Employing a cleaner.

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I like the idea of having a cleaner as I never do much housework even if I do have time. Not sure about having someone in my house though.

How much do you pay? How many hours? What do they do, not do? How do you feel about privicy? Had any problems?

Any input appreciated.

I tried to employ a cleaner a few months ago...and I had no luck! Plenty of people applied ( I offered 7 pound an hour) I tried out about 6. 5 were rubbish and the only one who was any good kept letting me down. In the end I gave up! (And my house is still mucky)

you are obluged to offer paid holiday

2 weeks I thnk
mum used to do CAB

If you employ them you have to pay holidays etc but if they are part of a business youare paying for a service?? Am I right.

I didn't expect to pay £7ph .

not if you pay cash in hand fishyballs [pmsl at name btw]
try to get a personal recommendation from someone you know and trust if at all possible. someone I know get ripped off by their cleaner who nicked their bank card while they were out and took money out of the cashpoint (300 quid too). They'd been really sly, intercepted her new pin then waited til she left her purse in the house one day and popped out to the nearest non camera cashpoint. No way to prove it really so her criminal record remains unblemished - wouldn't show up on a check.
I also had a cleaner who was nicking loads of small things - even stuff like washing powder - did my head in.
So, I would recommend:
be clear about what you want them to do from the beginning and get them to do the stuff you don't like doing - if they don't want to, then it's not much use to you so get someone else
don't bother giving cups of tea and chat or that will be all you'll end up doing in the end and it will drive you mad
either get used to the fact they are there and just ignore them (I mean nicely, rather than lots of please, thank yous etc) or just go out while they are cleaning
pick up on anything you don't like about what they are doing straight away and tell them firmly but politely rather than secretly getting peed off about it all for ages then exploding or sacking them
if you have a funny feeling about them, then just get rid - they probably are untrustworthy and you'll never be able to prove it til it's too late

this is all from experience - I learned the hard way by doing the opposite of all this.
It is great to have a cleaner btw

What is the going rate? I don't know anyone that has a cleaner.

I think I would want to be in when they are there but its not a big house and I would feel sill sitting while they work round me.

I used to take my laundry to a laundrette but it came back slightly damp smelling of smoke and I still had to iron it and put it away. The worst bit

agree with morocco.

i would say the going rate where i am (inner london) is £8 per hour. obviously it will vary depending on whereabouts you are.

If that is the case I think I will get a job as cleaner . I am in Scotland.

I miss mt cleaner - got her when DD was 18 months - (she is now 14), but she left last yr due to health reasons.

She did 3 hrs every Friday. We tidied up on Thursday so as paying for cleaning not tidying, and she worked like a trojan. She once melted a plastic neck thing that goes under a candle bulb on a candelabra light fitting, as she lifted each one up to dust under it & it didn't go down properly. I had never tried to move them to dust under them before. All the childrens toys were arranged on their beds, and she always lefty a pile of beads, lego bricks, pennies etc found under cusions, sofas etc.'

Can't afford one now, but boy do I miss her.

NB £7 per hour as at last yr - would be £8 now, but she did more in 3 hrs than I would in a week.

we're much cheaper here - £5-£6 /hour