Cleaner dilema - should i use an agency?

grey_lady

Decided to get a couple hours a week cleaning help but having never hired a cleaner before and not having anyone able to recommend someone, I was wondering whether to go through an agency? I've been quoted £9 an hour to use an agency where I pay
£6.25 to the cleaner and £2.75 to the agent.

£6.25 seems like the bare minimum you could pay in my area
most ads seem to offer £7-8 and I was thinking that if I hired someone directly myself I would pay them £7.50 but I'm a bit wary of hiring anyone myself, I can stick an ad up on a local notice board but I suppose I like the idea that the agency would do reference checks and sort out any problems.

Do most people that have cleaners at home, hire them directly and sort out any issues themselves or pay the extra to go via an agent?

Any

It can be a problem to hire cleaner directly - I had both in past, but finding a reliable cleaner is a nightmare!! Previously I employed friend's Au-pair and everything was well. But then she went home.

And agencies charge £15 an hour around here... Still we did it and I fired them after 5 cleaning sessions because they were taking the pee... For £60!! But they are insured etc., if you have good agency they will always sort something out, but you are right, £6.25 to the cleaner.. I suppose that is gross?

grey_lady

£15 an hour in Manchester - wow. The dearest I've seen so far is £11.45 here £6.25 to the cleaner is gross, on the plus side the agency do seem to be quite thorough in reference checking etc which is reassuring.

Any

Well, try it.
If I could get another cleaner I would. If someone came to me today and said they know good cleaner that doesn't cost the Earth I would immediately jump at the chance (and I think OH would happily pay for it even himself!!).. It gives you so much freedom to do things you really want to do and OH is happy I don't nagg him to help me all the time..

Hope you will find good one.

grey_lady

Thanks any - I'm thinking that maybe I can tell the agent that I want to pay the cleaner a little bit more anyway - hopefully that doesnt mean they will want to up their cut!

angelsmomma

grey_lady wrote: »

Decided to get a couple hours a week cleaning help but having never hired a cleaner before and not having anyone able to recommend someone, I was wondering whether to go through an agency? I've been quoted £9 an hour to use an agency where I pay
£6.25 to the cleaner and £2.75 to the agent.

£6.25 seems like the bare minimum you could pay in my area
most ads seem to offer £7-8 and I was thinking that if I hired someone directly myself I would pay them £7.50 but I'm a bit wary of hiring anyone myself, I can stick an ad up on a local notice board but I suppose I like the idea that the agency would do reference checks and sort out any problems.

Do most people that have cleaners at home, hire them directly and sort out any issues themselves or pay the extra to go via an agent?

I am a self employed cleaner. I already clean for several people that I got by word of mouth. I recently answered an advert on the noticeboard at our local tesco asking for a cleaner with a pay of £7.50 an hour. Because I already work in the area I was able to get references from my other clients.

Perhaps you could do this, if the people answer and do not have references then just say no. I got this job and they are very happy with my service.

Maybe you could place a notice on your local Church notice board so that you could ask the minister for a character reference. I got one job through this at my local church.

I usually charge between £6.50 (pensioners) to £7.50 an hour but know several cleaners who charge a lot more. I keep my charges lower as I get more work and several of my clients pay me more once they see my work. They usually round up so 5 hours would work out at £40 instead of £37.50

Good luck with your search

chika

Angelsmomma - where are you? Are you anywhere near Manchester - been trying to find a cleaner but not succeeding!

hot.chick

We had a cleaner through an agency and she was awful! got her replaced by the same agency and got a Brill cleaner!!!

we did a naughty thing and cancelled the agency after 18 months - 2yrs ish.... but asked the cleaner if she would do maybe once a month as things were tight... She was happy to do this for us as she had been with us for such a long time. We only canx the full service as we couldn't afford it any more due to one of us being made redundent

grey_lady

I was wondering where angelsmomma is based as well :-)

I've mentioned to the agency that I think £6.25 seems a bit low and asked if we could start with £6.50 an hour and then if goes well look to increase. But I think I will also put up a couple of notices and see if i can find someone directly for £7/7.50 so fingers crossed.

Any

grey_lady wrote: »

Thanks any - I'm thinking that maybe I can tell the agent that I want to pay the cleaner a little bit more anyway - hopefully that doesnt mean they will want to up their cut!

You can always leave her £2 extra on the table, that way the agency won't have their cut maybe?

angelsmomma

chika wrote: »

Angelsmomma - where are you? Are you anywhere near Manchester - been trying to find a cleaner but not succeeding!

I live in Lancashire BB5 area