Imagine being a domestic cleaner at the moment

[MrsMingech]

We have just had to let our cleaners go. We could barely afford the luxury anyway, but the stress it took from us was immense.

But the prices of everything going up is just painful.

But how shit must it be to be in a trade such domestic cleaning? Surely it's one of the first things to go. So those who clean will get a double whammy. Their cost of living goes up and potentially their income goes down. Hit from both ends.

Same with things like taxi drivers and so on and so forth.

Mine just increased her hourly rate and I’ve rounded it up because she makes my life easier and she’s worth it. I’ll buy less wine and pay my cleaner a living wage. I guess it depends whether you see a cleaner as a luxury. For my mental health and to enable dh and I to both work full time, it’s essential. Eating out isn’t so I’m more concerned about restaurants etc survival.

The other thing to mention is that whilst there are a saturation of threads and features around about cost of living (quite rightly so) — for every family struggling there are families and singles and couples still going skiing, still eating out , still having their hair regularly coloured , still having a cleaner . There are still lots of people for who an extra £2-3k a year on bills won’t make much difference to their lifestyle , even people who join in conversations about it- as it looks distasteful to say ‘oh we will be fine’ when it’s clear others are really struggling. So I wouldn’t worry too much about cleaners!

There was a thread a few days ago about what cuts people would make and many said they would not get rid of the cleaner. I think cleaners and dog walkers are always going to be in demand, there are other areas people can cut back…..such as having take aways and eating out, I feel hospitality and fast food places may be where cuts are made.

Taxi drivers worked all through lockdown and were much in demand (so I am told); I used mini cabs for essential journeys. Delivery drivers too worked, more than ever with people so much stuff online.

Cleaners have had a bad time. Not only because some could no longer afford to hire them but because of the risks of catching Covid, cross infection from home to home, etc. It's picking up now but they certainly will have lost a lot due to the pandemic.

My cleaner is essential - I’d rather cut down on food treats than lose her!

And still the Tories are voted in. I’m flabbergasted.

And I am financially fortunate and gave my cleaner a payrise today. Appreciate I’m in a v privileged position.

JuliaSways good for you. I've had cleaners on and off for 30 years, they've all been cash in hand, obviously not paying tax. That's my choice of course but it's very common

@SafelySoftly

And still the Tories are voted in. I’m flabbergasted.

And I am financially fortunate and gave my cleaner a payrise today. Appreciate I’m in a v privileged position.

If you gave her a pay rise she must be an employee. I hope that you are also paying pension contributions etc

@TheHoptimist how do you figure that? Mine upped her charge to £38.50 a week and I said I’d round it to £40. I pay by bank transfer. She fills in tax returns. I guess you could call it a “tip”?

@Easterbunnyiswindowshopping

Cleaner here...lost the majority of my customers in 2020. Have all new ones now and putting my charges up from Monday. Intend to email everyone this week end... Am preparing to lose nobody tbh. No different from anyone who provides a service.

This is quite interesting. I’ve had my cleaner for 20 years and adore her. We paid her for a long while during lockdown although obviously she didn’t come so furloughed in effect. . We pay her holiday money. However, we are starting to feel the pinch and should she increase her prices I’m not sure how long we could run with it.

Ditto my hairdresser.

I’m just wondering whether people like us are deliberating about whether to keep cleaners, gardeners, expensive hairdressers more than they let show.

If things get tough, it will be difficult for people to keep paying for these services, especially if prices increase.

I agree op. My cleaner is excellent and would be one of the last "luxuries" I would lose - she's been cleaning for me for nearly a decade now.
But every time I think about people needing to save costs I am conscious about the businesses that will be impacted. Whether that's clothing, shoes, hobbies, restaurants, hairdresser's or window cleaners etc. It's still an awful knock on effect.

First to go for us will be gym membership (I don't actually go anyway).

I might go to the hairdresser less. This worries me as I really like her, and hope she can stay in business.

@Davros

JuliaSways good for you. I've had cleaners on and off for 30 years, they've all been cash in hand, obviously not paying tax. That's my choice of course but it's very common

People being paid in cash does not equate to them not paying tax.

I am not giving up on my cleaner, she is the only one who really helps me and it means I can get way more actual work done. It took me 45000 steps to clean my house weekly during lockdown.

I would sooner give up fashion, takeaways, the gym, holidays, booze, parties, the kids’ hobbies than my cleaner. I won’t give up on my hairdresser either, that is my other critical person. As a family we are going to work on simplifying life. Plus anyone who has helped and contributed to our family for a number of years - I am not going to ditch them until all else goes. We have had the same cleaner and mobile hairdresser for more than 10 years.

Where I live many of the Eastern European cleaners have gone home. We still have ours because we could tinge to pay her through lockdown. The current economy may herald the return of the indigenous cleaner!

I hope cleaners don't lose their jobs but I've no wish to imagine being one. I don't clean.

The amount of people taking umbrage at someone expressing sympathy for a set of workers with very little, if any, job protection is quite the thing.

One of my jobs is cleaning and I’m conscious that a couple of my clients will struggle later this year with the rising energy costs. I do have other work though and a few non-domestic cleaning clients so hoping to be ok. Am also turning work down weekly at the mo.

Yanbu. These are very hard times for a lot of people, cleaners and taxi drivers will definitely be hit by the cutbacks.

Fuel increases too.

Many retailers are reducing staffing levels too.

A lot of people who have cleaners though are fairly well off so will not be affected too much by higher prices.

@Abuildingwith4wallsandtmrinsid

I am not giving up on my cleaner, she is the only one who really helps me and it means I can get way more actual work done. It took me 45000 steps to clean my house weekly during lockdown.

I would sooner give up fashion, takeaways, the gym, holidays, booze, parties, the kids’ hobbies than my cleaner. I won’t give up on my hairdresser either, that is my other critical person. As a family we are going to work on simplifying life. Plus anyone who has helped and contributed to our family for a number of years - I am not going to ditch them until all else goes. We have had the same cleaner and mobile hairdresser for more than 10 years.

The thing is, the op specified cleaners but also include taxi drivers and so forth.

Therefore you’ll be cutting down on the so forth! Fashion (retail workers), the gym (anyone employed by a gym), kids hobbies (dance teachers?, local riding school?, swimming lessons?) You won’t give up your cleaner or hairdresser, but other people will let those go to keep the ones you won’t.

I think this is what the op is getting at, luxuries going and those employed in those industries.

Not everyone is struggling. DH and I both work in high demand industries where recruitment is a struggle and have had good payrise/bonuses. Fixed rate mortgage and fixed energy tariff until 2023. WFH so little expenditure on fuel. It’s not a brag, but there must be more people in our position.

I don’t think cleaners will be that affected. Upper and middle classes will be protected from most of the price hikes. It’s the poorest that will suffer as usual.

I don't have a cleaner but will be keeping my window cleaner and milk delivery. Window cleaner has just put prices up, quoting living wage rise and fuel costs (it is a company rather than a "one man band" )

In the 90's when my Dad was made redundant, I remember my Mum saying that she would keep things as long as possible as she didn't want others to be in the same position as us.

It's quite tricky to get a good cleaner, some that:

a) you trust in your house
b) will do a good job and not gradually reduce their effort once in the job

I would have thought the good cleaners will still get plenty of work

I agree with this. A few people that I know with cleaners can probably (definitely) afford £15 a week if it makes their life easier. If the cleaner was a bit crap they would probably prefer to put that money towards a takeaway every week.

I'd rather give up takeaways than my cleaner.