulent use of a credit card, cocaine possession, along with several warrant arrests and driving with no driver's license or vehicle registration.

Sheriff's Capt. Randy LaBelle has some advice for anyone wanting to hire domestic help.

"Request references, and check them," he said. "If they don't give you any, then I'd be leery of them. Do a background check at the sheriff's office. Go online to the clerk of courts Web site and see if they've participated in any litigation. Contact your chamber of commerce and the Better Business Bureau."

Where's The Bond?

Step 1. Get in the door by offering a low cleaning rate.

Step 2. Gain the family's trust by getting to know them.

Step 3. Steal until you get caught.

"People who hire individuals to help them, hire them thinking they and their belongings are safe," Judge Sharon Nicklas said to the maid, calling her offense an extreme breach of trust. "People are entitled to feel safe, especially in their own home."

The maid had taken jewelry worth about $70,000, ivory miniatures worth $48,000, antiques, silverware, figurines and rugs totaling $50,000. The items were valued at a total of $168,000!!

Some of the items were retrieved, but the maid was ordered to pay the outstanding restitution of $157,350. And since there was no bond, you better hope this maid wins the lottery real soon. Otherwise, good riddance to your money.

Another Individual Maid Gone Bad

Yes, It Happens To The "Professionals" Too

It's been said many times here that hiring an individual housecleaner is bad news. Yes, it probably means that you'll receive a low cleaning rate. But more importantly, it could mean that something bad could occur. Hopefully, you're individual cleaner will just show up late to your home. But in some cases, your individual housecleaner may steal from you and leave you without any recourse.

But it's not just individual housecleaners that can hurt you. Even professional cleaning companies can make your life miserable.

Click here to see what the four cleaning ladies on the right got caught doing...

So you know that you aren't supposed to hire an individual housecleaner. But now you find out that you aren't supposed to hire a professional cleaning company either. Now what?

First off, you still aren't supposed to hire an individual. Too many things could happen because that indvidual housecleaner isn't a business - it's just some side money. You wouldn't let a stranger from the street into your home, so why would you let someone in just because they left a flier on your mailbox?

Secondly, make sure that your professional cleaning company is bonded and insured. In other words, think of every worst case scenario that could happen and ask them how their company protects you.

Third, make sure that your professional cleaning company conducts a nationwide criminal background search on its employees. That goes for the owner's daughter-in-law and that goes for the little sweet girl with a pretty smile. Hiring people with clean backgrounds doesn't mean that you're completely safe, but you're exponentially safer if the background checks are conducted.

Finally, just because your professional cleaning company calls itself professional doesn't mean that it's professional. Professional means answering the phone every time you call. Professional means arriving on-time every time. Professional means hiring employees rather than contractors. Professional means a lot of things. It's like comparing a flea market to a department store.

A flea market has hidden gems amongst loads of crap that nobody else wants. In a department store, you rarely sneak up on a gem. But you also know that you aren't in a flea market. A department store is a business. A flea market is someone's side money. The difference is obvious.

Another Cheap, Uninsured Maid Strikes Again

CAPE CORAL -- This a story you need to hear if you ever have anyone come to your home to do any sort of work - even if you trust and think you know that person well.

Betty Bowman, 92, says the woman she hired to clean and take care of her home, cleaned out a lot more than just her closets. She cleaned out her bank account too.

Bowman said her housekeeper of two years, Susan Beckers, "stole her personal bank checks and cashed those checks without permission."

The arrest report says Beckers forged 25 of Bowman's personal checks, totaling more than $10,000. Detectives say the stolen checks were written to, and endorsed by, Beckers. They added the account numbers on the stolen checks matched Beckers' personal bank account number.

Now, Beckers is being charged with two counts of forgery to a bank note and one count of larceny - charges she admits to.

The general manager of Bowman's housing complex said that she is not a bonded, licensed, or insured cleaning person.

