Anyone asking housekeepers/cleaners for "invoices"?

Andrea218
Level 10
United States

Anyone asking housekeepers/cleaners for "invoices"?

Does anyone out there receive INVOICES from people engaged for house cleaning? 

 

Without going into all the sordid details, suffice it to say that against my instincts I accepted a request from a woman who came across as very arrogant who wanted to stay in our house for a month.  I hadn't hosted anyone at all since the COVID outbreak in our region but finally accepted a gentleman with family for the entire month of July, and then this woman - *personal information hidden* - for the month of August.  

 

Well my house was left a mess by this woman, and I'd even checked with here again prior to departure making sure she understood "leave it as you found it" (we don't charge a cleaning fee b/c we expect people to leave the house respectfully, while expecting of course to dust/vaccuum/mop, polish floors/kitchen appliances/bathrooms fixtures etc.  following each visit.).

 

In this instance because of the enormous amount of extra time needed to properly clean. and put the house back in order, I asked to be compensated.  Of course the guest refused so I involved AirBnB - Took them 10 days to respond, and now they want an INVOICE!!  Unheard of!  I have NEVER asked a cleaning persons for an itemization.... and I feel this is so reflective of a posture that also denotes "privilege".  

 

"In case you are sending an invoice we would require the breakdown of the hours spent on cleaning, what was cleaned, the equipment used to remove the smell or to clean, on basis of which our dedicated team validates the document."

5 Replies 5
Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Andrea218 I would hope that all hosts who use professional cleaners get invoices so they can offset the costs against tax. To ask for more detail when an unusual event occurs shouldn't be a big problem for a cleaning company.

Sadly for us hosts who clean for themselves its very unusual, based on other reports in this forum, for them to be refunded anything.

Emilia42
Level 10
Orono, ME

@Andrea218 

Don't you get an invoice/receipt from the cleaning crew? Wouldn't you need such a thing on file when you file your taxes?

@Emilia42  I don't get an invoice, but I pay my housekeeper on the books and send her a 1099 every year so she can pay taxes on the income.  You don't need an invoice to 1099 someone.

 

@Andrea218  Most private housekeepers don't of course submit invoices for their work, but I'm sure there are professional cleaning services who can and do.

 

I had more long-term stays (2, 3, or 4 weeks) this year than usual.  With any stay of more than 10 days I require mid-stay cleaning; three weeks or more I require weekly cleaning.  Because the long stays this year were not discounted I paid for the cleaning out of the booking and did not request additional funds for additional cleanings.  It was more important that I keep my places in good order and my housekeeper employed (more long stays mean fewer cleaning jobs for her).  I wouldn't trust any guest anywhere at any time to keep up with the cleaning.  

Thanks @Emilia42  but no - I have either cleaned the house myself or used a local housekeeper.  we agreed on a flat rate, but depending on what she finds when she enters, &/or if we had more people and therefor more laundry, in particular, she adjusts that rate and makes that request of me by email along with rating the guest's cleanliness on AirBnB's scale of 1-5, along with any concerns/comments she thinks she needs to share with me to provide a fuller picture.  I then turn around and pay her by pay pal.  which I would have thought would serve as a receipt.   

 

Tax time, I generate all reports directly from my Pay Pal account, whether for my housekeeper, handyman, etc... 

 

I find it galling to think that those coming to clean houses would need to spell out tasks and supplies used as Air BnB is not asking....  especially since this is a global enterprise, where I know any who are cleaning houses do not have computers at home, nor would they all be able to furnish an invoice even in writing.   Air BnB sure has changed since we first signed on 8 years ago.    😞

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

It would be unusual for the majority of people in the western world including cleaners not to have a computer but in cases where they don ‘t - they could use their phones or provide you with a manual receipt from a receipt book @Andrea218 

 

In the UK we need bills or receipts outlining services provided to claim these sort of expenses against our taxes. 

My cleaners provides an invoice.