Seven people applied for my cleaner job and as I only needed one, it seemed a shame to waste the other six. It occurred to me that these spare cleaners could work for other people locally – for a finder’s fee. Little did I know what this little home business would lead to. 

For a few years I was quite content pottering at it in the evenings and weekends. It ticked over rather nicely. All I had to do was replenish the local ads for cleaners every now and again, and deliver a few leaflets. 

Within a year I had 50 clients and it was not long before I had 200. Initially it only took a few hours a week, running it from my bedroom – and could easily have stayed that way.

I wasn’t charging much, so my little earner was not going to set the world on fire. I was probably making about £10,000 a year out of my home business. >>>

Clients would leave messages on the answering machine by day; In the evening I would listen to a veritable soap opera, a modern day Upstairs Downstairs. In my time I’ve had some  famous clients - Lords, Ladies, rather dubious MPs - as well as some infamous cleaners. I would return the calls in the evening and register them as clients.

The cleaners were interviewed at weekends and matched to the clients as I thought fit. It was a bit like running a dating agency. And there it would have remained – but for a decision I was later to regret.

As I got involved in the intricacies of the goings on between clients and cleaners. >>>

It became far more absorbing and challenging, easily as interesting as my insurance job. I found myself looking forward to coming home in the evening and listening to the messages.  

Take the six foot tall broad shouldered man who started life and employment with me as Michael. The name became Mijka after his sex-change and, even taller in high-heels, s/he would confidently march into clients houses as their household cleaner. Most clients wanted female cleaners which made placing the men very difficult. Mijka caused some confusion – but was accepted by most!

Another lady I took on would clean in her Birthday Suit.  next page >>>