Domestic cleaning is a major chore for busy people, so let's quickly find local home cleaners. Simply use the SEARCH BOX (opposite):
a) Choose ‘Domestic Cleaning’ from the drop down list.
b) Enter your postcode or town
c) Select how far you wish to extend your search.
The UK domestic cleaning market broadly falls into 3 categories:
- Private Cleaners
- normally informal single person operations, who agree to clean your
home for a 'cash in hand' arrangement. They will not usually have any
liability insurance and any pre-vetting will be down to you.
- Domestic Cleaning Companies - these may range from one-man operators to Limited companies employing hundreds of people; they may also be part of a larger cleaning franchise operation.
There will normally be a formal contract in place between you and the
cleaning company. The work is usually billed on scope rather than
actual hours worked and you may not have the same cleaner(s) at each
visit as they tend to work in flexible cleaning teams. The
cleaning company is responsible for paying their cleaning team and for
taking care of PAYE requirements. Insurance is usually provided but the
scope may vary widely.
- Domestic Cleaning Agencies
- essentially they work as brokers by putting cleaners in touch with
clients. They charge an agency fee for finding the cleaner, which is
usually levied on hours worked; for example if you use their nominated
house cleaner for 3 hours per week, you would pay the agency their
agreed hourly agency fee x 3. Additionally you would directly pay the
cleaner what is due to them. Usually the domestic cleaning agency will
vet cleaners, supply cover for home cleaner holidays and may also
provide a degree of insurance, but rarely fidelity insurance to cover
possible theft. You should also be aware that the Inland Revenue may
regard you as the cleaner's employer and therefore responsible for
deducting tax through PAYE, if appropriate. Domestic cleaning agencies
may be part of larger cleaning franchise operation.
Often companies will offer a range of home cleaning services including:
- Regular Cleaning (daily, weekly, fornightly)
- Spring Cleaning (thorough one off cleans)
- Pre Tenancy Cleaning (before a new tenant moves in)
- End of Tenancy Cleaning (usually instigated by a tenant to ensure they get their deposit money back)
- Builders Cleans (after major property refurbishment or new builds)
- Deep Cleans (designed to remove long-term accumulated dirt and stains)
- Post Party Cleaning (worth considering if you've got a hang over!)
- Ironing (usually carried out at your home before or after a scheduled cleaning visit)
Remember not all domestic cleaning contractors operate in the same way, therefore we recommend that you pre-vet your short list of prospective contractors to confirm that they match your specific needs. It is equally important that you find out how they vet their staff, the full cost of their services and the extent of any insurance
provided. Will you be covered if the cleaner breaks a favourite family
heirloom or accidentally scratches an expensive marble worktop? What
happens if things go missing - are you covered? Who takes care of tax
issues relating to cleaner's pay? What happens when your cleaner goes
on holiday?
It is vital that you feel comfortable with the proposed cleaner or cleaning team and the method they propose for cleaning your home. For general cleaning advice and stain removal tips, we suggest you refer to our Cleaning Tips section.
If your company provides domestic cleaning
services, why not let us promote your message to a
wide audience of customers who are actively looking for local home
cleaners. For more details click on Advertise.
Below is a list of domestic cleaning companies by town - simply click on the relevant links for more information:
