logistics of an independent house cleaner

[elocrates]

I know some of this has been discussed before. Of course I can't find the posts when I actually need them. So...

Here's what I've read about hiring an independent person to clean. Is it really this complicated?
-need to confirm homeowners insurance stipulations for if house cleaner gets injured in our home
-we need to document/ submit info for their taxes or pay into FICA, etc?
-verify they are legally able to work in the US (I-9 form?)
-criminal records bureau check
-need an employer ID number with the IRS if we pay them more than a certain amount per year
-need a signed W-4 form for them
Plus some other stuff.

I find it hard to believe that most people do this. Tell me if this is really the way you do it. Ack, it makes me want to hire a larger company instead but I'd rather give my business to an independent person/ small business owner.

How did you find/ hire your independent cleaner?

[Deleted]

I just got a recommendation, did a walk through, gave her a garage code that I set just for her, and left her a check each time she came. That was it.

eta: fixed my text. I gave her a garage code, not a key. 

[ijack]

Jan 24, 2013 11:32:12 GMT -5 @gingersb said:

Basically what ginger said, except we leave a key each time.

[Deleted]

What ginger and ijack said, except that she gets the spare key from the front desk.

[fortmyersbride]

Similar to pp, I just got recommendations and a background check (through care dot com), did a walk through with her, and gave her a key.

[definitelyO]

Jan 24, 2013 11:29:06 GMT -5 elocrates said:

I know some of this has been discussed before. Of course I can't find the posts when I actually need them. So...

Here's what I've read about hiring an independent person to clean. Is it really this complicated?
-need to confirm homeowners insurance stipulations for if house cleaner gets injured in our home
-we need to document/ submit info for their taxes or pay into FICA, etc?
-verify they are legally able to work in the US (I-9 form?)
-criminal records bureau check
-need an employer ID number with the IRS if we pay them more than a certain amount per year
-need a signed W-4 form for them
Plus some other stuff.

I find it hard to believe that most people do this. Tell me if this is really the way you do it. Ack, it makes me want to hire a larger company instead but I'd rather give my business to an independent person/ small business owner.

How did you find/ hire your independent cleaner?

I did not read all the responses.  Our independent cleaner was working for a friend - at one point whe was cleaning 6 of our friend's houses including ours.  So there was trust and we've been using her for about 7 years.
we dont' do any of the above.   I write her a check and she cashes it.  whether or not she declares the income is her business and not mine.

[crashgizmo]

Ditto everyone else. I found ours online, checked him through the Better Business Bureau, invited him for an estimate where DH and I were both there. We felt perfectly fine with him. He's been cleaning for us for 2 years and we've referred him elsewhere.

I write a check, whatever he does with it is his business.

[lys]

Yes, you need to do all of that. Not doing so allows/creates an illegal situation and working under the table - not paying taxes etc. which impacts all of us.
If this is not what you want to do - then hire thru an agency.

[cjeanette]

I did none of that stuff. Checked references and H gave them $100 cash when he was home to meet them for their first visit.

[LoveTrains]

If the cleaner is only cleaning your house and is your employee, that is when you have to do all that crazy stuff the OP listed.

Most of us are not hiring full time maids. For a regular cleaner who comes once a week/month whatever, they are an independent contractor. You pay them and it is up to them to file their taxes as an independent contractor. I suppose you could give them a 1099 if you paid them over $600 in a year if you really wanted to.

[cosmowife]

I don't know the whole story, but my coworker had a cleaning person that worked for herself a long time ago. Something happened and my coworker ended up having to pay something like $2000 in back taxes on behalf of this woman. Her husband is a lawyer, too, so I am not sure how it resulted in this situation.

Regardless, we pay our cleaning lady when she comes and that is it.