# Agency vs Independent Cleaner | Cleaning Agency or Private? URL: https://dublincleaners.ie/guide/agency-vs-independent-cleaner/ > Agency vs independent cleaner in Dublin: hourly rates, holiday cover, insurance, tax and VAT compared side by side for your home. Call 01 230 8646. Comparison # Agency vs Independent Cleaner: Which Suits a Dublin Home? ![Lana, founder of Dublin Cleaners](/img/lana-founder-dublin-cleaners-96.webp)By [Lana](/author/lana/), Founder of dublincleaners.ieUpdated 14 November 2026 Quick answer **An independent cleaner is cheaper; an agency is easier to manage.** Bark puts Dublin independents at **about €20 an hour** and agencies at **about €30**, before VAT. The agency's extra covers insurance, holiday cover and payroll. An independent suits a steady weekly clean if you check their insurance and tax status first. Key takeaways - Bark's 2026 survey puts independent cleaners in Dublin at €20 an hour and agencies at €30 an hour, both excluding VAT. - Bark links the agency premium to overheads such as insurance and cover when a regular cleaner is unavailable. - Citizens Information says a cleaner working occasionally in your home may be self-employed, an agency worker, or your employee. - Revenue requires you to register as an employer if you pay a domestic employee €40 or more a week. - The CCPC says damage by someone working in your home is only claimable if they hold their own public liability insurance. - Bark notes the VAT threshold for services is €42,500 a year, so many independent cleaners charge no VAT. The agency vs independent cleaner choice comes down to price against convenience. An independent cleaner costs less per hour and often stays with you for years. A cleaning agency costs more, but it handles insurance, payroll and holiday cover for you. Here is how the two compare in Dublin in 2026. ## What is the difference between an agency and an independent cleaner? An independent cleaner works for themselves, sets their own rates and usually cleans alone. A cleaning agency employs or contracts cleaners and sends them to you. You deal with the agency for booking, payment and complaints, and it deals with the cleaner. The legal set-up differs too. Citizens Information says a cleaner who works occasionally in someone’s home may be self-employed or an agency worker rather than that household’s employee. If you pay one person a wage on your terms, though, you may become their employer. ## How do prices compare for an agency vs independent cleaner? An independent cleaner in Dublin costs about €20 an hour and an agency about €30, according to Bark’s November 2026 survey. Both figures exclude VAT. Outside Dublin, Bark puts independents at €15 to €16.50 and agencies at €27.50. Bark explains the gap as overheads rather than a markup on the cleaning itself. An agency pays for insurance, cover when a regular cleaner is off, and the admin of running a team. Our own [house cleaning service in Dublin](/house-cleaning/) charges €28 an hour with VAT included and a 2-hour minimum. Our breakdown of [cleaner cost per hour](/guide/cleaner-cost-per-hour-dublin/) in Dublin shows what sits inside each rate. Wages, employer PRSI and 13.5% VAT take up most of it. ## Agency vs independent cleaner: which wins on each point? Neither wins on everything. The table sets out where each one is usually stronger. Point Independent cleaner Cleaning agency Typical Dublin rate (Bark, ex VAT) about €20 an hour about €30 an hour VAT often none, below the threshold 13.5% if VAT-registered Holiday and sick cover visit usually skipped another cleaner can be sent Same cleaner each week usually yes depends on the agency Public liability insurance varies, ask to see it normally held by the company Tax and PRSI cleaner’s own, or yours if you employ them the agency’s Products and equipment sometimes yours usually brought Flexibility on tasks high, agreed directly set by the agency’s checklist ## What are the risks with an independent cleaner? The main risks are insurance and tax status. The CCPC says your home policy only covers damage by someone working in your home if that person has their own public liability insurance. Without it, a broken item or a flooded floor may be your cost. Tax status is the second risk. Revenue says you must register as an employer if you pay a domestic employee €40 or more a week. If