Dependable, Honest, Consistent And CHEAP?

"What do you charge to clean a house?", said the potential customer.

"Well, it's hard to provide you with a quote without first knowing what you are looking for. So, tell me what you are looking for in a housecleaner", said the maid service manager.

The potential customers responds by saying, "I am looking for someone that is dependable, honest, consistent and cheap."

It was hard not to laugh. Because it ain't gonna happen. It's a myth. An oxymoron. There is no such thing as a cheap, dependable, honest and consistent maid.

The reason is simple. Money talks. You might be willing to offer your services for cheap. And you might tell your customers that you're honest, dependable and consistent. But the reality is that you can't be all those things. The money just won't allow you to be all those things.

Because at some point, another customer is going to be willing to pay your maid more money. Because at some point, your maid is going to get sick and tired of cleaning your toilet for nothing. And because at some point, your maid is going to decide to sleep in one morning rather than scrub your baseboards.

Your maid will do each of those things for the same reason that we're willing to do each of those things for you. Because money talks.

You can't buy from Wal-Mart and expect to receive Nordstrom's customer service. And you shouldn't expect to buy from an independent maid and expect Two Maids & A Mop customer service.

Just Because You Say It Doesn't Mean It's True

"I currently clean 2 houses a week and I am looking for 2 more. I am dependable, honest and trustworthy. I will get it done right the first time. I am a SAHM and military spouse! Refrences avaliable! Light laundry, dusting, windows, fans, sinks, appliances, anything you need me to do I can and will do! Very cheap for a deep down to the bottom clean! You won't find anyone to clean like me for the price! Call me now!!"

That's an advertisement for another cleaning "company". Says all the key words. Honest. Trustworthy. Dependable. And most importantly, cheap.

It will work. Guaranteed.

Then it will all fall apart. Guaranteed.

And then you'll call a professional cleaning company.

The process keeps repeating itself.

Just watch the first couple of minutes of this video. Is this what you would call a cleaning company?

Have Mop, Will Clean

KENOVA, WV -- Some people in Kenova are breathing a bit easier after a woman has been taken into police custody.

Melissa Staley went by the name of Melissa Martin as she went door to door in Kenova. She told the residents she was down on her luck and would be willing to clean or mow lawns.

Officers had gotten several reports of a woman knocking on doors and asking the elderly home owners if they needed any work done. During the conversation, she asked to use the bathroom. That's when police said she made her move and robbed them. The victim didn't even realize their money was stolen until after the woman left.

After letting Staley inside her home, one Kenova resident discovered nearly $8,000 missing. Staley is now being held on grand larceny charges.

Click here for a video recap of this story.

It takes about five seconds for me to find these stories. About the same amount of time it takes for someone to "start" a new cleaning business.

Great rates sound good. A sad story may sound even better. But you're a customer. Start acting like one and you'll get treated like one.

It Will Never Happen To You

Wales, United Kingdom-- A woman who stole and forged checks to the value of more than £1,300 from an elderly stroke victim is facing a jail term. Joanne Jones appeared in court where she admitted three counts of fraud and two counts of forgery. Prosecutors said that Jones had been employed to provide care and cleaning services for the 87-year-old victim in her home.

Her father and grandfather have expressed a desire to reimburse the victim.

Great! Because that's the only way the victim is going to get any money. No bond. No real cleaning company. Just a woman making some money on the side (literally!).

Her rates might be cheap. She may look innocent. And she probably has a business card. But it's doubtful that she's a business.

It never seems like it will happen to you. But it does happen. And when it happens - it's too late. You're stuck. And there's no going back. You're money is already gone.

Of course, maybe you're maid's father will decide to reimburse you.

Another Rogue Maid Strikes Again

OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND - Police have arrested and charged a housecleaner with stealing valuable historical artifacts from her clients. Police said Darla Nolan stole more than $40,000 worth of jewelry and other personal items from the homes where she worked.

