Where to find that perfect housekeeper...?

[Beeste]

We had a wonderful, reliable, gold hearted, indefatigable, intelligent housekeeper last year. Then we moved house and have since had a series of agency supplied workshy no hopers. Supermarkets won't allow advertising any more and job sites seem to attract people with no common sense or reliability.
If you have a great housekeeper, where did you get them? Does anyone have any tips for finding and/or selecting out that special Mary-Poppinsesque addition to the household who considers £9 per hour over-generous for domestic cleaning? Word of mouth is not helpful as we've only just moved here and I don't really like to ask at work as we like to keep work and home separate ("...and you know what else I found: they had lubricant and a selection of huge knobbly pink rubber things...and worst of all sob, gasp ticket stubs from Center Parcs" - you get the picture.)
If location is helpful we're south of Coventry.
Many thanks

PS: SO's advice so far has amounted to: "basically if you want Mary Poppins, you're going to have to give up all that kinky sh1t."
A line that was, coincidentally, dropped from the Disney adaption of the original EL James novel...

Well that escalated quickly...

I didn't come here to troll, but I am allowing myself the indulgence of responding to rather critical posts.

I must say I'm slightly disappointed, if you read all that self improvement stuff in New Woman and Cosmo you'd expect lots of open hearted behavior. Mind you there's less articles like that on Harpers', OK, and Pegging Monthly.

It pains me to admit it but you're probably right that I subconsciously look down on basic cleaning as a job but beneath that is probably self loathing and insecurity that I lack the basic drives to tidy and iron properly, hence my attempts at humor.

I should say, as it's been broached, that I am a life long fan of c**ts, it's just some of their owners I don't like. A bit like that useless piece of skin on the end of a dick really...

Can't we just all...get along?. I hereby formally acknowledge the fundamental superiority of women if that helps. I mean they didn't invade ing Iraq did they...

Go on then expat, rather than just scoring me like the quiet one off come dine with me: flame me, hose me down with your wit , oh mamma. Say something funny. Or have I pegged you all wrong? xx

I mean that in a respectful way, no insult intended to any women firepersons on here. You do a wonderful job.

Anyway, I find myself hilarious. Don't mock the afflicted. :-)

To be fair OP I didn't think you were a troll .. Just immediately on the defensive side at the replies.

I'm still none the wiser what you're looking for though basic cleaning doesn't involve laundry or tidying. There are those who will tidy before cleaning but those are worth their weight in gold.

So a cleaner will come and clean but tidying and laundry are you're job.. That's unless you come to an arrangement first.

So maybe list the things you want doing and those who hire might be able to tell you the score then and if what you're paying is fair?

Not sure if I've been banned, got logged out and couldn't log back in!
I'm looking for someone who's happy to work say minimum 6 hours per week in two to three sessions at about £9-10 per hour cleaning, laundry, ironing, receive delivery of and put away shopping, change bedding, Hoover, dust etc. That's what previous "housekeepers" I've employed have done, including the wonderful one we had before we moved. I know that's reasonable because domestic jobs around here working for an agency are advertised at £7.50ph. My question is where to find rather than an I being reasonable.
If I have been banned could the banning mod please email me to confirm?

I am a one of those lowly unskilled cleaner/housekeepers.

I do cleaning, laundry, ironing, plan appointments, shopping, fetch dry cleaning, bedmaking, take people to medical appointments, care for them at home after minor surgery (non medical care only) deal with banking and paperwork etc.

Ok it's not quite rocket science, it requires common sense but certainly not quite the same skills set as brushing my hair.

Can you ask around locally to understand the going rate? Or join a local Facebook page (the buy sell pages are good here for such things)?

Cleaners/odd-job people (including laundry etc) are £12ph here - for the cheapest cash-on-the-side person. Or £25ph if you want to use an agency.

And we are Midlands too.

I suspect the problem is that the hours are too few to attract good people at the lowest rate.

OP no helpful advice but I have enjoyed your sense of humour, it's refreshing to read posts which step outside the Mumsnet political correctness :)

Maybe the area you moved to attracts people who earn more than £9 per hour net.

What are the hours?

OP , I think you're amusing.

try streetlife.com like a local paper buy and sell online

pieinthesky123, how do potential employers find you? Are you registered with an agency? You sound like a lifesaver tbh. Not at all lowly or unskilled.

Does Streetlife work for you, ggirl? I was sent a letter about it, but failed to act on it.

i only read it , haven't used it to sell etc...is that what you mean?
Know people who have used it successfully

Yeah, ime these things come and go, so reluctant to invest time in it only to see it disappear. But if it works it could be great.

well you just put your postcode in and then you're in ...not strenuous at all
you get daily emails
obviously stop when you like

MollyAir
these things come and go, so reluctant to invest time in it only to see it disappear

Employees aren't things

she's talking about streetlife.com not people

When we moved here, I found my first cleaner randomly through Freecycle (well, she came to pick something up and we chatted and she told me she did cleaning), and my second through a card in the Tesco Express. She's still with us 5 years on and is fabulous. She very rarely advertises, and only works for people she likes, going more by word of mouth.
So asking around is the best way imo.

Thank you Molly.

After being made redundant I needed another job immediately so set up as a cleaner. Registered with the tax man, insured and with references and crb check etc.

My clients are all elderly and the services I provide are just things I can do for them that they struggle to get help with. I offered to do the things that they struggle with or their families can't do regularly enough for them. Their families all support me doing this and I am appreciated. Downside is I only get one week off at Xmas as they all depend on me. Upside is I enjoy it far more than I ever did working in an office and I am valued far more too and the pay is better than my office job although people do look down on me when they ask me what I am doing these days. I have always been practical and sensible and get on with things so it's a perfect job and I have a long waiting list as my clients and their families have spread the word locally.

apologies!

Accepted.

thanks MollyAir

Many thanks for suggestions, will try them out.
We've had several long term cleaner/housekeepers through the years all but one (who demanded to be paid more while simultaneously working as slowly as possible or taking money for jobs not done) have remained friends after. So not sure I'm all that bad as someone to work for. If I gain more insights will post here.

Thanks again