How much does a cleaner cost in the UK?

A self-employed cleaner will usually quote an hourly rate and an estimate of how many hours your home takes. A regular clean of a typical two-bedroom flat is often two to three hours; a deep clean or an end of tenancy is a day or more. The total is the rate times the hours, and that is the whole of it: no agency margin, no booking fee, nothing added afterwards.

Rates vary by area, by experience, and by what the job involves. A cleaner who brings their own products and equipment will price that in. A cleaner with years of reviews behind them will charge more than someone starting out, and is usually worth it.

When you book through an agency, part of every hour pays for the office that answered the phone, the person who scheduled it, and the margin on top. The cleaner who turns up gets what is left. With a self-employed cleaner the rate you agree is the rate they keep, which is why the same money buys more time, and why they tend to stay with customers they like.

Before you compare quotes, know what the cleaner is pricing.

• How it is now. A home that has not been cleaned in months takes longer the first time. Say so; it saves an awkward conversation on the doorstep.
• How often. Weekly is quicker per visit than monthly, because less builds up. Many cleaners charge a little less per hour for a regular slot.
• What is included. Inside the oven, inside the fridge, windows, ironing and laundry are extras for most cleaners. Ask.
• Products. Some bring everything; some prefer yours. Either is fine, but it should be clear.
• Access. A key or a lockbox after the first few visits is normal and makes a regular slot easier for both of you.

Post what you need once and let several local cleaners come to you with a price. You see their rates side by side, with their reviews and how far away they are, and you talk to the ones you like. Nobody is obliged to anyone until you say hired. That is how the prices on this site stay honest: the cleaner knows you can see the others.