Ask & We Answer
Frequently Asked Questions
On nearly every occasion the cheapest quote should be avoided at all costs. You should deal with a company that provides guarantees, is fully insured and has the knowledge and experience to provide the bespoke service you require.
Our regular cleaning service includes all areas we have agreed with you at the initial induction. This will include floors, surfaces, Kitchens & Bathrooms as agreed. With your personal belongings in situ there may be certain areas you do not want to be cleaned every week but these areas can be added and subtracted as required.
For pre Tenancy/post Tenancy cleans your property should be empty and clear of all personal belongings when the Cleaning Consultant(s) arrive(see our guidance notes). Everything will be cleaned as agreed(refer to our terms and conditions). The clean will be completed to adhere to end of Tenancy Check-Out standards to ensure you do not incur any deductions from your deposit as a result of cleaning omissions.
Yes. We provide our service to suit your needs. Our Cleaning Consultants will work with you to help you achieve whatever your want to achieve. Contact us for our one off cleaning rates and to let us know your exact requirements for this service.
Yes, our Cleaning Consultants are completely focused. Our established system is set up to ensure our cleaning consultants start work almost immediately upon arrival. They will be cleaning the entire time they are at your home, be it for 1, 2, 3 or more, hours per week. With a clear, detailed cleaning plan, our cleaning consultants will make a big difference to the cleanliness in your home.
Our rates vary depending on the number of hours you book. We have an ongoing programme of incentives and discounts. Discounts are normally shown on our home page and are applied when you are on our booking page. If you are unsure please contact us by email or give us a call-we will be pleased to help.
To make your life easier, we offer a regular cleaning service. When you book initially, we will offer you 4 weeks worth of weekly cleaning. This would be undertaken at a time of your choosing, on the same day and at the same time each week. NB. You can change the schedule if you need to at any time during the minimum agreed term. You can also add hours as required. Or, if you are going to be away or perhaps ill and need to cancel or reschedule, any unused hours can be added to your minimum agreed term. Please note we will require a minimum 48 hours notice of any changes or cancellations otherwise you will still be charged for your regular clean.
We make paying for your regular clean simple. You can either pay fully in advance for your entire agreed term (click here for discounted packages for advance payment), or you can pay monthly in advance. All payments are made online, saving the need to find cash or make a transfer every week. All receipts are available from our website when you log-in to your account. Your 4 week programme will automatically renew for another 4 week term after the third clean has been completed, unless your provide notice of cancellation prior to completion of the third clean of each 4 week period.
1 Hour A Week can provide any number of hours of cleaning to suit your needs. To make having a regular cleaner more accessible to everyone, our minimum package is 1 hour a week. Thanks to the detail we take at the initial induction on your first clean we ensure our Cleaning Consultants spend all of their time cleaning. They do not waste time looking for products, checking the layout of your home or finding out where the bins are located etc. The number of hours you need will depend on the size of your home, the profile of the occupants and of course your personal requirements.
The amount of time required each week will depend on various factors which include the number of bedrooms/bathrooms etc within your home. A determinant factor will also be the base at which we start from. The number of occupants and the profile of the occupants will also be a determinate factor along with what you want to be included. Our free induction at your first clean allows us to formulate a plan and recommendation for you.
When you sign up to the 1 Hour A Week regular housekeeping service you will be assigned a cleaner. This will be your permanent cleaner. When your cleaner is away or off work for whatever reason you will be assigned a replacement Consultant but you can rest assured they are trained to the same high standard. With your details recorded within our APP at the time of induction you know the same process will be followed by your substitute Cleaning Consultant.
A regular weekly clean will include whatever is agreed at the initial induction but generally will include: wiping down of all surfaces. Vacuuming, mopping, cleaning of floors; skirting boards where accessible. Superficial cleaning of kitchen appliances. Bathroom basins, toilets, shower and bath. Emptying of bins. Changing of cat litter trays etc as required. At the completion of your induction clean you will receive an email confirming all areas which have been agreed.
Yes. In fact we recommend once a month we carry out a full clean of your fridge/freezer-this would entail moving all food items and cleaning shelves in situ. Keeping your refrigerator clean and hygienic is important for you and your family. Keeping your appliances clean all the time saves time, is good for your health and extends the lifespan of your equipment. Internal cleaning of windows and vacuuming under beds would also be recommended once a month at least.
The regular cleaning programme does not include ironing, but this can be added to your service as required and agreed.
We understand your time is valuable. Unlike many of our competitors we provide a 30 minute window for our time of arrival and we stick to it. In the highly unlikely event our Cleaning Consultant is late we will still make sure your cleaning is carried out as agreed and will also offer a credit to your account to be agreed. Our Cleaning Consultants are not sub contracted or third parties and among other things they are incentivised to ensure punctuality.
Sadly, this is not an uncommon experience. At 1 Hour A Week however, we take a long term view and believe if we provide our clients the best service they will be a customer for many years. Our Cleaning Consultants are fully vetted and trained to the very highest standard. Our extensive training programme includes a section on understanding client needs, wants and requirements. We know that without our Cleaning Consultants 1 Hour A Week would not exist. Our team members are highly motivated and understand they perform an important and valuable job. This means problems such as this should never happen.
Apart from the initial clean you do not need to be in attendance. It is essential you are present at the induction appointment as this is when your weekly cleaning template is set up.
At the induction we will agree arrangements for access if you are not home. We can collect keys from a neighbour. If you have a concierge or porter we can collect from there. The keys can be left inside a key box. Or you can provide a spare set of keys to the cleaner. In the event you provide a set of keys for your regular cleaner we have a secure system to ensure your security. If a regular cleaner cannot attend or is away we will arrange for the keys to be passed to the substitute cleaner.
We provide all cleaning products, which have been carefully sourced for their quality and environmental credentials.’ We will top up these supplies as required. The only equipment we ask you to provide is a vacuum cleaner and a mop/bucket. If you have any particular equipment or products you would like us to use, please let us know at the time of your induction.
At the initial induction we will confirm and agree the areas you want to be covered every week. The safety of our Cleaning Consultants is paramount and if there are any areas which may present a hazard either for the operative or you as our client we will confirm this is the case. General exclusions from a regular will usually include:
- External cleaning of windows
- Deep cleaning of ovens
- Areas behind/below/adjacent to heavy items of furniture which cannot be safely moved
- Cleaning of balconies, external pathways/garden areas
- Defrosting of freezers
- Descaling of fixtures and fittings
- Mould and condensation
- Discoloured grouting to floor/wall tiles
- Tidying of personal belongings
Our Cleaning Consultants will never move around or relocate your personal belongings. We understand it is very frustrating to come home and not be able to find items you left in a certain place before you left. In the unlikely event any items are moved the Cleaning Consultant is trained to leave you a note or to add a message to the 1 Hour A Week APP.
We try to be as flexible and possible and will always look to accommodate your requirements. Our appointment times range from 8.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday. On Saturday’s we have appointments available between 8.30am and 3.00pm. We do not ask our Cleaning Consultants to work on Sundays.
Our years monitoring and researching cleaning companies work showed there was a significant increase in complaints from Tenants/Agents/Landlords/Homeowners following cleaning undertaken on Sundays. We believe our hardworking team deserves time to refresh, enjoy family time at the weekend and to come back to work on Monday morning reinvigorated and Inspired to serve their clients.
Partnering with 1 Hour A Week gives you certain reassurances and guarantees. All of our cleaners are trained to work in the same way. All of our Cleaning Consultants are fully insured. When your regular cleaner is on holiday or absent for any reason the alternative Cleaning Consultant we send will provide a seamless service following your requirements as detailed at the initial induction.
