Dubai: Some part-time cleaning companies are bracing for what they believe will be a huge demand for their services in the last week of August — a week before schools open in the UAE.
The declining supply of full-time maids from traditional labour-sending countries in the past three months has reportedly shifted demand to part-time cleaning companies.
Companies that spoke to Gulf News said the impact of the decreasing maid supply had not been fully felt since the issue arose during summer when many families were on vacation. But the need will be felt all the more just before school starts.
“We have only experienced a ten per cent increase in our clientele this summer,” Mohammad Tabakh, general manager of Lavender House Care, told Gulf News. But Tabakh expects this to change soon.
“It’s still off season now but in ten days we’re expecting most of our clients to be back from vacation and for our business to become busier than usual.”
Tabakh said some of his clients call him asking for full-time maids since getting one has become challenging recently.
The same holds true for another Dubai-based cleaning company that asked to remain anonymous.
“By the last week of August, demand will pick up for sure. The ones who call us now are those looking for full-time maids. But it’s not in our [portfolio] of services,” the official said.
Seddiqi Abdullah, owner of Maid Shop, said he receives the same requests. But since he cannot supply full-time maids, his clients agree to them sending part-time cleaners for now.
“They have now decided to get part-time cleaners so they don’t have to cover the visa cost and everything else,” Abdullah said.
Hiring part-time maids from agencies has become a convenient option for residents who can’t afford the fees and don’t have an extra room for the maids, which is a requirement for their visa approval, Tabakh said.
South African Rina Fiebiger is one such resident. A maid from a cleaning company comes over once a week to do all the cleaning.
“I don’t have children; it’s just me and my husband. We just need somebody to clean the house. So it’s not worth it to pay for the labour cost and the visas,” Fiebiger said.
Ritu Raizada, a media professional who also hires from cleaning agencies on a weekly basis, agreed.
“I once considered hiring a full-time maid but the visa procedures are very expensive. I live alone and I am mostly on the run. So I just need someone to do the ironing and cleaning and, sometimes, shop for veggies for me.”
“It’s better to have this because I don’t have to have a sense of responsibility for her [living arrangements]. There’s no commitment of any sort [but the job still gets done].”
