Hiring a Domestic Couple: Roles, Pay and What to Look For
How domestic couples work, how they are paid, and how to hire the right couple for a private home or estate.
What is a domestic couple?
A domestic couple is two people, usually partners, hired together to run a private home. Common pairings are a house manager and chef, a housekeeper and chauffeur, or a housekeeper and handyman or gardener. Couples are usually live-in and are paid either two salaries or a joint package.
Key Facts
- Common pairings: house manager and chef, housekeeper and chauffeur, housekeeper and gardener or handyman.
- Couples are usually live-in, with accommodation provided.
- Pay is either two separate salaries or one joint package; two contracts are clearer.
- Each partner is a separate employee for tax and pension.
- Plan for what happens if one partner leaves.
Hiring a Domestic Couple: Roles, Pay and What to Look For
A domestic couple is two people, usually partners, hired together to run a private home. For a country house, a second home or an estate where staff must live on site, a couple is often the simplest way to cover the house, the kitchen, the car and the grounds.
Common couple pairings
- House manager and chef: one runs the house and staff, the other runs the kitchen.
- Housekeeper and chauffeur: a common pairing for a family home in town.
- Housekeeper and gardener or handyman: the classic country house couple.
- Butler and housekeeper: for a formal household.
- Estate couple: an estate manager or caretaker with a partner who runs the house.
How couples are paid
Couples are paid in one of two ways:
- Two salaries, two contracts. Each partner is employed for their own role and paid for it. This is clearer and fairer, and makes it easier if one partner leaves.
- A joint package. One figure for both. Simpler to agree, but it can hide an unequal workload.
To set a budget, start from the individual role ranges and adjust for the live-in package:
| Role | UK a year | US a year |
|---|---|---|
| House manager | £70,000 to £120,000 | $85,000 to $180,000 |
| Private chef | £65,000 to £200,000 | $100,000 to $310,000+ |
| Housekeeper | £42,000 to £80,000 | $75,000 to $160,000 |
| Chauffeur | £50,000 to £90,000 | $80,000 to $140,000 |
| Butler | £50,000 to £110,000 | $75,000 to $200,000 |
These are ranges based on our 2026 placements, job offers and candidates’ salary expectations. Whichever way you pay, each partner is a separate employee for tax, pension and employment rights.
What to check before you hire a couple
- Both partners’ experience, separately. A strong chef paired with an inexperienced housekeeper is not a strong couple.
- References for each partner, and for the couple working together.
- Accommodation: a self-contained cottage or flat with its own entrance works far better than rooms in the main house.
- Days off: couples usually want the same days off. Plan cover for them.
- What happens if one partner leaves or the relationship ends. Write it into both contracts.
Hiring a domestic couple?
Tell us the role and we send a shortlist of vetted, reference-checked couples within 24 hours. There are no upfront fees, and every placement comes with a free replacement guarantee. Read how we recruit on our couple recruitment page, or see the household staff costs guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a domestic couple cost? Add the two role ranges together and adjust for the live-in package. For example, a UK housekeeper (£42,000 to £80,000) and chauffeur (£50,000 to £90,000).
Should a couple have one contract or two? Two. Each partner is a separate employee.
Do couples have to live in? Most do, which is often the reason families hire a couple. Good accommodation helps you keep them.