Home cleaning help in Switzerland: rates, declaration and good practice

Hiring someone for cleaning is one of the most requested services in Switzerland. It is also the one where the rules are most often ignored. Here is the essential, so that everything goes well for you and for the person coming to your home.

What an hour of cleaning costs

In French-speaking Switzerland the hourly rate of an independent cleaner is usually between 28 and 40 francs, a bit more in Geneva and around Lake Geneva, a bit less in the Jura or Valais; German-speaking cities are in a similar range, Zurich and Zug at the upper end. Agencies charge between 40 and 55 francs including salary, social charges and margin. For an end-of-lease cleaning it is rather a flat fee: 400 to 900 francs for a two- to three-room flat, often with a handover guarantee towards the property manager.

To declare or not?

This is the point many people miss. When a person comes to your home regularly, at your hours, with your equipment, they are considered your employee, even for two hours a week. You then have to register them with the AHV/AVS and pay social contributions, in principle from the first franc for domestic staff, plus accident insurance. The cantonal compensation offices have simplified procedures for private households.

In several cantons a service voucher scheme (the chèque emploi in French-speaking cantons, or comparable offers) does all the paperwork for you: you pay the salary and a small fee, the office handles the declarations. For regular help it is the simplest solution.

If the person is genuinely self-employed, registered as such with their compensation office, with several clients and their own equipment, they invoice their services and handle their own contributions. Simply ask for a confirmation of their status.

Choosing the right person

A first one- or two-hour session is worth more than a long message exchange. Show the home, explain your priorities, agree on a clear price and a frequency. Reviews left by other clients after a job that actually took place are the best indicator. On Helfa every review comes from a closed job, and the “Verified” badge means the person’s identity was checked.

Things to settle

• Products and equipment: yours or theirs, decide from the start.
• Keys: if you hand over a set, write it into the job agreement.
• Valuables: put them away, it is more comfortable for everyone.
• Cancellation: agree on a reasonable notice, 24 hours is customary.