Lay My Hat

Forgot to add I don't get charged VAT and this cost includes rubbish collection also but not recycling, which I carry out on each visit.

I employ a local person to do cleaning & laundry. I also have a second person who hopefully can stand in if my no 1 cleaner can't do the work.

My small cottage has 2 bedrooms & sleeps 3. Currently I am paying £50 when 1 bedroom is used & £60 when 2 are used. I have just put my rates up.

£200 seems a huge amount to me ..!

I did take a look at some local cleaning agencies but weren't confident that they would offer a better or appropriate service.

Having said that cleaners not meeting my (high) standards has been an issue over the years ... & has caused me stress!

Rosebud wrote
I employ a local person to do cleaning & laundry

It may seem a bit weird for somebody in Costa Brava commenting on this one but Rosebud is smack on.
We had a holiday home in Stirling in the centre of Scotland until 2013. We had a fantastic lady who cleaned and looked after the house (3 bedroom). Her rate was 8 pounds an hour. The usual changeover was 3 hours but sometimes she might babysit a plumber or do something special. Unfortunately she retired and we needed someone new. We went round the houses in the area with some flyers of "cleaner wanted to prepare holiday home". Within a few hours we had another wonderful helper who stayed with us till we sold the house.
If you don't fancy putting out flyers then GUMTREE is excellent for the purpose.
One of the big problems in the UK is the wheely bins so you need somebody who lives nearby.

Hello Vicvic,

I know your post was some time ago now but I was wondering if you got any further with your Lyme Regis plans?

I am local to the area and may be able to help. Please send me a private message if you are still looking into changeover cleaning etc.

on reading these posts, I am so glad we live on site and do most of the cleaning - and all of the laundry - ourselves!

Vicvic98 wrote: includes a key holding service with emergency call out as extra.

I've never understood this one and refuse to pay for such a notional service. Why should anyone charge to keep a set of keys? They charge when called out but keeping the keys in a drawer does not incur a cost.

+1 to Kevs point about key holding etc

I would seriously try and find someone local to do the clean rather than a company at the costs you have been quoted.

We're at £50 for cleaning (3 bed house) and £25 for laundry. But struggling to find anyone to do an even vaguely competent job!

When I tell prospective holiday cottage owners that they should, if they do not do any of the work themselves and use a reasonably price booking agent, allow around 50% of all income in operating costs, they often look quite shocked.

It is a little higher in our area of Herefordshire and Shropshire because cottage rentals offer some of the best value in the UK. 40% may be a better figure elsewhere.

Vicvic98 wrote:Hi there

I'm new to this forum so please excuse me if this has been covered before. I've searched but cannot see that it has. I have a couple of questions regarding changeover cleaning............

interested to know if you bought the property and how its been.