Kelso · Scottish Borders
Launch a Cleaning Business in Kelso
Licensing, insurance and your first bookings -- covering Kelso and the surrounding Scottish Borders area.
See what's inside the Cleaning Business Launch Kit — £22If you're weighing up a cleaning business in Kelso, you're looking at one of the UK's most accessible trades to get going in. Here's what matters before you start taking bookings around Scottish Borders.
What the rules say
You don't need a general licence to run a domestic cleaning business in the UK. The exception is waste carrying -- if you remove a client's waste yourself, that has its own registration requirement. Public liability insurance remains commercially expected rather than legally required for a sole trader, but employers' liability insurance is a legal requirement from your very first non-family employee onward.
Quick answers
Do I need a qualification to be a cleaner in Kelso?
No qualification is legally required to start cleaning for clients in Kelso. Industry training such as BICSc becomes more commercially relevant once you're employing staff or taking on larger recurring contracts.
Should I register as a sole trader or a limited company in Kelso?
Most people starting out in Kelso begin as a sole trader -- it's simpler to set up and run. A limited company can make sense later as the business grows; the Cleaning Business Launch Kit covers the trade-offs in detail.
Can I subcontract for an agency instead of finding my own clients in Kelso?
Yes -- many cleaners in Kelso start by subcontracting through an agency or cleaning company before building a direct client base. Either route has different implications for how you're paid and taxed.
What should I bring to a cleaning job in Kelso?
Many cleaners bring their own supplies and equipment as standard, though some clients prefer to provide their own. Confirming this with each client in Kelso before the first visit avoids any confusion.