How much does house cleaning cost in United Kingdom?
Free, no obligation. Sign in with Google to send your request.
Key takeaways
- Most house cleaning jobs in United Kingdom land between £45–£500 — known locally as domestic cleaning.
- Cleaning is an unregulated trade in the UK — no licence exists — so vetting rests on insurance, references and DBS checks. If you engage a cleaner directly and control their hours, tools and methods, HMRC may treat you as an employer with minimum-wage and payroll obligations; agency arrangements keep that on the agency's side.
- Prices below are researched national ranges, updated July 2026 — not quotes.
House Cleaning prices by job size in United Kingdom
| Job size | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly clean (3 hours) Recurring maintenance visit, typical 2-3 bed home | £45 | £70 | £95 |
| One-off standard clean 3-bed house, single visit | £80 | £120 | £180 |
| Deep clean 3-bed house including oven, limescale, skirting boards | £150 | £230 | £350 |
| Deep clean, larger home 4-5 bed house, often a two-person team | £250 | £350 | £500 |
Per-unit rates
| Unit | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| per hour | £15 | £20 | £28 |
What affects the price
- Job size and scope — bigger or more complex jobs move you up the ranges above.
- Access and condition — hard-to-reach areas, older properties or neglected maintenance add labour time.
- Materials and quality level — where materials are involved, the grade you choose often matters more than labour.
- Urgency — same-day or out-of-hours work usually carries a premium.
- Where you live — large metros in United Kingdom typically run above the national range; smaller towns below it.
How to save
- Get at least three quotes and compare like-for-like scopes, not just totals.
- Be flexible on timing — off-peak slots are often cheaper.
- Bundle related tasks into one visit to spread call-out costs.
- Agree the scope in writing up front to avoid change-order surprises.
How to hire a house cleaning pro in United Kingdom
- Decide agency vs self-employed cleaner — agencies charge roughly £25-£30/hour but cover vetting, insurance and sickness replacement
- Ask for public liability insurance details (typically £1m-£5m of cover)
- For regular in-home access, ask whether the cleaner holds a basic DBS check — not legally required but common for domestic staff
- Check reviews and vetting on Checkatrade or similar directories, and speak to a current client
- Agree a written task list and fixed hours per visit; pay at or above the National Living Wage
- Confirm who supplies products and equipment — many UK domestic cleaners use yours
- Put key-holding and alarm arrangements in writing
Red flags
- Cash-only with no receipts or invoices
- Hourly rate below the National Living Wage — a sign of undeclared or exploitative work
- No public liability insurance
- Vague 'whole house' quotes with no task list
- An agency that won't tell you who is actually coming to your home
How Handld researches prices
These are researched estimates, not quotes and not our transaction data. We compile ranges from published sources — national statistics, trade bodies and incumbent cost guides — normalise them to GBP, and adjust city pages by a population-based cost tier. Last updated July 2026. Basis: Checkatrade house cleaning cost guide (checkatrade.com/blog/cost-guides/house-cleaning-cost/); NimbleFins average cleaner cost UK; London cleaning price guides (feelclean.co.uk, stanneshousekeeping.com).
Frequently asked questions
Should I tip my house cleaner?
Norms vary by country. In North America, tipping 10-20% on one-off or deep cleans is common, and many people give a holiday bonus to a regular cleaner rather than tipping each visit. In the UK, Australia, and most of Asia, tipping is appreciated but not expected. Agency cleaners often can't accept cash tips — a good review carries real weight instead.
What is usually excluded from a standard clean?
Commonly excluded: exterior windows, inside the oven and fridge, laundry and ironing, dishes, wet-wiping walls, mould remediation, cleaning up after pests, biohazards, and anything requiring a ladder. These are add-ons or specialist jobs. Always get the inclusion list in writing so the visit matches your expectations.
Why do quotes for the same home vary so much?
Three reasons: insurance and legitimate employment cost real money (the cheapest quotes usually skip both), companies price in supervision and cover for sick days, and scope assumptions differ — one quote's 'clean' may exclude half of what another includes. Compare on a written task list, insurance status and the same visit frequency, not on the headline number.
What happens if something gets damaged during a clean?
Reputable providers carry public/general liability insurance that covers accidental damage — ask for proof before the first visit, not after an incident. Report damage within 24 hours with photos. With uninsured independents you're relying on goodwill, which is the real cost hidden inside a cheap hourly rate.
What does a weekly cleaner cost in the UK?
Most households pay £15-£28 per hour, with a typical weekly 3-hour visit costing around £45-£95. Independent cleaners sit at the lower end; agencies charge £25-£30/hour but include insurance and cover. London and the South East run several pounds an hour above the national range.
Does my cleaner need a DBS check?
It's not a legal requirement for domestic cleaning, but a basic DBS check (which shows unspent convictions) is a reasonable ask for someone with unsupervised access to your home. Many agencies DBS-check their staff as standard — ask to see the policy rather than assuming.
Free, no obligation. Sign in with Google to send your request.