How to find a private housekeeper
Finding the right private housekeeper can significantly improve how smoothly a household operates. For busy professionals and families, a reliable housekeeper provides consistency, organisation and peace of mind within the home.
A professional housekeeper preparing a luxury bedroom in a private household.
When researching how to find a private housekeeper, many households quickly discover that the process involves more than simply hiring someone who can clean. Experience, trust, discretion and compatibility with the household routine are all essential factors.
Some families begin their search independently through personal referrals or job advertisements, while others prefer to work with a specialist recruitment service that can introduce pre-vetted candidates with private household experience.
Households that want a structured recruitment process often start by speaking with a specialist housekeeper recruitment agency in London.
What is a private housekeeper?
Private housekeepers are skilled household professionals who specialise in maintaining and caring for private homes. Dedicated to the needs of a specific household, they expertly manage a range of essential chores, including cleaning bathrooms, scrubbing floors, vacuuming, and mopping. In addition, they may make beds, replenish bathroom supplies, take out the rubbish, and dust or polish furniture to ensure every corner of the home is immaculate.
Of course, the scope of a housekeeper’s role can extend far beyond basic cleaning. For instance, if they are trained for additional tasks, open to greater responsibility, and compensated accordingly, they may also manage errands, prepare meals, or take on certain personal assistant duties. In short, a private housekeeper can be an invaluable all-rounder, providing not just cleanliness and order, but also the smooth running of a busy household.
What is the salary to hire a Private Housekeeper?
In the current UK market, experienced private housekeepers typically earn between £45,000 and £60,000 per year depending on experience, responsibilities and working arrangements.
Common Private Housekeeper Services
For those looking for a private housekeeper, we at Bespoke Bureau private housekeeper agency, have compiled a detailed list of general services that can be expected:
- Clean entire interiors of a home – rooms, hallways, entryway, lounges, bathrooms, corridors, elevators and stairways
- Clean rugs, carpets, upholstered furniture
- Transport other trash and waste to disposal areas
- Sweep, scrub, wax, and/or polish floors
- Dust and polish furniture and kitchen equipment
- Keep storage areas well-stocked, clean, and tidy
- Polish silver and metal such as fixtures and fittings
- Remove debris from various areas
- Replace light bulbs
- Replenish supplies
- Sort clothing and load washing machines
- Iron and fold dried items.
- Wardrobe management
- Shopping
- Other errands
- Bed making and changing
Wardrobe organisation and garment care are common responsibilities for experienced housekeepers.
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.
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?
We hope these tips help you find the right fit!
Hiring a private housekeeper is rarely a simple job advertisement. In most private households, the recruitment process involves careful screening, interviews, and trial periods to ensure the right fit for the home.
In the short explanation below, Sara Vestin Rahmani outlines how private households typically approach hiring domestic staff and why working with a specialist recruitment agency often leads to better long-term results.
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.
They may also clean and organize closets, cabinets, and drawers, and take care of special items like antiques, artwork, and delicate fabrics.
Defining the Role of a Private Housekeeper
The role of a housekeeper in a private household can vary significantly, depending on the specific needs and expectations of the Principal, as well as the size and number of residences. For this reason, it is essential to think carefully about the exact requirements of your home and communicate them clearly during the hiring process.
For example, do you want your housekeeper to use eco-friendly cleaning products or work with a specific brand of cleaning equipment? Does your home feature delicate finishes, antiques, or special areas that require daily care and attention? By outlining these preferences from the outset, you ensure that your new housekeeper can maintain your property to your exact standards.
Setting Your Standard for Cleanliness
When defining the role, it is also worth considering your personal standard of cleanliness. For instance, do you prefer your home to be kept in immaculate, five-star-hotel condition at all times? Or would you be happy with a slightly more relaxed approach, focusing on key areas of the home?
Determining Hours and Staffing Levels
Another important consideration is the number of hours required for one person to manage the job alone. As a guideline, the size of your property will directly influence staffing needs. If your home is over 8,000 square feet, additional support will almost certainly be necessary. We generally recommend a ratio of one full-time housekeeper for every 4,000 square feet to maintain optimal standards.
Clarifying Laundry and Additional Duties
Laundry duties should also be clarified from the start. Will your housekeeper be responsible for all family laundry, or will this be shared with other staff? For example, if you employ a nanny, will they assist with children’s rooms and clothing, or is the housekeeper expected to manage everything from bed linen to ironing school uniforms?
By answering these questions in detail before beginning your search, you not only set clear expectations for candidates but also ensure a smoother working relationship in the long term.
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.
Using our agency
Many households prefer to work with a specialist domestic staff agency when hiring a housekeeper. Agencies typically verify references, assess experience within private homes and introduce candidates who are suited to the household’s requirements.
This structured approach can save considerable time and helps ensure compatibility between the household and the housekeeper from the start.
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.
Private housekeepers maintain bathrooms, bedrooms and living spaces to a consistent standard.
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 outside. 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 at 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 useful tools you can provide is access to a household staff manual, which should outline protocols covering everything from what household staff should wear to detailed instructions for specific tasks, such as how beds should be made 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.
Conclusion: finding the right private housekeeper
Finding the right private housekeeper requires careful planning, clear expectations and a realistic understanding of the role. Households that define responsibilities early and communicate clearly during the hiring process are far more likely to build a long-term and successful working relationship.