How to ask for pay rise in private cleaning?

Savvy_Sue

I don't think £15 ph is too much to ask for. It's less than you're getting in your other job. It's very possibly less than 'the going rate' for self employed cleaners. If she doesn't want to pay that, you can always approach her brother!

And you are not just a cleaner! You are a valuable member of the household, you are a housekeeper! 

At least you can negotiate down if you ask for £15. Ask for £12.50 And there's nowhere to go.

And make your starting point that this is what you are going to charge in future. You are self-employed, you set your rates.

(My gardener put her rates up to £17ph earlier this year, from £15, but she gives longstanding customers a discount so I'm  only paying £16.50 ph).

Grumpy_chap

£12 per hour seems too cheap to me.  I'd say no less than £15 per hour, especially given SE location.

Look at local adverts at what other cleaners are charging.

Tell her at the next clean that your rate will be £15 per hour from 1st January.  That gives her a month to look elsewhere if she chooses and you a month to find alternative work if the need arises.

Ath_Wat

I don't know what the going rate is, but it's quite common for someone who hires you for more hours to pay less than someone who hires you for very few.  It's in effect a discount for quantity.  

It all comes down to what other people in the area charge.  You are not, despite what someone said above,  "a valuable member of the household" you are somebody doing a job for them for money.  If they can get the same quality for a lower price elsewhere, or a better quality for the same price, they will not increase the rate (assuming they do their research).  If they can't, they will (assuming of course they can afford it and wouldn't just rather do without).

silvercar

Good cleaners are like gold dust, if she is happy with your work she will happily pay more.

If she can afford to pay you £12 an hour to iron her sheets, she can afford a bit more - otherwise she would live with un ironed sheets. If she trusts you with a bank card and her keys then these are signs she values you. She won't want the hassle or risks of starting again with a new cleaner for the sake of a few pounds a week. Just text her that from January your rates will be going up. 

diystarter7

Ath_Wat said:

I don't know what the going rate is, but it's quite common for someone who hires you for more hours to pay less than someone who hires you for very few.  It's in effect a discount for quantity.  

It all comes down to what other people in the area charge.  You are not, despite what someone said above,  "a valuable member of the household" you are somebody doing a job for them for money.  If they can get the same quality for a lower price elsewhere, or a better quality for the same price, they will not increase the rate (assuming they do their research).  If they can't, they will (assuming of course they can afford it and wouldn't just rather do without).

The highlighted bit, when I first read that, I thought, what the heck. I agree with that, fully.

About the hours and rates, excellent point as this often applies to builders/plumbers etc as well.

As I said before and possibly did not make clear as another poster tried to confuse my point, what I meant was:
Hiring via a cleaning outfits works out much more expensive on the whole as opposed to private hire where a single person does a few hours a week for one or two households.

As I type this post, from memory of visiting the property with cats/dogs, often they would need more cleaning/etc so more should be charged

Good luck with the rise.

littleboo

I'm not sure of the logic that a cat of a dog would increase the rate. That might increase the hours required, or reduce what can be accomplished in the same time. Surely an hours cleaning is an hours cleaning

diystarter7

littleboo said:

I'm not sure of the logic that a cat of a dog would increase the rate. That might increase the hours required, or reduce what can be accomplished in the same time. Surely an hours cleaning is an hours cleaning

Hi

Hopefully, a cleaner could explain if they were offered two hours a week in one property with no pets and another that had pets, if the cleaner expected a higher rate. Most, would agree that a slightly higher rate would be required for a couple of hours.

Thanks

comeandgo

diystarter7 said:

comeandgo said:

You are underselling yourself at £12 an hours, even in the wilds of Scotland you can’t get a cleaner for less than £15 per hour.  Just tell her that from Ist January or whatever date you choose, your rates are whatever you choose.

Is that via an agency as they are often a lot more expensive?

No, all cleaners here are self employed.  Not enough business for agencies.

diystarter7

comeandgo said:

diystarter7 said:

comeandgo said:

You are underselling yourself at £12 an hours, even in the wilds of Scotland you can’t get a cleaner for less than £15 per hour.  Just tell her that from Ist January or whatever date you choose, your rates are whatever you choose.

Is that via an agency as they are often a lot more expensive?

No, all cleaners here are self employed.  Not enough business for agencies.

Hi

Yes, they are and that is often a fact. Anyone employing a cleaner via an agency/business pay the agency quite a bit more and I've had dozens of people tell me when I worked for soc services years ago.

Thanks

comeandgo

diystarter7 said:

comeandgo said:

diystarter7 said:

comeandgo said:

You are underselling yourself at £12 an hours, even in the wilds of Scotland you can’t get a cleaner for less than £15 per hour.  Just tell her that from Ist January or whatever date you choose, your rates are whatever you choose.

Is that via an agency as they are often a lot more expensive?

No, all cleaners here are self employed.  Not enough business for agencies.

Hi

Yes, they are and that is often a fact. Anyone employing a cleaner via an agency/business pay the agency quite a bit more and I've had dozens of people tell me when I worked for soc services years ago.

Thanks

I know some are but I was under the impression you asked asked me if the £15 I quoted  was for agency staff and I replied no,