Housekeeper hiring guide
How to hire a Filipino housekeeper in London
Define the household-management job before comparing candidates: property context, recurring cleaning, laundry, ironing, cooking, shopping, organisation, hours and live-in or live-out arrangement. Then shortlist against relevant experience, interview consistently, check references and evidence, and put the agreed duties and pay in writing.
What is the best way to hire a housekeeper?
Start with a household-management brief that distinguishes recurring housekeeping from cleaning-only work. State the property, laundry and ironing load, cooking or shopping if required, normal days and hours, working arrangement and any other regular responsibilities. Then assess each candidate against that same job rather than relying on broad claims of being “trustworthy” or “hard-working”.
References, interview evidence and the household's own checks should support the decision. Nationality is not a substitute for any of them.
Seven steps to hire a housekeeper.
What should a housekeeper job description say?
Size, layout and household context.
A one-bedroom flat and a multi-level family home create different recurring workloads even when the title is the same.
What must happen every day or week.
Separate ordinary housekeeping from occasional deep-clean tasks, guest preparation or seasonal work.
State the real clothing and linen expectations.
Washing, ironing, hand-washing, wardrobe organisation and formal garment care can change the role materially.
Define whether cooking is expected and for whom.
Family cooking, simple meal preparation and formal cooking are not interchangeable requirements.
Driving, pets, errands and travel belong in the brief.
Recurring extra responsibilities should not be introduced after hiring as casual household preferences.
Use practical interview questions for the household you actually run.
“How would you organise this weekly task list?”
Give the candidate a realistic set of recurring responsibilities and ask how they would sequence them.
“What kinds of garments and linen have you managed before?”
Ask for actual responsibilities rather than general confidence.
“What meals have you regularly prepared in previous roles?”
Clarify whether the experience fits the household's expected level.
“What would you do if priorities change during the day?”
Look for communication and realistic reprioritisation rather than a promise to complete unlimited work.
From our work: housekeeper matching starts with the workload that recurs every week.
Filipino Domestic Services asks for the role, property and household context, recurring duties, normal days and hours, live-in or live-out arrangement, start date and practical requirements before candidates are considered. For a housekeeper, that often means separating routine cleaning from laundry, ironing, cooking, shopping, wardrobe work, organisation, pets, driving or guest preparation.
The older FDS housekeeper articles often used broad nationality-based language about reliability, dedication, family values or adaptability. We have removed that framing because it does not tell a household whether an individual candidate has managed a similar property or the specific laundry, cooking and organisational standard the job requires.
Our useful comparison is evidence-led. We look at what the candidate says they have actually handled, whether the working pattern and location are realistic, and which parts of the brief should be tested through interview and references. If a role is cleaning-only, we can also identify that it may belong with an individual cleaner or the separate cleaning-service route rather than a broader housekeeper position.
This makes the final choice more defensible. The household can compare candidates against one current job description and follow up the references that matter to that job, instead of deciding from a generic description of what a “good housekeeper” should be.
Reference checks should confirm the job you are hiring for.
Ask a referee to confirm employment dates, role and responsibilities, then use fair, role-relevant questions about the work the candidate performed. Acas notes that references can be basic or detailed and that information supplied should be fair and accurate.
Use the dedicated domestic staff reference-check protocol rather than relying on an informal character impression.
Housekeeper hiring questions.
What is the difference between hiring a housekeeper and a cleaner?
A housekeeper usually owns a broader household-management brief that can include laundry, ironing, cooking, shopping and organisation. A cleaner is more cleaning-focused. Choose the title from the recurring work rather than using the terms interchangeably.
What experience should I look for in a housekeeper?
Look for experience that matches the real property and responsibilities: similar household size, laundry and ironing standard, cooking level, organisation, working arrangement and any driving, pet or travel duties that genuinely matter.
How do I check a housekeeper's references?
Confirm the referee's relationship to the candidate, employment dates, role and relevant duties. Then ask consistent role-related questions and record what was actually verified rather than converting an informal opinion into a guarantee.
Should I choose a housekeeper because they are Filipino?
No. Nationality is not evidence of reliability, trustworthiness, work ethic or household-management ability. Assess the individual candidate's relevant experience, communication, references and fit with the job.
Can I ask a housekeeper to cook and clean?
Yes if both are part of a realistic agreed role and enough time is allocated. State the cooking standard and recurring cleaning scope before hiring rather than adding a second job after the placement starts.
Does FDS choose the housekeeper for the household?
FDS can introduce candidates it considers relevant to the brief. The household interviews, checks evidence and makes its own decision about whom to employ.
Sources and hiring boundary.
The process is grounded in the current FDS housekeeper role and household brief. Reference and recruitment points use current Acas and GOV.UK guidance.
Turn the household workload into a shortlist-ready brief.
Once the duties and schedule are clear, use the service, interview toolkit and reference protocol to assess individual candidates.