US start-up Handybook has launched in London, joining the already crowded online cleaner booking space.
Handybook, founded in by Dublin-born entrepreneur Oisin Hanrahan, allows people to book vetted cleaners and repair services online.
London is the first European market the New York-based business has entered. The business joins US rival Homejoy here, as well as several local competitors such as Mopp, Hassle and RatedPeople.com.
Hanrahan said he was not fazed by the competition, saying: “When we started there was probably one other person meaningfully doing cleaning in the US.
"Three months in there were about a dozen players here in the US. We’ve now seen that fall pretty sharply and we’re now the leading home services provider in the cities we’re in.”
He added: “For the first three months we thought it was all about the technology – we thought whoever would have the best technology for scheduling and booking would win. What’s actually just as important is the brand that you’re building because consumers need to trust you to let you into their home.”
Hanrahan said ‘hundreds’ of cleaners and tradesmen have already signed up to the London service, which launches today. The company’s office in the capital will be based in Shoreditch.
Hanrahan said the business model was inspired by black cab hailing app Hailo, which he came across while working at London-based venture capital firm Accel Ventures.
Handybook, founded two years ago, has to date raised $49 million and has 150 employees across 28 cities. Over 10,000 bookings are made on the platform each week.
