Change over costs

[ceilwart26]

Yeah I have found that cleaners who are used to cleaning domestic houses do not clean holiday lets properly. Peoples own homes have no go areas - like washing out cups already in the cupboard, it seems!

We are in a remote area, so I think the rate the OP has been quoted is reasonable and I personally would snap their hand off for £15 hour.

[dizza2560]

We needed a housekeeper/changeover person and I advertised on Gumtree. The advertisement was up for 2 days and I had over 20 replies. I met with 4 ladies, 2 of whom were perfect, difficult to choose between them. I advertised the rate as £40 per changeover, stating that I estimated it would take between 4 and 5 hours. Both were happy to do ironing at home, one offered to meet and greet too in the cost. Worth a try!

[apexblue]

I hope you are not going to pay them the full amount HC.

[marsh frog]

We use a local company run by a lady who lives in the village.They charge £11.50 per hour and extra charges are for laundering towels [so much per towel] but includes laundering of bedding. They look after loads of local holiday lets so are specifically for that market. They put out the toiletries, bottle of wine & other stuff stored in a private cupboard and they also shop for specific items on the day new guests arrive [eg bread,milk, eggs etc] They estimate a 2 bed property takes 5 hours to turnaround [including the laundering & ironing] We usually have the same cleaner but if we pop down on changeover day we can usually tell if we have had a different one.

Hope you find someone suitable soon

[wallypott]

This is our cleaning check list if it is of any help. I'm sure others have things that they would add.


START BY REMOVING ANY WASHING (hand towels, main towels 2 per person, tea towels, bath mats, shower curtain if necessary) AND STARTING IT IN THE HOUSE ON 40. MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE NO STAINS ON MATRESS PROTECTORS, SHEETS OR TOWELS.
CLEAN EACH ROOM, STARTING AT THE CEILING AND WORKING DOWN, REMAKE THE BEDS BEFORE YOU DO THE FLOORS


Collect & start wash

bedroom 1
empty bin
remove sheets
remake bed
dust surfaces,
bed heads
lights
bedside tables
hoover floor
skirting board
under furniture
check draws
mop floor
mirror
pictures

bedroom 2
empty bin
remove sheets
remake bed
dust surfaces,
bed heads
lights
bedside tables
hoover floor
skirting board
under furniture
check draws
mop floor
mirror
pictures

brush and wipe stairs

bathroom
mirrors
surfaces
shelves
basin inside and out + taps
Shower + taps & pipes
loo inside and out

kitchen
wipe surfaces
empty fridge
clean fridge
clean under fridge (it is relatively small and freestanding and one of the only surfaces in the kitchen)
check nos plates and cutlery
Check all cupboards clean
Check all drawers clean
clean oven
clean under oven
wipe cupboard doors
clean light switches & plugs

sitting room
replace table cloth
remove sofa cover
dust chairs
coffee table
table
tv cupboard
blinds
pictures
empty bins
hoover floor and move all furniture
mop floor

clean inside windows
clean outside windows

empty bin
change all bin bags
wash oven gloves
wash tea towels
check levels of washing liquids/shower liquid
clean coffee machine
put new food in fridge
check coffee and tea
pot of jam
towels
bathmat
oven gloves
replace sponge

tidy brochures
Verify TV working French/English + remote controls

Verify all lights
Check bathroom sink for leaks (one of our gites has a sink that is a bugger for that)

[la vache!]

I don't do all that on every changeover, although I always wash out the kitchen bin which isn't on the list, it invariably stinks.

I'd love to have time to count all the plates and knives and forks, check the remote controls are working and clean the skirting boards every week, but I don't have time!

[harcourtv57]

Thanks for all your responses - well they came to see the result of their first clean and agreed it was well below what was expected and after some discussion we decided to give them another go, this time with a checklist and taking up Dave's point asked if we could have the same cleaner each time if poss. They said they have two girls who have done hotel work who would be ideal (so why not them first time round)?? Showed OH round afterwards and he said it was spotless - phew!

BUT we have just had a phone call from our guests for this weekend - they have arrived late to find no keys in the keysafe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So OH has gone down there with keys - its my birthday but luckily he hadn't had a drink as we have been to the cinema (Exotic Marigold Hotel - can recommend it) and drove and had just got home and opened a bottle of wine. Thank god we went to the early showing and not the later one or we would have been in the cinema with our phones turned off

[marsh frog]

I am so neurotic about guests arriving to find no keys in the key safe!! We live a 90 minute drive away too, so we have bought a second, cheaper keysafe [the first one is a good one installed by the manufacturers themselves] and hidden it in the shed with a different code! It would mean they had to go through the side gate [with a coded padlock] open the shed [with a coded padlock] and open the second keysafe [with a different code]

Admittedly it would take a few minutes to talk them through it & only works if you have somewhere like a shed [where we keep the beach equipment, bikes etc] but would save us a 3 hour round trip & they wouldn't have a 90 minute wait for us.

Haven't had to resort to it yet though

[camel]

I may not sound politically correct. I would employ a Polish person. They have the right attitude that is required. A lot of Polish ladies will be happy as they are either looking after children &/or do not speak good English. This would be ideal for them. However transport maybe an issue with them.

The moment you use a Company. You are adding 20% to your cost yes the deaded VAT !!!!

[Annew]

Gosh Camel - you obviously don't live in the UK. That is quite a politically incorrect statement that you've made there about Polish women I know 2 or 3 just in my local (very rural) part of devon who have high degrees - 1 works at Exeter university as a lecturer, 1 at the Met office as a weather scientist, the other as an agronomist.