How to Compare House Cleaning Companies in Toronto: A 20-Point Scorecard

Most people choose a cleaning company by price and reviews, then discover the things that actually matter — insurance, who shows up, what happens when something breaks — only after a problem.

This scorecard covers the twenty questions worth asking before you book. Each is worth five points, for a total of 100. Score two or three companies side by side and the gaps become obvious quickly.

You can ask all twenty in a single phone call. It takes about ten minutes.

Section 1 — Safety and liability (30 points)

This section carries the most weight because it is where the real risk sits. A cheap clean is not cheap if a $4,000 floor gets damaged and nobody is covered. Houmse documents its insurance and screening controls on Trust & Safety — use those pages when you score criteria 1–6 for any company, including us.

1. Does the company carry commercial general liability insurance? (5 pts)

Full marks for $2 million or more per occurrence. Half marks under $1 million. Zero if they cannot answer, or if they only mention a bond with no liability policy — bonding and insurance are different things and one does not substitute for the other.

Two follow-ups worth asking, because almost nobody does:

• Occurrence or claims-made? An occurrence policy covers an incident that happened while the policy was active, even if you report it later. A claims-made policy only responds if the policy is still active when you file. Damage inside a home is often discovered weeks later, which makes occurrence the safer form for you.
• What is the general aggregate? The per-occurrence limit is what one incident can draw. The aggregate is the ceiling for the whole policy year. A $2M per-occurrence limit with a $2M aggregate is thinner than it looks if the company has already had a claim.

2. Does the individual cleaner carry their own policy? (5 pts)

Many companies carry one policy at the company level. Fewer require each cleaner to carry their own as well. Two independent layers means that if one policy is lapsed, exhausted or declined, coverage still exists.

3. Will they send you a certificate of insurance? (5 pts)

Ask for one. A company that holds current certificates can produce one in a day. A company that does not will stall. Many Toronto condo and managed buildings require a certificate before allowing a cleaner on site anyway, so you may need it regardless.

4. Are criminal background checks completed before the first visit? (5 pts)

Full marks only if the check happens *before* the cleaner enters a client's home, with no exceptions. "We do checks" is not the same as "the check is complete before the first booking."

5. Is identity verified against government photo ID? (5 pts)

Background checks verify a record. ID verification confirms that the record belongs to the person standing at your door. These are separate controls and a serious company does both.

6. How are keys, door codes and alarm codes handled? (5 pts)

Full marks for a documented process — where keys are stored, who can see codes, what happens when a cleaner leaves. Zero for a vague reassurance. If a company has never thought about this, you have learned something.

Section 2 — Who actually shows up (20 points)

7. Employees or independent contractors? (5 pts)

Neither model is automatically better, and be sceptical of anyone who tells you otherwise. Employee models generally mean more direct control over training and more predictable liability. Contractor models often mean lower prices and more experienced individual cleaners. What matters is that the company answers clearly and that insurance and screening are in place either way. Award full marks for a clear answer, zero for evasion.

8. Do you get the same cleaner on recurring visits? (5 pts)

This is the single biggest driver of quality over time. A cleaner who has been in your home eight times knows which surfaces need what. A rotating roster restarts from zero every visit. Full marks for a same-cleaner commitment on recurring bookings; partial for "usually"; zero for a pool.

9. What happens when your cleaner is sick or on holiday? (5 pts)

Full marks for a named replacement process. Zero for cancellation. This is the most common failure point in solo-operator arrangements.

10. Is the cleaner trained against a written checklist? (5 pts)

Ask to see it. A company with a real standard will send it without hesitation. If the checklist does not exist in writing, "standard clean" means whatever the individual cleaner thinks it means.

Section 3 — What you actually get (20 points)

11. Is there a published, itemised scope? (5 pts)

Room by room, task by task. Full marks if it is on the website. Partial if they will email it. Zero for "we do a full clean."

12. Is the difference between standard and deep clearly defined? (5 pts)

The most common source of disappointment in this industry is a customer expecting a deep clean and buying a standard one. Baseboards, inside appliances, grout, vents, and behind furniture are the usual dividing lines. See standard cleaning vs deep cleaning for a room-by-room comparison, or take the 60-second quiz.

13. What is explicitly excluded? (5 pts)

Award full marks for a company that publishes what it does *not* do. Exterior windows, heavy furniture, biohazard, anything above a two-step stool. A company willing to state its limits is more reliable than one that implies it does everything.

14. Do they bring supplies and equipment? (5 pts)

Ask specifically about the vacuum — many companies bring products but expect you to supply the vacuum. Also ask about eco-friendly or fragrance-free options if you have pets, small children, or allergies. More detail: do house cleaners bring supplies and equipment?

Section 4 — Price and terms (30 points)

15. Flat rate or hourly? (5 pts)

This is a question about who carries the time risk. Flat rate means the company absorbs it — if the clean takes longer than estimated, that is their problem. Hourly means you absorb it. Flat rate is generally better for the customer, *provided* the scope is clearly defined. A flat rate with a vague scope is worse than an honest hourly rate.

16. Can you get a price before giving your contact details? (5 pts)

Full marks for a real price on the website or by phone with no email gate. Half marks for a quick call-back. Zero for "book a consultation."

17. Are HST, parking, and travel stated up front? (5 pts)

In Toronto, downtown parking and condo access fees are the usual surprises. Ask directly.

18. What is the cancellation and rescheduling policy? (5 pts)

Full marks for free changes with reasonable notice — 24 to 48 hours is standard. Check whether recurring visits can be skipped without penalty.

19. Is there a contract or minimum commitment? (5 pts)

Full marks for none. Recurring discounts are normal and fine. Lock-in contracts for residential cleaning are not.

20. Is there a re-clean or satisfaction guarantee, and what triggers it? (5 pts)

Look past the word "guarantee" to the mechanics. How long do you have to report a problem? Does it require photographs, a form, an inspection? Full marks for a stated window and a simple process. Zero for a guarantee with no defined process, which is the same as no guarantee.

Scoring

One important caveat: a low score does not mean a bad cleaner. Plenty of excellent individual cleaners score poorly here because they do not carry commercial insurance or run a formal screening process — that is a question of business structure, not skill. What the score measures is how much of your risk the company absorbs and how much stays with you.

The three-quote comparison sheet

Print this page (Ctrl+P / ⌘P) and fill it in as you call. No sign-up required.

Seven red flags

1. They will not put the scope in writing.
2. Vague "insured" claims with a bond mention but no policy amount and no certificate.
3. Cash only, no invoice.
4. Pressure to sign an annual contract for a discount.
5. A different cleaner every visit on a recurring plan, described as a feature.
6. No written cancellation policy.
7. A quote given without asking about home size, condition, or the last professional clean. Nobody can price a clean they know nothing about.

Where Houmse sits on this scorecard

Houmse published this scorecard and does not score full marks on every line. That is intentional — a self-serving 100 would make the sheet useless.

Gaps we disclose up front:

• Criterion 8–9 (same cleaner / cover): we aim to send the same cleaner on recurring bookings and notify you ahead if a replacement is needed. That is a commitment with a named cover process, not a literal guarantee that the same person always arrives.
• Criterion 14 follow-ups (eco / fragrance-free): cleaners bring products, equipment and a vacuum — but we do not currently offer a certified eco-friendly or fragrance-free product line. If you need specific products, say so when you book.
• Criterion 7: cleaners are independent contractors we approve selectively — stated clearly, with insurance and screening required either way. See how we approve cleaners.

Comparing company vs independent models more broadly: Cleaning company vs independent cleaner in Toronto.