Would you work as a cleaner 2-3 hours a day for free accommodation but no pay?

[ShittyGlitter]

I need a bit of perspective here as I'm not sure of what I’m looking for is reasonable.

I’m drowning in gardening and cleaning, I currently take a half day off a week to try get everything done including g laundry and prep for the week ahead.

My job is becoming more demanding as I have new projects starting this year but also we’re renovating our house so time is also spent covering DIY tasks and running around after our two children. My DHs job is also demanding, but we’re generally good at splitting tasks between us.

we’re both burnt out and skint for renovation costs.

what I’m wondering is, I have an annex separate from our house that’s fully self contained. Would it be reasonable to advertise a live in position for someone to help out with gardening and cleaning tasks? I’m thinking 2-3 hours a day say 5 days a week, rotating around some household tasks. just to help us free up some of our life’s for work or family!

The problem is I can’t afford a cleaner for so many hours, and I thought maybe it would help someone out or am I being daft?

Bills would be covered and there are loads of jobs locally specifically in hospitality as week live in a touristy spot. So someone could have another job to work around it or if they were remote workers anyway.

thoughts would be appreciated!

That sounds like a brilliant offer to me. The only issue may be the hours - I think youd need to be flexible as they would obviously need a normal job for income still. Maybe 2 hours a day rather than 3.

You'd be better advertising it on spare room etc, charging and putting that income towards domestic help.

I don’t think so. My db lived in work accommodation for a few years and was paid the full salary for the job. He was able to get the work accommodation for free in exchange for a few hours of overtime.

I think it would be perfect for lots of people.

Can you not just let it out for a fair rent and use the cash for a cleaner and gardener? Surely that would be simpler? (Don't forget to check the tax position on any income though)

Yes this, otherwise it could get complicated. Surely this would only attract people with no income who may not be willing or able to do much physical work.

Who would be applying for that job? They would still need to work for income to live. It’s quiet a niche role and I can see issues if you’re not happy with the quality of what they have done.

Who?

I wouldn’t do this because this hardly sounds a benefit for you. Someone gets free accommodation which costs ££ in a shared accommodation and this person would get there own separate place, for only 2 hours a day. You barely get started to make a dent in the housework and chores for 2 hours.

Wouldn’t it be better to get a lodger or rent that out and use some money to get a cleaner for a few days?

Agree with the people who say rent the annexe out and use the money. Otherwise you could open yourself up to prosecution for not paying the NLW.

Students, or people who work part time. Adults who are stuck living with parents due to high rents, shortage of accommodation. I know several people in their late 30's and older who are still living with their parents.

No. Even in the past, live-in domestic staff were paid!

No, I would rent it out and use the money towards domestic help.

Cleaners typically earn £20/hr. So for 2.5 hr per day, that's £250/week or £1,100/month.

I realise it's slightly more complicated than that due to tax/NI/annual leave etc (assuming your person was working for other people cleaning too and earning enough to pay these things). But as a broad principle, is £1,100/month a good rate for your accommodation if you were letting it out? If that's a good deal, then I think if you are happy to be flexible on when they work their hours, and you offer six weeks holiday per year, then you might be on to something! If £1,100 is too expensive for your annexe, you might need to make it 2 hours per day, or 1.5 hours, or whatever.

You need to charge rent then pay people to do the work you require. Otherwise you are massively limiting your target market for your annex - you might struggle to find someone.

Students, possibly. Adults who work part time usually do so for a reason and won't want extra work. Adults who live with parents probably work full time and won't want extra work.

You would be treated as employing the person. Their foregone wage would be taxed as a Benefit In Kind.
So you would have the legalities of employing somebody (employers liability insurance, returns to HMRC, NMW, etc).
Meanwhile, you have now created a tenant, which has its own legalities (gas certificates, repairs obligations, etc). A tenant that you can't evict due to recent changes.
It's a bad idea for all sorts of reasons.

If rent the annexe out and use the money for a cleaner, as others have suggested.

Possibly depends on price of accommodation near to you. If you were to pay someone to work 3 hours every day at £15 an hour, this comes to approx £1300. What is the going rate for accommodation near you? Will the person be getting a good deal or not? On paper I thought it sounded good, but working it out, if open market rent is less, then they could get an additional PT job for fewer hours. If it’s only 2 hours per day or not every day, then it’s a better deal, especially if they can choose the hours around other work that they do, and I could see someone being interested.

I think you'd very quickly find yourself in court for modern slavery.

Even slaves received food and clothing on top of their 'free' accomodation.

think the main point is that this would probably be much more complicated than simply letting someone stay in the annex in exchange for a few hours of work. You’d need to look carefully at employment law, minimum wage rules, insurance and the occupant’s legal status. I wouldn’t assume they’d automatically be a tenant, but I’d definitely want proper advice before setting up an arrangement like this.

Pretty sure that’s modern slavery OP.
They always provide accommodation. 🤔

take a look on SpareRoom- there are often adverts for people offering accommodation in exchange for childcare/ elderly care/ housekeeper. For me, it would depend on your location as to how appealing the offer would be- London, absolutely yes. Back end of beyond, absolutely not.

Sign up for Workaway, it's exactly the model they use; accommodation (and food normally) for 4-5 hours work a day.

Yes but I’d want it iron tight contract that three hours maximum. Otherwise I can see you saying ‘Oh Monday can you just…’ and next thing it’s four hours a day. And ‘Monday we’re away this weekend, can you just…’ and next thing I’m supposed to stay in all day for the boiler repair man. Or you just a party and suddenly I’m asked to do twice as many hours. You may think you are offering a great deal, but it would have to work around other commitments and are you also going to demand a set time? Say 8-11? Or what if you list the jobs and I get them done in an hour and a half, or it takes me four hours?