Service Agreement
In order to get the highest customers cleaning experience… We encourage you to read the following company policies and disclosures:
Company
Atlantic Maids® is based in Maryland and offers professional residential cleaning services in the Maryland and DC area since 1988. We are fully licensed, bonded, and insured to protect your home and our employees.
We practice Green Cleaning procedures, we use HEPA vacuums that are certified by the Carpet & Rug Institute, we use microfiber cleaning cloths, and we proudly provide Green Seal Certified® approved and Eco-Friendly cleaning chemicals products that are environmentally safe for your home, kids, and pets.
Our dedicated cleaning teams consist of two or three professionally trained maids, with company uniforms, and arrive in our company identified vehicles for your protection.
Preparing of you home for cleaning
Prior to cleaning your home, and to maximize our productivity when we clean your home, and the value you received from our service; we recommend you to put away your personal belongings, straighten-up loose clothing, toys, knick-knacks, and de-clutter any surfaces. Please communicate in advance with our office on how to properly access (alarm, keys, etc.) your home during the day of cleaning to avoid any locks-out fees.
Children:In order to protect small children from hazards of cleaning equipment and supplies, we ask that you do not leave them unattended.
Pets:We require that all pets (cats, dogs, etc.) be kenneled up, secured in a room that we are not cleaning, or outside in a fenced area that our employees do not have access.
Additional Service Request:If you need additional (basement, inside windows, inside oven/refrigerator, etc.) services performed during the day of your schedule cleaning… Please contact our office 24 hours in advance to make arrangements for these services.
Arrival Notice
If you wish to wait for your maids to give them access into your home, please realize that we can only give arrival times of two (e.g. 8 am -10 am, 10 am – 12 pm, 12 pm – 2pm, or 2pm – 4pm) hour windows . Many things can affect our schedules, such as cancellations, inclement weather, lockouts, traffic, or customers adding services. We want to save you time, so you are not waiting for us to arrive… Leaving a key at the Atlantic Maids® office is the most efficient way for us to provide you great recurring service.
Cancellation & Schedule Changes
We understand there may be time when you have a change of plans and it becomes necessary to cancel and/or skip you’re scheduled cleaning. We need 48 hour advance notice to reschedule or cancel your scheduled cleaning. If no prior notice is given to us, and we send a team out, you will be charge a cancellation fee of Fifty (50%) percent of cost to clean, and will be billed to your account/credit card for the service that would have been performed.
You cleaning estimate is based on the frequency of the scheduled cleaning, as outlined in your estimate…. If you skip any regular scheduled cleanings, you will be charged for the higher service fee the subsequent cleaning. If your schedule cleaning falls on a major holiday, or there is inclement weather, we will call you to reschedule your cleaning for a more convenient time slot.
Communication
To ensure that all your requests are properly addressed, please do not depend on your team to relay any information. If you have any concerns, questions, request, changes, or cancellations please send all correspondence in writing to our office. You can email us directly atatlanticmaids@msn.com, or call our office at 301-990-1291 to ensure your needs are being conveyed appropriately.
Keys, Alarm Systems, and Lock-Outs
Most of our customers provide us with a key to their home to ensure uninterrupted service, and avoid lock-out fees. Keys are kept secured at our office. If for any reason you are not home during your scheduled cleaning, and/or we do not have access to your home upon our arrival time, then a fee of Fifty (50%) percent of the cost to clean, and will be billed to your account/credit card for the service that would have been performed.
If you have an alarm system at your home and it is simple to operate, you can give instructions on its operation to our Atlantic Maids® office. However, if your alarm system is complicated, we prefer that your alarm be deactivated on the day of the cleaning. If you choose to provide us with instructions for arming and/or disarming your security system, we will not be responsible for any alarms that may be set off, and/or cost associated with operating the security system.
Late / NSF Fees
A $15.00 dollar Non Payment fee will be incurred for any payment not made on the scheduled day of service, A $35.00 dollar NSF/Returned Check fee for returned checks, and a $35.00 Past Due fee for all outstanding balances over 10 days.
Non-Solicitation Referral Fee for Hiring of our Employees
This non-solicitation agreement is entered into by and between Atlantic Maids® and the customer, as condition for using our professional cleaning services. I understand that Atlantic Maids® has invested considerable time, money, training, and development of their employees and that under no circumstance will I knowingly engage in a direct, or indirect working relationship with any employee of Atlantic Maids®.
The customer understands and agrees to pay Atlantic Maids® a training and service referral fee of $2,500.00 dollars, if any breach of this non-solicitation agreement achieved, and the customer hires our employees with a year following the employee’s last day with Atlantic Maids®.
Additionally, the employee also has a legally binding Non-Compete & Non-Interference Agreement with Atlantic Maids® that extends the arrangement to one year following the last day of employments with Atlantic Maids®.