your independent cleaner is really your employee rather than self-employed, the PAYE and PRSI duties fall on you. Our guide to [cleaner insurance and tax](/guide/hiring-a-cleaner-ireland-tax-insurance/) covers those rules step by step. Reliability is the third. One person can get sick, move or stop cleaning, and there is no one to send instead. ## What are the downsides of a cleaning agency? You pay more per hour, and you may not get the same person every time. Some agencies rotate staff between homes, so each visit starts with someone learning your layout again. Contracts can also include minimum terms or notice periods. Ask three questions before booking an agency. Will I get a named regular cleaner? Who covers holidays? How much notice do you need to cancel? The answers tell you more than the hourly rate. ## Agency vs independent cleaner: which should you choose? Choose an independent cleaner if you want the lowest price, plan a steady weekly visit and are happy to check insurance yourself. Choose an agency if you want cover for holidays, no payroll questions and one invoice. Some households need both. A regular independent cleaner handles weekly upkeep, and a company does the heavier jobs, such as a [deep clean](/deep-cleaning/) before a move or a carpet clean once a year. That split keeps weekly costs down without asking one person to do everything. Want a fixed price instead? Call 01 230 8646. Give us the bedrooms, bathrooms and area, and we will give you a price on the phone. [01 230 8646](tel:+35312308646)[Request quote](/contact/) ## Frequently asked questions Is it cheaper to hire a private cleaner or an agency? A private cleaner is usually cheaper per hour. Bark's 2026 figures put Dublin independents at about €20 an hour and agencies at about €30, before VAT. The gap narrows if you count your own costs, such as employer PRSI if the cleaner is your employee, or missed weeks when they are away. What happens when my cleaner goes on holiday? With an independent cleaner, the visit is usually skipped unless they arrange a friend to cover. An agency can normally send another cleaner. Bark lists cover when a cleaner is unavailable as one of the overheads built into higher agency rates. Should an independent cleaner have insurance? Yes, ideally. The CCPC advises checking that anyone working on your home has their own public liability insurance, because your home policy may not cover damage they cause. Ask for the certificate and check the name on it matches the person you pay. Do agencies always send the same cleaner? Not always. Some agencies rotate staff between homes, so a different person may arrive each week, and that is the most common complaint. Ask before booking whether you get a named regular cleaner and who covers their holidays. A consistent person learns your home and works faster each visit. Do independent cleaners charge VAT? Most do not. Bark notes that the VAT registration threshold for services is €42,500 a year, so many smaller cleaners are below it. VAT-registered agencies add the 13.5% reduced rate, according to Revenue, unless their quoted price already includes it. ## Sources 1. [Bark, How much does house cleaning cost in Ireland?](https://www.bark.com/en/ie/home-improvement-hub/how-much-does-house-cleaning-cost-in-ireland/) (2026-11-02) 2. [Citizens Information, Domestic workers' employment rights](https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/types-of-employment/domestic-workers-employment-rights/) (2026-01-01) 3. [Revenue, Registration of employers for PAYE purposes](https://www.revenue.ie/en/employing-people/becoming-an-employer-and-ongoing-obligations/registration-of-employers-for-paye-purposes/index.aspx) (2025-11-10) 4. [CCPC, Home insurance](https://www.ccpc.ie/manage-your-money/day-to-day-finances/insurance/home-insurance) (2026-11-14) 5. [Revenue, Reduced rate of VAT](https://www.revenue.ie/en/vat/vat-rates/what-are-vat-rates/reduced-rate-vat.aspx) (2026-07-01) ![Lana, founder of Dublin Cleaners](/img/lana-founder-dublin-cleaners-192.webp) About the author: [Lana](/author/lana/) Founder of dublincleaners.ie, Lana's company brings expertise in both residential and commercial cleaning services fostering a clean, healthy environment. Outside of work, you'll often find her hitting the gym or immersing herself in invigorating body balance classes.