To complain about this cleaner?

[nameinlights]

Yesterday we hired a cleaner through an agency. We specified this was for a one-off spring clean for 3 hours, to do things we didn't get round to doing ourselves. The cleaner could barely speak a word of English. I had expected to be able to have a discussion with her about what could be achieved in the time she was with us, what cleaning products or methods were appropriate for different tasks, and check with her what she had got round to doing in tht time. All of this was impossible. We used google translate to communicate but this wasn't good enough for those kind of questions, and of course communicating in this way was quite time consuming. For example I asked her to clean the nappy changing mat but I wasn't clear if she had cleaned both sides and wasn't able to ask her. I specifically asked her to use the hoover to remove the dust from a particular area but she used a cloth instead which was not as effective. I saw her doing jobs that I didn't specify but I would have rather she did other tasks. What she did do was to a good standard and she worked fast, but tasks I wanted doing weren't done, or not done in the way we wanted.

The agency want feedback, AIBU to say that her English wasn't good enough for the role? On one hand I am annoyed that the cleaning did not go to plan. On the other hand this woman probably has a tough life, working in low paid physically demanding work and is probably on a zero hours contract. Negative feedback would not be nice for her and might affect her employment opportunities.

[bessarabiantiger]

You are actually shitting me right?

[mileend2bermondsey]

YANBU, if you cant communicate with her what needs doing then what is the point?

[EatDessertFirst]

Why would you or DH 'not get around' to wiping over a nappy change mat? How long could that take? Thats bizarre!

I wouldn't damage her employment record by complaining about her lack of English. Maybe specify to the actual company next time what you want done and what products to use. Or, if you want to be that specific, book some annual leave and do the tasks yourself?

[nameinlights]

eat sorry my OP wasn't clear. Of course DP and I clean the nappy change. But cleaning that area was one of things I asked her to do. Before I had DD, DH and I used to book annual leave to do spring cleans ourselves, and we've had time to keep on top of things at the weekend. But since we've had DD who is 13 months and we both work full time, I don't have the energy to do that during my time off work. We are fortunate that we can afford to pay for some help with these tasks.

This is only the second time we've paid for a professional cleaner so I am new to knowing what to expect.

[Eveysdad]

Instead of working full time and affording to pay someone, cut your hours and have more time to do it yourself, problem solved. :)

[TravellingHopefully12]

Please don't say her English was too poor for the role. I get it was a frustrating experience, I really do. Maybe in future ask the agency for what you want doing as a poster above suggested.

[Only1scoop]

Clean your own 'nappy changing mat' surely that's not her job no matter what language barrier there is.

For a specific spring clean in 3 hours.... I think for a cleaner unfamiliar with your routine, home setting etc this is asking a little much. We have a fortnightly 3 hours but I certainly don't expect miracles in that time.

Yabu to possibly damage her work record.

[Caboodle]

Ignore nonsense posts about doing it yourself... up to you how you spend your money. I would tell agency that her cleaning was excellent but explain the communication problems. This gives agency a heads up and allows them to discuss tasks themselves with the client in future. This avoids future problems with other clients.
Enjoy your annual leave...not cleaning

[Goshthatsspicy]

Cleaning a changing mat is one of the quickest jobs on the planet.
Her confusion probably stemed from your wish for her to do it!
However, you don't feel you got what you paid for, so l'd be inclined to agree that you should speak again with the agency.

[BackforGood]

I agree with Caboodle - tell the agency that she was great, and you have no complaints about her work rate or any of that, but that you found the whole situation frustrating as you wanted specific things doing and you weren't able to communicate with her.

[Ppppenguin]

You needed a cleaner to clean the changing mat?!

[NotMeNotYouNotAnyone]

Maybe suggest that you'd prefer to discuss what you need doing with the agency and have them give the list to the cleaner (in her own language but I wouldn't necessarily include that).

3 hours isn't long to pick up the spring clean jobs you don't have time for.

