Thank you for your interest in Toby’s cleaning services. Please review the following FAQs before purchasing to ensure you have the best service experience.
3. Validity Period for Package Services
6. About Toby's Service Personnel
7. Break Time for Service Personnel
8. Damage to Items During Service
9. Additional Services on the Day
10. Validity Period for Complaints
11. Abnormal Customer Situations
14. Cancellations and Reschedule
16. Service Guidelines for Inclement Weather
1. Booking Process
After you make your payment, you will receive a confirmation email stating that your appointment has been submitted, and we will begin matching you with a service provider. Once a match is successfully made, you will receive a notification via SMS and email—including the service provider’s details—confirming your appointment. If the matching is unsuccessful, we will contact you at 16:00 to discuss further arrangements. You may choose to reschedule for another matching attempt or receive a full refund to your payment account.
Please note that placing an order does not guarantee that a match has been made. We will do our best to match you after receiving your order. If matching is unsuccessful, we will call or send an email to you after 4:00 PM on the day before the service to discuss the next steps.
2. Credit Card Payment
When will my credit card be charged?
After you confirm your order, Toby will first obtain your authorization to hold the amount. The actual charge will be processed once the order is confirmed or after 96 working hours. If the matching fails, the authorization will be cancelled immediately.
Are my credit card details safe?
Toby’s payment process is handled by Stripe—a Tier 1 service provider with PCI certification—using strict industry standards for payment security. By partnering with Stripe, we ensure that all sensitive credit card data is processed in the most secure manner. For more details on Stripe’s security guidelines, please visit: https://stripe.com/docs/security.
To use our services, you will need to access Stripe (i.e., the third-party payment gateway) and provide your personal data to facilitate the payment process. Please note that these terms are not controlled by our company; we have not authorized Stripe to collect any personal data from you, and therefore, we are not responsible for any disclosure of your personal data via Stripe. If you have any questions regarding their privacy policy, please contact Stripe directly.
3. Validity Period for Package Services
Once you purchase a service, please use it within the specified period; otherwise, it will expire.
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Single session: within 1 month
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3 sessions: within 3 months
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6 sessions: within 4 months
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12 sessions: within 6 months
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24 sessions: within 12 months
4. Additional Charges
If I book a service on Saturday or Sunday, is there an extra charge?
Our service charges are uniform from Monday to Saturday. Additional fees will only be applied under the following conditions:
- Outside 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM: An extra HK$20 per hour will be charged during peak hours if you require services outside these hours.
- Sunday: An additional HK$5 per hour will be charged on Sundays.
- Public Holidays: A fee of HK$30 will be added per service on public holidays.
- Year-End Deep Cleaning: The month before Lunar New Year and the two weeks after are classified as “year-end deep cleaning” periods. Additional fees will be applied during this period; actual charges vary each year and will be based on the rates listed on hellotoby.com.
If I want to request a specific service provider, is there an extra fee?
- For requesting a specific service provider, an additional fee of HK$5 per hour will be charged.
- If the specified service provider is a star-rated provider, an extra fee of HK$30 per hour will be applied.
Is There an Additional Fee for Requesting an English-Speaking Service Provider?
Yes, if you require an English-speaking service provider, an additional HK$20 per hour will be charged.
If I live farther away, will there be extra charges?
For remote areas, transportation fees will be charged based on the Google walking distance for each service, ranging from HK$25 to HK$225. For example:
- 15 to 29 minutes walking distance from the subway station: HK$25 per service.
- 30 to 44 minutes: HK$40 per service.
- 45 to 59 minutes: HK$60 per service.
- 60 to 69 minutes: HK$100 per service.
- 70 to 90 minutes: HK$130 per service.
- 90 minutes or more: a minimum of HK$150 per service.
Additionally, the following areas incur an extra HK$25 transportation fee subsidy: Mid-Levels, Shek O, Pok Fu Lam, Ap Lei Chau, Stanley, Repulse Bay, Deep Water Bay, Happy Valley, Ma Wan, Peng Chau, Cheung Chau, Lamma Island, Tai O, Discovery Bay, Sha Tau Kok, Tap Mun, Sai Kung, etc.
Note that each area may have different pricing, and weekend charges may vary. The platform will adjust fees periodically based on various factors. Actual charges will be based on the rates listed on www.hellotoby.com.
5. Service Hours
What if the service hours on the day are insufficient to complete all tasks?
The domestic helper is responsible for and will do their best to complete tasks within the allotted time according to the service scope. However, due to different home conditions, we cannot guarantee that all tasks will be completed within the specified time. If, on the day of service, the workload exceeds the purchased hours, you may inquire with the service personnel about overtime services.
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Overtime rates for home cleaning (excluding post-renovation cleaning), in-home cooking, babysitting, elder care, etc. start at HK$150 per hour (per service personnel).
