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AIBU?

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Original poster

Cost of cleaner…

116 replies

PeonyPatch · 06/10/2025 19:34

I live in the SE of England in a home county. I had a cleaner who used to come once per month and would clean kitchen/living room, hallway downstairs & upstairs plus downstairs loo and upstairs bathroom. She would charge £120 a month (only come once a month) she claimed to do a deep clean (as in would move all appliances out of the way in kitchen and clean underneath). Besides this, I’m unclear as to what differentiated this from your standard clean. I also found that skirting boards still had dust on so I would clean these myself.

I’ve made the decision to cancel her service, and I’m now wondering what the going rate is. She would be here for 3 hours.

OP posts:
oneplustwoplustwoplusone · 06/10/2025 20:51

SE London/Kent boarders £17 per hour and have two hours a week. She’s brilliant - basically keeps on top of everything for us and I’ll change the beds or the odd extra job at the weekend.

Word of mouth definitely the best way to find a good cleaner.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 06/10/2025 20:49

I pay £50 for 3 hours. She was actually meant to be £15 per hour but I pay her a bit more to allow for things not always being perfectly tidy!

Girlof6 · 06/10/2025 20:48

Following this as I’m looking for a cleaner right now. I’m in the south west.

Original poster
PeonyPatch · 06/10/2025 20:47

Mydahliasareshit · 06/10/2025 20:43

I've never in my life had a cleaner that doesn't empty the bins!
No one can do a deep clean in 3 hours, that's end of tenancy stuff when the furniture is out already.
Hope you find someone great soon!

Thank you! 🙏

OP posts:
RobinTheCavewoman · 06/10/2025 20:46

£20ph (fortnightly clean for 2 hours and worth every penny)

TeenLifeMum · 06/10/2025 20:45

I searched local fb groups for recommendations. I didn’t post myself because a friend runs a cleaning company but I don’t want to blur friendship lines and have her clean my home.

Mydahliasareshit · 06/10/2025 20:43

I've never in my life had a cleaner that doesn't empty the bins!
No one can do a deep clean in 3 hours, that's end of tenancy stuff when the furniture is out already.
Hope you find someone great soon!

shampop · 06/10/2025 20:43

PeonyPatch · 06/10/2025 20:28

that is a very good price, almost too cheap… I’d feel bad paying so low to be fair!

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Yes £14 per hour seems super low, it’s only about £1.50 over minimum wage then you’ve got petrol cost, time lost travelling between jobs, products used etc. 14 seems too cheap!

Foolsgold74 · 06/10/2025 20:41

BlueMum16 · 06/10/2025 20:32

But the replies you like are the north West - where it's cheaper. And weekly - whereas you had one visit a month so a premium.

It's always going to be more expensive in the SE.

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It's absolutely not cheaper in the North West. Look at all the cleaning jobs advertised. £20 per hour is the norm now

Foolsgold74 · 06/10/2025 20:39

Blamanche · 06/10/2025 20:31

To be fair, I’d happy pay a bit more if she asked, she never does! I might broach the subject as she hasn’t put it up for a couple of years.

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She shouldn't have to ask. If you value her, pay her in line with the market rate, otherwise she'll just go to a job that pays her what she's worth.

Original poster
PeonyPatch · 06/10/2025 20:39

Lighteningstrikes · 06/10/2025 20:36

That’s extortionate, she was royally taking the piss.

You would be far better off getting a good thorough cleaner (they do exist, I’ve got the best ever) once a week at £20 max per hour.

I’ve known some really bad seriously lazy ones in the past like your old cleaner.

Yes, this! I am shopping around but struggling…

OP posts:
Original poster
PeonyPatch · 06/10/2025 20:38

BlueMum16 · 06/10/2025 20:32

But the replies you like are the north West - where it's cheaper. And weekly - whereas you had one visit a month so a premium.

It's always going to be more expensive in the SE.

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Err, no… even people in the SE are paying less

OP posts:
Lighteningstrikes · 06/10/2025 20:36

That’s extortionate, she was royally taking the piss.

You would be far better off getting a good thorough cleaner (they do exist, I’ve got the best ever) once a week at £20 max per hour.

I’ve known some really bad seriously lazy ones in the past like your old cleaner.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 06/10/2025 20:32

I’m in south east, pay our cleaner £20 ph. 4.5 hours per week. 5 bed house, 3 bath, and she changes bedlinen and irons everything. Kitchen and bathrooms will be spotless.

i feel you have definitely been ripped off.

