Advice needed re our Agency Cleaner, going to a Private Cleaner...

Galaxyblue_2

Hi allWe have a cleaner, through an agency who comes once per week on a Fridat and she does 2 hours. We pay her cash and then the agency takes its feeds from our bank account once per month.Our cleaner has mentioned that she would like to go private and would we still be willing to continue using her.This way, she gets all the cash (she would charge us an extra £1.00 per hour) and we wouldn't have to pay any agency fees, so we'd both be better off.Now, my concern is, what happens if she falls over and breaks a leg whilst in our house - would our insurance cover it, or should she have her own liability insurance? What if she doesn't have this insurance, or isn't willing to get it?What happens if she spills bleach on our carpet? Or if she burgles our house (Obviously she has a key right now and would continue to use this).I am just wondering if anyone else is in this situation, or knows anyone with a private cleaner how you have gone about covering all of these "what ifs".What happens with regards to her tax and national insurance - would we be liable for this, or is it up to her to declare her income as self employed?Thanks in advance,GB xx

Galaxyblue_2

ETA - I have tried several times to put paragraphs in the above, and it just isn't letting me - not sure why?

silvercar

I never trust the cleaners when they say they want to work privately for you.

If you use an agency you get a replacement if your regular cleaner is off sick/ gone on holiday. If you employ them yourself your stuck.

If their work is a bit off or they start leaving early, it is easier to tell the agency and let the agency sort the cleaners out, than to complain directly to the cleaners.

Cleaners don't seem to stay very long, so with an agency they find a replacement. You would be left to find yourself someone else; you can bet the agency wont want to know once you have left them.

Agency cleaners cost more for a reason and I prefer to stick with an agency.

LittleTinker

If the agency were of a mind to, they could prosecute you for poaching.

liney

LittleTinker wrote: »

If the agency were of a mind to, they could prosecute you for poaching.

That depends on the contract with the agency. There is usually a set amounf of time before you can take on a member of staff to your own employ. If you do so before the predetermined period you will be liable for fees.

If you paid her an extra £1 per hour, would you really be that much better off considering she is very part time, to warrant the stress?

Galaxyblue_2

Thank you very much for your replies all, all appreciated.

I never trust the cleaners when they say they want to work privately for you.If you use an agency you get a replacement if your regular cleaner is off sick/ gone on holiday. If you employ them yourself your stuck.If their work is a bit off or they start leaving early, it is easier to tell the agency and let the agency sort the cleaners out, than to complain directly to the cleaners.Cleaners don't seem to stay very long, so with an agency they find a replacement. You would be left to find yourself someone else; you can bet the agency wont want to know once you have left them.Agency cleaners cost more for a reason and I prefer to stick with an agency.

The only thing I am truly bothered about here is if she is off on holiday, like she was over christmas time. The agency sent a replacement and although the replacement wasn't up to our cleaners scratch, at least we still had someone in, rather than no-one.Plus, we are expecting a baby in June. I am hoping to keep our cleaner on for 3 months after the baby is here and then let her go anyway.

If you paid her an extra £1 per hour, would you really be that much better off considering she is very part time, to warrant the stress?

I guess not really. Hardly seems worth it does it!

Loretta

You may find that this cleaner has signed a contract with her agency that she is not allowed to work privately for a customer for a certain amount of time. You may have signed a similar contract

Some cleaners who work for agencies start trying to poach customers when something is going wrong

Most agencies who find a cleaners has poached a customer will withdraw all her work. Is that worth it for her just for 2 hours a week for you.

Agencies have expenses.

If you want to save some money and employ a cleaner privately you can pay to advertise, do the references, make sure the cleaner has insurance, arrange back up when she is on holiday, ill or unreliable and when you have done all that you may find out why the agency charges you for these things and not use their expertise and money dishonestly to take their staff.