Among the items stolen were French-minted medallions honoring George and Martha Washington, a family Bible dating to the 1800s and a religious relic of St. Peregrine, the patron saint of cancer victims.

While the thefts occurred over the span of several months, none was reported to police.
"She was able to get access to jewelry that people didn't wear on a regular basis. People might not have missed them for a while," Lt. Steven Ang said.

Police charged Nolan with burglary, theft and receiving stolen property. She also was charged with drug possession, suggesting a possible motive for the thefts.

Yes, hiring an individual maid means that you'll probably pay a little less than your neighbor. But it also means many other things.

It might mean that she gets a little too close to your family. It might mean that she starts treating you like friend rather than an employee. And it might mean that she decides to quit helping you because someone else is willing to pay her more.

But then again, you might wish for those things to happen. Because hiring an individual maid might also mean that you lose more than just a housecleaner.

Ask these customers in Maryland if those cheap rates are worth it now....

How To Steal From Your Clients In Three Easy Steps

A housekeeper is facing more than a dozen counts of felony stealing in the theft of more than $32,000 dollars from a St. Louis home. Police say Trina Lipe stole the money over a three-year period, typically by writing checks to herself. Lipe is also accused of stealing $100 from another resident, who said it was "very, very surprising" when she realized what happened.

Step 1 - Charge the customer a great rate - so low that they can't say no.

Step 2 - Gain the customer's trust - "It was very, very, very surprising. Trina was a very sweet person," the victim said. "She would come, be very nice with my children. When they were sick, and home alone, she would make them lunch."

Step 3 - Steal until the customer catches you - Then run away with more than $32,000.

Please watch this video. Hiring a professional housecleaner means hiring a professional first, then a housecleaner next.

How To Be The Cheapest Cleaning Service

Cheap keeps on selling. And there's really no way to stop it because, well, it's so cheap.

Maine-- A man who formerly owned a cleaning company has been sentenced to a year in federal prison for harboring and employing illegal aliens.

Manuel Antonio Cornejo, 30, who waived indictment and pleaded guilty in January, is believed to be the first Maine employer to be sentenced in U.S. District Court for hiring undocumented workers. Cornejo also was sentenced to three years of supervised release after he gets out of prison and was ordered to pay a $3,000 fine.

A native of El Salvador, Cornejo went to work for a cleaning company and started his own business, M.C. Cleaning LLC, shortly after he became a U.S. citizen in 2006.

You already know that you get what you pay for. And in the cleaning business, you can be cheap as you want to be - assuming that you ignore all local, state and federal laws.

Cheap means hiring illegal aliens. Cheap means stealing from our government. Cheap means that you'll hire just about anybody - whether they've been convicted of a crime or not. Cheap means not purchasing insurance. But cheap also means that you pay less than your neighbor.

Anybody can start a housecleaning business. And inevitably, just about anybody does.

Cheap Keeps On Selling

A man is in jail after he was arrested on charges of kidnapping and rape.

Sheriff's deputies arrested Rudolph Valentino Smith, charging him with a rape that happened Thursday afternoon. The sheriff's office said that Smith, employed by Watkins Cleaning Service, was working at another home on South Haven.

According to statements, Smith left the job site and went to the victim's home about 2:30 p.m., asking to use the phone. The victim was babysitting a child at the time. Once inside the residence, Smith attacked the victim and threatened to kill her if she reported the assault. A child ran to another room in the home and was not harmed. After the attack, Smith told the victim to give him a ride home. The victim told Smith that she needed her keys from an upstairs room. Once there, she locked herself and the child in a bedroom and dialed 911. Smith stole a handgun from the residence and ran off.

According to investigators, Smith has been arrested and jailed on 15 separate occasions. Past felony charges against him include Aggravated Assault, Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, Armed Robbery and Voluntary Manslaughter.