BlueMum16 · 06/10/2025 20:32

PeonyPatch · 06/10/2025 20:26

Based off of what other people have said, it looks like I can afford a cleaner I just can’t find a reasonably priced one. You’ve said it yourself you are paying £15 per hour whereas I was paying £40 an hour!!

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But the replies you like are the north West - where it's cheaper. And weekly - whereas you had one visit a month so a premium.

It's always going to be more expensive in the SE.

BrunchBarBandit · 06/10/2025 20:32

PeonyPatch · 06/10/2025 20:26

Based off of what other people have said, it looks like I can afford a cleaner I just can’t find a reasonably priced one. You’ve said it yourself you are paying £15 per hour whereas I was paying £40 an hour!!

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Yeah you defo can afford more than once a month! £40/hr was incredibly expensive! You are right though it’s hard to find someone. Up here I found my first cleaner by putting a message on local Facebook groups and I interviewed about 4 people. She left after 18mths and this time I asked the class Whatspp mums for ideas and suggestion and found my current cleaners that way, They are sisters and the 4 hours are fine in 2 as a double act which is great as DH and I are often WFH when they are here

Good luck finding someone 😄

Blamanche · 06/10/2025 20:31

PeonyPatch · 06/10/2025 20:28

that is a very good price, almost too cheap… I’d feel bad paying so low to be fair!

Show quote history

To be fair, I’d happy pay a bit more if she asked, she never does! I might broach the subject as she hasn’t put it up for a couple of years.

TeenLifeMum · 06/10/2025 20:31

South west - £20 per hour is standard. Just changing cleaner after a disastrous one (one before was amazing - I miss her). We’re doing 3 hours a week for first 2 weeks then plan is to move to 2 hours every week with one 3 hour clean a month. I use a cleaner to keep on top of things then do occasional deeper cleans under sofas etc and because the cleaning has been regular, the deep clean is less horrific.

Original poster
PeonyPatch · 06/10/2025 20:30

Amba1998 · 06/10/2025 20:27

Personally wouldn’t see the point in paying for a cleaning once a month. What do you do for the rest of the month?

Like I said, I lightly cleaned in between her coming once a month but she’d do a more thorough job than what I was doing and I would need to clean less… but yeh I’m now reassessing and wanting someone more regular. Just feel I was being ripped off.

OP posts:
Original poster
PeonyPatch · 06/10/2025 20:28

Blamanche · 06/10/2025 20:28

3 bedroom semi. She concentrates mainly on the bathroom and kitchen and gives the rest of the downstairs a hoover / mop. She’s very efficient. Doesn’t do the bedrooms.

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that is a very good price, almost too cheap… I’d feel bad paying so low to be fair!

OP posts:
Original poster
PeonyPatch · 06/10/2025 20:28

timeandagainagain · 06/10/2025 20:27

I'm in the South East. I pay £17/hour for three hours a week. She irons and changes the bed linen too, and is super reliable!

Can you share the details with me? 🤣 £17 per hour is what I’m looking for… I’d even go up to £20-£25 per hour but not £40 an hour…

OP posts:
Blamanche · 06/10/2025 20:28

PeonyPatch · 06/10/2025 20:23

How big is your home? How many rooms?

Show quote history

3 bedroom semi. She concentrates mainly on the bathroom and kitchen and gives the rest of the downstairs a hoover / mop. She’s very efficient. Doesn’t do the bedrooms.

Amba1998 · 06/10/2025 20:27

Personally wouldn’t see the point in paying for a cleaning once a month. What do you do for the rest of the month?

timeandagainagain · 06/10/2025 20:27

I'm in the South East. I pay £17/hour for three hours a week. She irons and changes the bed linen too, and is super reliable!

Original poster
PeonyPatch · 06/10/2025 20:26

BrunchBarBandit · 06/10/2025 20:25

“I feel like giving up. Honestly, I don’t want to pay cleaners a pittance, and I agree they should be paid a bit more than minimum wage as it’s not an easy job, they have to travel etc… but I’m in a professional industry and their hourly rate is almost half of mine 😳 AIBU to think this?!”

YABU. It might just be that you can’t afford a cleaner? Although it come down to priorities and choices. How much value does a once a month cleaner add?

FWIW we have 4 hours/week @ £15 per hour in North West. It’s worth every penny for the time back it gives us at the weekend to spend time as a family/couple/just chill out.

Based off of what other people have said, it looks like I can afford a cleaner I just can’t find a reasonably priced one. You’ve said it yourself you are paying £15 per hour whereas I was paying £40 an hour!!

OP posts: