Brexit Deal or No Deal: What happens to your cleaner?
Will cleaning services in London be impacted by Brexit?
There are over 3.5 million EU nationals currently living in the UK. What happens if they decide to leave post-Brexit? Will the economy shrink? A no-deal Brexit could trigger a UK recession but we only really start thinking about it when we are impacted personally.
My housekeeper keeps my home from descending into chaos and I would be devastated to lose her! With the deadline only 35 days away, we wanted to know what EU cleaners and housekeepers would do in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
We surveyed over 3,000 cleaning and child care professionals on our database to understand their feelings towards Brexit and their intentions post-Brexit.
Key survey findings
Only 13% of cleaners say that they would leave the UK over a no-deal Brexit but a further 34% said that would leave if their earnings were impacted. Housekeepers that have lived in the UK for more than five years are more likely to stay regardless of what happens post-Brexit (58%) compared to those that have lived in the UK for less than two years (33%).
Impact on demand and supply
The demand for London cleaning services may fall but is likely to remain strong even if there is a recession. Good housekeepers are relatively hard to find so they are usually fully booked. Our view is that earnings for the vast majority of housekeepers will be unaffected and that most of the 34% that are sensitive to earnings will stay.
In our worst case scenario, we estimate that 20% of our foreign cleaners will leave within twelve months of a no-Brexit deal. However, London may be a much less attractive place for immigrants due to visa restrictions and work opportunities. In this scenario, demand for cleaning services could outstrip supply.
Implications
The cost of getting London houses cleaned could go up. Agencies that charge customers and pay cleaners fixed rates will find it hard to adjust to the new environment quickly and are likely to lose cleaners and customers. As an online marketplace, we match supply and demand, so prices and rates adjust quickly, giving customers the best value. We also attract new cleaning professionals because we allow them to choose their own areas, hours and rates.
Whatever happens on March 29th, we promise to still be the best way to find a cleaner in London!
Survey findings
