Accidents during a cleaning are rare, but if one happens in your home you want the rules before you book, not after: how long you have to tell us, what we do about it, and what we do not cover. This guide walks through Section 5.5 of our Terms of Service in the order you would use it, adds the dollar limit in Section 7.2, and ends with what to put away in a Philadelphia rowhome first.
The short answer
- Tell us within 48 hours of the visit, with photos of the item and the damage. A report after that "may unfortunately be denied" because it becomes hard to verify when or how the damage happened.
- Our general liability insurance may cover it. The Terms say Hometress "maintains general liability insurance that may cover damage directly resulting from a referred Cleaner's negligence during the service." It is our policy, not a promise that every cleaner holds one of their own.
- A validated claim is resolved "towards a fair resolution": repair coordination, reimbursement based on "the item's current value (not necessarily replacement cost)," or other compensation.
- There is a limit. Per incident, the lesser of the fees you paid Hometress in the three months before, or $500.00.
What to do in the first hour
The Terms ask for one thing, a report with photos inside 48 hours. The steps below are how we would get there without losing any of the window.
- Photograph before you move, mend or throw anything away. The Terms ask for photos of the item and the damage, so take both: the whole item, the break, and the spot where it sat.
- Write down when the visit ended. The 48 hours run from "the service completion." Your booking shows the visit; count forward from its end.
- Tell Hometress Customer Service. Our help center lists the contact form, our phone line and our care email, and says a person handles it directly.
- Say what you think happened and what the item is. The Terms speak of damage "that you believe happened during the cleaning service," so your account is the start of the claim.
Do not wait to be sure. If you are unsure whether something happened on the visit or earlier, report it inside the window and say so; the window is the part you can control.
What our insurance may cover, and what it generally does not
The wording is deliberate: "may cover." Section 5.5 then lists four kinds of damage we are "generally not liable" for. Here they are, with what each looks like in a real home.
| The Terms say | In a home, that looks like |
|---|---|
| Normal wear and tear | A finish that has softened over years of use, as opposed to something that broke during the visit. |
| Improper installation of an item ("a poorly mounted shelf that falls") | A framed print on a single nail, a loose towel bar or a shelf bracket that was already pulling out of the wall. |
| Pre-existing damage | A chip, a crack or a stain that was there before the visit. |
| Highly fragile, valuable or sentimental items "that you did not specifically point out or secure beforehand" | An heirloom left on an open shelf with no note. The Terms add: "By asking for delicate items to be cleaned, you acknowledge some inherent risk." |
The fourth row is the one you can change. Section 3.2 asks you to "put away any irreplaceable items, fragile heirlooms, or valuable objects," and to share anything the cleaner should know "when you book or communicate them clearly through Hometress customer service before the appointment begins."
On pre-existing damage, the Terms say the cleaners referred by Hometress "typically take" before and after photos of the areas they clean, as "a clear record of the property's condition." Typically is not always, so do not count on a photo existing for a given visit. Your own photos of a chip or a crack, dated before the visit, are the surest record.
How a claim is valued, and the $500 limit
For a timely, validated claim, Section 5.5 puts the money question in one phrase: reimbursement "based on the item's current value (not necessarily replacement cost)." That is what the item is worth now, not necessarily what a new one costs. A well-used stoneware bowl and a new one are different numbers.
Section 7.2 sets the ceiling. Our maximum liability for property damage per incident will not exceed the lesser of two amounts: the total fees you paid Hometress for service over the three months before the incident, or $500.00. Read it as plain arithmetic. If your fees over those three months were under $500, that smaller figure is the limit. If they were over, $500 is.
The limit does not apply to "proven gross negligence or willful misconduct," nor to personal injury claims or other liabilities that cannot be legally limited under Pennsylvania law. It is also "subject to the timely reporting requirements outlined in Section 5.5," which is why the 48 hours matter twice. Our help center states the same limit, and so does our guide to the independent cleaner versus a cleaning company.
Why this matters before you book: the limit is a reason to put away anything whose value is well beyond it. A cleaning visit is priced for a cleaning visit.
What to put away or point out in a Philadelphia rowhome
These are our suggestions for the kinds of homes we clean most, tied to the exclusions above. They are advice, not Terms.
- Framed art and mirrors on older plaster walls. A frame hung loosely falls under "improper installation." Rehang it, or take it down for the visit.
- Open shelves and stair landings. A rowhome stacks its rooms vertically, so the stairs are part of the visit, and a landing shelf sits right on the route. Our access guide suggests telling the cleaner how many floors there are and whether anything on the stairs is fragile.
- Heirlooms and anything with a story. Put it in a closet or a closed room. Do not rely on a note alone when the item cannot be replaced.
- Things you want left alone. Say so in the arrival notes at booking, or message the team before the appointment begins, as Section 3.2 asks. Our preparation checklist has the rest of the pre-visit list.
When you book, the cleaning checklist shows what each tier covers, so you know what the cleaner will actually be touching.
Damage is one process, an unfinished clean is another
If something broke or was damaged, that is Section 5.5, above. If the clean itself was not right, a missed area or a surface left unfinished, that is the White Glove Guarantee: tell us within 48 hours and we re-clean or refund the affected portion. Both windows are 48 hours, so one message with photos can cover either. If you are not sure which one applies, send the message and say what you saw.
Questions people ask
Will Hometress pay if a cleaner breaks something?
It may. The Terms say our general liability insurance "may cover" damage directly resulting from a referred cleaner's negligence, and that for timely reported, validated claims Hometress "will work with you towards a fair resolution," subject to the liability limit in Section 7.2. "May" is the Terms' own word, and every claim is looked at individually.
What if I notice a break after 48 hours?
Report it anyway and say when you found it. The Terms say a late report "may unfortunately be denied," not that it will be. Our help center says a person handles damage reports directly.
Does the cleaner have to tell me about an accident?
Section 5.5 does not say. It asks you to report damage you believe happened during the service, so if you find something later, use the steps above instead of waiting to be told.
Does insurance mean every cleaner is individually insured?
No, and we do not say so. The policy is Hometress's own general liability insurance. If you hire a cleaner directly instead, the checking is yours; our independent cleaner versus a cleaning company guide sets the two side by side.
Ready to book? Look over the checklist for your home, put away what you cannot replace, and add a note about anything delicate in the optional arrival notes: start a booking.