to cry over my cleaner

[Sloven]

I posted this morning about today being my first day for having a cleaner and I was really nervous about it. I have joint and mobility problems and have been struggling with a 3 bed house and a DC for some time. Mess makes me stressed and depressed, and i work full time and thought it would be a good use of my income.

I stripped the beds, did a couple of hours of tidying this morning, wrote lists, went and got cleaning materials, and know that tomorrow I will be aching all over from doing a pre-clean but got on with it because I am houseproud and didn't want her to think I am a slob.

She was due at 1pm and I sat in and waited for her. I booked through an agency and did not have her phone number.

At 130 I left a message with the agency asking if everything was okay as I was concerned she hadn't turned up. I know things overrun sometimes so I wasn't annoyed, just enquiring. I have to leave for the school run at 250 and wanted to make sure we had enough time to chat first.

She turned up at 150 saying she needed to find somewhere to park. I pointed out some of the places where there was parking this time of day and went and sat back at my dining table to wait.

At 2:20 I got a call from the agency saying she had decided not to take the job on as the free parking in my area was too far away for her to walk. (It is 2 streets away for gods sake).

I was very nice to the agency - who are charging me £70 a month with £140 upfront to broker this 5-hours-a-week cleaner, and that does not include her £40 a week fee. I politely asked them to arrange me another cleaner for next week as I am working away all week this week now.

I put the phone down and burst into tears. I have been looking forward to this so much, having a clean home again, not feeling worthless or useless, being able to breathe without worrying about carrying a hoover up the stairs, etc. I was genuinely excited, put a pot of coffee on, bought a nice handover book. It seems ridiculous but having a neat home is very important to me and I was so looking forward to it.

And the gall of her not bothering to tell me herself but calling the agency to get them to cancel the job - 80 minutes after her agreed start time!

I am sad and cross and sore and disappointed and now have to live in this shitty hovel for yet another week. And I just need some flowers and a hug.

Tempted to take the £40 I would have spent on her today and buy myself some gin and roses.

[FlouncyDoves]

Firstly I’d be getting some of refund from that agency - what a joke they are.

Secondly, why not go direct with a cleaner - either from a recommendation or from an ad in a newsagents/Gumtree etc?

Finally, gin is entirely reasonable

[Givemeallthechocolate]

I'd sack the agency off- that's a pisstake for starters. Have a few cleaners lined up to interview at your next opportunity, this way you'll have someone... and a back up or two x

[MissEliza]

You should have gone ape shit at the agency! That all sounds a bit dodgy. Did anyone from the agency come and view your property when you sit this up? Did they ask about parking availability? If parking was a deal breaker they should have checked it out. Tell them you want your money back. Did you sign a contract by any chance?
I recommend Daily Poppins btw. Obviously as a franchise there may be variations in service but I’ve used my local one for two years and I’m very happy.

[lurkingnotlurking]

That's quite a hefty agency fee...

[VoodooCat]

Oh poor you. What area are you in? Maybe some kind MN will have numbers for local cleaners?

[NoCryLilSoftSoft]

Terrible all round!

I agree, hire a cleaner privately. Deal with them directly.

Btw was £40 her pay for 5 hour work?

[Notevilstepmother]

What appalling service.

[Sloven]

Agency has excellent ratings and I can't cancel without a months notice. Tempted to see this as a hiccup and see what the next person is like that they send along but am feeling well disheartened now.

[haveagobletofblood]

You're better off without her as a cleaner, she sounds really lazy.

[Sloven]

@NoCry yes and that is set by the agency. I is £11.25/hr, £3.15 of that goes to the agency and the rest to the cleaner

[Sloven]

@haveagoblet Well I did think if she wasn't fit to walk 2 streets away then she possibly couldn't manage 5 hours housework

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

Wow they've saw you coming.

They're not even providing you with a service!

[MusicToMyEars800]

I agree with PP's don't go through an agency, find a cleaner and deal with them directly, FWIW, I think the cleaner behaved terribly, I am a cleaner and would never behave like this. And buy yourself that and some nice chocolates or flowers to go with it

[whiskyowl]

Just posting quickly to say: hang in there. Just because the first cleaner didn't work out doesn't mean that the second one will fail to. You will get something arranged here, and you will get your lovely clean and ordered environment back. I understand what you mean about its importance - I was ill a few years back and unable to do as much as usual and it just felt like my house wasn't my own any more.

[Sloven]

@Moving Cheers. I feel much better being made to feel like their shit service is my fault. FWIW I broker 6 figure contracts in my day job and deal with A listers, TV producers and massive advertisers. I may be slightly disabled but I'm not a sodding mug.

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

I didn't say that at all

But if you broker big contacts you know what to do with a breach of contract don't you?

You don't owe this agency anything and they are not delivering for you.

[SirGawain]

OP you can cancel the agency has not fulfilled its obligations and is therefore in breach of contract.

[IAmTheDragon]

Honestly, you need to get rid of this agency. You're being mugged paying that much if the service is so poor.

Have you tried any local groups? You'll be much better off with someone self employed who is looking after their own reputation, not the agency's.

[grannytomine]

Sloven I am so sorry it didn't work out. I am sure you can find someone suitable. Don't give up.

[SweetCrustPastry]

[SirGawain]

Take them to the claeners

[Sloven]

Yeah I know what to do legally and technically, I'm still surely allowed to have a human response too.

[AppleKatie]

In view of your knowledge and experience OP you are unreasonable yes.

Don't sit and cry pick yourself up- kick the agency into touch AFTER demanding a refund then get online and find a cleaner who actually wants the work.

It clearly isn't you, but don't take it. I read your thread earlier and I wanted to sat don't make the cleaner a cup of tea- but didn't as it seemed to be against the consensus of the thread. Be polite and have reasonable expectations but 100% keep it as a business transaction, induct the cleaner into your home in the manner that you would induct a new starter in your office.

[HundredMilesAnHour]

No wonder you're upset. BUT....you are being ripped off by the agency, those fees are extortionate.

Can you give an indication of where you live (without being too revealing) and maybe someone can suggest a better agency / cleaner that covers your area?

[carb0nated]

I think you've had a lucky escape with the cleaner as her attitude isn't good HOWEVER she is being paid a pittance. Can't believe you are paying the agency £70 a month to provide a cleaner.

I've had cleaners and always found them myself. Your house is nice and tidy now anway!