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For post-renovation cleaning services, overtime rates start at HK$160 per hour (per service personnel).
Any overtime work exceeding 15 minutes will be rounded up to one full hour. The additional charge per hour will be the average hourly rate for that service.
Please note that prices may vary by time period or holiday, and Toby reserves the right to make the final adjustments. For more details, please call 3703-3250.
6. About Toby's Service Personnel
Do your service personnel have a quality guarantee?
All our service personnel undergo strict screening. They must have at least two years of relevant experience or possess appropriate certification before being invited for a one-on-one interview, during which their attitude, coping skills, and industry knowledge are tested. After passing the interview, they will regularly attend training sessions to further enhance their skills.
Can I choose my service personnel? Is there a guarantee regarding their competency?
Once you place an order, we will select the most suitable service personnel for you based on your service date, location, and requirements. All service personnel hold a Hong Kong Identity Card and have passed both skills and experience certification. We assign service personnel based on previous customer evaluations—with those having good ratings given priority and those with poor ratings no longer allowed to serve customers.
Can I change my service personnel?
Our service personnel come with a quality guarantee. However, if you feel that the service does not meet your expectations, please contact us immediately, and we will promptly follow up and arrange for an alternative service provider for your next service.
Customers agree to treat service providers courteously and in accordance with the law, thereby providing a safe and appropriate working environment. You are expected to comply with all applicable laws and to cooperate reasonably with the service providers. All complaints should be directed to our platform, not directly to the service provider. Furthermore, please note that you must accept that a matched service provider may occasionally be absent due to illness or leave.
If you choose to hire a service provider directly or through private recommendations, Toby will not be able to offer any assistance regarding issues arising during the work period.
7. Break Time for Service Personnel
In accordance with Section 6 of the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance (Hong Kong Law Chapter 509), employers must ensure the safety and health of employees to the extent reasonable and practicable. Additionally, referring to the Labour Department’s guidelines on break times, employers and employees should agree on appropriate break arrangements.
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If the service hours each day exceed 4 consecutive hours, please provide approximately a 30-minute meal break for the service personnel.
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If the service hours exceed 8 consecutive hours, please provide approximately a 1-hour meal break.
8. Damage to Items During Service
To avoid accidents, please secure and store your valuables before the service personnel arrive. Also, fragile items should be secured or relocated in advance. If you find that any item is damaged due to the negligence of the service personnel assigned by our company, our maximum compensation is limited to HK$300. Claims must be submitted within 48 hours; otherwise, they will not be accepted. (Each service under a package plan must be claimed separately.)
Customers may request the cleaning of air conditioner exteriors, dust filters, and range hoods; however, you are required to remove and reinstall these items yourself, as domestic helpers will not dismantle items to prevent potential damage. If you need professional air conditioner cleaning services, you may purchase that service separately through our website or mobile app.
9. Additional Services on the Day
Can I request the service personnel to provide services not specified in the order on the day?
We apologize, but due to limited service time and to maintain quality, service personnel will only perform the tasks specified in your order. They have the right to refuse any additional service requests. We recommend that you list all your service requirements when placing your order so that the service personnel can properly plan the day’s schedule.
Additionally, to safeguard the service personnel’s safety and health, they have the right to refuse tasks that are dangerous or harmful—such as cleaning high-up areas (beyond arm’s reach), mopping by hand without appropriate tools, or cleaning exterior windows.
10. Validity Period for Complaints
After the service is completed, if you are dissatisfied, please immediately raise your concerns with the service provider and contact Toby via phone and email with the details. If the service provider does not receive any complaint before leaving, it will be deemed that you have accepted the service.
If, during the service, you suspect that the service provider has stolen any of your belongings, we advise you to report to the police immediately and contact us for assistance. Should it be confirmed that theft has occurred, please email prosupport@hellotoby.com within 48 hours to report and claim compensation (with a maximum of HK$300). Claims not submitted within 48 hours will not be accepted. Each service for repetitive work must be claimed separately.
Also, if you have any dissatisfaction after the service is completed, please contact Toby within 48 hours by phone and email so we can follow up on the case.
11. Abnormal Customer Situations
If a customer exhibits any of the following behaviors that cause any loss to the platform or the service personnel, the platform reserves all rights to pursue legal action or freeze the customer’s account:
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Engaging in violent behavior or misconduct
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Being unreachable by the service personnel on the day of service (three or more times)
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Delaying payment of additional service fees
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Making false complaints (complaints that do not match the facts)
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Repeatedly placing orders or abusing the ordering function, leading to continuous refund cycles
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Harassing the service personnel or customer service staff
12. Insurance Issues
Do the service personnel have insurance?