This guy worked for a cleaning company. That means that you're supposed to be protected. But it's obvious that this cleaning company wasn't protecting anyone. They hired a convicted felon and sent him into a stranger's home. They should feel awful. And they better be insured because they'll be sued soon.

Of course, they should be sued. Mistakes happen. Sometimes you just hire the wrong kind of person. But there are some easy things that a professional cleaning service can perform in order to determine if an employee has a criminal background.

Yes, the steps to determining someone's criminal background are easy. But no, the steps are not cheap.

Cheap keeps on selling. And cheap keeps on proving that you get what you pay for!

Random Thoughts From The Cleaning World

1. A pair of crooks bullied a 10-year-old girl into letting them into a townhouse where they were caught on tape burglarizing the home. The girl was playing on the front steps of the house when the thieves approached and asked her if there was an adult home last Friday. "Two young guys forced her into the house," said Mark Appel, owner of the townhouse. He said the little girl was the daughter of his housekeeper, who was cleaning when the crooks struck.

That's the chance you take when you hire an individual. The homeowner better be more concerned about getting sued by his housekeeper. Whether he knows it or not, he's the supervisor of a workplace environment. And as a supervisor, it's his responsibility to provide a safe, secure environment. Of course, he could have just hired a professional cleaning company and he wouldn't have to worry about a lawsuit. But then again, professional cleaning companies are so much more expensive than individual cleaning ladies.

2. A narcotics task force seized three-and-a-half pounds of heroin and arrested three people on suspicion of multiple drug-related felony charges. Arcelia Padilla and Yoann Rosas were arrested alongside Heber Ruiz. The drug bust was the culmination of a three-month investigation. Padilla, a housekeeper, was found in possession of the lion's share of the heroin with an estimated street value of up to $160,000.

That could be your next cleaning lady. And you would have no idea until it's too late. Four words: Nationwide Criminal Background Checks.

3. A dry cleaning store clerk arrived at work Thursday morning to find a surprise ceremony honoring her honesty. Jennifer Peña was so startled that she froze up and struggled to get her words out. Last week, Peña found $800 cash and a signed paycheck for about $700 in a pair of pants just dropped off by a customer. Peña, who has worked at the store for 2 1/2 years, immediately called the customer. The customer's wife rushed back and claimed the $1,500!

Proof that there are still good, honest people still alive. Not everyone is out to get you. Just be careful - because it only takes one unethical person to create a big mess for you.

What Happens After You Get A Killer Deal

We've been using the same service for years now. The original owner was a lovely woman who always made sure her staff came on time and did a nice job. A little over a year ago she decided to become a Realtor in Texas leaving her son in charge of the cleaning service. Let's just say the experience hasn't exactly been the same since he took over.

We've gotten more and more annoyed at them as the quality of their work dropped and they became less and less responsive. But we're lazy people, and it was just easier to let them keep coming rather than deal with firing them and finding someone new. Plus we were pretty sure that we were getting a killer deal and that any other service would be way more expensive. OK, fine, we're lazy and cheap.

Click here for the full article.

At least this customer understands that you get what you pay for. You can't have your cake and eat it too. At some point, you've got to be willing to pay a little extra if you expect a little extra.

And by a little extra, I mean the basics. Like showing up on time. Like not making the same mistakes over and over again. And like having a real person answer the telephone at all times....

I called a friend to find out who cleaned her house and made the call, then I procrastinated on the other call, the unpleasant one, until yesterday when backed up traffic put me in the right mood to fire someone. But when I called I found that the number had been disconnected. Thinking that it was a mistake I called again, but it was no mistake. Just as I was finally ready to kick them to the curb it seems that our cleaning service had done a runner.

Unfortunately, getting a killer deal means sacrificing a few of the basics when it comes to hiring a maid service.

Doing Whatever It Takes To Get Income

A distraught Hispanic female told officers that she had been sexually assaulted by a Hispanic male. The victim stated that the suspect had contacted her under the pretense of hiring her to work for his home-cleaning business.

