How do I find a cleaner?

[sagitta]

I have just realised I am not coping with the cleaning at all. Can you help to answer these questions?

How much do cleaners charge (outside London)?
How do I find one I can trust? (I have recently moved and don't really know anyone locally).
How long would it take to:
Hoover 2 bedrooms, living room/kitchen. Clean a small bathroom, kitchen surfaces/ sink etc. Plus dusting, maybe clean fridge or oven or something every so often.

Thanks for any advice!

hi sagitta,
although i'm in london i am an old pro at finding cleaning ladies that i'm happy with.

firstly know that it'll take a good cleaning lady 3-4 hours to do a 2 bed place depending on how messy it is/if you need packing or unpacking done/ironing might take an extra hour.

secondly it's going to be trial and error for a while. english speaking cleaning ladies can ask for £7 and upwards per hour. The non english speaking will charge £7 and downwards. a good place to look is on gumtree.

whenever a new one comes over make sure she has a list of things to do, show her around AND make it clear that it's not ok for her to play on her cellphone/take cigarette breaks in the bathroom or out a window when your not looking just to pass the time. and it's perfectly ok to keep an eye on her the entire time if you feel like you might not trust her.

how far outside london are you?

Thanks eandz, that's helpful. It's more time/money than I thought...

I'm in Suffolk

ipswich

Sagita
I am outside london, have a cleaner she charges £9 per hour. She is a friend of a friend, I mentioned to my friend that I wasn't coping and she said her frien had a few spare hours a week. (she is a professional cleaner)
she does 2 hours a week. She doesn't tidy. At the moment she comes in each week and alternates upstairs and downstairs.
I don't have enough money to pay her to tidy, nor do I have the energy to clean once I have tidied so this is where we have come to.

Good luck, I hope you find someone.. it has helped me so much, even though I am a dedicated fylady

Two hours a week ought to be enough, but ask them to do skirting boards, etc.

I'm not too sure I'd be happy if someone asked me to clean their oven for them, though!

Thanks! didn't realise about ovens...

How do I find one - I've looked on gumtree, but there's not much. Are cleaning companies trustworthy?

I'm a professional cleaner ... a gal's got to do something

All my clients hear of me by word of mouth. Is there a toddler group you can attend? Maybe you can ask a few of the other mums.

Cleaners often advertise in Post Office windows, too. Providing they've got good references (and you check them), it shouldn't be a problem to get someone in for a few hours a week.

Good luck, my friend!

Thanks!

My cleaner charges 7.50 an hour and does my 5 bed house in 4 hours. She does ironing/fridge cleaning/oven cleaning/sorting us out as necessary in that time too on a rotating basis of her own decision, and our needs that week.

I found her through Freecycle - if yours has a cafe group then you can post an ad on there/ask for recommendations.

Freecycle's a great idea, thanks.

I am a cleaner too! For my sins......
I cannot believe a cleaner would smoke out of someones window!!! Really!!?? Would they!!?? Blimey, some cleaner!!!