Since we are only a platform that matches service personnel—and since service personnel work as independent contractors—according to Section 40 of the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance, all employers (including head contractors and package contractors) must purchase employee compensation insurance to assume legal liability under the Ordinance and common law. Employers are not permitted to hire staff without this insurance, regardless of the contract duration, working hours, or whether they are full-time, part-time, permanent, or temporary. To protect both you and the service personnel, we recommend that you ensure insurance is purchased for the service personnel in accordance with the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance. If you plan to hire on an hourly basis, once labor insurance is purchased, it will remain effective even if the service personnel change, and no additional policy purchase is required.
For further details, please call 2827 1883 and contact China Ping An Insurance Brokers Limited.
13. Package Plan
You can pre-set the appointment dates for each service within the service period of your package. If you do not specify dates, the platform will automatically schedule services on future dates based on your chosen service cycle. Please note that the platform cannot guarantee that the same service provider will be assigned for every service date.
If you are dissatisfied with a service provider’s performance, you may call 37033250 or email prosupport@hellotoby.com at least 48 hours before the next service to request a change of service personnel. We will do our best to match you with a new provider.
We will make every effort to assign domestic helpers according to customer requests, but we cannot guarantee that the same helper will serve every session in the package. However, we will prioritize this whenever possible.
14. Cancellations and Reschedule
Due to work commitments or personal matters, what if the cleaning service cannot be performed as scheduled?
If you have an unexpected engagement and are unavailable, you can choose to “change the service time.”
Case 1: If your package is for once a week
- The new date must be within one week of the original service date. For example, if your original service date is August 1, you may change the service date to any day between August 1 and August 7. If you wish to change it to August 8 (one week after the original date), please submit a postponement request (note that this request is subject to usage limits). This change will not affect the subsequent service date. For instance, if you change the service from August 1 to August 2, the next service will still be on August 8.
Case 2: If your package is for once every two weeks
- The new date must be within two weeks of the original service date. For example, if your original service date is November 1, you may change the service date to any day between November 1 and November 14. If you wish to change it to November 15 (two weeks after the original date), please submit a postponement request (subject to usage limits). This change will not affect the subsequent service date. For instance, if you change the service from November 1 to November 2, the next service will still be on November 15.
For postponement requests, please call 3703-3250 or email prosupport@hellotoby.com. Requests cannot be submitted on the same day—they must be made at least 24 hours before the scheduled service. For same-day services, it is recommended to proceed with the service, as it will be deemed that the service has been used and no refund or change will be granted.
Although we understand that customer schedules may change daily, canceling an order after the domestic helper has accepted the package (whether before or after the package starts) results in the loss of pre-scheduled time and valuable work for the helper. Therefore, once a match has been made, cancellation of the package before completing the required number of sessions is not eligible for free cancellation.
Once a service provider is successfully hired, it signifies a successful purchase of our package service. If you later wish to terminate the package for any personal reason, a HK$100 administrative fee will be charged.
After a service provider is successfully hired, if you need to change the service date and time or cancel a single day’s service, you must call 37033250 or email prosupport@hellotoby.com at least 48 hours before the service time to submit the request. If the request is submitted within 24 hours, the full service fee for that day will be charged (in the case of a single-day cancellation, the total hours for that day will be deducted from the recurring service). No refunds will be provided if payment has already been made.
Please note that the package plan only applies to the address registered at the time of purchase. We reserve the right to refuse service at any other address.
If a change in time is agreed upon by the service provider, no administrative fee will be charged.
Cancellation Policy for Orders
Applicable to all home services (excluding office cleaning and confinement services):
- If you cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled service time, you will only need to pay a HK$100 cancellation administrative fee; the remaining balance will be refunded within 7–14 working days.
- If you cancel on the day of service, no refund will be provided. We recommend that you allow the service provider to complete the service.
For Office Cleaning Monthly Plans and Confinement Services:
- Office cleaning monthly plan customers: If you wish to cancel the monthly plan (and desire early termination), you must notify us at least one month in advance before the plan starts or before the next month’s service begins, and pay any additional preferential fees (if applicable), along with a HK$100 cancellation administrative fee as stipulated by the cancellation terms.
- Confinement services: Charges will be as specified in the service contract.
Reschedule Policy
Applicable to all home services (excluding office cleaning and confinement services):
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Unmatched Orders:
You may submit a change request at least 24 hours before the scheduled service time, and we will reschedule and rematch for you. If a match is not successfully made and you submit a change request before the service time, you may change the service date and time free of charge. -
Matched Orders:
- Only change requests submitted at least 24 hours before the scheduled service time will be accepted; a HK$50 administrative fee will be charged for each change.
- Change requests made on the day of service will not be accepted; we recommend that you allow the service provider to complete the service.
For Office Cleaning Monthly Plan Customers and Confinement Services:
- Office cleaning monthly plan customers: Change requests submitted at least 24 hours before the service time (during office hours) will be accepted, with a HK$50 administrative fee per change.
- Confinement services: Charges will be as specified in the service contract.
