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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To request that my cleaner has insurance?

63 replies

doubleginplease · 15/03/2016 19:38

I am struggling to find someone to help me out with housework and have put a message up on gumtree. However one of the candidates has come back to me saying she hasn't got insurance because she uses her clients cleaning products and therefore this is enough.

Am I right in saying this isn't enough and i should ask for her to have insurance?

Im thin on the ground, looking to pay £10ph for 5 hours work with flexible hours and it seems not many people are interested!!!

OP posts:
insancerre · 15/03/2016 19:41

If you are employing her, shouldn't you be getting the insurance?

Leigh1980 · 15/03/2016 19:41

Very unreasonable due to the fact it costs a shit load for insurance.

Sprink · 15/03/2016 19:44

Insurance for...?

Perhaps I'm naive but I thought my home insurance would cover any breaks or theft. Yeah, probably not.

If you want the insurance go through an agency.

dementedpixie · 15/03/2016 19:46

why should the OP have to claim on their insurance if the cleaner breaks something?

AutumnLeavesArePretty · 15/03/2016 19:46

Cleaners are self employed and should have their own products and insurance. They are business costs.

cleaty · 15/03/2016 19:46

YANBU, but you need to pay more to cover it.

breezydoesit · 15/03/2016 19:49

I don't think it's unreasonable to ask that at all. Years and years ago my dad had a tv repair man come round to the house and as he finished fixing tv he stood up, head hit a shelf and he knocked a load of expensive China off it. He should have been insured but neglected to get any any. Bummer. But yeah they should have insurance

Sprink · 15/03/2016 19:49

why should the OP have to claim on their insurance if the cleaner breaks something?

The OP wants an inexpensive cleaner and that means cash in hand, which often means no business insurance. Nom making gross assumptions, obviously.

Original poster
doubleginplease · 15/03/2016 19:51

I'm looking for someone whose self employed.

I was going through an agency and was paying £10 an hour - the cleaner was getting minimum wage.

I was thinking more if they broke something, or perhaps left a tap on and flooded my house- worst case scenario I guess.

OP posts:
Original poster
doubleginplease · 15/03/2016 19:52

sorry but I disagree £10 is not 'inexpensive' most cleaners don't get £10 an hour!

OP posts:
cleaty · 15/03/2016 19:52

Minimum wage will soon be £7.20 per hour, plus National Insurance Contribution, plus new compulsory pension. There is no way you would now pay £10 per hour if it was a legitimate business.

SohowdoIdothis · 15/03/2016 19:53

You would be luck to get a cleaner around here for £10 an hour.

Sprink · 15/03/2016 19:53

For the record, I asked the same of my cleaners. It's just that the employer has to decide if the risk is worth it.

And I shouldn't go as far as to say employer, really. If someone owns a business and provides a service a few hours a week, s/he is not your employee.

QuerkyJo · 15/03/2016 19:54

I have had cleaners for over 20 years. None have broken anything or caused any damage. Do you have high value items in your home that you are worried about?

Original poster
doubleginplease · 15/03/2016 19:54

I'm happy for the cleaner to use my products btw!

OP posts:
Original poster
doubleginplease · 15/03/2016 19:57

Yes I do. My last cleaner broke quite a lot of things!

We are in a low wage area. £10 is quite a lot, most cleaning agencies I have seen advertising have self employed cleaners who work for them (including the last agency i used) and the onus is on the client to pay the cleaner £7.20 an hour and then £2.80 an hour to the agency.

OP posts:
cleaty · 15/03/2016 19:58

Generally in order not to classed as an employee, cleaners need to bring their own products.

Believeitornot · 15/03/2016 20:00

Do you have home insurance? Check your policy.

If you want your cleaner to have insurance then expect the cost to be passed onto you via higher rates.

Don't be cheeky and expect them to be grateful for £10 an hour and then add extra costs on top!

Believeitornot · 15/03/2016 20:01

Also my cleaners (I've had loads) have never broken anything!

Original poster
doubleginplease · 15/03/2016 20:01

Thats interesting to know. I will look into that. what about using my hoover etc?

The reason why i moved from an agency is firstly because i found out my cleaner was stealing time from me (leaving an hour earlier than she should have done) and i thought i would cut out the middle man so that someone would earn more money rather than paying it to an agency.

OP posts:
cleaty · 15/03/2016 20:03

It sounds like those agencies are exploiting the cleaners. They are not paying employees national insurance or compulsory employers pension contributions, or statutory holiday pay.

Also if you have ever been bankrupt or had an IVA, insurance will be ridiculously expensive.

MassiveStrumpet · 15/03/2016 20:03

I had insurance when I was a cleaner - and I charged significantly more than 10 pounds an hour.

Original poster
doubleginplease · 15/03/2016 20:04

I agree- they are exploiting them!!

OP posts:
Original poster
doubleginplease · 15/03/2016 20:06

To be honest if £10 isn't enough i might as well drop my hours at work and do it myself as my own hourly rate isn't much more than that!

OP posts:
cleaty · 15/03/2016 20:10

Or just accept her not having insurance?