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Original poster

Cleaners increase in hourly rate

515 replies

user1478790138 · 16/10/2021 00:14

Hello

First thread here so pls be gentle.

We have a largeish house in the Nottinghamshire, 6 BR, 4 BA and a fairly large ground floor, 2 children and dogs. Have had a pair of cleaners who come twice a week (initially three times but then it was to hectic for us) for several months now and paid £12ph, they want to increase it to 13.5 now. They do the cleaning and tidying, of which there is a fair amount but I don’t limit them time wise. Not sure now how to react, we’ve had them since March, somehow an increase of 100+ quid a month seems a bit steep in such a short period of time? What would you do??
Thank you

OP posts:
nannykatherine · 17/10/2021 19:20

If you factor in their Tax /NI/ travel costs / covering holiday/ pension ..
Sick days …
They are underpaid

Fleshmechanic · 17/10/2021 19:32

This reply has been deleted

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PearlyShamps · 17/10/2021 19:32

The size of the house is irrelevant, really - it's an hourly rate, so bigger house equals more hours (nothing to do with the rate). I think £13.50 an hour is a fair rate, if you're happy with their work. I would perhaps agree to their new rate, but tell them the price increase is not going to become a regular thing every 6 months.
Alternatively, you could suggest a rate somewhere in the middle, say £12.75, and see if they accept that rate. I did this when my cleaner massively hiked her prices.
It seems to me that they have a pretty cushy job at your house - I'm not sure they'd be quick to walk away from it.

SelfEmployedCleaner · 17/10/2021 19:35

@mustlovegin

If you offer a service and market forces mean you can charge a premium why on earth wouldn't you?

Yes, those same market forces mean you may price yourself out of the market if you are not careful.

Stop blowing your own trumpet and peddling cleaners services Selfemployed Grin

Well, I'm not that daft!

As long as I've got the clients I want plus regular enquiries I'll be fine. Grin

MiniPumpkin · 17/10/2021 19:50

£16 ph here in Scotland and they bring supplies

Peppapigforlife · 17/10/2021 19:55

Is it 13.50 per cleaner or between the two of them??

gamerchick · 17/10/2021 20:00

@Peppapigforlife

Is it 13.50 per cleaner or between the two of them??
Would you work for it being between you, doing the things the OP expects from a cleaner?
Peppapigforlife · 17/10/2021 20:06

@gamerchick if someone for some desperate reason, needed the money cash in hand, then yes, they probably would. I've met many a person in different jobs who have been exploited by the rich.

Peppapigforlife · 17/10/2021 20:13

Apprentices under 19 - £4.30 an hour
Age 16-17 - £4.62 an hour
Age 18-20 - £6.56 an hour

Or if they were students who fell into one of these categories, it's very possible.
There's also the chance that someone is a single mum on Universal Credit and would be worse off by working, so is accepting a low paid wage for it to be cash in hand.
All these are some of the many possibilities in the wonderful society we live in. Hence why I asked.

@gamerchick

gamerchick · 17/10/2021 20:17

[quote Peppapigforlife]@gamerchick if someone for some desperate reason, needed the money cash in hand, then yes, they probably would. I've met many a person in different jobs who have been exploited by the rich.[/quote]
No cleaner worth their salt would split that kind of pay with someone else. Especially as the OP mentioned it would increase the bill by 100 quid a month. It's like 1+1 here.

Even cash in hand. Especially for the pisstake of what's outlined in the OPs posts.

lonelylou09 · 17/10/2021 20:31

Very interesting thread.
I'm a cleaner and do a range between residential and holiday let's. My prices range between £12/£15 an hour and holiday let's are £20 an hour which is still hugely cheaper than companies charge.
I work hard and supply all my own equipment because that makes it easier for me so I have what I need to hand.
I really need to increase the £12ph clients up to £15 an hour and haven't known how to go about it without upsetting them like has obviously happened in op's case.
However there's a huge shortage of cleaner in my area and I'm constantly turning down work.
I think the £15 an hour gives me a comfortable living after tax and expenses ect bearing in mind as other posters have said ..I won't get sick or holiday pay.
Otherwise I would be working for less than minimum wage whilst clients still expect maximum effort and results.
An no ...as a rule I do not do tidying as it's hughly time consuming

