Couples Position

**Live-in Groundsman & Housekeeper Couple required for large home in Cheshire**

**Location**: Wilmslow, Cheshire

**Contract**: Full-time, Permanent

**Salary**: £70,000 - £80,000 per annum (joint)

We have a truly fantastic opportunity for a highly experienced Domestic Couple to assist in the smooth running of a large family home in Cheshire. This lovely family is looking for a hardworking Housekeeper and Gardener/Handyman Couple to support them onthis 5.5-acre property. The home consists of 6-ensuite bedrooms, a leisure center, gym, spa, and large living spaces.

The Housekeeper part of the couple will have an excellent eye for detail and will have sole responsibility of the day-to-day cleaning and organisation of the home. Although not a formal home, there is an emphasis on the need for being detail-oriented. Youwill have exacting standards, be experienced in all aspects of housekeeping, including laundry, ironing, wardrobe management, flower arranging as well as caring for fine furnishings.

The Gardener/Handyman will have mainly be working on the exterior of the home, ensuring the gardens are well-maintained, as well as ensuring all maintenance of exterior furnishings is taken care of. You will be happy to muck in wherever needed, and furtherduties will include general DIY tasks in and around the home, as well as errand running from time to time. You will also be required to take the family’s much-loved Cocker Spaniel on walks, feed and occasionally bath him. This role is 98% exterior based, thusthe Couple will mostly be working on separate duties.

As an experienced Domestic Couple, you will have good longevity and experience working for a HNW family in a similar role. Our clients are looking for an honest, caring and responsible couple, able to confidently look after the property when the family isaway. Effective communication is essential for this role, as you will be required to present any issues that might arise quickly to the House Manager, and liaise with them on anything that the principals might need. Being a dog-lover is a must, as sole carewould be required when the family is not in residence, in addition to daily walks and feeding.

This is a live-in position, with accommodation provided in the form of a one-bedroom chalet, comprising of an open plan kitchen/lounge, with a separate bathroom. The chalet is located within the grounds, in a secluded area away from the main property. Workinghours are Monday to Friday, 8 am to 6 pm, with a 1-hour lunch break. Saturdays are 9 am to 1 pm, when the family is home. If a Saturday morning is worked, time will be given off in lieu on Wednesday afternoons.

**HOUSEKEEPER DUTIES TO INCLUDE**:

- All housekeeping duties, including deep and seasonal cleaning
- Proven experience is essential
- Laundry, washing & pressing, caring for couture clothing
- Logging any garments which go to the dry cleaners
- Daily cleaning of all reception rooms
- Making beds, cleaning bedrooms, bathrooms, vacuuming and dusting daily
- Assisting with packing and unpacking
- Wardrobe management
- Keep utility stocked with products required for house maintenance
- Flower arrangement
- Strictly maintain all food health hygiene within the kitchen daily
- Care for silverware and fine furnishings
- Clean and sanitise rooms throughout the house
- Dispose of all kitchen waste both organic and recycling
- Clean and polish shoes

**GARDENER/HANDYMAN DUTIES TO INCLUDE**:

- Maintenance of grounds, gardens, lawns, borders, and woodland
- Cutting grass and maintaining formal lawns
- Trimming and edging the lawns
- Ensuring there is sufficient security and protection at the property at all times, day or night
- Using garden equipment and machinery and maintaining them
- Pest control
- Knowledge of electrics to do basic tasks
- Undertaking preventative maintenance and general household maintenance tasks
- Water plants
- Maintain perimeter and boundaries
- Prepare ground soil
- Planting, trimming, weeding, trimming and cutting
- Check health of plants, deal with pests and diseases in an organic way
- Responsible for garden waste and compost
- Responsible for household waste and recycling
- Garden furniture maintenance
- Maintenance of outbuildings
- Servicing and maintenance of swimming pool
- Keep outside of residence immaculate through washing walkways /leaf removal and cleaning of fixtures and fittings
- Rake the driveway weekly
- Two 30 minute dog walks daily, feeding, washing
- Valeting of all vehicles weekly

**ESSENTIAL CRITERIA**:

- Previous experience in a Couples role supporting HNW families within private estates
- Very high attention to detail
- Team players
- A positive, can-do attitude
- Excellent communication skills
- Good standard of written and spoken English
- Trustworthy and able to handle confidential information appropriately
- Longevity as demonstrated by previous employment
- Able to prioritise and multitask effectively
- Right to work within the UK
- Excellent checkable references