How to find a private housekeeper
In brief, in this blog post, we will help you work out how to find a private housekeeper.
The Bespoke Bureau is an elite Domestic Staff Hire Agency. Impressively, we offer an exclusive housekeeper recruitment service that is popular with VIP and High Net Worth households. Call +442032900142 or email info@bespokebureau.com.
How to find a private housekeeper for a high net worth household
Finding the right housekeeper for a high net worth household can be challenging, and today, the market is more competitive than ever. Here, you’ll find everything you need to know, from job descriptions, salaries and benefits, to the questions the experts ask in the interview process.
You’re looking for a great housekeeper — but where to start? And, once you find the right person, how do you set them up for success and longevity?
Below, you’ll find a hopefully useful guide to hiring a housekeeper for a high net worth household.
We hope these tips help you find the right fit!
What to include in a private housekeeper job description
Before you start writing a job description for a housekeeping role in a private home, you should answer a few questions:
- Is this a full-time housekeeper position or a part-time housekeeper position?
- Who will the housekeeper report to? This might be the homeowner, the house manager or estate manager, or an executive housekeeper
- Do you need a live-in housekeeper?
Next, you should consider which housekeeping duties are a priority for the household. The housekeeper’s responsibilities can include deep cleaning high traffic areas of the house, light cleaning and straightening other areas, dusting, vacuuming and mopping floors, washing dishes, doing laundry, ironing, changing bed linens, and restocking toiletries.
They may also clean and organize closets, cabinets, and drawers, and take care of special items like antiques, artwork, and delicate fabrics.
Specific requirements?
Think about the specific needs of the home, and be as detailed as possible. Do you want the housekeeper to use eco-friendly cleaning products or a specific type of cleaning equipment? Does your home have special features that require daily care? If your home is full of antiques, and your housekeeper will need to polish furniture on a regular basis, mention that. The more specific you can be about your housekeeper’s cleaning duties, the better.
- What is your standard for cleanliness — do you want the house perfect at all times and managed like a 5 star hotel?
- You also need to know the number of hours required for this person to handle the job alone
- What is the square footage of the property and if it is above 8,000 sqft, do you need additional help? Probably yes. We recommend at least 1 full time housekeeper per 4000 sqft approx.
- Will your housekeeper do all the laundry too? How many people are in the family that require laundry care?
- Will nannies help with the children’s rooms and laundry, or is the Housekeeper doing everything?
The housekeeper’s experience
Once you’ve outlined your list of responsibilities, it’s time to think about experience. Are you looking for an executive housekeeper, who will oversee a team of other housekeepers? Are you looking for someone to clean the house on their own, or to fit into a team of other housekeepers? The answers to these questions will help you determine how many years of experience you should ask for, what kinds of housekeeping skills you should mention in your job posting, and the salary and benefits package you should offer. For the purpose of this post, we’ll focus on a typical private housekeeper, rather than a more experienced housekeeper who would oversee a team.
Contact us to learn how to find a private housekeeper today for more help. +442032900142 or info@bespokebureau.com
Sample job spec – Housekeeper
Job Title: Housekeeper
Reports to: House Manager
Schedule: [full-time or part-time, hours per week, days and hours]
Position Overview:
We are seeking a professional housekeeper to work in a [X square foot] private residence in [city or other]. The ideal candidate will be detail-oriented, organized, and able to maintain a high level of cleanliness and order throughout the home. The housekeeper will report to the House Manager and work closely with other staff members to ensure the smooth operation of the household.
Housekeeper Responsibilities:
The housekeeper will be responsible for the daily cleaning and upkeep of the home, including all living areas, bedrooms, bathrooms, and common areas. This includes:
- Cleaning rooms and tidying common spaces
- Cleaning and sanitizing bathrooms, including toilets, showers, bathtubs, countertops, and sinks
- Disinfecting surfaces
- Dusting surfaces and baseboards
- Sweeping, vacuuming and mopping floors
- Making beds and changing linens
- Cleaning and sanitizing kitchen surfaces
- Washing dishes
- Maintaining the cleanliness and organization of all closets, cabinets, and drawers
- Washing windows
- Monitoring household supplies and ensuring that all necessary items, such as cleaning supplies, toiletries, and household items, are stocked and replenished when needed
- Preparing guest rooms for visitors
Housekeeper Requirements:
- The ideal candidate will have at least [X-Y] years of experience working as a housekeeper in a private residence.