“There are a lot of things people can do to protect themselves, but won’t because they think it is going too far,” Officer David Tilley said. “Always check on who you are going to work for." Tilley said with everyone hit hard by the economy, some people jump at the opportunity for work without fully researching the business.

This falls especially true for people working as contract labor. “People are just trying to find work, and are doing whatever it takes to get income,” he said. “It is unfortunate that there are people out there that will take advantage of people in these difficult times.”
________________

Make sure that you read the previous paragraph one more time. Yes, the officer is referring to a situation where someone posed as an employer. But the premise is that this individual picked the cleaning industry. He picked our industry because anyone can start a housecleaning business. And time after time, just about anyone does start a housecleaning business.

In desperate times, a person will do whatever it takes to make a living. And if the legal route doesn't work, then the illegal route is the only other option.

The least important criteria to selecting your next housecleaner should be housecleaning.

26,000 Reasons To Never Hire An Individual Maid

The year was 1988. A young man named R.F. DuBois desperately needed to hire a housecleaner for his home. Enter Gloria Landry.

The hire appeared to be a very wise decision. For 17 years, Gloria worked for DuBois and provided consistent, dependable service.

But it all ended on June 8, 2005. Gloria had just finished another perfect housecleaning and she was headed to her car. That's when she tripped over a crack in the driveway. And that's also when Gloria hired an attorney.

For the last two years, Gloria has been in a legal battle with her former happy client. And just a few days ago, her fellow peers agreed that she deserved $12,383.35 in past medical expenses, $9,620 in past physical pain and mental anguish and $4,810 in lost wages.

"Landry was an employee of DuBois," the suit said. "DuBois controlled the days she worked, her duties, and supplied the tools she used. Landry was injured in the course and scope of her employment with DuBois. DuBois does not carry workers compensation insurance coverage."

Are you listening yet? It happens everyday. And it can happen to you at anytime. You're not a business. You don't have workers' compensation insurance. You don't have general liability insurance. You don't pay payroll taxes. You're just a regular person - a homeowner.

Leave the business stuff to businesses.

You're Next

Of course you're not a celebrity. You're probably not a multi-millionaire either. But that doesn't really matter. Because you can just be a regular person.

Cheap keeps on selling.

Cheap Keeps On Selling

Cheap keeps on selling. And all those cheap maids keep proving that you're hiring much more than just a housecleaner.

CITY OF NEWBURGH — City officers arrested a woman driving a stolen rental car three days after she swiped the keys from a home she was supposed to clean.

An officer spotted a car that matched the description earlier in the morning. When officers pulled it over, they found the cleaning lady, 45-year-old Terri Englehardt, behind the wheel and a passenger, 26-year-old Antonio L. Damon. Officers said they also found crack cocaine in Englehardt’s pocket.

Police took the two of them to police headquarters, where they asked Damon to empty his pockets. Damon, who lives in the Economy Inn on Route 9W, pulled out a plastic bag and quickly swallowed it, police said.

Hiring An Individual Cleaner Cost This Guy $250,000!!!

Jerry Azumah, a retired Chicago Bears player, is out more than $250,000 because he hired an unlicensed, individual housecleaner.

Click here for the full article.

But wait - there is a silver lining. According to this article, there is a chance that he'll be able to recover some of his money!

You don't think it can ever happen to you. Neither did Jerry Azumah.

Liar Liar - Pants On Fire!

Chris Hackett, a candidate for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, recently fired his maid because she informed his wife that she is an illegal immigrant. Hackett’s family hired her two years ago to clean his house about twice a month and paid her by check. The woman’s wage wasn’t reported to the Internal Revenue Service because it was a small enough that he didn’t have to, Hackett said. The woman was hired independently by the Hackett family.

Now get this - Hackett is the owner of a professional staffing agency. Which means that he knows the importance of background checks. And which also means that he knows the importance of payroll taxes.

