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Original poster

Our cleaner charges more hours than she actually spends working

58 replies

Hocuspoc · 14/10/2024 16:17

We hired a cleaner recently to help out, it is not much work but she made a judgement she will need 2 hours a week, and I said OK. Previous ond needed 2 hours every fortnight but ok ..
She doesn't speak english well, but she has someone translating on the chat when we were agreeing the timing/price.
Anyway, first time she worked for 2 hours and we payed 2timesX.
She then ask if she can come in not exactly at 1pm but some time between 12 and 1 as she finishes previous flat early sometimes and I said yes.
And then it began. She would come at say 12:45 and then comes 1:30 she would say I'm done, and when I ask - ok so how much for today - she goes: 2 hours so 2timesX
I was like OK, maybe she thinks she started at 12:30 I will make a point of it next time.
Next time she comes say 12:40 and I go, ok it is 12:40 now here are the mops etc... she again finishes early and says 2 hours.
My husband had a theory where he thinks maybe she rounds it up to the closest hour (which is odd because it is not like there is nothing else to fill out 15 mins - she could have watered the plants or ask me what can she do).

And then finally last time she started 12:45 and at 1:15 she said she is done, started packing and said - 2 hours for today.

I don't know how to resolve this. On one side she is really doing great job at what she actually gets done, she is professional and quiet too - no chitchat which I hate. So I don't want to let her go.
But I also feel she takes me for a fool. Am I being unreasonable here?

OP posts:
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Original poster
Hocuspoc · 15/10/2024 08:56

Honestly I would not be bothered by 5-10 mins, but 15 became a standard, and then leaving 30 mins earlier last time... I see where some of you are coming from - what I asked is done, but why keep charging 2 hours if that is hour and half worth of work for her. I can definitely find another task or two - not to fill the time per se, but because I thought she can't fit in the oven or the fridge in the time allocated - but she obviously can. Wiping windows too... And I am paying for that time..

OP posts:
Viviennemary · 15/10/2024 05:48

She is a cheeky waste of space and a chancer. Get rid of her. All cleaners can finish thd odd five or ten minutes early but if they've done a good job it isn't an issue. Your cleaner is really bad if the times you gave are correct..

andfinallyhereweare · 15/10/2024 05:36

I never monitored my cleaners hours- the price is the price. I prefer to have someone I trust and like, than micromanage and quibble with.

autienotnaughty · 15/10/2024 04:35

If it's taking 90 minutes I'd give her more tasks.

daisychain01 · 15/10/2024 01:06

Hocuspoc · 14/10/2024 20:45

I will try this! Although one time she finished early I mentioned the floor I usually don't ask to be wiped and she puffed away. Did it but really not well and rushed too...

Show quote history

why bother trying, she's never going to work out with an attitude like that.

Replace her with someone who actually has the motivation to do more than the bare minimum. It really isn't difficult,

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 14/10/2024 21:06

When she arrives, have a clock to hand and tell her when 2 hours ends. If she finishes early just pay her for the time she has worked. She's not stupid but she thinks you are.

Original poster
Hocuspoc · 14/10/2024 20:45

sarahzbaker · 14/10/2024 20:21

I said to my cleaner. You don't just say it's all done. You ask what else is necessary
Please clean a shelf in the fridge, Sweep cobwebs away - with an extender duster, pull the furniture out and clean behind.
Pay for two hours, you should expect two hours work.
Think up thing you'd like to be done
If your English isn't that good, translate on Google and write it /print it out
She's taking the pee

I will try this! Although one time she finished early I mentioned the floor I usually don't ask to be wiped and she puffed away. Did it but really not well and rushed too...

OP posts:
Thunderlegs · 14/10/2024 20:36

Next time you say in a bright voice, 'Great you're here. It's 12.40 now so you'll be finished at 2.40.' Leave it hanging as a statement. Personally I couldn't be bothered by the bad time keeping - that's a stress in itself - and would find someone else

Foundanotherwrinkle · 14/10/2024 20:25

Don't ask her how much, you tell her how much. Write down her start and finish times and say half hour, £10. Thanks!

sarahzbaker · 14/10/2024 20:21

I said to my cleaner. You don't just say it's all done. You ask what else is necessary
Please clean a shelf in the fridge, Sweep cobwebs away - with an extender duster, pull the furniture out and clean behind.
Pay for two hours, you should expect two hours work.
Think up thing you'd like to be done
If your English isn't that good, translate on Google and write it /print it out
She's taking the pee

daisychain01 · 14/10/2024 20:18

I don't know how to resolve this.

honestly, just get rid. The woman can't count and she's trying to scam you into paying her 2 hours when she's done 45 mins. Surely you get that?

