Complaint Review: Joane Lee - Clearwater Florida

Joane Lee contacted me by phone on Sunday 7/23/06 at 2:30pm. She inquired if was available immediately to do a move out cleaning of her 1 bedroom 1 bath 2nd floor apartment located in New Port Richey.

I explained to her that I was available. She needed it to be done by the end of the night, so I told her I could come right away. She asked for my rates and I explained to her that since it was a small apartment it would only require one person to clean it at $35 per hour. She agreed. She told me she also wanted the insides of the oven, refridgerator, under the stovetop, and inside windows done. I told her it was $25 for the fridge, but i would do the oven , under the stovetop, & windows at no extra cost. What a bargain! I told her it would take me a minimum of 4 hours to complete the job. Again, she agreed. She then tells me that for her new house she would like me to come out bi-weekly to clean it. Sweeet!

I arrived at Ms. Lee's apartment at 4:30pm. It took me 45 minutes to get there with traffic. She was there, but waiting for a cab to take some stuff to the new place. She said she would be back before I finished to pay me and to get her dog, a Maltese named Harley.

I got straight to work, Time is money, ya know? After about an hour, I went down to my car to get a bottle of green tea. Her neighbor/landlord? was outside blowing leaves. I stopped him and asked for the time. It was 5:30pm. I went back upstairs and went back to work. I cleaned that apartment from ceiling to floor. I did all the vents and baseboards. I polished all of the furniture, dusted the framed artwork, and bagged up knickknacks and such for her to take with her. (The furniture came with the apartment.) To get an idea of how dirty it was... there was a dust ring on the ceiling in the bedroom above the ceiling fan. The dust on the actual ceiling fan was black and about a half inch thick. The bathroom looked like it had never been cleaned. I estimated 4 hours, but I actually finished in 5 1/2.

Ms. Lee never returned. My cell phone is dead, so I had no way to contact her. I waited another half hour, but still no show. I locked up and left.

I called her when I got home, around 11:30pm. No answer. I left a voicemail. She returned my call about 5 minutes later. I told her I just got home, and that her total was $217.50 ($35per hour x 5.5 hours = $192.50 + $25 for the fridge = $217.50) She was kind of upset that it cost so much. I explained to her that she needed to see her apartment to understand. I also explained that I didn't charge her for the windows, oven, or under the stovetop; nor did I charge her a fee for my having to come out on short notice and for traveling out of my service area. She told me to call her in the morning, so we could meet up because she was actually on her way back to New Port Richey to get her dog and some more of her belongings at that moment. I said OK.

The next morning, I called her at 8:15 am. Voicemail. I left a messege that I was on my way to work, but I would call her once I got home. I called when I got home at 5:30pm, voicemail. She didn't return my call until 8pm, where she told me she would call me back in an hour. She never called me back.

I called her again this morning, and left another voicemail explaining that she neede to get me my money ASAP. I explained that I had taken before & after pictures of the apartment. I told her that I have a copy of the invoice I left on her kitchen table. I told her I have a witness as to what time I arrived as well as left (her neighbor/landlord?). I also explained that the messages that she left on my voicemail admitting that she owed me money were saved on the voicemail system.

She finally returns my call at 6pm Wednsday (7/26/06). She offers me a collections position with her company. I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or what!? I ask her politely to pay me. She is in NPR, and won't be back until the morning. I told her I will be up early, and I will come get it. She then tells me to call her at 8 am, then hangs up.

I called Ms. Lee at 8am Thursday morning (7/27/06). She did not return my call. I called her Friday morning at 8am as well. Still no response. I called her again this morning at 10am (7/29/06). Again, I left a voicemail. I am still waiting for her to return my calls.

I must have SUCKER written across my forehead, everyone except me can see it...

I know she frequents Craigslist, that's how she found me. I don't know what else to do. I work hard for my money, and I earned every cent of it. It's sad to know that people like this are out there. I have 5 children I need to get ready for the start of school, and unfortunately her money would have come in handy especially since it was the tax free holiday.

Anyway, BEWARE all you cleaning service, maids for hire... She will be looking for someone to come to her supposedly 5000sq foot home in Clearwater off Belcher & Sunset Pointe. She has a New York accent, and again, her name that pops up on the caller ID is Joane Lee.

Joane... if you're reading this.... GOOD! I DO have pictures. I DO have your neighbor as a witness. I DO have a copy of the invoice. And, I DO have all of our conversations recorded, plus the voicemail messages saved. Thank you.

Melissa

Clearwater, Florida
U.S.A.