I have just received a quote of 1550 CHF (plus 7.6% tax) for cleaning services (including handover) for our 4 room flat in Zurich. The company is Cleantech.

Do any of you who have used cleaning services before think this is reasonable?

Thanks in advance for your opinions.

Never used a cleaning service (planning on paying my landlady to clean my flat when we move), but from what i have heard from people that price sounds ok.

We pay our (Czech) cleaning lady CHF 30.- per hour, plus VAT (she has a company which issues invoices, nothing underhand going on here - no sirree!).

She charged about CHF 1'200 when clearing out my last apartment, so you are probably a little high, but not off the Richter Scale.

Hello all,

it their anything that these cleaning companies offer that my other half and myself cannot accomplish?

At my "handover" I intend to have someone from the tenants assocation - http://www.mieterverband.ch/zh_top.0.htmlpresent to ensure that there are no misunderstandings...

Would appreciate your input.


Regards,


Larry.


PS I will be putting my own place on the forum soon (available from 01.09).

The price sounds not bad, I have heard some horrow stories that final cleaning costs to the satisfaction of the landlord can be several thousand CHF. The important thing if you use a professional cleaner is to make sure that the one you use offers an "Übergabegarantee" in other owrds, they guarantee that if hte landlord isn't satisfied they will clean until he is. That's something you won't have if you do the job yourself but then again, there's a very useful list of things to clean already here on the forum - I think that's all being collected under the "leaving Switzerland" thread.

Not really, other than the fact that it requires a level of cleaning above and beyond hoovering and spraying a bit of glass polish around. These apartments need to be cleaner than the inside of an atomic bomb's final assembly building.

It's always easier to get someone else to be responsible for this hassle as you have other things to do, like moving into your new place.

I remember cleaning my old flat with a friend years ago ( I was not familiar with the fact that you could get a pro) - it was spotless
The regie came around to inspect and after he had spent ages feeling walls for holes he left with the passing words -

"You will get the apt cleaned before you leave"

It belonged to the Company and the next tenants arrived . I asked them if they were happy with my cleaning and they could not find fault with it

Welcome to Stalag Luft Perfect - aka Switzerland

Louise,

I must say, I am somewhat shocked at the orderliness in this small country. Having lived in a lot of EU countries before, I have never come across so many preconditions for vacating a rented property. Many thanks for your guiding words however.


Larry

The price is fine, especially if they do it "to the satisfaction of the landlord".
We apparently needed to replace the filters in the bathroom taps (only visible to swiss landlords) & the cleaner happened to have a pair that fit in his pocket

They also cleaned the 40 yr old wooden shutters, the bathroom vents from the inside

the list goes on(!)

for me, i'd rather pay a professional than go thru the sht

and my fathers scottish and my middle name is scrooge..

Thank you all for the tips and advice.

I think we will try and muddle through ourselves, my other half is a professional housewife and likes hard work.

We would be planning on doing the handover at the end of August which leaves us plenty of time to comply with the ahem.. regulations.


Larry

I paid 450 CHF to have my 90m2 place cleaned when I vacated it and there was no problem with the final condition of it because it was done via the caretaker who knows the letting agency. I could spot faults at the handover with the letting agent and the caretaker present but it didn't seem to matter.

I'm beginning the long slog to cleanliness in a flat that attracts dust like UBS attracts dodgy money. It's almost like our whole flat is an electrostatic precipitator. I'm tryint to put myself in the mindset of new recruit hving his barracks inspected by the sergeant from Fulll Metal Jacket and just trying to think of new and unexciting places to clean dust from.
Oh yay.
I still think a suspicious fire, the day we leave, will clear up any problems.

Any updates to this one? Might be looking for a cleaning firm that do a good job for a fair price?


Larry

The cleaners are in my place today and tomorrow. It's a three bedroom two storey house with full cellar, two bathrooms and blinds on all the windows. The cleaning quote is 2,600 and comes with the guarantee

Well Louise, we do not live in such a sumptuous residence, we will have to look further. If the price was in Rupels, it would be still too much.

Appreciate the information nevertheless.


Laurence.

Perhaps you have been taken to the cleaners..?


L.

Yes but that's a lot of m2 I presume.
Being a professional housekeeper only works if you have a Swiss agent's eyes and imagination.
But if you are willing to lose some of your deposit instead it's doable.
Warning:replace everything that's replaceable. A 10 franc glass turns out expensive (100sf) when they charge the taxi fare and time to go and buy it!
Now back to my bucket and killer cleaning products...

What you say is true, but at the risk of saying this in a public forum, my wife is even worse than the helvetics for cleanliness.

Will keep looking. Our Hausverwalting seem to have mellowed a bit since I had the solicitor on them.


L.

Hi

I am looking for a reliable, honest housekeeper / cleaner in the Lugano area - does anyone have any ideas ?