Pinkfluff76 · 17/10/2021 20:35

I don’t know who these people are who say £15 p/h is average! I live in Surrey which is expensive and cleaners are £12-£13,50 an hour even the cleaning company’s. Of course some are £15 but that is definitely not the norm. And of course they should tidy. It’s ridiculous to say you must tidy first! What’s the point then?! They get paid per hour and tidying is easier and more pleasant than cleaning so quite frankly it’s a win for them!!

Pinkfluff76 · 17/10/2021 20:40

Because it’s not a skilled job that required you to pay a fortune in uni fees!!!

SelfEmployedCleaner · 17/10/2021 21:05

I really need to increase the £12ph clients up to £15 an hour and haven't known how to go about it without upsetting them like has obviously happened in op's case.

It's tricky, isn't it. But most people would be aware that £12 is taking the piss. I'd increase in January and if they don't want to pay that then you know there are others you can pick up instead.

Higgeldypiggeldy35 · 17/10/2021 21:07

It's a relatively quick increase in price for you but how long have they been running their business? They might not have increased their rate for years. They're probably watching the news in horror at the rise in energy prices and cost of fuel and food and thinking they need to earn more. I don't blame them. Good cleaners are hard to come by and their rate is below average so they're probably banking on filling your slot if you don't want it. It doesn't sound like money is as tight for you by the size of your house and how often they come so I'd suck it up. Your other options are reduce how often they come or find someone else.

Deadposhtory · 17/10/2021 21:10

I pay my cleaner the new rate for a four bed
Pay up
Good cleaners are hard to find

ehb102 · 17/10/2021 21:16

I just put my cleaner up to £15 per hour because she is reliable, works hard, takes the initiative and has worked for me for years. She makes my life so much easier, and as an employer it is my job to look after my staff. I lost a great gardener on the grounds that he was a contractor and needed to tell me of a price hike. It didn't work like that, he took new business and ghosted me after five years. I now pay £10 more an hour, which I would have been happy to pay to him if he had asked. Lesson learned.

Tigger1895 · 17/10/2021 21:32

If you can afford a house with 6BR, 4BA and large grounds what’s another £100 a month. Or did come on to brag?

TatianaBis · 17/10/2021 21:44

@Tigger1895

If you can afford a house with 6BR, 4BA and large grounds what’s another £100 a month. Or did come on to brag?
It’s Nottingham not Notting Hill.
jobling · 17/10/2021 22:10

This is a really low price at £13.50 but you should definitely set the hours, 20 hours seems ridiculous!

I run a cleaning company and I've received many calls from people saying there cleaner has given up work and they were paying £12ph but think of what this pays for...
Have you considered how long it takes the cleaner to get to yours, she won't get paid for this time, effectively lowering the hourly rate.

Costs to a cleaner / company:
PLI Insurance / DBS / advertising / Cleaning products / vacuum cleaners / mops / cloths / washing / some electricity / some phone usage / invoicing / admin / vehicle / fuel / vehicle maintenance / mot / tax / accountant / business bank account fees and a living wage, it does not take into account holidays, sick cover, pension and the fact that cleaning is hard work and it's not possible to work 8-10 our day.

Reliable, good cleaners are really hard to come by. If you've found one (2), keep them!

FreddieMercurysCat · 17/10/2021 22:34

We pay £15 ph and that’s cheap (Cheshire West).

Merrymermaid7 · 17/10/2021 22:36

Think how lucky I am?

TheJade · 17/10/2021 22:44

I don’t think 13.50 is unreasonable. It the same amount I would pay up here In the north west x

justasking111 · 17/10/2021 22:46

£15 per hour here per person. Tidy up before they come that will speed up their job

Springplanting · 18/10/2021 02:48

£14-16 per hour here in south east