Daily cleaning and home upkeep
Careful cleaning of floors, dust, bathrooms, kitchen, bedrooms, living areas and circulation zones.
Domestic household staff recruitment
Hire Domestic Household Staff for a Private Residence
Hire domestic household staff to support the daily upkeep, laundry, ironing, storage, routines and employer budget of a private residence with clarity and discretion.
Yann & Lise International assists private families, family offices and principals who need to recruit a high-end house cleaner, a household employee or reliable domestic staff for a private residence.
Private residence
Domestic household staff
Cleaning, laundry, organisation and discretion
Why hire domestic household staff for a private residence?
Domestic household staff preserve the comfort and rhythm of private family life. They keep the residence clean, ordered and prepared with regularity. The role suits families who need reliable home upkeep and a discreet presence that respects household privacy.
In a main residence, a second home, a high-end apartment or a family property, this recruitment helps avoid scattered interventions and creates a stable framework for careful cleaning, laundry, ironing, supplies and storage.
Care & regularity
Define the level of upkeep expected in the residence
The quality of the recruitment depends first on the level of detail required: daily cleaning, finishes, bedrooms, bathrooms, reception rooms, laundry, ironing, products, schedules and sensitive areas.
Role and duties of domestic household staff
The duties should be defined before selection. A household employee in a private residence may focus on daily cleaning or take on a more versatile role. The scope depends on working hours, property size, family presence, stays in the residence and the existing organisation.
Laundry, ironing and storage
Washing, drying, folding, simple ironing, household linen storage and respect of family instructions.
Products and equipment follow-up
Monitoring supplies, reporting missing products, respecting materials and using appropriate methods for each surface.
Bedrooms and living rooms preparation
Putting rooms in order, airing spaces, preparing bedrooms, maintaining reception areas and noticing details.
The role may also include clearly defined complementary tasks: receiving deliveries, small errands, occasional domestic support, preparing the home before the family's arrival or restoring order after a stay.
Domestic staff, private cleaner, housekeeper or house manager: what is the difference?
A private cleaner is often associated with standard cleaning tasks. In a high-end private environment, domestic household staff describe a more regular role where the person understands the family's habits, laundry instructions, sensitive rooms, residence rhythm and standards of discretion.
A private housekeeper has a broader organisational role: quality control, coordination, more detailed linen management, supervision of other providers and household standards. A house manager or estate manager oversees property operations, suppliers, maintenance, schedules and reporting.
Role definition
Distinguish domestic household staff from a housekeeper or house manager
The right job title depends on the expected autonomy. A family looking for organisation and quality control usually hires a housekeeper; a family looking for regular and reliable upkeep hires domestic household staff.
Expected profile for high-end domestic household staff
The profile should be stable, punctual, discreet, careful and used to respecting a private home. Trust is central because domestic staff work in personal rooms, handle laundry and may interact with children, guests or other members of the household team.
Check discretion, regularity and references
References should confirm reliability, punctuality, stability, discretion and consistent quality of work over time.
Understand family habits and room priorities
The profile must understand priority areas, schedules, products, household habits and moments when the family should not be disturbed.
Assess private household experience
Experience in a high-end apartment, townhouse, villa, main residence or family property is a real advantage.
Confirm autonomy without role confusion
A good profile can organise work without drifting into the responsibilities of a housekeeper, house manager or butler.
Private family, apartment, second home or private property
Needs vary by setting. A main residence lived in all year requires regular support and high discretion. A second home often requires preparation before the family's arrival, order after stays and clear coordination with other service providers.
In a high-end apartment, attention often focuses on finishes, materials, laundry, schedules and discretion towards neighbours. In a private property, domestic household staff may work alongside a housekeeper, a house manager, a private butler or other household staff.
Recruitment process for domestic household staff
The process starts with a precise job brief: surface, rooms, frequency, hours, level of care, laundry, ironing, products, permanent contract, part-time or full-time arrangement, possible travel, family presence and employer budget.
Yann & Lise International structures the search, checks references, clarifies expectations and supports the selection of reliable domestic staff able to adapt to a private residence without promising vague or unrealistic versatility.
Select experienced domestic household staff
Selection favours profiles used to private residences, precise instructions and respect for family privacy.
Structure the interview with a household employee
The interview should cover methods, laundry, products, hours, references, discretion and concrete situations.
Support hiring and the start of the role
A clear framework helps secure the start: job description, priorities, instructions, rhythm, contact person and follow-up points.
Interview questions for domestic household staff
The interview should clarify working methods, stability, punctuality, respect of instructions and the ability to react to practical situations. Questions should remain concrete: bedroom care, laundry handling, ironing, products, delicate surfaces, pets, children, family absence and daily priorities.
Common mistakes to avoid when hiring domestic household staff
The first mistake is underestimating the time required to maintain the residence properly. The second is confusing versatile domestic staff with a housekeeper or management role. The third is launching the search without a realistic employer budget. This is particularly important when the role includes laundry, ironing, full-time presence or a high level of regularity.
Salary & employer cost for domestic household staff
A domestic household staff salary depends on working hours, experience, location, level of detail, laundry, ironing, contract type and schedules.
Regular part-time role
Budget varies according to frequency, surface and duties
Full-time private residence role
Net salary to adjust according to experience and expectations
Experienced and discreet profile
Higher employer budget if laundry, ironing and autonomy are required
The employer cost for domestic household staff should include gross salary, contributions, paid leave, possible transport, benefits, part-time or full-time contract and the real working rhythm.
Useful resources
Frequently asked questions
What duties can domestic household staff handle?
Domestic household staff can handle daily cleaning, careful room upkeep, laundry, simple ironing, storage, product follow-up and preparation of bedrooms or living areas in a private residence.
What is the difference between domestic household staff and a cleaner?
A cleaner is often hired for standard cleaning tasks. Domestic household staff work in a more private and regular setting, with attention to family habits, laundry routines, rooms, materials and discretion.
What is the difference between domestic household staff and a housekeeper?
A housekeeper usually has a broader organisational role, with quality control, household coordination, linen management and sometimes supervision. Domestic household staff are mainly focused on regular execution of cleaning, laundry and home upkeep.
What is the difference with a house manager?
A house manager or estate manager oversees property operations, suppliers, maintenance, planning and reporting. Domestic household staff do not replace that management role; they support the daily running of the home.
What salary should be planned for domestic household staff?
Salary depends on working hours, experience, location, level of detail, laundry, ironing, contract type, regularity and whether the position is part-time or full-time.
What is the employer cost for domestic household staff?
Employer cost should include gross salary, social contributions, paid leave, possible transport, benefits, working time and the contractual framework before recruitment starts.
Can domestic household staff be hired part-time or full-time?
Yes. The position may be organised part-time, full-time or as a permanent role depending on the size of the property, frequency of visits, laundry, family presence and required continuity.
How do you recruit a discreet and reliable profile?
Recruitment should verify private household experience, references, punctuality, regularity, discretion, understanding of instructions and the ability to respect the privacy of a family.
Entrust us with your domestic household staff search
Yann & Lise International assists families, principals and private employers in recruiting reliable, discreet and experienced domestic household staff adapted to the standards of a private residence, high-end apartment or family property.