How to hire a cleaner (and what’s fair to expect)

Agree exactly what’s included, agree the hours, and try a cleaner for two visits before signing up long-term. Most problems start because nobody had that conversation on day one.

People rarely know what’s normal with a cleaner until it’s gone wrong once. There are cleaners listed on WotsItCalled, from solo cleaners to agency teams, and a bit of structure at the start is the difference between “best money I spend all month” and “had to replace them within a fortnight”.

Solo cleaner or agency: the trade-offs

• Solo cleaner. The same person every visit, usually cheaper per hour (£12-18 is typical), and they get to know you and the house. The catch is there’s no cover when they’re ill or on holiday, and if you pay cash you may have to sort some of the paperwork yourself.
• Agency. A company sends one of its cleaners. It costs more per hour (£18-25 is typical), but they cover holidays, handle tax and insurance, and usually carry liability cover. The catch is you might get a different person each week.
• Two-person team. Some agencies and some independents work in pairs. They’re quicker and often better for a bigger house, and while each visit costs more, the total for the job is often the same because they finish sooner.

Neither option wins outright. A solo cleaner is great once you find one you click with, and an agency is more dependable and hands-off. Go with whichever trade-off suits you.

Agree exactly what’s included

Most cleaner disputes come from a gap between what you thought was included and what they thought was included. Be specific in the first conversation:

• Which rooms. The whole house or just downstairs? Is the spare room in or out?
• Which tasks. Hoovering, mopping, bathrooms, kitchen, dusting, changing beds, oven, fridge, windows. The last four are usually extras.
• Whose products. Most cleaners bring their own, but some expect you to supply them, so ask.
• Laundry and ironing. Not every cleaner does either, and some do laundry but not ironing. Just check.
• Deep vs regular. Skirting boards, behind the bed and inside cupboards count as a deep clean, which is quoted separately from the weekly one.

Put it in writing, even if it’s only a text or email. It saves the “I thought you were doing the bathrooms” conversation later.

What’s fair to pay, and how

Hourly rates vary by region: £12-15 is normal for a solo cleaner outside the south-east, and £15-20 in and around London. Agencies add a bit on top for overheads. Some cleaners quote a fixed price per visit instead, which is often fairer on both sides.

• Hourly. Simple and easy to scale up or down, though a slow cleaner costs you more than a quick one for the same result.
• Fixed per visit. The same price every week however long it takes. It works well once you both know the scope, and you always know what you’re paying.
• Monthly rolling. A standing order means no cash changing hands every week, and most cleaners prefer it.

Nobody expects a weekly tip, but if you’re happy with them, a Christmas bonus worth one visit is a decent gesture.

Keys, trust and the small stuff

• Keys. Most regular cleaners need a key or a code, so ask how they store them. A bunch of unlabelled keys is fine. Keys labelled with addresses are a security worry.
• Insurance. Agencies handle this, and most solo cleaners have public liability cover too, but ask. £1-2 million is standard and covers things like broken vases and carpet stains.
• Cancellations. A no-show on a weekly slot costs the cleaner a day’s pay, so most ask for 24 hours’ notice to cancel without charge. That’s fair.
• Payment if you’re on holiday. Some solo cleaners expect to be paid while you’re away so they can hold your slot, and some don’t. Ask in advance.

Find one near you

The cleaners directory on WotsItCalled covers solo cleaners, agencies and specialist outfits in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and beyond. Pick your city, ring a few, and do a two-visit trial before committing.

The first month: getting it right

When things go wrong between a cleaner and a client, it’s usually in the first month, because neither side had the awkward conversations. A few habits help:

• Walk through the house on day one. Show them where things are, what you care about and what to leave alone. Ten minutes saves a month of guesswork.
• Write a simple checklist. Keep it clear rather than bossy, something like “Kitchen, downstairs bathroom, floors, dust, hoover bedrooms”, and you can both refer to it.
• Give feedback early. If the kitchen isn’t how you’d like it, say so on visit two, not visit six. Good cleaners would rather know.
• Don’t move the goalposts without raising the price. An extra room or ironing on top of the cleaning is more work, so pay for it.

The short version

• Choose solo or agency depending on whether you care more about the same face or guaranteed cover.
• Agree the scope in writing before they start.
• Once you know the job, a fixed price per visit is often fairer than hourly.
• Ask about keys, insurance and cancellations up front.
• Try them for a couple of visits before committing to anything monthly.

WotsItCalled is a free UK business directory. No signup, no catch. Find the place everyone’s on about, or browse the full cleaners directory.