Can I trust my cleaner?

[Boffin90]

Over the last 2 years there have been a couple of times I have overpaid my cleaner (one overpayment was an extra £50) into her account. This has occurred on occasions I have needed to pay multiple people for various things and made a few mix ups. My cleaner has never mentioned to me when this has happened. I have always made the discovery. I know she checks her account as if it hasn’t gone into her account by the next morning she messages me. (I have never been late with her payment, it’s always been her bank causing some delay on showing her side).
I will be setting up a standing order but it makes me wonder if I can trust her. An overpayment error does not mean you’re entitled to the extra money!
AIBU or would you feel uneasy that someone is not willing to confess you have given them too much?

[streetlife70s]

I would get another cleaner if that were me. I can’t abide dishonesty. Messaging you when you’ve made an error in your favour but keeping quiet when it’s in hers demonstrates a lack of morals.
Not someone I’d want alone in my house to be honest.

[ToesInWater]

Tbh I’m not sure why you haven’t just mentioned it to her when you realised it rather than using it as some kind of honesty test, especially if it has been your mistake.

[Billben]

What is her usual response when you tell her about the overpayment?

[MimsyFluff]

Maybe she thinks it's a bonus?

[Dobopdidoo1]

I was going to say the same mimsy.

When I give my cleaner a bonus I don’t mention it. However she does thank me. So yes, it is a bit odd that your cleaner doesn’t mention it at the time.

Alternatively could she have thought it was an advance payment?

[Boffin90]

When I have realised the mistake, I have mentioned it to her and explained that I mixed up her payment with someone else’s.
She just laughs and says she never noticed.
I would of thought nothing of it if she hadn’t messaged me the times her bank has delayed the payments showing in her account.

I will point out, these are genuine mistakes, not honesty tests!

[Dobopdidoo1]

Ah well if she says she didn’t notice then you know she’s lying.

[Boffin90]

Yes it’s arguable that she thinks it’s a bonus but I personally would question any overpayments to myself without presumption.
Why would she think an extra £50 is a bonus though?
Same again with an advanced payment? Surely common sense would prevail and an advanced payment would be discussed.

[Justbookedasummmerholiday]

Cleaner here.
I only get bank statements every 3 months so I wouldn't have noticed extra cash tbh.
How is she dishonest because you messed up your payments?

[Boffin90]

It’s a tricky one. It doesn’t sit right with me but I have posted to see if it is something others would consider odd, not just me.

[Boffin90]

Just booked,
My response to that is she is accepting money she isn’t entitled to. If a bank or workplace over pays you it doesn’t make you entitled to it.

[Justbookedasummmerholiday]

Maybe she thought you had just paid her extra? One of my customers decided to add an extra fiver, when I realised and mentioned it's she said she wanted to give me fuel money on top of wages.

[Boffin90]

Freudianslurp,
A very interesting statement. 2 mistakes in 2 years! I am human!

[PaddysMarket]

I'm a cleaner and if someone overpaid me I'd message them and transfer the extra back. I feel bad that one client refuses his change and that's only £2 per week.

[Heckneck]

Why not just ask for it back or pay less next time.

[MsGameandWatching]

You're making her responsible for your mistakes. Don't make mistakes with other people's money.

[timeforabrewnow]

Hmm - I'd be a bit more careful with payments and not be accusing someone of dubious morals because you made a mistake (not once, but twice).

Seems a bit rich

[Boffin90]

Ok, 2 mistakes. One where I mixed her payment up with the gardeners payment and the second was around the anniversary of my sons death from Cancer.
Pardon me, but I challenge you not to have your head in the clouds at times!
Humans make mistakes. Mistakes occur!

I think the difference is when I discover mistakes either made by myself or to myself, I don’t keep my mouth closed. I fess up and apologise.

This lady is treated very well.
£60 for 5 hours work.
I double her pay at Xmas and Easter and buy birthday/Xmas presents for her and her children.... the point of this statement is that if she has a bonus there is always a note in a card thanking her and explaining the extra.

Perhaps I just think differently to others but an extra £50 I personally would mention and say “look you have put in an extra £50 this week, did you realise?”

This seems more about hammering me for 2 mistakes (never left the lady without her money)

[Chewbecca]

I think it is a bit mean to doubt her honesty solely based on her not spotting your mistakes. Do you have any other reason to doubt her honesty?

It is quite feasible that she doesn't carefully check her statements or that the amounts are correct, maybe she just checks that each of her employers has made some sort of payment, rather than the value.

[Dobopdidoo1]

I think your getting a bit of a hard time here OP.

I also find it hard to believe that she wouldn’t have noticed £110 in her account instead of £60.

[Raraolala]

Sometimes I head to cash machine and check my balance, if it's slightly higher than expected I just assume I didn't spend as much as I thought I had and smile. If it's less I'd run through in my head how much I thought it should be and check my online banking. It's easy to do! If it was a lot higher than I expected I'd probably check bank but £50 I wouldn't.

[Bumblina]

does she get a wage slip with a breakdown of her hours and pay?
I dont get a wage slip very often and work different hours each month so my pay varies.i just see the amount in my bank account, if its not there i chase him, and chase up my boss for the wage slip which he normally sends me a couple of months later! I don't think you should automatically assume she is dishonest.