Cleaners: what do you pay? Agency or not?

[Wauden]

We have a cleaner who is good, BUT a number of times she has texted to say she is too busy that day and could she come the next week instead? She is not via an agency, she is through a friend.

Last week she cancelled on the very day, so clearly we need a new cleaner.
We pay her £40 cash for three hours once every two weeks, although she leaves before the three hours are up.

I have had a quote from an agency for three hours once a fortnight, insured, bring own materials and I said eco materials only which they use anyway. Agency quotes £51 plus VAT.
We live in an expensive area (used to be affordable).

Is that a reasonable rate?

I'm in London - ours always charged £28 per clean. Very reliable, never cancelled us. Doesn't charge per hour, she just cleans until its done, sometimes she brings someone with her and they are done in an hour. She did just raise her rate to £35 per clean (3 bed house) and £30 (2 bed house).

Midlands based and ours charges £10 per hour - she does three hours per week

NE

13.5 per hour

South east - £12/hour direct to cleaner and £2.80/hour to agency.

Should add that we supply all materials, and that the cleaner does 5.5 hour a week.

Not agency, NW £15 per hour.

Ours also texts on the day to reschedule if she’s overrunning, personally it doesn’t bother me as she has small kids and a husband with a long term illness So sometimes starts later - plus has overrun here too before and delayed other customers to do ours properly.

I like her, and trust her implicitly which for us both working at home she can be party to interesting conversations. That’s more important to me than being rigid with timings.

Hmm, including VAT, the agency quotes £61.20 for three hours.

Some people say that cleaning once a week is better keeping on top of things. I mcclean one week but it is not as efficient as a professional.

mcclean?!?

Clean!

The agency's quote seems high to me.

North East England.. I pay £12 per hour to an agency. They do 3 hours per fortnight (four bed house). I'd love them to come weekly as the 'off' week isn't as nice as the cleaner week. But haven't taken the plunge yet.

We pay £18 an hour. Seems quite high comparing to others

@SamMil

We pay £18 an hour. Seems quite high comparing to others

That's crazy high!

Going rate in our area is £15 an hour, but I did have a quote for £18

South east/outer London. We pay £50 for four hours, so £12.50 an hour and we provide the materials. My cleaner is lovely and hasn't put her rates up for ages so I suspect is being kind to me.

£13.50 ph company but a family run business. Brings all their own stuff so no cleaning fluids required etc.

North west, £12.50ph and she supplies materials. She does 3 hours per week and round it up to £40 each time

We pay. £70 for 5 hours in London

She's very good but also tends to disappear or change days last minute

She's been cleaning for us now for a couple of years so we have some affection for her and her quirks

£12 an hour, North East, not via an agency, 3 hours once a week.

Midlands and we pay £13 an hr for 3 hrs a week and we supply the materials. It used to be a single cleaner but a couple of years ago she turned it into a small business and employs a few others now.

£51 is high but if they supply their own materials and you live in an expensive area I'd class it as expensive rather than outrageous. Perhaps worth it if they're reliable and eco friendly.

We paid £20 per hour plus VAT for a one off deep clean once!!!! South east, not London. I really liked having a clean house that I hadn't cleaned myself but I guess that's why my husband says we can't afford a cleaner...

South and not with an agency - we pay £10 an hour, 2 hours a week

We use an agency, it's £15/hr but she's having to register for VAT soon so will be £18/hr.

Part of me is tempted to cancel, but the cleaners work like demons and get so much done in two hours (large four bed, they do upstairs one week and downstairs the next). I could get three hours cleaning a week for the same price but might not get any more cleaning for that IYSWIM. Also, we are never without a clean as the owner rejigs things if there is staff absence, it might be a day earlier or later or a different day, but we always get a cleaner. They take Christmas and Eastern Orthodox Easter off and are happy for us to cancel in advance when we are on holiday.

@perenniallymessy

We use an agency, it's £15/hr but she's having to register for VAT soon so will be £18/hr.

Part of me is tempted to cancel, but the cleaners work like demons and get so much done in two hours (large four bed, they do upstairs one week and downstairs the next). I could get three hours cleaning a week for the same price but might not get any more cleaning for that IYSWIM. Also, we are never without a clean as the owner rejigs things if there is staff absence, it might be a day earlier or later or a different day, but we always get a cleaner. They take Christmas and Eastern Orthodox Easter off and are happy for us to cancel in advance when we are on holiday.

@perenniallymessy. I would say that's good value since there are two of them. Mine is Orthodox too.

£10 ph to the cleaner X2 hours per week and £22 a month to the agency.