House Cleaning in Brits

Ask: Are you insured, and for how much? Who exactly will clean my home — same person each visit? What's on your standard task list, and what's excluded? Do you bring supplies? What's your policy on damage, rescheduling and cancellation? How do you handle keys? Providers who answer these crisply are almost always the better operators.

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.

A 1-2 bedroom apartment usually takes 2-3 hours for one cleaner; a 3-bedroom home takes 3-4 hours. Deep cleans run 4-8 hours or use a two-person team. First visits always take longer than maintenance visits because the cleaner is working through accumulated grime and learning the layout.

Hourly suits open-ended or first-time jobs where scope is unknown, but you carry the risk of a slow cleaner. Flat-rate (per visit or per home size) makes budgeting predictable and puts the efficiency risk on the provider — but confirm exactly what the flat rate includes. For recurring cleans, flat per-visit pricing with a written task list is usually the cleanest arrangement.

Tidy clutter off floors and surfaces — cleaners charge for time, and picking up toys or dishes eats paid minutes. Secure valuables and important documents, note anything fragile, and leave instructions for alarm codes or pets. You don't need to pre-clean; that's what you're paying for.

Platform and company rates run roughly R40-R110 per hour, with a standard half-day clean around R250-R600. Directly employed domestic workers are paid at least the national minimum wage (around R29-R30/hour, adjusted annually) plus UIF — cheaper per hour, but you take on the employer obligations.

Yes — it's mandatory if they work for you 24 hours a month or more, and it's a real protection: UIF pays out if they lose work, fall ill or take maternity leave. Registration is done through the Department of Employment and Labour and contributions are small (1% employer + 1% employee of wages).