Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Original poster

How much do you pay for a cleaner?

68 replies

cardy · 13/09/2006 10:53

We have decided to get a cleaner, 2-3 hours a week will probably suffice. I have no idea what is an acceptable rate of pay/how much do they charge. The type of cleaning would probably involve cleaning the bathroom, hovering upstairs, cleaning the floors downstairs and some dusting and polishing.

What do you pay? I am in a city outside London if that make a difference.

OP posts:
magnolia1 · 13/09/2006 11:05

I work for Age concern in surrey and also do cleaning/ironing on an ad hoc basis. I charge £7.50 -£8 per hour :-)

Original poster
cardy · 13/09/2006 11:29

Sounds reasonable. Do you do it privately or work for an agancy?

OP posts:
magnolia1 · 13/09/2006 11:39

Age Concern is an Agency and they charge the the clients as well but I prefer to do private now as I really don't like the idea of the ongoing fee the 2 old ladies I go to have to pay every 3 months.

Bramshott · 13/09/2006 11:46

Round here (Surrey/Hampshire) it seems to be £10 an hour - so 3 hours a week = £30.

Not that I have one though, hrummpph!

magnolia1 · 13/09/2006 11:49

Blimey I'm not charging enough

KathyMCMLXXII · 13/09/2006 11:52

We pay £7 an hour in East Yorkshire. I'm sure I read recently that the national average was £6 (though that may cover people in office cleaning etc jobs with less responsibility), but I think £7 is a bargain.

geekgrrl · 13/09/2006 11:54

£10 an hour here near Harrogate

HuwEdwards · 13/09/2006 11:56

£7.50 an hour in Midlands - private arrangement tho, no agency.

batters · 13/09/2006 11:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
cardy · 13/09/2006 12:10

Somewhere between £7-£10 then. Is 2 hours a week enough for the sort of stuff I've listed??

OP posts:
CountessDracula · 13/09/2006 12:11

£7 an hour SW london

magnolia1 · 13/09/2006 12:12

Easily done in 2 hours.

Tutter · 13/09/2006 12:13

£7 an hour, always rounded up (4 hrs = £30) but when i used an agency it was £12.60 .

Tutter · 13/09/2006 12:14

(SW London, btw. and i would prob be more comfortable paying a bit more). maybe i will.

Original poster
cardy · 13/09/2006 12:14

Pity you're in Surrey then and not a bit closer!

OP posts:
Tortington · 13/09/2006 12:26

what do they do for that?

where do you get them?

how do employment rights /benefit fraud reckon into it.

what do youask them to do

do you all live n posh houses? i mean are any of you ordinary?

£21 per week sounds a bargain.

Loshad · 13/09/2006 12:30

don't know what a definition of ordinary is, but I feel it
my cleaner isn't on benefits - works for Tescos as well, and has another cleaning job. Yes I would consider she had employment rights re sacking etc, she cleans whatever I ask her to, but doesn't iron (sob), I think the best bit is I like her, we have a good chat and natter, eat lunch together and so on, mutually beneficial - she needs the money, I get a clean house

Tortington · 13/09/2006 12:44

so in 3 x 1 hour sessions.

what would you tpically expect him/her to do?

CountessDracula · 13/09/2006 12:46

bloody hell custy you'll be growing herbs before you know it

Honestly it is the best money I spend I would give up eating before I gave up my cleaner

They tend to do a minimum of 3 hours but I guess if you found one who lived really near they may do 3 1 hour sessions.

Mine does everything but hte ironinng

Mimie2403 · 13/09/2006 12:47

I live in the SE and pay £18 per week directly to the cleaner (for 3 hours)+ £38 a month to the agency..... Cleaner is fully vetted though and has insurance. Many agencies only want your business if you book for a minimum of 3 hours a week. (I live in a 3-bedroom house and cleaner irons my husband's shirts as well)

CountessDracula · 13/09/2006 12:47

so one three hour session would expect

Empty dishwasher
re load with any thing left
Clean kitchen
hoover sofa and rugs
dust when necessary
clean wooden floors downstairs
Hoover rest of house
clean 2 bathrooms
tidy up dd's room if it needs it and ours.

Bugsy2 · 13/09/2006 12:49

Its all cash in hand Custy, unless you go through an agency. Totally black market!!!
Funnily enough it is cheaper to get a cleaner in London than most of the home counties, simply because of availabilty of cleaners.

magnolia1 · 13/09/2006 14:06

I am not on benefits either but work for Age concern and now privately too. I do it on a very casual basis though so would never work with someone who wasn't flexible and it works both ways

Original poster
cardy · 13/09/2006 15:31

I am even more convinced that I need one now. I am very ordinary, can't really afford it but I'll do without something order to have more time and thus more time with kids esp. at the weekends. At the moment my weekends seem to consist of cleaning, washing, ironing, cooking etc. I'd rather go to the park, swimming bath, do a jigsaw etc. and spend time with my kids.

I'll have to turn a blind eye to those shoes in the sale next time I walk past Office

OP posts:
KathyMCMLXXII · 13/09/2006 16:55

Not always totally black market actually - our cleaner is self-employed, keeps proper accounts, advised by an accountant and pays tax.