Do I have to give the cleaning company a key to my house?

This is up to you. It is generally more convenient and secure to give the cleaning company a key to your home. While you will generally have an agreed time/day for cleaning sometimes schedules (yours and your cleaners) vary so it is not always possible to be there to open the house every week. Most cleaning companies will charge for missed appointments so handing over a key makes sure this doesn't happen. Ask your cleaner about their key security policy. You want to ensure your key is kept safe and your privacy protected. Some questions to ask: Where are the keys kept? How many people have access to them? Are they tagged to prevent duplication? Do they keep address list separate from the key?