FAQs
Hourly charge
I charge £50 per hour. I don’t charge more for hours worked on Saturdays, Sundays or Bank Holidays.
Minimum booking
My minimum booking is three hours.
How long is your working day?
My full working day is 6 1/2 hours, which includes a 1/2-hour lunch break; you pay only for the hours I work. Start times vary to fit in with my client’s timetable.
Discounted day rate
I offer a discounted day rate of £250, which is a £50 saving.
Where I work and travel costs
I usually work within the London area (zones 1–6) but I am happy to travel further afield. If you live outside London and would like my help, please get in touch to discuss terms.
I don’t charge for travel within London, but I do ask clients outside London to reimburse travel and accommodation costs where applicable.
Making a booking
I can provide guideline quotes based on emailed pictures and a description of what you would like to achieve, but wherever practical I like to organise a home visit, which comprises a free thirty-minute consultation where we can discuss and agree the scope of the project. I am also happy to discuss your requirements over the phone.
Confirmation and Deposit
Following the discussion/home visit, I will email you with details of the proposed booking (i.e. date, time, location, scope, number of hours) and ask you to confirm by return email.
To secure time in my diary, I ask all new clients for a deposit of £50. This deposit is fully redeemable against the cost of your session(s) if the booking goes ahead but is non-refundable if the work does not go ahead.
N.B. If you cancel an agreed booking with less than 48-hours’ notice and do not immediately reschedule the session, your deposit becomes non-refundable.
Estimates
I will make every effort to complete the project within the estimated time agreed with you, however sometimes a task may take longer to complete, especially when a client finds it very hard to make decisions or participate fully in the organising process. In these circumstances, I may need to renegotiate time and costs, but I will always do this with you and we will agree the best way forward together.
Payment
Payment is due at the end of each session (or block of sessions by prior arrangement). If projects are expected to take several months, I will invoice weekly or monthly as the project moves forward and these invoices will be payable within 7 days.
I accept payment by bank transfer, cheque or cash. Payments will be acknowledged by email.
Cancellations
If you cancel an agreed booking with less than 48 hours’ notice, and do not immediately reschedule the session, your deposit (see Confirmation and Deposit above) becomes non-refundable.
Whilst I will make every effort to avoid cancelling any bookings, there may be times when I need to cancel for reasons beyond my control. If this happens, I will give you as much notice as possible and will reschedule the booking as quickly as I can.
How I work
The most effective sessions are those where I work with my client; it is important for you to be part of the process and to guide me as to your aims.
My advice
I will always endeavour to give you the best possible advice and guidance, but it is always your decision to keep, sell or discard items.
What will we achieve?
I will be guided by you. If you simply want a tidy wardrobe, then I will achieve that for you. If you want to declutter on a large scale, then I will help you do just that. You are the client; I will not impose any pre-conceived ideas on you or your possessions.
Do I need to prepare for your visit?
It would be useful to have some rubbish sacks, J-cloths and the hoover ready but other than that you won’t usually need anything specific. However, if it becomes obvious during our initial consultation that you are going to need some storage systems, then I will discuss this with you; if it looks as though you are going to need a skip, then I will help you get that organised.
Do you clean?
No, my job is clearing, sorting and organising, but I will wipe down surfaces and hoover round where I am working.
Are you insured?
Yes, I have £1,000,000 Professional Indemnity and Public Liability cover with Westminster Indemnity.
Accidental loss or damage
While I will always take the greatest possible care with your belongings, accidents do sometimes happen. In these circumstances, I will not be liable for losses or damage as we expect our clients to have sufficient household insurance to cover any accidental losses or damage, howsoever caused.
Can I trust you?
Yes, I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office with regard to data protection and the safeguarding of clients’ details and I have clearance from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) (previously Criminal Records Bureau).
Professional affiliation
I am proud to be a member of The Association of Professional Declutterers & Organisers (UK) and have signed up to their Code of Conduct, full details of which can be found on their website http://www.apdo-uk.co.uk