He didn't perform either function. Because a simple background check would have identified her as an illegal immigrant. And if he would have paid payroll taxes, then she would have had to supply her social security card.

You know why he hired her. So does everyone else. She was cheap.

And she was cheap because she had no overhead. She didn't have to pay taxes of any kind - payroll, state or federal. And more than likely, she wasn't bonded or licensed either.

Cheap sells. Even when it's illegal. But sometimes cheap bites you on the butt.

Sorry Mr. Hackett- You Got Bit On The Butt!!

How Hiring An Individual Cleaner May Cost This Couple $120K

A woman who spent four years working as a live-in housekeeper and nanny for a couple filed suit in federal court against her former employers, charging that they violated labor laws by working her 14-hours a day, six days a week, without overtime pay or breaks.

In her suit, the woman charged that she was paid $1,000 to $1,300 a month to scrub bathrooms, wash windows, vacuum, mop and dust the 9,000-square foot home, cook, serve meals, hand wash china and silver, launder and iron clothes, and bathe, dress and supervise the couple's young daughter.

The suit asks for unpaid wages, liquidated damages and penalties amounting to nearly $120,000!

Click here for the full story. And check out the former housecleaner protesting her former employer in the picture on the right.

It can happen to you too. But it can only happen if you hire an unlicensed, individual housecleaner. Because hiring a housecleaner from a professional cleaning company means that your liability is over once your payment is received.

There's no doubt that this couple hired this woman because she only asked for $1,300 per month. Wonder how cheap she seems now?

I don't make that kind of money and I have a college degree!

"I don't make that kind of money and I have a college degree!", says the prospective maid service customer.

You've probably had this same thought too. You're thinking that your maid earns more money than you earn in a given hour. And in some cases, you're exactly right.

But you're only right if you hire an individual maid. Because an individual maid has almost no overhead.

Imagine owning a business that didn't have to pay any employees. Imagine owning a business that didn't have to purchase any operating supplies. Imagine owning a business that didn't have to purchase any form of insurance. Imagine owning a business that didn't have to spend any money on advertising. And most importantly, imagine owning a business that didn't have to pay any taxes to their local, state or federal government.

Well, quit imagining because that's exactly what's happening in your neighborhood. There's an individual maid cleaning your neighbor's house right now that isn't supplying cleaning supplies. She isn't bonded. She doesn't have a general liability insurance policy. She's never been licensed to work in your county. And she earned your neighbor's business by posting a 25 cents flyer on their mailbox.

And all the while, she's never paid one penny to the government. That's because your transaction is invisible. So she gets to bypass the federal payroll tax. She gets to bypass the federal income tax. She even gets to bypass your county's occupational license tax. All because your transaction is invisible.

Which of course means that she is invisible too.

So, yes - there are maids out there that are earning more money than you earn in one hour. But thy're earning that money only because you let them get away with it. And why do you let them get away with it?

You already know the answer. Cheap sells.

Cash Only Please

If you have ever hired a service company, then you have probably heard these words - CASH ONLY PLEASE!

And if you've ever wondered why your service company requested only cash, here's why.......

1. A service company requests cash because your money makes the transaction final. Forget getting your money back if you are not satisfied. Because your cash has no paper trail.

2. A service company requests cash because they don't want to pay taxes. They don't want to pay income taxes. They don't want to pay payroll taxes. And they don't want to pay sales taxes. Your cash makes the transaction invisible. Because your cash has no paper trail.

3. A service company requests cash because they don't have a checking account. They don't want a checking account because checking accounts are monitored by the IRS. A personal check would interrupt the entire process. Because your cash has no paper trail.

Of course, accepting cash is no big deal. But requesting cash is a tell-tale sign of a maid service company gone bad. They can provide you with a number of valid reasons. But the truth lies within one of these three reasons.

