Retainer fee for a cleaner

Gardner72

Hi

I am a cleaner for clients, since the  coronavirus lockdown all of my clients have put my services on hold.  One client has said she'll pay me a retainer, when I start back with her is that wages paid in lou and I will clean her house for free until the retainer fee runs out. Not sure how retainers work. Thanks

gettingtheresometime

I always thought a retainer was paid by someone to reserve your services so that although they didn't want them now they had first dibbs if that makes sense.
I suppose it depends on whether you're happy to effectively paid in advance which is effectively what she's suggesting

Semple

A retainer is essentially a fee to another party in order to secure/continue a contract at some point in the future.

How the retainer works exactly, is up to you and your client. You could either accept a portion of usual wages to help tide you over, and then use those wages as a credit to the client so they effectively get a small discount for however many weeks the arrangement ran for. You could accept full wages from the client, but if you agree to essentially work for free until that "retainer" runs out, then you may find yourself short of income for some potential time after things start to return to normal. 

Retainers are used by a lot of daycare/nurseries if they're a popular/highly rated one, the retainer is used to secure the childs place, as the daycare/nursery know that if you don't pay the retainer then another child will take their place. 

silvercar

I would say the retainer is to keep her on your books, so when you restart you continue cleaning for her.
Basically she is being nice to you by paying you something in these weeks where she suspects you have little income.

sharpe106

I still pay my cleaner, I don't expect her to work the hours back when the country starts moving again. I would doubt they expect you to work it back, they just want you back when it is over. 

Gardner72

Hi yes I've spoken with my client and it's to help me out not to work hours back thanks