Guide to Hiring a Cleaner for the First Time

Let’s be honest, we all want to be in a position to not have to bother with household chores! 

Life can get ahead of us sometimes, and jobs like cleaning get pushed to one side if we’re not careful. 

However, a clear house is a clear mind, so whether it’s a case of being too busy, having a bit of money leftover at the end of the month, or just that you cannot stand cleaning, here is the ultimate guide to hiring your first cleaner. You won’t regret it!

 

Things to Consider When Hiring a Cleaner for the First Time

1. Cleaning service vs. hiring privately

As with most things, there are pros and cons to both. Hiring through a service may be more expensive, but you can rely on a cleaner being available whenever you need. 

On the other hand, hiring privately might save you some money. 

Whilst a private cleaner might not be as flexible, some clients prefer to establish consistency and a good relationship with the same person each week (or month etc!).

 

2. References

Whether you’re hiring privately or through a company, it’s a good idea to look at some references if possible. 

Just to check if the cleaner does a thorough job, is reliable and you’re able to trust them! 

Being comfortable with who you choose to employ is a priority, and is especially important if you’re going to be out of the house whilst your cleaner is in!

 

3. Experience and employment history

Generally, it’s better to opt for a business that has been in the game for a number of years. This confirms that the service they provide is of a high quality, and that customers keep coming back. 

In the case of a private cleaner, it’s helpful to look at their employment history. Someone who has had long-term employment as opposed to moving from client to client is likely to be a preferable choice. 

 

4. Cost

First of all, what does the cost include? Will the cleaner you hire be bringing their own cleaning products, or is that something that you’ll have to stock up on? 

Then it’s time to work out what is affordable for you. Somewhere in the middle of the price range is generally best. Ultimately the aim is to have a service that is of a high standard, but at the lowest possible price. 

At the time of writing, cleaners charge between £10 and £23 per hour in the UK.

 

5. Background and security checks

Any reputable company should carry out security checks on all of their staff, but it’s worth checking that they do anyway! This will reassure you that the person coming into your home is professional and trustworthy. 

If you’re hiring a private cleaner, it’s not as easy to have an official security check. However, references and employment history are good indicators of whether you can trust the individual to respect your home. 

 

6. Availability

It’s likely that you’ll have to negotiate which day and time a private cleaner comes round. Whereas cleaning companies are generally more flexible in terms of availability. 

 

7. Contract

It might seem a bit official to get a contract involved when it’s something as simple as getting your house cleaned. But it’s definitely worth sorting one out, especially if your cleaner is going to be around on a long-term basis! 

That way, both parties are protected, there are clear boundaries, and any potential issues that arise can be easily sorted.

 

8. Duties

It’s really helpful to provide your cleaner with a list of duties. That way, they’re able to adapt their service to cater for your specific needs, and not waste time on jobs you don’t need doing. 

 

9. Frequency

How often would you like your cleaner to come round? There are a few different factors to consider here. How many rooms does your house have? 

What duties would you like your cleaner to carry out? And to what level? Then you need to balance that out against how much it will cost in the long run.

 

10. Insurance

The cleaning business that you hire should have insurance. On the off chance that there is an accident, you can be reassured that it won’t be left for you to deal with! However, just bear in mind that this might not be possible when hiring a private cleaner.

 

11. Legal issues

If you’re hiring a cleaning company, this is like paying for any other service as a private individual, so you won’t need to worry about business and tax laws, as they will take care of this.

However, if you’re hiring a private cleaner, there is a danger that the government could consider you an employer, which would give you a lot of legal and tax responsibilities that you probably don’t want.

According the the UK government, you’re considered an employer you hire a cleaner who isn’t self-employed or working through an agency.

This would mean you’d have a lot of duties and responsibilities such as registering as an employer, setting up payroll, deducting National Insurance contributions and so on.

To avoid this, check that your cleaner is self-employed or working through an agency, and is doing everything above board.

Of course, if you live in a mansion or a castle and need a full-time cleaner, you might actually want to officially employ one, but most people hiring a house cleaner don’t want this hassle!

 

 

Key Points to Remember When Hiring a Cleaner

1. Pay a competitive price but not a cheap one!
2. Look for references, feedback and reputation of the company/cleaner.
3. Communicate well with your cleaner so that their service can be tailored to you.
4. Prepare and do your research! It might seem like a faff but you’ll get a much better service and be able to relax in the long run!

 

What to Expect When You Hire a Cleaner

A cleaner’s role is in the name

Your cleaner isn’t obligated to tidy any household mess! So, make sure that all toys and shoes are away, that your food shop has been unpacked into the fridge and cupboards and that your washing is in the basket, not spread all over the floor. Good to go!

Your cleaner won’t completely transform your home on day one

Some jobs are harder than others, meaning that they may take a few cleans to finally get the results that you’re hoping for!

Most cleaners are unlikely to be around forever!

Unfortunately, most cleaners in the UK view their job as temporary. This isn’t to say that they’re not good at their job, it’s simply to point out the fact that you might have to hire a different cleaner at some point! However, although rare, there are career cleaners out there too!

A cleaner can’t do everything in 2 hours a week

You might hope that hiring a cleaner for two hours a week will be enough, but the amount of cleaning a cleaner can do in two hours is actually quite limited.