Merry Maids of Havertown

This is an overpriced and terrible cleaning company. We requested a deep cleaning, which was never done. The cleaners who came out were incompetence, disrespectful, and spent the time chatting. We have elderly relatives who can clean much better than they could. I would give them Zero Stars if I could, don't waste your time nor money with these people, it's a shame

The following email to Merry Maids is self-explanatory and should be detailed enough for your research: " Memo to Merry Maids April 27, 2012 Re: Cleaning Service Wednesday 4/18/12 Your No. 1354907 The cleaning provided was not as promised by Michael in our meeting of Tuesday 4/17/12 nor was it anywhere close to the level of promises touted in your brochure. For a cost of over $400 the service should have been outstanding and certainly more professionally performed. While it appeared that the cleaners were not adequately trained they did a decent job on the bathrooms for which I am grateful and for which I believe I compensated with a decent tip ($20). However the rest of the cleaning was haphazard, unfinished, areas were overlooked and incomplete. Also it was apparent later in the day that the mop/cover had not been changed. Most likely the same mop/cover that was used in the bathrooms was also used for the kitchen and hall area. That is not professional cleaning. I have to wonder how clean the rags were from room to room. And by the way, they left a mop. We were grossly overcharged for an inadequate, unprofessional, unsatisfactory and very disappointing cleaning service. Consequently, I would not use Merry Maids again nor could I recommend Merry Maids to anyone. Judith Needleman 1001 City Ave., EE 119 Wynnewood, PA" Merry Maids offered to come back to "reclean" but I declined and requested a partial refund. I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau shortly after (I have never filed a complaint with BBB but the services performed were so inadequate for the price charged). (This is a 2BR/2bath condo with not a lot of space.) After approximately 2 months a credit to our account was made.

We hired Merry Maids in West Chester and bought a group package that included an initial deep cleaning (their term) followed by bi-weekly cleanings. The initial cleaning was far from deep--entire rooms in the house were not cleaned. Kitchen counters and sink were missed altogether. Rooms on the first floor appeared not to have been vacuumed, and floor cleaning was missed. Dust bunnies visible in a few rooms. Other parts of the house (second floor) were done well. They were quick to return and rectify the situation. However, it was very disappointing. If this was the quality of the so-called deep cleaning, what could we expect for a regular cleaning? The house was also inspected by two people before they left and neither of the inspectors saw the visible dust still on the floors. I cancelled the agreement.

They did an excellent job in the bathrooms. They do a great job on the floors. They came back to make right some cleaning needs.

A man came over to give me an estimate on the deep cleaning and said they would send several employees over to do the deep cleaning. He said that it would only take them a couple of hours. On November 18th 2 women showed up and spent a long time on the upstairs cleaning. I could tell by the time they moved to the middle level they were losing steam. I was in my office working while they were working so I was not watching them. The supervisor said that they wouldn't need to be watched. When they were done they asked me to look around and then pay the rest of the money. I looked around and everything on the surface looked alright. I paid them and they left. Later that day I noticed that my antique chair was broken. They didn't clean underneath the couches and behind the furniture. The more time that passed I kept noticing more things that weren't done. I called Amy the supervisor that day and told her about the chair and the furniture not being moved. She said that they didn't break the chair. She also said that they don't move furniture over 25 pounds. None of my couches are over 25 pounds. I contacted her again about the next scheduled cleaning which was on December 18th. I told her that I either wanted a credit for the chair or the women to admit that they broke it. I didn't want these types of people in my home if they can't admit it. I had a message from her before December 18th saying that everything had been worked out. On December 18th the same 2 women showed up. They did the work and then left without asking for money. I told my husband that they must have given me the $170 cleaning for free since the first visit went so aweful. 3 days later I received a call asking.

The company got back to us right away; the man I usually spoke with was friendly and helpful. They required a full cleaning before regular biweekly service could start, which made sense. The thorough cleaning was indeed thorough, and it was lovely to have a clean house. The biweekly service started not quite two weeks after that. The house was nice and clean. The only issue is cost -- it seems quite expensive, especially given that we eliminated the entire third floor from the cleaning (we rarely use it) and it only knocked the price down $10. While I think the company did a good job of cleaning, we can't afford biweekly cleaning at this rate, and I'm now trying to explore less expensive options for the future.

They would send 2 cleaners, different each week, to come in. They were noisy and frequently called to find out if they could show up earlier. I wanted them in the afternoons and they frequently wanted to be here in the mornings. They frequently would not call before they showed up. They just didn't do a good job. They were not careful. They were not bonded. I had somebody steal at one point out of my pocketbook and nothing was done about that. Once somebody vacuumed over my cell phone cord and there was no reimbursement for that.

I've worked with a number of cleaning companies, and I've had different experiences. When you get a good team, they're awesome. They're thorough and trustworthy. It's really a matter of getting that team. I'm flexible on the days and times they can come, so I can request the people I want.

In anticipation of a visit, my sisters, who live outside of the area, had contacted Merry Maids of Havertown and requested a "whole house cleaning". Unknown to me, they had agreed to pay $360 for 4 hours of service. The service was requested for a Monday and the weekend prior to the requested service, I had cleaned the house --picked up, cleaned & polished, washed floors and dusted furniture, and had entertained at a dinner party, so even when the cleaners arrived, the house, on the surface was "guest ready". On the day of the appointment, two women arrived at 9:30 a.m. to perform the requested service--a total of 8 "person hours". They immediately asked me "what my priorities were", and I, anticipating a whole house cleaning, and knowing that the house was already clean, asked them to focus on the kitchen, bathrooms and 1 small bedroom 7' x 12'. The two women began their work upstairs in the two bathrooms--one very small one with a shower, sink & toilet, and a larger 9 x 7 with a toilet, tub and sink, and the small bedroom. They remained upstairs for 2 1/2 hours until 1:00 p.m.in those three rooms, never cleaning the master bedroom or the larger guest bedroom. At 1:00 with 1/2 hour remaining, they came downstairs and began to clean the kitchen and powder room. During their conversation, they mentioned that they "only get $23 per house" for the cleaning and depended on tips. At 1:30p.m. they told me that they weren't finished and had not been authorized by my sister for additional time. I agreed to pay for the 1/2 hour of service and at that time, discovered that the charge was $80/hr. They completed the kitchen and bath, and I paid for the extra 1/2 hour and gave them a tip. At no time did they clean any part of the living room, dining room or den, nor two bedrooms on the 2nd floor--hardly a "whole house cleaning', at what I feel was an exhorbitant price. My dissatisfaction is not with the quality of their work--what they did was fine, although I can't imagine why it took them so long to do what they did. My dissatisfaction is 1) with the lack of performance of a "whole house cleaning, and 2) with the price which I feel is completely excessive. On Thursday of that week, my four sisters arrived, and, knowing the general condition of my home, were shocked at how little had been done and made a complaint, first to Merry Maids and then to the Better Business Bureau. None of us--all of whom run households, will ever use this company again.