Cleaner - changes of terms

[LHM]

Just had to check this - seems a bit weird if you ask me. I have a cleaner, I pay a tenner an hour to a cleaning company, they pay the cleaner eight quid, and keep 2 for admin/contract fees etc.

The company have now written to me to tell me 'due to changes coming into effect by HMRC', I must now pay the cleaner direct, then pay them the admin fee separately, otherwise the cleaner looks like and employee of their company, and she is not, she is independent. First, I don't get it and second surely there is now a gap in a tax payment somewhere and I could end up owing it or maybe the disconcerting cleaner. The cleaner does the house and doesn't do the office as I'm always in it, but could it almost make her an employee? If I was a permie, I wouldn't care obviously, but something is telling me I should check this out in case she is now regarded as an employee - thought I guess her contract is with the cleaning co, much like mine with an agency?

Should I be concerned? (...and..breathe)

[MrMarkyMark]

If I was a permie, I wouldn't care obviously, but something is telling me I should check this out in case she is now regarded as an employee

Yer fooked

Best start cleaning your own house.

[d000hg]

That's how it worked when we used a company a few years back.

Hardly something to worry about, you really think HMRC are going to claim she's an employee of 20+ different households at the same time?

Hire a cleaner direct if you don't like this model. Or push back at the company saying you will leave if they insist.

Or, ask your accountant!

[vetran]

Pensions

[d000hg]

A good cleaner is worth holding onto. I imagine the company has a clause in your contract saying you must not engage the cleaner directly but I wonder if changing the contract terms gives you an opportunity to void that... just pay the cleaner £10/hr.

Of course in reality you can do this regardless of getting into trouble, if you don't mind breaking a contract.

[barrydidit]

A good cleaner is worth holding onto.

But not in the KentPhillip sense.

[meridian]

Don't worry about it.

She's asked the cleaning company for a pay rise, and they've said they won't give her a rise but if she goes direct she can just accept the cash from you and not declare it.

It's called middle-class tax evasion, it will allow you to continue to complain about Google and Amazon getting away with it, while having a sparkling clean bathroom...

[d000hg]

Cleaners are middle class now?

[vetran]

Cleaners are middle class now?

No but being middle class its your responsibility to make sure your cleaner pays her taxes!

[MrMarkyMark]

But not in the KentPhillip sense.

I think, you'll find, his problem was similar, he "changed the terms", also