Thinking of getting a cleaner

[vix84]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone has a cleaner, and how this works with Childminding?
I struggle at the moment to keep on top of the housework and Im returning to work next week and have a clingy 9 month old - so with other mindees I will need to hoover every day etc. so Id like a cleaner to come and do the big clean once a week.

Can I put down say 50% or all of the cost as expenses? If I wasnt childminding then I wouldnt need to do as much. If they do go down as an expense - do I get the cleaner to give me the contact details so if every it gets queried the tax man can contact them?
Also, can they come while I have mindee's here (we would go to the park or something - but they may see them for 10 mins etc. before leaving)

[emmadines]

Im not going to get a cleaner but I m getting someone to do my ironing as its a job I hate. Im assuming you can put 50% down for a cleaner!

[huggableshelly]

this thread may help you

http://childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=16863&page=2&highlight=paying+a+cleaner

[Mollymop]

I would have thought you would be able to claim it all as expenses, because it is part of your business, you can't do it because you are minding so you have to employ someone else to do it for you. Your house has to be clean for minding so I can't see why not 100%

See what others say, as I know a few employ a cleaner

[helenlc]

Im not going to get a cleaner but I m getting someone to do my ironing as its a job I hate. Im assuming you can put 50% down for a cleaner!

I am seriously thinking of this too!!!

[donnadoo2004200]

I have a cleaner and an ironing lady (not lazy or anything) would be good to hear what others say if you can claim. I only got them when I started minding as didnt have enough time in the day or weekends with paperwork and all that. Lets hope so.

[Lady Haha]

I looked at the thread link that is above and people in there have already queried it with taxman saying that you can only claim if you have an area solely used for childminding, ie playroom and they can only clean that room! :( Another option on there, is to send your own children to another childminder and clean yourself, (don't know about you, but I can't do housework with my son here, he is there messing it up behind me!)way you can claim childcare costs instead, so it would balance out eventually!

Still stuck with doing your own cleaning though:(

[Carol]

I used to pay my mom to clean my house on a friday while i went to toddlers with the little ones. I did pay her but out of my own money..........it was worth every penny............now she is allergic to any chemicals so I have to do it myself now:panic:
However never seems to be enough time in the evening to clean thoroughly!

Carol

[vix84]

I looked at the thread link that is above and people in there have already queried it with taxman saying that you can only claim if you have an area solely used for childminding, ie playroom and they can only clean that room! :( Another option on there, is to send your own children to another childminder and clean yourself, (don't know about you, but I can't do housework with my son here, he is there messing it up behind me!)way you can claim childcare costs instead, so it would balance out eventually!

Still stuck with doing your own cleaning though:(

Yeah I just read that too - very disapointed! And I wouldnt send Max to someone else, think I will just have to pay out of my own pocket!

[Jules27]

Once my credit card bill is paid off (hopefully by end of year - lol!!) I will be paying a cleaner. I am fed up with spending my weekends doing so much housework - want that time for my family!!:laughing:

[Schnakes]

Id be too embaressed to get cleaner in - I dont want anyone to know what a pigstye we live in!!!

Seriously though, I work seven days a week now. Ironically, I now work as a cleaner on Sundays at my sons playgroup. I have found the best way to deal with all the mess etc is to set a day for each chore - for example, Sunday = put away laundry and dust and hoover upstairs/stairs. Monday = dust downstairs, clean kitchen cupboard fronts/insides, clean doors and doorframes ...and so on and so forth, so that I know that every job has been done by the end of the week. Everyday I mop the floors downstairs. Every month I clean the toys and books (unless I see something that requires immediate cleaning). Everything gets done, its just spread out over the week so that the house is never entirely TIDY...but at least its clean!!! :eek: :rolleyes:

Sx