The True Cost of In-House Cleaning vs. Professional Contractors in London

More Than Just a Mop and Bucket

On the surface, managing your own office cleaners looks like a simple way to keep costs down. You post a job ad, hire someone reliable, and they turn up with a mop and some elbow grease. Easy, right?

Well, not quite.

Many London businesses have discovered the hard way that handling cleaning in-house comes with more strings attached than they expected. From payroll headaches to last-minute sick cover, and from insurance compliance to quality control, the real cost of DIY cleaning adds up faster than most realise.

So, what are you actually paying for when you go it alone? And how does that compare with what a professional cleaning contractor offers?

Let’s break it all down.

What’s Included in In-House Cleaning Costs?

Hiring a cleaner directly means taking on the full responsibility of an employer. That means dealing with payroll, holiday entitlement, performance management, health & safety protocols—and the occasional staffing crisis. Here’s what really goes into it.

1. Wages

If you’re based in London, you’ll want to pay the London Living Wage, which sits at £13.15 per hour in 2025. Two cleaners working three hours a day, five days a week, quickly adds up.

2. Employer Contributions

You’ll need to factor in National Insurance Contributions, auto-enrolment pensions, and any employer-paid benefits you offer. Typically, this adds around 28% to the base salary.

3. Holiday Pay & Sick Leave

Statutory entitlement means cleaners get 28 days’ paid leave (pro rata). And when they’re off sick? You still have to pay, or at least find cover.

4. Recruitment Costs

High staff turnover is common in cleaning roles. Hiring, vetting, and onboarding new staff takes time, not to mention advertising costs.

5. Equipment & Supplies

You’ll need to purchase and store everything—mops, hoovers, cloths, eco-friendly products, PPE, and waste bags. Add in PAT testing for electricals and COSHH compliance for chemicals.

6. Training and Supervision

Even the most self-sufficient cleaner needs occasional support. You or your facilities team will be on the hook for training, managing rotas, quality control, and performance reviews.

The Hidden Risks and Responsibilities of Going In-House

Beyond the obvious costs, there’s a hidden layer of admin that most employers underestimate. When you employ cleaners directly, you’re also responsible for:

Conducting risk assessments and ensuring full health & safety compliance
Maintaining up-to-date COSHH records for any chemicals used
Ensuring insurance coverage for employer liability, public liability, and accidental damage
Running DBS checks if cleaners have access to secure or sensitive areas
Covering shifts at short notice if a cleaner calls in sick or leaves suddenly

Unless your business has a dedicated facilities management team, handling all this becomes a serious distraction from your core operations.

What Do You Actually Get with a Professional Contractor?

This is where a professional office cleaning company really shines. A reputable contractor removes the operational burden from your plate and delivers a fully managed service with built-in accountability.

Here’s what a standard commercial contract should include:

Trained, vetted cleaning staff with full DBS checks if required
Professional equipment and high-quality cleaning products
Full compliance with employment law, insurance, and health & safety
Planned cover for sickness or holidays—no disruptions to your schedule
Regular supervisor inspections and cleaning audits
Clear communication and a dedicated account manager
Flexibility to adjust the service (e.g. add deep cleans, respond to outbreaks)
Transparent pricing—you pay a single monthly invoice

This all-in approach means you no longer have to think about procurement, supervision, or complaints. If standards drop or needs change, your contractor is contractually obligated to sort it out.

Cost Comparison: In-House vs. Contracted Cleaning in London

To give you a sense of how this plays out in pounds and pence, here’s a typical example for a medium-sized London office (approx. 5,000 sq ft), needing two cleaners working three hours per weekday.

Cost Category	In-House Cleaning (Est.)	Professional Contractor
Wages (LLW £13.15/hr x 30 hrs/week)	£1,710/month	Included
Employer’s NI	£388/month	Included
Holiday Pay	£184/month	Included
Supplies and equipment	£100–£150/month	Included
HR, training, admin (time cost)	Variable (£200 est.)	Included
Insurance, compliance, audits	£100–£150/month	Included
Total Monthly Cost	£2,760–£2,900	£1,200–£1,500

The contracted route offers predictability and efficiency, often at half the cost. And that’s before factoring in the admin time and risk management headaches you avoid.

Quality, Accountability and Flexibility – Why It Matters

Beyond pounds and pence, the real value of outsourced cleaning is in quality control and adaptability.

With an in-house cleaner, there’s little room for feedback beyond an awkward chat. If something’s missed or not up to standard, it’s on you to address it. Contractors, on the other hand, build quality assurance into their systems. If standards slip, the company responds—and replaces staff if needed.

You also gain scalability. Need extra cleaning ahead of a board meeting? Want to introduce sanitising protocols during cold season? Need weekend coverage during a refurbishment? A contractor can adjust quickly, often with just a day’s notice.

Is In-House Ever the Right Choice?

In some niche cases, yes. If you run a very small office (under 1,000 sq ft), and your cleaner only works a few hours a week, direct employment may be manageable. Similarly, if you have an internal facilities team with time and training to manage cleaners properly, in-house could work.

But for most London businesses, especially those with shared workspaces, client-facing areas, or security-sensitive zones, the benefits of outsourcing far outweigh the control gained from hiring in-house.

Final Thoughts – Value vs. Control

At first glance, hiring a cleaner directly seems like a cost-saving move. But when you account for employer responsibilities, management time, hidden overheads, and service continuity, it’s rarely the cheaper option.

Contracted office cleaning offers professional standards, legal compliance, and consistent quality—without drawing your team into non-core tasks.

It’s not just about keeping the floors shiny. It’s about freeing your people to focus on what they do best, while your workspace stays spotless in the background.