Category: Staying Safe

First Call Home Services, like most Australian businesses, is taking the risk of Coronavirus very seriously. Our priority is always the safety and well being of our customers, participants and team members.

We are taking steps to prepare and respond, doing our bit to help contain the virus and keep the community safe. It is now an appropriate time to start talking about the potential impact of Coronavirus and how First Call Home Services is preparing.

We want to take a proactive approach, rather than causing unnecessary panic.

WE ARE TAKING SENSIBLE PRECAUTIONS 

We are taking precautionary measures to ensure we can continue to deliver a high level of service to you.

We are taking the advice from the Australian Government. All members of the community should practise good personal hygiene to protect against infection. Good hygiene includes regularly hand your washing with soap and water, as well as appropriate cough etiquette.

All First Call team members have been advised and updated on precautions that are appropriate to help minimise risk to our customers and themselves.

THE POTENTIAL IMPACT UPON YOUR SERVICE

Like many businesses in Australia, there will likely be some impact upon our Company and how we deliver services as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

We are mindful that some of our customers and participants may be vulnerable due to existing or underlying medical conditions. As a result, we are taking all precautions to prevent the spread of Coronavirus, just as we do for all other forms of illness.

In the coming weeks, you may experience the following:

– Temporary suspension of scheduled visits for cleaning or yard maintenance.
– Temporary reallocation of a service to a new team member, where an existing team member may be unwell or unable to attend.
– Changes in the availability of common household cleaning items.

Please know that our administration support team will work hard to ensure that you are kept up to date about your services and any potential changes that may impact on you and your household.

PLEASE ADVISE US IF A MEMBER OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD IS UNWELL

If you or any member of your household become impacted by the Coronavirus, please contact our Support Team on (07) 3708 1060 to discuss.

We will work with you to ensure that we can minimise any impact to your ongoing service.

We are continuing to monitor the situation locally to ensure that we are taking care of our team, customers and participants.

CONTACT OUR TEAM IF WE CAN ASSIST

We are always willing to discuss if you have any questions about your service.

Call:        (07) 3708 1060
Email:    team@firstcallhomeservices.com.au

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On the 17 March 2017, the Brisbane Magistrates Court ordered a Brisbane man who operated a company called ‘Quality Cleaning Service’ to pay more than $10,000. This followed the Queensland Office of Fair Trading charging him for making false and misleading statements related to a bond back guarantee, along with failing to supply cleaning service.

The Court heard that between 2015 and 2016, the company accepted payments from eight consumers in Brisbane to provide end of tenancy cleans with a ‘100% bond back guarantee’.

The operator failed to clean their customer’s homes to an acceptable standard and did not refund the customers their money when serious concerns were highlighted. Commonly in situations like this, a customer may be required to pay other cleaners to get their bonds back, or have an amount removed from their bond by their real estate agency to cover costs associated with rectification of the cleaning.

First Call’s Managing Director Aaron Athorn said that customers seeking bond cleaning in Ipswich, Toowoomba or Springfield Lakes areas needed to be comfortable with the quality and transparency of any selected cleaning provider.

“Ask questions! It’s important for customers to check on the quality of their chosen providers and to ask questions about how any guarantee may work,” Mr Athorn said.

“Moving house is stressful enough, without the threat of losing your part of your bond, or being forced to pay for another clean as a result of a poor provider.

“A good business will always be transparent about their services and should offer a listing of what cleaning will be completed. They will also provide a rectification or quality workmanship guarantee if things don’t go right.”

 

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First Call’s tips and questions to ask of a bond cleaner:

– Ask questions about how any provided ‘guarantee’ works – Be wary of ‘100% bond back guarantees’

– Be sure that the provider is transparent and openly provides information about how services are provided

– Speak with your Property Manager – they are often a wealth of information

 

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For more information:

Queensland Department of Fair Trading

You often hear stories about people hurting themselves at work and how long the journey to recovery can be. In Queensland alone, there were 1,835 injury claims for cleaners in 2013/14.

But how do you ensure that you are not held personally liable for injury costs should your cash cleaner hurt themselves in your home?

Many people do not realise that when engaging a cleaner in their own homes, they expose themselves to potential claims from injured ‘household workers’.

‘Cash Cleaners’ are common within the cleaning industry. Whilst by nature they may appear cheaper to engage, they do not often hold insurance, and in some instances no criminal history or background checks. Without appropriate checking processes you may inadvertently place you, your family and the cleaner in a particularly tricky situation. 

In 2015, the average cost of an injury claim made to the State’s insurer was a whopping $15,792!

Of these claims, the greater proportion relate to activities common in household cleaning.

For all Queensland employers, it is compulsory to provide coverage to your employees under the WorkCover scheme, providing the necessary insurance in the event of the unexpected.

But what about when a private household hires a cleaner for cash?  How do you ensure that you are not held personally liable for injury costs?

Where an injury occurs within your home, you may be found liable for the costs incurred. Without adequate insurance, this may come as an unwelcome surprise. 

The safest option is to hire a reputable company that provides cleaners with coverage in the event that a cleaner injures themselves in your home. It is also appropriate to check that your cleaner holds a recent Criminal History Check.

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Tips to Consider

1. Ensure that your provider maintains appropriate injury insurance for their employees
2. If you are considering engaging a ‘Cash Cleaner’, you may wish to consider purchasing a Household Worker Insurance policy. In Queensland, these policies can be purchased from WorkCover Queensland.

If you would like to know more, please get in touch today with the First Call team on 1300 654 173.

 

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First Call Home Services is a quality provider of home services in the Ipswich, Greater Springfield and Brisbane regions. The Company provides end-of-lease cleaning services, along with regular in-home cleaning services for busy people.

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Reference: https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/110833/wcr-statistics-report-2014-2015.pdf