The Risk of Hiring an Individual or Cleaning Subcontractor

There's a tremendous difference in hiring house cleaning companies with employees vs. subcontractors, vendors or individuals. It's all about the protection you'll get when you open the door of your home to a house cleaner, the quality of the cleaning job, the guarantee, and who is ultimately responsible for any liability or risk when the day is done.

Anybody can put out an ad offering housecleaning service. There is no way of knowing who or what you'll get when you call.

An individual who is hired under the table is a serious risk if they are hurt or disabled on your property. Since they are not covered under Labor and Industries, there is the real possibility that they may sue you for lost wages, damages, or for medical costs.

Technically, hiring an individual makes you an employer, which means you can be held liable for injury claims, worker's compensation insurance and unemployment insurance. It's important to review your home liability insurance to make sure it covers service people in case of injury, and notify your insurer of the relationship.

If you hire an individual and they do not pay employment taxes, YOU as the legal employer can be held liable for the taxes due to the IRS. Hiring a company that pays all employment taxes and carries Labor and Industries insurance coverage protects you.

Unfortunately, many 'cleaning companies', and I'd guess 100% of individuals for hire do NOT carry liability insurance. If your belongings are damaged, (and accidents do happen on occasion) you will have no easy compensation recourse.

Employee honesty bonding insurance is sadly lacking in our industry. A bond is insurance that protects the client and compensates them if an employee is guilty of theft. We've turned down 100's of applications from house cleaners that have current  experience AND theft or other serious criminal conviction.

Mrs. Clean's employee's are trusted, background checked, pre-screened and bonded for your protection. If we would not trust a house cleaner in our home, we will not send them to yours.

Cleaning companies that hire subcontractors have risks. The individuals hired as a subcontractors are independent and are considered a vendor of the company you hire. They have not been trained by the company, (the IRS has very stringent rules on this) and are not covered by Labor and Industries workers compensation insurance.

The risks associated with certain types of house cleaning services is not generally known by the public. (Though it's well known in our industry) It's such a risk, we have a whole other page covering the issue- Click to review the important questions to ask before you hire a house cleaning service.