Self-employed cleaner - returning to work - if you *are* one or if you *have* one.....

[Classiccar]

Hoping to catch some self-employed cleaners such as Dala from the previous threads but new perspectives welcome too

Self-employed cleaner, been with families between 4 and 20 years.

If you have returned, have you had to work extra hours (or even an extra 30mins or so?) to get it back to how your clients would like the standard to be?

If so, did you get paid for the extra time?

If so, did you discuss this before your return?

Or if your cleaner has returned, did you take getting the house up to how it was before into account?

I'm following with interest, as a self-employed cleaner. All work has stopped throughout lockdown, although four clients have very kindly insisted on still paying me whilst they are still being paid themselves.

I know we are now allowed back into people's houses, assuming they are not shielding or vulnerable etc.
I'm just trying to figure out how to make this work while I have my children off school?! Single mum, their dad lives far away, neither are in the year groups allowed back to school (y2 and y4), no other childcare options.

What are other people in this position doing? Do they come into houses? I'd have to check my insurance would be valid. Do they sit in the car while I clean?? I am in the process of discussing returning with all my clients, but I'm honesty not sure of the best thing to do here.

What are other people in this position doing?

I’m just not able to return yet. I can’t until schools are back.

Do they come into houses?

You can’t bring your children into peoples homes! There is a viral pandemic in progress!

Do they sit in the car while I clean??

No!! A 6 year old and an 8 year old?

You either get childcare or you don’t work.

And this is why I am asking for opinions and ideas. I don't want them in houses, and I'm pretty sure my clients would agree.

Before lockdown, I took them out of school a few days early due to daughter having asthma, so they had to sit in the car for one clean only. Car was on client's drive, locked, windows half down. They are 7 and 9 and were armed with drinks, snacks, toys and tablets and knew at any time they could come to get me if they needed me. I nipped out to check on them every 20 mins.

They were good as gold, knew it was a one-off, and the car was literally two feet from the front door, so it felt safe. I clearly can't and won't do that as the norm.

No idea how to make this work. Rapidly running out of cash, not entitled to the government SE scheme. What are people in this position supposed to do?

Well I had to claim universal credit. That’s what I’m living on. And trying to find work I can do from home.

We've tried to keep on top of it but it's definitely not up to the standard it was before. Our cleaner has done some extra time to get things back how they were, which of course was paid. We booked additional time as we knew it would need doing a bit more thoroughly!

Thank you MrsOf, I'm looking for work I can do at home, too. I'm on tax credits already, and trying to stay on them if at all possible, but it's looking more likely that I will have to make the jump to UC.

If you’ll be better off on UC then go for it. Do the calculator on entitled to to see which way you will be better off. There is a 5 week wait period though from when you claim so make sure and budget for that. You can get an advance though that is paid back out of future UC payments.

I've done, thank you. I'm better of on TCs, usually. But I'm about to lose the WTC element now I'm not working 16+ hours. In which case, I'll be better off on UC for now. But come September, assuming schools are back and I can work as normal, I'd be better off on TC again, bit I know once I've switched over, I can't go back. Aagh.

Excuse typos!