Cleaner for student house?

[siwsan]

Hi there,

Has anyone’s dc had experience of organising a cleaner for their student house?

Ds is living with three other boys in a flat in central london. One of the other parents is pushing for them to hire a cleaner. Ds is good at cleaning and won’t mind doing it himself, as long as everyone chips in. I can’t decide if it’s a waste of money or if it might help keep the peace.

It's worth pointing out I think that most cleaners or cleaning agencies will not be prepared to take on sorting out "mess" before they can clean. For example, clothes, personal belongings, food, coursework, books in a house share strewn everywhere, and no idea where everything can be put or thrown away before beginning a clean is an impossible task.

It's an extreme example but the agency I worked for would refuse to take on clients that were hoarders or living in complete disarray.

A cleaner isn't a housekeeper or maid.

I feel as though having a cleaner is a luxury that students living in a flat shouldn't be able to afford. Most normal people don't have cleaners.
Having said that I shared with two guys one year - one was pretty good at clearing up after himself but wasn't around much and the other was hopeless. It did really annoy me but I didn't have the confidence then to stand up and make him do it. (He also used to wait till I was lugging my laundry out of the front door to walk to the launderette a mile away and then ask if o could just take a few of his things too!)
But I still think a cleaner is not necessary. A rota is all they need.

The cleaner could well be another student. Its a gig that can be quite popular with international students who are trying to minimise the financial burden on their parents/family.

Not necessarily a great look.

@AtillatheHun

Interesting how it’s all sons who need cleaners for student jousted- god help their future wives

I wouldn't bet on it. Have you never seen all the posts about "princesses" who have never loaded a washing machine or cooked a meal too?

I was really surprised when looking for somewhere for dd recently by the number of London houseshares that had a cleaner (it wasn't optional, you had to pay towards it)

There is no way I would have cleaned student housing for under £20 an hour when I was cleaning. Indeed, just no way I'd have been willing to take it on as a job (there are better clients easily avavilable) If DS does do it (which I think is a bad idea, he will end up being treated like a servant by his friends), make sure he charges properly!

I think this is becoming more common, I know of a couple of houses shares where having the cleaner to do kitchen/bathroom /common areas is mandatory. To be honest I don’t see the problem as long as you are paying the going rate, it’s just about choices over what you spend money on.

When I shared a flat in London we hired a cleaner for the communal areas, I'm sure it saved a lot of arguments and if you were in halls the hallways and stairs would be cleaned.

DD was in halls first year and cleaning rooms was including. They rarely let cleaner in as they were still in bed or had a group of friends around and didn't want to be disturbed.

@AtillatheHun

Interesting how it’s all sons who need cleaners for student jousted- god help their future wives

Can't see the issue if they pay for a cleaner for the house once living with someone.

I think too many MNers project. Not all boys are lazy and not all women are domestic godesses. My DH says he did nothing at home (and lived "in" right through university, so didn't clear) but he somehow managed once he had his own place. I wasn't and am not a domestic goddess but I don't live in a tip.

OP if your son wants to save the cash and do it himself, that's great.

I wouldn't have a cleaner because I am too working class to have "staff" but I can totally see why it's a good idea for lazy students! Those saying they have to learn - they don't - they just live in a tip.

I feel as though having a cleaner is a luxury that students living in a flat shouldn't be able to afford. Most normal people don't have cleaners

By what I see on the WIWIKAU group on Facebook, I think the concept of poor students has gone. The amount of things they take with them, and some of the accommodation looks really posh (at least until all those lazy male students move in). It's a far cry from my first year accommodation and equipment!

I also think it's up to people what they spend their money on, within reason. And lots of students work alongside their studies these days which was less common when I was a student - people might have worked in the holidays but not in term-time. But if they work they can spend it the way they want, not the way judgey MNers think they should (or shouldn't because otherwise they'll expect their wives to do all the domestic chores).

I wouldn't be impressed if they had a cleaner. This is the time to learn how to fend for yourself. Learning how to clean, cook and manage bills is all part of growing up.

This ^
If there are 4 healthy adults living in one flat, there isn't exactly vast amount of space to clean. If they can't keep on top of that, they are going to struggle in life.

Honestly I don’t get the inverted snobbery about cleaners, it’s a service like any other. I don’t service my own car I get a professional to do it.A young relative of mine valets peoples cars , they could do it themselves but if they choose to employ someone rather than buy a takeaway for eg then what’s the problem.

As long as they pay for it themselves I cannot see the issue. And since arguments over cleaning are a major source of tension in house shares having to clean seems like a good idea .

In one house share I know of the cleaner comes once a week and gives the kitchen a good clean , only incidental washing up and the students have been told that if they leave washing up /dirty pans they will be charged. The cleaner will also deep clean the bathrooms and vacuum the communal areas. Again if they leave the bathrooms in a state or the cleaner has to tidy before they can get to the floor they will be charged.

The students love it, they all have busy courses/lives and this way things don’t get out of control .

I can understand the need for a cleaner in student halls or in houses with a high amount of students, but 4 students ought to be able to clean the communal areas by themselves.

Who are these parents facilitating a lack if basic skill learning in their sons. We should all know how to keep a kitchen and bathroom hygienically clean and not expect others to live with someone else's mess. I hope my DDs don't end up in relationships with males whose parents have not expected their sons to clean up after themselves.

Frankly I think having a regular cleaner is better than having all the students collected by parents and buggering off at the end of term except one, whose parents then have to clean the entire place while said student is hungover. (Voice of bitter experience.)

The problem is in house shares people don't take it in turns to clean. Regardless of how willing your child is, not all will be the same. Some people are lazy and other people are filthy. If you've got the money then pay for a cleaner.

As long as they pay for it themselves I cannot see the issue. And since arguments over cleaning are a major source of tension in house shares having to clean seems like a good idea

I think what stands out in the OP is it is "one of the parents pushing to hire a cleaner".
The parents need to butt out.
These are 4 young adults, living away from home. They need to work out how they share out what needs doing.

I'm not snobbish (or inverse snobbish) about having a cleaner. I have had a cleaner in my own home for about 4 years now. I love it. It is a real "treat to me" and I am more than happy to use money to treat myself to not having to clean, over other 'treats' I could spend money on, as a fully grown adult, with a family, who is at the top end of her career. But seriously - these lads are students, and they are living in a flat. They just need to clean up after themselves, and look a bit harder at how they spend or save their money. A flat is not going to have enough communal rooms for it to be an issue.
I worry about their life skills though it a parent is poking her nose in to this level.

On the one hand, yeah they should learn to be independent.

On the other hand, I’ve been the only person with any standards in a flat and it’s not fun. I’ve also been in a flat with someone bossy who blew up at everyone else over not much and the flatshare fell apart.

As your son is the clean one, he’ll be the one getting lumbered and to be honest I’d save him from that/