Then again, you might not care. You might not care that your maid is stealing from our government. You might not care that your maid is making sure that she gets paid no matter what. And you might not care that your 17 year old daughter has a checking account, but your maid doesn't!

You might not care at all. Good.

Your maid doesn't care either. Because your cash has no paper trail.

Stealing From The Sheriff

A cleaning woman is in custody for stealing from a former sheriff following a sting operation by the local police.

Janet Sullivan, 57, was arrested Monday after police conducted an investigation based on a complaint from the former sheriff that the woman was stealing from him. According to documents, the former sheriff reported to police that his wife's wedding ring was missing.

When the former sheriff told police he recently hired Sullivan as his cleaning lady, they decided to do a "bait" operation. Police photocopied $500 worth of $20 bills and then placed the originals in the former sheriff's home prior to Sullivan's arrival to clean. When Sullivan left the house, police counted the cash and noticed $120 was missing.

Sullivan, who was being followed after leaving residence, was contacted by police in the Taco Bell with $20 bills matching the photocopies. A search of Sullivan's purse at the police station revealed a white powder substance, which field-tested positive for meth. The former sheriff also positively identified his wife's wedding ring from the contents of the purse.

Sullivan was arrested and has been charged with one felony count of receiving stolen property, one felony count of possession of a controlled substance and one misdemeanor count of receiving stolen property.

Commentary
This cleaning lady was by herself. She wasn't employed by a cleaning company. She was a drug addict. And she was far from professional - her mug shot proves that much. But I'm sure that her rates were great!!

So you're sitting there and thinking, "I would never hire someone that looks like that". But you say that because you already know what happened. Cheap rates work. They work everyday. Because you think that all you're hiring is a housecleaner.

Little do you know that hiring a housecleaner has very little to do with housecleaning.

The $100,000 Cheap Cleaning Company

A cleaning woman was arrested over the weekend after deputies say she was caught on tape stealing high-end equipment worth more than $100,000 from a Naples, Florida cell phone store. She was arrested Saturday after deputies pulled her over on a traffic stop for driving a red Toyota Celica with an expired tag. Deputies learned she does not have a valid driver’s license.

Deputies also learned that Kollar is in the United States on a Hungarian passport and should not be working while here. She was employed by Elite Cleaning Company.

You think that you've hired a professional cleaning company. And since you've hired a professional cleaning company, you think that its employees are all bonded and insured. And most importantly, you think that its employees are all legal. And crime free.

But you may not have hired a professional cleaning company. You may have just hired a person. And that person may have decided to give herself a professional sounding name.

That's how easy it is. You don't even need a business card. All you need is a name.

Please don't just hire the cheapest cleaning company. We know that cleaning is easy. We know that cleaning is mundane. But you're cheap cleaning company could cost you a lot more down the road. It's happened before - and it will happen again.

But it won't happen to you if you hire the right kind of cleaning company. And the first step in hiring the right kind of cleaning company is to follow these two laws:

1. Require that your cleaning company provide proof of insurance and bonding.

2. Require that your cleaning company prove to you that each of its employees are safe, secure and legal.

How Hiring The Wrong Maid Almost Cost A Customer $3,700

In Phoenix, a registered sex offender was arrested after a home was robbed during a house cleaning. According to the victim, the house cleaner was found using the internet bulletin board called craigslist.

The house cleaner was arrested after he was found to be in the possession of $3,700 worth of stolen goods from the home. He had been convicted numerous times, including kidnapping, rape and armed robbery. Of course, a simple background search would have prevented this crime.

The homeowners were alerted when the house cleaner requested that he be paid in cash - at a different location!

Lessons to be learned from this debacle
1. Conduct a background check. Or just hire a professional cleaning company and make sure that they supply you with proof that each employee has been checked.

2. Make sure that your house cleaner is bonded and insured. This doesn't prevent a crime, but it does protect you.

3. Never hire a house cleaner that requests cash. The main reason a house cleaner requests cash is because she wants to get rid of the paper trail. In some cases, that only means she's trying to avoid paying taxes. But it could also mean that your house cleaner is hiding something.

