AIBU to think that £35 an hour is a lot for a cleaner

[Mamamia2020]

My elderly parents are moving house. My Mum has recently been in hospital with pneumonia. She is the sort of person who in the past when moving house would have all carpets cleaned and scrubbed the bathroom with a toothbrush. The thought of moving out and not doing this is abhorrent to her. Her home is immaculate.

Anyway, she is panicking about moving day and wanted a cleaner for the move day as she has been under the weather. It literally just needs someone to whip around with a hoover because as furniture is moved there will be dust behind etc. My Dad said he would do it but she says she wants a 'professional'. My Dad will scrub the bathroom and insides of the kitchen cupboards the day before but we wanted someone just to do a last-minute wipe down. Someone is already coming in to clean the hob and oven two days beforehand.

I contacted a cleaner and explained that I just wanted to book 4 hours, one-off, to hoover through, mop the kitchen floor, clean the bath and toilet, and a final wipe down of the cupboards. I said the property would be empty from 2pm and would probably take 2 hours but would pay for 4. I stressed it is not a full-on 'end of tenancy clean required' just a final whip-round. They are moving 2 hours away and wanted to get off as soon as the van is loaded before it gets dark. She originally quoted £20 an hour which I said was great and I said that I would confirm with them then arrange payment to book the slot. When I came back to her, she asked for photos of the property which I thought was odd as we'd already agreed on a price.I sent them to her from Rightmove and she then changed her mind and said it would be £140 for the four hours. Is it just me that things this is really OTT? I emphasized that it wasn't an end of tenancy clean but she still kept saying to me that I would never get someone to do an 'end of tenancy clean' for £20 an hour. I stressed (again) that I don't need that - just a hoover around, a quick wipe down of the bath, toilets and wipe down the insides of kitchen cupboards (that would already have been cleaned).

I live abroad otherwise I would do it for them, it would take me 2 hour tops.

AIBU to think that £35 an hour is OTT? She said it was also because it was out of hours but only because she couldn't come at 2pm and would have to delay it until 4.30 pm

YABU and therefore I need to start my own cleaning company and earn £35 an hour.

[Asdf12345]

Get more quotes. If she can get those rates than clearly it’s what the market values her labour at.

[Mamamia2020]

I'm going to get more quotes. But honestly? Is that how much cleaners get paid? £35 an hour? Even if you deduct cleaning materials they must clear £25 an hour? I am clearly in the wrong game.

[Laurendelight]

She doesn’t want the job. Plenty of others will.

[fullofhope100]

That's crazy money OP! Also, fwiw - you should start your own cleaning company if that's the going rate. And so will I

[freddiemercury]

I'm in London and pay my cleaner £13 an hour...

[hibbledibble]

That is a lot! But perhaps she thinks it will take a longer than you do?

I pay my cleaner £13 an hour, which is high locally. For a one off I would expect to pay a bit more as an hourly rate, then a regular clean, but not £35 an hour.

Definitely get some more quotes

[PervyMuskrat]

£35 per hour for say 30 hours a week (allowing for travel) for 46 weeks a year (allowing for holidays) is £48k per year so seems high tbh

[fiftiesmum]

Getting paid a darn sight more than junior doctors after years at med school covering nights in a and e

[chorusline79]

It does sound high! I paid £15 per hour for a full on end of tenancy clean recently.

[slipperywhensparticus]

End of tenancy cleans are usually more in depth inside cupboards furniture that hasn't been moved tends to leave marks on the walls and floors skirting boards etc

Is it just for her or two people cleaning?

[Hardbackwriter]

I agree that she doesn't want the job. I think that she doesn't fully believe you that you don't want it to end of tenancy standards or that the place looks cluttered in the Rightmove photos and she thinks that it'll take a lot more than you're allowing for to do a bit of 'dusting when the furniture moves'.

To be fair, as well, you almost always pay more for a one-off service than an ongoing one, so it isn't really fair to compare to the price of a weekly cleaner.

[Mamamia2020]

This is in Reading, Berkshire. I think the normal rate for a cleaner is £13 an hour but I would expect to pay more for a one-off. I thought £80 for 4 hours easy work was reasonable - I could do it myself in under 2 hours if I was there but asked for 4 hours to make it worth her while.

[Marmitecrackers]

I pay £25 for 2 1/2 hours

[missmouse101]

I dont know the actual going rate, but she'll have travel between jobs, fuel, vehicle, and insurance costs as well as cleaning materials to deduct. I doubt she'd even earn £20 clear profit per hour from £35 charged.

[user1497207191]

@Mamamia2020

I'm going to get more quotes. But honestly? Is that how much cleaners get paid? £35 an hour? Even if you deduct cleaning materials they must clear £25 an hour? I am clearly in the wrong game.

Depends whether they're employed or self employed. If self employed, they'll also have travel costs, overheads, insurance, no pay for time between jobs, no sick pay, no holiday pay, own equipment/supplies, etc etc. You really can't compare an employee wage against a self employed rate.

[Mamamia2020]

Here are some sample pictures - it's hardly a hovel.

[chomalungma]

If people are happy to pay that amount of money, then good luck to her.

Free to set a price.
Free to see how if it works for them.

I am sure that cheaper cleaners are available.

[saraclara]

I pay £10 an hour.

£35 is insane. She either doesn't want the job, or she doesn't trust you to be honest about the state the house will be in. I imagine that end of tenancy cleans can be a nightmare.

Look elsewhere, seriously. You shouldn't be paying any more than half that.

[slipperywhensparticus]

Doesn't need to be a hovel how many people clean their cupboards weekly? Move there furniture to do the skirting boards weekly? I did an end of tenancy clean once the owner was mortified when she discovered cobwebs and snail trails under the sofa

[Piglet89]

Wow @Mamamia2020 your mum’s house is an actual palace!

[Thehop]

Bloody hell that house is STUNNING

You’re paying “posh tax”

[FlamedToACrisp]

Sounds to me like she thought, "Ooh, posh house, put the price up, they can afford it."

[lioncitygirl]

Nah - find another cleaner. It’s insane to charge that much.

[switswooo]

Maybe don’t tell the next person they’re moving house? Just tell them they’re going away for the summer?

[Mamamia2020]

The price went up to £140 after I sent the photos. My parents aren't rich but my Mum is just really clean and tidy. I thought she would realise it would be an easy 4 hours when I sent the photos - instead she doubled the price