After two apartments have been done, it’s time for a resume. Read at the end for my recommendation.
1st try: Hoho, as suggested in another thread here. Professional looking services website, completely in Chinese. The line account speaks English. For cleaning empty apartments, they need an evaluation to make an offer. I made an appointment for that, waited a few hours for someone to show up, but nothing. Two weeks after the appointment (and after the job was already done by someone else) they called me in English telling me they will come the next day for the evaluation. After 3 different people called me they finally understood that they fucked it up and didn’t get the business.
Note: Another thing I ordered there was AC cleaning, which was professionally done on time.
2nd try: a well known moving company suggested a cleaning company, adding they don’t speak English. Turned out they did well enough. Same deal, first evaluation, then offer. The people doing the evaluation were nice, acting professional, on time, and quick. They gave an offer based on efforts not time, but it came down roughly to a bit below 500NT per hour per person. After removing some items that I deemed not necessary, the final offer was much lower in absolute numbers, but came to a bit above 500NT PHPP. Exactly 24h before the agreed time they lined me “we’re here”. After clarifying they’re a tad early, they came back right on time the next day. Impression of the cleaning was good at first, I went on doing some other stuff around the house in the meanwhile. When they were done we looked around together. Some things that I failed to do before they did amazingly well, like for example degreasing the range hood filter, and they were quite quick. Unfortunately lots of stuff was absolutely not OK, like tons of soap residue (a millimeter thick or so) left on some bathtub tap parts, huge patches of limescale on taps, and even some uncleaned drawers in the kitchen. Some things they cleaned after I pointed it out, some they argued it cannot be done (that’s not limescale - that’s oxydized metal, can’t reach that drawer) until I showed them how to do it (limescale: take sponge and scrub, drawer: remove from rails and clean, …), but some things I just didn’t have the nerve to argue with them and simply did again myself later. Not a good idea says my still a bit damaged hand, but hey, at least the glass wall in the shower is completely see through now. All in all nice enough people that did a lot of things ok, communication was good (except for the “cannot be done” BS) , but I wouldn’t recommend them simply because of the lacking results.
3rd try: @jimipresley got me in contact with the cleaning company he mentioned. I contacted them for help cleaning my old place before handing it back. Going rate seems to be a bit above 500, first timers get a discount. English is fine, no problem communicating. They were very eager and available at very short notice. Results were good. I am glad @jimipresley got me in touch with them, and I recommend their services. The company boss is an energetic chatty young woman, who seems to be handling it like a cooperative: All earnings are equally shared. This is the company, they are happily accepting new customers:
山納百景企業社
No. 22-1號, Zili Road, Zhonghe District, New Taipei City, 23580
02 2949 7105
https://maps.app.goo.gl/auhHUTbwPxs7bNva9