4. Never hire anyone just because she's cheap. And never hire anyone just because she's calls her business a "cleaning company". This business is easy to start. It doesn't take a lot of money. It doesn't take a lot of work. Heck, it doesn't even take a lot of guts. Anyone can start a cleaning company. And it's for that reason that so many quit. Because if it's easy to start, it's just as easy to quit.

The Timeline Of A Cleaning Lady's Theft

Joann Douglas had cleaned at the DeChellis home every other Wednesday for about a year and cleaned at DeChellis’ Italian Cafe every Friday for a couple of months. Douglas had worked for a cleaning company when she first provided cleaning services for the DeChellises’ daughter. Later, Douglas began to work for their daughter independently of the cleaning company.

Warrants were recently issued for the arrest of Joanne Douglas for the burglary of the DeChellis' restaurant.

No, we're not beating a dead horse.

Here's the timeline of this cleaning lady's theft.....

1. The DeChellis family needed a housecleaner. So they hired a professional cleaning company.
2. Joanne Douglas worked for this professional cleaning company.
3. The company assigned Douglas to the DeChellis account.
4. The Dechellis family became comfortable with Douglas.
5. Douglas knew that they were becoming comfortable.
6. Douglas also knew what the DeChellis' were currently paying her employer.
7. So Douglas charged just a little less.
8. In the end, Douglas makes more money and the Dechellis family spends less money.
9. Everybody's happy. It's a perfect situation.

Of course, that was before Joanne Douglas was arrested for theft. It seemed improbable. But it happened.

Cheap, individual housecleaners steal (no, not all of them!). They steal because it's easy. And they keep stealing because people choose them for one reason. Because they're cheap.

And if you still don't believe me, click here.

The Tax Evasion Scheme Explained

Part One
During a department investigation, it was discovered that from 2003 through 2005 a couple allegedly received over $140,000 of taxable income that was not reported to the State of Minnesota. According to the complaint, the couple owes the state at least $9,750 in income tax for those years.

William McCann allegedly admitted that he had been doing remodeling jobs since 2002 and had received $25 an hour, even though he is not a licensed contractor in Minnesota. He admitted to running a lawn sprinkler service for the past four years as well. The income he received from both of these jobs was not reported on the couple’s tax returns.

Patricia McCann allegedly acknowledged that she knew her husband was involved in remodeling and construction projects, and that the money was put into their checking accounts, but was not reported on their individual income tax returns. She also admitted to failing to report that she had received $225 per week for house cleaning services since April 2003.

Click here for the full article.

Part Two
The I.R.S. estimates that as many as four million people owe payroll taxes (known as nanny taxes) each year, that means that fewer than 1 in 13 are obeying the law.

"My accountant told me I have to stop this and issue paycheck stubs and report what I pay to the I.R.S.," said Elaine, a divorced 42-year-old mother of two who covers Hollywood for a magazine and asked that her last name not be used. "But since no President is ever going to nominate me for the Cabinet, what do I care about paying this stupid nanny tax? And if I get caught, I'll just pay the fine and go on doing what I am doing."

So why should you care?

Maybe this statement will hit home with you.....

The law requires anyone who pays a nanny or other servant more than $1,100 this year to report those wages to the I.R.S. Assuming that only one in thirteen is doing so - and that the tax evaders spend as much on household help as the upright citizens do -the Federal Government is losing $1.2 billion a year in Social Security and Medicare taxes.

Click here for the full article.

Part Three
And why should this statement mean anything to you....

1. Because your salary gets whacked because of these payroll taxes. If you have to pay them, why shouldn't everyone else?

2. Because your housecleaner is a thief. She's stealing from your government. And if she'll steal from your government, she might steal from you.

3. Because you're stealing from your government too. And that can't make you feel too good about yourself.