Spring-cleaning services to cost $165 an hour

For HK$165 an hour, you can hire domestic helpers for spring-cleaning services, according to the Employee Retraining Board.

The elderly - aged 60 years and above - are eligible to apply for a four-hour cleaning service at HK$450 on a first-come-first-served quota of 200 only.

Registration for the board's "Smart Living Scheme" service will run until February 9.

The package includes labor safety insurance and nutritious meal delivery services that include two dishes and one soup. The board will also offer festive dishes - including seafood and mushroom turnip cakes, stir-fried shrimp balls with oats and pineapple and sweet pepper stir-fried chicken fillet.

Senior manager Herman Kung Shu-chi said: "We've received around 1,000 applications from employers [since December 12], and over 500 domestic cleaning workers will provide services."

Fees will be charged according to district and service period. The hourly rates for helpers range from HK$135 in Kowloon and New Territories to HK$145 on Hong Kong Island, peaking at HK$165 when approaching the Lunar New Year.

Kung said the board receives an average of 2,500 domestic cleaning applications annually.

"We are optimistic about the number of applications this year," he added, as the demand in the market for domestic cleaning is stable after the epidemic.

Kung said cleaners of the board will help employers on the disposal of domestic waste, but employers will have to handle the disposal of bulky waste themselves.

Last year's hourly rate ranged from HK$130 to HK$140, and between HK$150 and HK$160 during the days before the festive period, said Chan Hang-chun, a 20-year experienced domestic helper. She added the hourly rate could be negotiated.

As the pay-as-you-throw scheme - which puts a charge on waste - will come into effect on April 1, Chan said she received more requests from employers to work on waste separation.

"I have a heavier workload and my appointments have now been scheduled until Lunar New Year's Eve," Chan said.

"The retraining program [of the board] has taught us how to complete waste separation, so we can comply with employers' requests," she said.

The Smart Living scheme is a free referral platform for domestic services. There are currently four service centers - located at Chai Wan, To Kwa Wan, Yuen Long and Fanling - to match employers with trained personnel. The scheme averages of 20,000 applications received annually.