Office Hours
Atlantic Maids® is open during normal business hours Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. We will promptly respond to voicemails and emails that we receive after-hours, during the next business day.
Payment Policy
Payments are always due at time of service. Atlantic Maids® gladly accepts all major credit cards (Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover) cards. All customers are required to leave a major credit card number on file to reserve your cleaning appointment, and as a back-up in case you forget to leave cash/check on the day of your cleaning. Credit Cards will not be billed, until the day of your cleaning, after the service has been completed. Customer may also elect to pay directly, via PayPal®, through our website online and payments must be made the day before your schedule cleaning date.
New Customers:
For new customers scheduling a cleaning service please make either a)a payment (www.atlanticmaids.com) online through PayPal® via your credit card to reserve your cleaning appointment, b) leave cash the day of your cleaning service. For your convenience you can always access our website (www.atlanticmaids.com) and make a $50.00 dollar deposit, via credit card through PayPal®. We require five (5) days advance notice for a cancellation, and if you cancel without five (5) business days advance notice your deposit will be used towards the cancellation fee.
Price Increases & Estimates
Because the cost of doing business rises annually, Atlantic Maids® reserves the right to adjust recurring cleaning rates on an annual basis. Customers will be provided at least 30 days’ notice, prior to any rate increases, and we take very seriously how any increase may affect our customer.
Atlantic Maids® also reserves the option to adjust initial cleaning Estimates, based on maintenance level required for your particular home during our first entry cleaning. Estimates are valid for 30 days only, from the date we submitted your estimate.
Property Damage and Accident Policy
We treat your home with great care, but some accidents due occur; therefore we ask that if you have any irreplaceable, collectable, antiques, or expensive objects, we ask that those items be properly secured or put away in order to avoid accidents, or loss of those items. Atlantic Maids® is not responsible for damage due to faulty installation, light fixtures, ceiling fans, pictures, or improperly secured items. Please inform us of any items in your home that require this type of attention. The cleaning crew will notify the client of any accidental damage that occurs during each job. In the event the client notices any other loss/damage we are not aware of in the house, as an result of your cleaning service, the client must notify Atlantic Maids® of any incident within (2) days after service to be considered for reimbursement. Atlantic Maids® reserves the right to deny and reimbursement if the above conditions are not meet satisfactorily.
Friends and Family Referral Program
Recommend Atlantic Maid® to a friend, and received a one-time $15.00 dollar credit, off your next routine cleaning service after your friend uses Atlantic Maid® cleaning services. If your referral is a recurring cleaning services, we offer $50 dollar Atlantic Maids Gift Card, or American Express Gift Card. Complete the form on our website (www.atlanticmaids.com) and submit to our offices. Please allow 5-10 business days for credit to appear on your account, and/or for credit card to arrive through the mail.
Refunds
Since cleaning is a very personalized and subjective service, we cannot offer refunds to customers. However, Atlantic Maids® backs all of its work with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. If you are not completely satisfied with the work we have performed, please call our office within 24 hours of the cleaning. We will be happy to re-clean whatever area is in question, for free, until you are completely satisfied.
Our guarantee is part of our commitment to our customers. We want our customers to be satisfied with the work we perform, and we welcome feedback and comments to help us increase customer satisfaction. Please fill out our Quality Survey after your cleaning, to provide us feedback, so we can maintain a high level of service.
Safety
Atlantic Maids® employees are very important to us and we are very serious about keeping them safe. They do not use ladders, remove their shoes, move, slide, and/or lift anything heavier than 25 lbs. These types of activities put our employees in danger of back injury, or could even damage your flooring. If you would like us to clean behind appliances like a fridge, oven or sofa, please move it prior to the cleaning to allow access to the desired area. For their safety and to comply with Federal OSHA regulations, our cleaning technicians are prohibited from using ladders, other than ladders provided by the company, and are instructed to wear shoes in your home.
Tips and Gratuity
Tipping is not necessary, but with many service professionals, tipping is greatly appreciated and a nice way to show gratitude for a job well done. If you elect to tip your maids for each cleaning then $5 per cleaner or 10% to 15% of your total charge is appropriate, and it should be split between all cleaners. Even if you opt not to tip each time, you may want to include a tip during the holiday season. In either case, the tip is more of a thank you bonus.
Green Cleaning and the Environment
Atlantic Maids® is fully committed to “Green Cleaning” solutions for protecting your family, pets, and the environment. When you choose our “Green Cleaning Process” with us, you can expect healthiest cleaning products, prevention of cross contamination, and allergen control equipment. We use environmentally approved “Green Seal® products, Microfiber® cloths, and Carpet & Rug Institute® certified equipment.