15. Refund Policy
For Unmatched Orders:
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Cancellation: You may cancel your reservation before the service begins. Refunds for cancellations will be processed as follows:
- If you request cancellation within 24 hours before the service begins, we will issue a full refund.
- If you cancel more than 24 hours in advance, we will deduct a HK$100 administrative fee and refund the remainder.
For Unsuccessful Matching:
- If we fail to successfully match you with a service provider, and you cancel your reservation, customer service will contact you before 6:00 PM on the day before the service to notify you of the matching failure. You may then choose to cancel for a full refund.
Refund Application Process:
To initiate a refund, please contact our customer service team within 7 days after your reservation date by emailing prosupport@hellotoby.com or calling 37033250.
For Package Plans:
If you suddenly no longer require the package after it has started and wish to cancel before completing the required number of sessions, please call 37033250 or email prosupport@hellotoby.com to submit a cancellation request. We will deduct a HK$100 administrative fee for early cancellation and refund the remaining amount within 7–14 working days.
Notes:
- Refunds will be processed within 7 working days after approval and will be returned using the original payment method.
- Our company reserves the right to update and/or modify these terms at any time, and all revisions will take effect immediately upon publication on our platform. Please refer to our website or contact customer service for the latest information.
For Matched/Completed Orders:
- Failure to Provide Service: If the service cannot be provided due to force majeure (e.g., natural disasters, inability of the provider to deliver the service), a full refund will be issued.
- Failure to Complete or Delays: If the cleaning service is not completed on time or is delayed (e.g., due to the service provider arriving late), we apologize and will either reschedule the cleaning service at a time convenient for you or offer a discount on your next cleaning service.
- Damage to Items: (See Section 8 above.)
Reasons for No Refund:
- If no complaints are made within 48 hours after service completion, the service and/or related appointment will be deemed accepted. Claims reported after 48 hours will not meet the guarantee requirements.
- Your account has a record of outstanding balances.
- Losses due to natural disasters (including but not limited to pollution, earthquakes, typhoons, and tornadoes).
- Losses due to the customer’s personal negligence.
- Losses resulting from pre-existing damage or deterioration.
- Losses due to leakage and/or water damage.
- Losses due to natural wear and tear.
- Losses due to the inherent functional degradation of a product.
- Losses related to art (including but not limited to paintings, engravings, printed photographs, images, tapestries, rare or artistic glass, stained glass windows, valuable carpets, statues, sculptures, antique furniture, antique jewelry, small artworks, ceramics, antique cars, coins, stamps, and other collectibles, furs, jewelry, gemstones, precious metals, etc.) that have rare or historical value.
- Losses exceeding the designated damage area (e.g., floor damage limited to the replacement cost after depreciation), including storage, transportation, and insurance costs resulting from property loss.
- Losses based on sentimental and/or intangible value.
- Losses arising from areas outside the scope of the maintenance service.
16. Service Guidelines for Inclement Weather
When a Black Rainstorm Warning or a Typhoon Warning Signal No. 8 (or above) is issued:
- a) If at 7:00 AM the Hong Kong Observatory is still displaying a No. 8 Strong Wind or Black Rainstorm Warning signal, all services scheduled between 08:00 and 14:00 will be cancelled. Toby will provide you with one free rescheduling arrangement.
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b) If at 2:00 PM the Observatory is still displaying a No. 8 Strong Wind or Black Rainstorm Warning signal, all services for that day will be cancelled, and Toby will offer one free rescheduling arrangement.
If you need to cancel the service for that day, please discuss a new service date with the service personnel and then notify us to record and confirm the change. You may also contact Toby on the next working day to reschedule.
If the service personnel are already working, please allow them to finish their tasks and then arrange for their safe departure. Should the service personnel be unable to leave due to weather conditions, public transportation disruptions, or other special circumstances, please arrange a suitable and safe place at the service location for them to wait.
17. Contact Us
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to call 37033250 or email prosupport@hellotoby.com. Our customer service hours are from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday through Sunday (excluding public holidays).
Agreement Amendment Statement
Our company reserves the right to modify any terms of this agreement at any time. Once the content of this agreement is changed, the amended terms will be published on our website. This publication shall be deemed as notice to users of the modifications, and no additional notice will be provided.
If you do not agree with the modifications, you should stop using the Toby platform. If you continue to use Toby, it will be deemed that you accept the modified terms.
Toby’s interpretation of all terms in this agreement is final and binding. No one may dispute it.
Our company does not enter into or participate in any actual transactions between service providers (whether as users or otherwise). We only assist users in facilitating these services, plan the service connections, process payments (“payments”), collect remuneration on behalf of service providers, and charge our administrative fees.
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If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to call 3703 3250 or email prosupport@hellotoby.com. Our customer service hours are from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday through Sunday (excluding public holidays).