There are a multitude of ways that you can look to book a cleaner in London – from the more traditional methods, which have been used for generations (think how your grandparents outsourced services) to the modern and techier methods.

For context, of those utilising traditional methods, most people will still look for a personal recommendation – somebody a friend or colleague can vouch for and recommend. Others would rather find somebody themselves, through a local advertisement in shop windows or a local paper.

Generally, in industries where the so-called ‘traditional methods’ have survived, these methods are often considered to be tried-and-tested. With domestic cleaning though, this theory couldn’t be further from the truth; for many, their current arrangement simply isn’t working for them. It’s for this very reason that Housekeep was founded.

But what exactly were the problems with the traditional methods, and what has Housekeep done to fix them? We break it down below...

First problem: Quality

The most important consideration when hiring a cleaner – are they any good? If looking privately, the fact is you just won’t know until you try them. Be prepared for wasted time and money if things don’t work out for you, and you may find yourself trailling lots of people before finding the right fit.

What, then, if the cleaner’s quality decreases over time? This can lead to awkward conversations and many people feel uncomfortable approaching their cleaner with requests or feedback. Have a browse online and you’ll see there are hundreds of threads on internet forums dedicated to the dilemma of how to critique your cleaner or, worse still, how to let them go.

The Housekeep solution: 

Automated rating emails are sent to you after every clean. Any rating of 3-stars or less is followed up personally by a member of the team, who can provide feedback to your Housekeeper or help you find someone else to take on your schedule. We also ensure all Housekeepers have prior domestic experience before they join the platform, to eliminate the risk of a dodgy clean in the first place. 

The result? 100,000 5-star cleans and counting.

Second problem: Reliability

We’ve heard plenty of anecdotes from our customers about their former private-cleaners would text them on the day letting them down, or shifting the time/day of their clean. Sometimes there wouldn’t even be a text, and we've heard of customers entering agreements unsure which day of the week their cleaner would regularly visit.

The Housekeep solution:

We love data, and we think it’s essential that we continue to track everything we can as we grow. We track Housekeeper reliability meticulously, and the team offer tailored help to Housekeepers with their schedules, ensuring a reliable service, week-in, week-out!

The result? Happier Housekeepers and happier customers.

Third problem: Payment

Another bugbear – how to pay. Cash is a pain, and hardly anyone carries it these days. Let's face it, running to the ATM in your dressing gown on the morning of a clean is less than ideal. Even if you remember to grab it in advance, do you really want to leave the cash out in your house? Seems a little backward, right?

The Housekeep solution: cashless payment

When you sign up for Housekeep, you do so with a payment card. There’s no contract for a minimum number of cleans, and this is not a direct debit, so you don’t need to feel to be concerned about paying in advance. In fact, you won’t even be billed until after the clean, eliminating the uncomfortable feeling of paying blind.

The result? To be honest, you won't even need to think about how you pay your cleaner. You’re probably really busy, so we think one less thing to worry about is a serious bonus.

Fourth problem: Housekeeper holiday

Picture this: you love your cleaner…they’re great and your house is unrecognisable once they've worked their weekly magic. And then comes summer. Your cleaner, rightly so, needs a break, and is unable to be with you for four or five weeks. 

“Oh dear”, you think, as you realise how complacent you’ve been. The last six months have caused a steady decline in your dusting ability as your cleaner has continuously impressed. These four weeks are going to seem like the longest of your life.

The Housekeeper solution: an online live-schedule to secure cover

You can find another (yes, another) 5-star rated Housekeeper to pick up where your last cleaner left off. Don’t worry, you can still revert to your former Housekeeper on their return, so you needn’t feel disloyal by not stoically waiting it out. 

Once you’ve logged on, we count 6 clicks/30 seconds before you’ve secured a cover Housekeeper for your next clean. Couldn’t be easier.

Fifth problem: the question of trust

This can be a particularly awkward one. Nobody likes to be cynical, but at the end of the day you're letting somebody into your home. A lot of people would rather be out of the house while their cleaner works, so this is all-the-more reason to ensure that a trusting relationship is established from the get-go. If you hire privately, you may know very little about the person who you've trusted with access to your home, and this can be an uncomfortable situation.

The Housekeep solution: A thorough background-check and vetting process

All Housekeepers on the platform go through an 8-step vetting process upon joining the platform, and they're interviewed in person by the team here. The background check is carried out by a third party and includes right-to-work, an identity check and a basic criminal records check.

The result? Complete peace of mind.

Wrapping up

So, the answer to the above question ‘how do I book a cleaner?’ is varied, and answers will differ depending on who you ask and the experiences that they’ve had. There are a few methods, some which may take longer than others, and you may find that with certain methods an investment of time and energy is necessary to ensure success.

The latter question, ‘which method of booking a cleaner works best’, is even simpler though. 

The fact is that the traditional methods - those that small home cleaning agencies or independent cleaners work with – are now fatigued, for the above reasons amongst others. We’ve now spent four years fixing this flawed marketplace, and we’ll continue to invest heavily to improve accessibility to reliable and trusted home cleaners.

With an open view to embracing tech-solutions to old problems, the Housekeep platform has run away with the market in London, for good reason. Make sure you’re not left behind - click here to view a quote for your home.