To let my employer pay for a cleaner?

[Hop27]

I work huge hours and I've just started travelling again. I work directly for the owner and we work closely. I mentioned the mental load and the pressure to do it all. He said, no one can do it all, get help and don't let money be the barrier - expense it through my work card.
AIBU? It would make my life SO much easier or is it taking the piss ....

Do it! He offered and it’s helping you dedicate more energy to your work so it’s a win win.

He said directly he would expense your cleaning? Well if he said.. but I don't think I'd feel comfortable doing that, having a cleaner is a luxury if you can easily afford it.

No reason not to, since they freely offered. Go for it!

I don't think you can claim cleaning your house as a business expense? Sounds a bit dodgy to me!

Go for it

But get it in writing

Employer-provided cleaner is a brilliant company perk!

Personally I think he’s.a CF , the answer should be to reduce the work load on you rather than chuck £25 a week or whatever your way to cover the cleaner. What about your quality of life ? Do you get paid for all the long hours ?

My other half had his cleaning paid for and ironing, and a spa membership to switch off.

BUT the work was still hellish.

This would need to be recorded as a benefit in kind for you, so that you pay the appropriate taxes. Otherwise employers would settle many employee household bills and save themselves and employees tax. So long as that is done correctly, no reason they cannot claim it as a business expense as it is effectively part of your remuneration.

Personally I think it is a bit odd to involve employer in personal household cleaning,

@mrsbyers

Personally I think he’s.a CF , the answer should be to reduce the work load on you rather than chuck £25 a week or whatever your way to cover the cleaner. What about your quality of life ? Do you get paid for all the long hours ?

I was just about to post something similar it's like sticking a plaster on a severed artery. You must know a few hours cleaning a week isn't actually going to do much to reduce the mental load and the real issue is the travelling and excessive hours you're being expected to work?

A cleaner's time for a few hours a week would (very likely) cost less than 1 hour of your time. It would cost less than trying to hire another one of you as well. Seems a good company perk

Yeah it’s a benefit in kind, taxable. Easier just to get a pay rise of 50 quid a week

What would your reason be for not doing it?

I'd definitely get it in writing first!

DO IT!

Yeah, write it down in an email first, but do it :)

Do it. I would in a heart beat. If you’re working from home might it be a legitimate business expense?

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

Employer-provided cleaner is a brilliant company perk!

Absolutely. I hope that every HR person who is reading this thread pays attention. I was wondering about it recently - what perks would be attractive now that the landscape is shifting. Office canteen / gym clearly becomes less attractive than before.

Tax wise, it is not necessary a benefit in kind if the employee is working from home, depends on how it is structured. No more than cleaning the employee's desk in the office is.

No brainer. Do it. Not sure why or how it’d be taking the piss is any way seeing as your employer suggested it?!

@forinborin

I hope that every HR person who is reading this pays attention

I have professional qualifications in both accountancy and Human Resources. It is far more straightforward to pay people more than set up a system of paying for employees household expenses. That could snowball to become a considerable administrative burden. There is a reason organisations don’t tend to do this now.

It sounds like a really good idea to me- you can focus on your work then and it's wonderful having a cleaner. What a great idea for a company perk.

[quote Aprilx]@forinborin

I hope that every HR person who is reading this pays attention

I have professional qualifications in both accountancy and Human Resources. It is far more straightforward to pay people more than set up a system of paying for employees household expenses. That could snowball to become a considerable administrative burden. There is a reason organisations don’t tend to do this now.[/quote]
Yes, I know, I employed people. But this is exactly where the perk is, as this admin burden is then (partially) lifted from the employee's shoulders. I would absolutely welcome a salary sacrifice offer personally - as it effectively gives me 40% discount.

For example, I know several employers who cover several days of emergency childcare in a nursery close to the office. All parents of small children I know who are working for them REALLY appreciate the perk, down to it being a decisive factor in staying in the job. Although no doubt it is a headache to manage from the employer perspective.

the answer should be to reduce the work load on you rather than chuck £25 a week or whatever your way to cover the cleaner. What about your quality of life ? Do you get paid for all the long hours ?

Projecting much? The OP hasn’t suggested this wouldn’t be a solution for her, and if it is, why not take up her employer’s offer?

but I don't think I'd feel comfortable doing that, having a cleaner is a luxury if you can easily afford it.

We work full time and have a disabled child who takes a whole lot of looking after, and at times creates quite a bit of additional mess. A cleaner is NOT a luxury for us. When she is older and lives independently, a cleaner won’t be a luxury for her. Having a cleaner so you can manage a hectic life isn’t a luxury.

@mrsbyers

Personally I think he’s.a CF , the answer should be to reduce the work load on you rather than chuck £25 a week or whatever your way to cover the cleaner. What about your quality of life ? Do you get paid for all the long hours ?

Only on MN. An employer trying to be nice and they are a CF? Really? Many jobs involve long hours, and travel, but it is a choice to work in such an industry.

If they have offered why wouldn't you accept? However it is a BIK so will have to be declared on our P11D. That's no big deal though. Employers often offer private health insurance as a perk, so why not domestic help?

I think he should give you a pay rise to pay for a cleaner permanently

As a standard we get lots of 'Director' perks out for drinks with mates, stick a round or two on work, weekend or mini break charge the hotel to work, same with dinners out. Need tech for at home (AirPods, pads, laptops) charge it to work.
The only thing I've taken advantage of to date is the custom tailoring, when the tailor was in the office. The boys were getting stuck into new made to measure suits in the office and I thought why not!