[scratchandsniff]

You don't have to justify why you got a cleaner in. If I worked full time and could afford it I would get a cleaner. In regards to feedback I'd start with a positive and say her work was to a good standard but unfortunately you struggled to convey fully what you needed her to do due to the language barrier. They need to know.

[amazingtracy]

I'm shocked that anyone uses annual leave to clean their house!

Day off to work on the garden maybe but to clean the house?????

[nameinlights]

Eveysdad I would love more than anything for either me or DP to work part time but we just can't afford it. The cost of paying for a cleaner occasionally and me or DP cutting our hours is not the same.

Only1scoop why is cleaning the nappy change only my job? She was cleaning and I asked her to do it as it hadn't been done that day. I totally agree a full spring clean in 3 hours is not possible. I did not expect that. There were specific tasks that I wanted doing like cleaning the windows. We paid the agency a higher 'spring cleaning' role for the cleaner to do those kind of tasks. That's why I wanted to be able to communicate with her, so I could discuss with her what she thought she could achieve in 3 hours.

Thanks caboodle I shall continue to enjoy my annual leave! I usually end up getting sick when I am on leave as as soon as I relax I catch something. :(

Goshthatsspicy you are missing the point. I didn't actually ask her if she'd cleaned both sides, as we could not communicate. By the time I had used google translate to communicate with her, it would have taken the time I would have spent cleaning it myself! This was just one example of where I could not communicate with her. Another example was I wanted to ask her how long it would take to clean the windows and which products are best to use but we couldn't have this discussion.

[flossietoot]

I would say her cleaning was excellent and leave it at that. If you are negative she might not getting any more work and she was probably trying her best.

[Cheby]

Some really bizarre responses on here.

I would just feedback exactly what you have said here, that her cleaning was excellent and she worked efficiently and quickly, but that there was a communication problem which meant you struggled to direct her work as you would have liked. A suggestion for the future might be for a client to send a list of tasks ahead of time and for someone to translate for her. Or a regular cleaning job where the same standard tasks are performed each week.

[Birdsgottafly]

""instead of working full time and affording to pay someone, cut your hours and have more time to do it yourself, problem solved.""

No don't do that, we need money circulating in our society and not everyone can commit to permanent full time hours, or do more complex jobs.

"I'm annoyed that the cleaning didn't go according to plan""

I don't think that, that's unusual, when using a new cleaner/company. I'd focus on het being a fast worker and working to a good standard, when giving feed back.

[Only1scoop]

I didn't say it should only be 'your job'

Surely a quick clean by whoever has just changed nappy each time would save it being on your 'spring clean' type specific list. I'd have thought by the time you've explained you could have cleaned it yourself.

Do you have any friends who can recommend someone?

[donajimena]

When I used to clean domestically nothing would wind me up more than someone standing over me telling me that 'they don't do it like that'
I would expect nothing more than can you focus on the kitchen or bathroom and floors. I know how to clean. Don't micro manage your cleaner.!!
If I have done a bad job then obviously this needs addressing. But you need to judge on results not process.
If you can't relax and let them get on with it then a cleaner is not for you.
I had a client standing behind me as I was vacuuming her stairs once saying 'you need to run the nozzle down the skirting first' well I always vacuum the skirtings but I do it after the carpet or maybe if I feel like mixing it up a bit before the carpet but the end result is the same.
If I went home and had left dusty skirtings THEN you have a genuine issue.

[Mistigri]

If this was a one-off job then I would just give feedback on how well she cleaned.

If it were a regular cleaning job, then I might raise the communication issue, but I don't see that there is any benefit in doing so if you don't have any plans to use this cleaner or her agency again.

[nameinlights]

donajimena thanks that's a useful insight. But I didn't micromanage. I was in another room most of the time. When she arrived we went through (via Google translate) what things we hoped would get done. I'd be interested in your view on this as a professional cleaner. I'd asked her to remove the dust from the very dusty lampshades with the hoover. She did it with kitchen towel. It seems to me that was just most displacing the dust rather than removing it. What do you think?