What to Ask a Cleaner Before You Book

Letting someone into your home — often when you are not there — is a trust decision before it is a price decision. These ten questions separate professional cleaners from cash-job operators who disappear the moment something goes wrong. Use them on every quote call.

1. Do you have an ABN and public liability insurance?

A legitimate cleaning business has an ABN, registers for GST when it should, and carries public liability cover (usually $10 to $20 million). Without insurance, if your $4,000 vase gets bumped or a chemical stains your floorboards, you wear the cost. Ask for a copy of the certificate of currency — a real operator will email it within minutes. No paperwork is a flashing red light.

2. Will I get the same cleaner each visit, or a rotation?

Trust takes time. The same cleaner each week learns where things go, what you care about, and your pets' names. A rotating roster means re-explaining everything and a higher chance of theft or breakage going un-noticed. Some agencies use rotation to mask staff turnover — ask how long their average cleaner has been with them. Two years plus is healthy.

3. What products and chemicals do you use?

Some cleaners still use bleach and ammonia on every surface — fine for a tile bathroom, terrible for a polished concrete floor or a marble benchtop. Ask for their product list. If you have asthma, kids, or pets, ask about eco or fragrance-free options. A good cleaner adapts to your home, they do not just spray Domestos on everything and hope.

4. Do you bring your own equipment?

A pro brings vacuum, mop, microfibre cloths and chemicals. A cleaner who asks to use yours is either inexperienced or cutting corners. Worse — they may use the same mop across multiple homes without washing it, which spreads dirt and bacteria. Confirm they bring everything, that microfibre cloths are colour-coded (so kitchen rags do not touch toilets), and that mop heads are washed between jobs.

5. Do you offer a bond-back guarantee for end-of-lease cleans?

End-of-lease is high stakes — fail it and your real estate agent withholds hundreds of dollars from your bond. A bond-back guarantee means the cleaner returns free of charge if the agent flags issues within 72 hours. Get the guarantee in writing, including the timeframe and what is excluded (carpet stains, mould, walls). No guarantee means no accountability.

6. Are you NDIS registered?

If you are using NDIS funds for cleaning, the provider must be registered (or you must be self-managed and the provider must invoice correctly). A registered NDIS cleaner understands plan categories, knows which line items apply, and invoices in the format the portal accepts. Ask for their provider number and whether they have done NDIS work before. Mistakes here mean rejected claims and out-of-pocket bills.

7. Can you provide references or reviews from current clients?

Two or three current clients willing to take a quick phone call beats a dozen Google reviews. Ask for references in your suburb if possible — proximity matters because cleaners often share clients within an area. Ring them. Ask one question: “would you trust this person with a key when you are not home?” The answer tells you everything.

8. How do you handle breakages or damage?

Things break. The question is what happens next. A pro reports it immediately, photographs it, and lodges a claim through their insurer. A cowboy hides the broken pieces under the couch and hopes you do not notice for a fortnight. Ask for their breakage policy in writing — and confirm the insurance excess is covered by them, not you.

9. What is your cancellation and reschedule policy?

Life happens — kids get sick, you need to reschedule. A fair policy gives you 24 hours notice without penalty, and a 50% charge inside 24 hours. Anything stricter (full charge with 48 hours notice) is the cleaner managing their roster at your expense. Equally, ask what happens if they cancel on you — do they offer a discount or priority reschedule?

10. How do you handle phone calls and bookings?

The best cleaners are usually mid-clean and cannot answer their phone. The good ones use an answering service or AI receptionist that captures the booking, confirms the slot, and texts you a reminder — so you are not waiting two days for a callback. If a cleaner does not return calls in 24 hours, expect the same lack of communication when something goes wrong on the job.

Green flags

  • ABN, GST invoicing, public liability cert on hand
  • Same cleaner each visit, low staff turnover
  • Brings own equipment with colour-coded cloths
  • Written bond-back guarantee for end-of-lease
  • Clear breakage policy — they cover the excess
  • References in your suburb available on request
  • Replies to calls and SMS within hours

Red flags

  • Cash-only, no ABN, no receipt
  • Wants to use your vacuum, your chemicals
  • Different person every fortnight
  • Vague on insurance — “she'll be right”
  • No bond-back guarantee for end-of-lease
  • Cancels last minute then charges full price
  • Phone never answered, no callback

What to do if things go wrong

If something is broken, missing, or the clean is below standard, raise it in writing within 24 to 48 hours with photos. Give the cleaner a chance to return and fix it — most reputable operators will. If they refuse or ghost you, lodge a complaint with your state Fair Trading or Consumer Affairs office. For theft, file a police report. For NDIS-related issues, escalate to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. Keep every text, invoice, and photo — they are your evidence.

Related reading

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