- Attention to Detail: The ideal candidate will have a strong attention to detail and be able to maintain a high level of cleanliness and organization throughout the home.
- Communication Skills: The ideal candidate will have strong communication skills and be able to work effectively with other staff members and household occupants.
- Professionalism: The ideal candidate will be professional, discrete, and respectful of the privacy and security of the household and its occupants.
- Education: Education or training in housekeeping or hospitality is a plus.
Compensation:
Salary [or hourly rate] for this position will be competitive based on experience and qualifications, within a range of [X-Y]. This is a full-time position with benefits, including benefits such as [list benefits like extra holiday, allowances, car etc here)
Formal background check required.
How to determine your private housekeeper salary and benefits
The right salary and benefits package for your private housekeeper depends on the candidate’s housekeeping experience, your location, and the scope of the housekeeping position you’re offering them. Jobs in London are more popular than those 0utside. Live out jobs are more attractive than live in jobs. Because there are less live-in options available, these housekeepers typically ask for the same salaries as the live-outs do.
A housekeeper in the UK with t least 5 years experience, good references and a good work ethic will be asking for at least 45000GBP gross per annum. Quite possibly more.
How to set your housekeeper up for success
By thinking about your expectations in advance, laying them out in the job description, and getting thoughtful about the questions that will help you find the right person for this role, you’re already off to a great start.
Don’t lose momentum now!
A strong onboarding will help you ensure that you set your new housekeeper up for success. This is critical, because without training and clear communications, they’ll be set up for failure — and they may leave within weeks. And nobody wants to start this process all over again.
Start with an employment agreement
Something you should have for all household staff. Make sure it states all the correct details regarding paid time off, vacation (including how to ask for it in advance), issues that would end in termination, salary, payment terms, how to clock in and out (with extra training on how to do this properly if necessary), and who to contact with questions or issues.
Onboarding should not just be a quick orientation, showing your new housekeeper where to find cleaning supplies and equipment. It’s in-depth training on the unique aspects of your home, from the tools needed for each cleaning task to the culture of the family.
One of the most important tools you can give your new housekeeper is access to your household manual, which should include protocols around everything from what household staff should wear to job-specific directions, like how to make the beds according to the principals’ preferences. The more information and direction you can give your housekeeper, the more likely they’ll be to thrive in their new role — and the more likely they’ll be to stay with your household for years to come.
How to go about finding your ideal private housekeeper for a HNW household?
Contact us and we will help you get the right help: info@bespokebureau.com
Clearly, whether you decide that you only need to hire temporary domestic help for a few months or to hire permanent home help, we will assist you.
- Proudly, we consider ourselves to be The World‘s Best Household Staffing Agency.
- Interestingly, we are experts in the recruitment of household staff internationally.
- Also, we only provide high calibre staff. All are of course professional, multi-functional, discreet and flexible.
- Furthermore, over the years we have built a strong relationship with our clients.
- As a result, this has led to more business.
- Uniquely, we do not advertise and all business is repeat business.
Our dedication
We are considered one of the Best Domestic Staff Hire Agencies around and we are dedicated to providing our clients with professional household staff. Impressively, we have built up an enviable reputation across the globe. Furthermore, we provide tailored household staff services to suit your needs. Moreover, we only hire experienced domestic staff who can deliver the high standards. Of course, we check references.
Importantly, all our domestic staff understand the importance of hard work and discretion. Moreover, they are 100% committed to hard work and service on a daily basis.
Contact us to learn how to find a private housekeeper today.
Kind regards,
Bespoke Bureau Recruitment Agency: +442032900142
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