Heavier · 14/10/2024 20:11

I’ve had quite a few cleaners and most do this. As long as you are happy with the amount she does for the money you pay, I wouldn’t worry about if she completes it more quickly than the allocated time. Good cleaners are hard to find.

Jesslouisep · 14/10/2024 20:03

Hocuspoc · 14/10/2024 16:17

We hired a cleaner recently to help out, it is not much work but she made a judgement she will need 2 hours a week, and I said OK. Previous ond needed 2 hours every fortnight but ok ..
She doesn't speak english well, but she has someone translating on the chat when we were agreeing the timing/price.
Anyway, first time she worked for 2 hours and we payed 2timesX.
She then ask if she can come in not exactly at 1pm but some time between 12 and 1 as she finishes previous flat early sometimes and I said yes.
And then it began. She would come at say 12:45 and then comes 1:30 she would say I'm done, and when I ask - ok so how much for today - she goes: 2 hours so 2timesX
I was like OK, maybe she thinks she started at 12:30 I will make a point of it next time.
Next time she comes say 12:40 and I go, ok it is 12:40 now here are the mops etc... she again finishes early and says 2 hours.
My husband had a theory where he thinks maybe she rounds it up to the closest hour (which is odd because it is not like there is nothing else to fill out 15 mins - she could have watered the plants or ask me what can she do).

And then finally last time she started 12:45 and at 1:15 she said she is done, started packing and said - 2 hours for today.

I don't know how to resolve this. On one side she is really doing great job at what she actually gets done, she is professional and quiet too - no chitchat which I hate. So I don't want to let her go.
But I also feel she takes me for a fool. Am I being unreasonable here?

I would probably suggest to her she cuts down to an hour a week!

PointsSouth · 14/10/2024 20:01

Don't pay by the hour. Make it a fixed price job.

Make a list and say, 'I'll pay you X to do this lot. Ought to take a couple of hours, but if you can do it in five minutes, Mary Poppins, good for you'

LiesDoNotBecomeUs · 14/10/2024 19:58

Do you feel that the work she does is worth the money you pay?

If when she finishes early she hasn't done a good job- perhaps you need to tell her or rethink her employment.

If happy with the work- then you don't need to make a thing about hours .

How long she takes doesn't matter. Would you really feel happier if she took 2 hours to do the same amount of work?

mugglewump · 14/10/2024 19:54

If she works like a Duracell bunny and gets the place done well, does it matter how log it takes? Surely, you pay her to clean x rooms and if that is done in less time that your previous cleaner, you still have two hours worth of cleaning done. Would you prefer someone who cleaned really slowly, but took the full time?

cansu · 14/10/2024 19:47

I think you should ask her if she would prefer to work 1.5 hours as she seems to be completing the clean in less time than she originally quoted or would it be better for you to make a list of extra jobs she can do if she has time left over on her two hours?

Original poster
Hocuspoc · 14/10/2024 19:46

cardibach · 14/10/2024 17:25

She would come at say 12:45 and then comes 1:30 she would say I'm done, and when I ask - ok so how much for today - she goes: 2 hours so 2timesX. I was like OK, maybe she thinks she started at 12:30 I will make a point of it next time.
Your times don’t make sense @Hocuspoc
Even if she thought she started at 12.30 by your timings that’s only an hour. Did you mean she started at 11.45? Or finished at 2.30?
I think this is confusing people, because the next pair of t8mes you give are only half an hour apart

Yes I was a typo, it was from 12:45 to 2:15. So hour and a half!

OP posts:
Magicmonster · 14/10/2024 19:46

We had this issue. We spoke to the cleaners and said we can see you are finished in less time so we will just reduce our hours going forward and have you for 3 hours rather than 4.

Itsalonelyplace · 14/10/2024 19:44

Gremling · 14/10/2024 17:24

This is why I no longer have cleaners.

Same

BirthdayRainbow · 14/10/2024 19:41

I worked as a nanny where they had a cleaner. Somehow the mum must have worked out the cleaner wasn't doing her full time. She went out before cleaner arrived and came back while cleaner should have been still there. She was not. Mum said I can cut your hours if you prefer. Cleaner decided she'd work what she was meant to.

Get some self respect and tell her no, you won't pay her for two hours work when you've done less than. Add up all the time she's not worked and tell her she either starts working the full two hours, or you'll sue her for the money back. You don't have to sue her. I doubt you'd manage that. Sensible would be to cut her to the time you want and stop letting people dictate to you. ".but ok".

StormingNorman · 14/10/2024 19:36

You’re asking MN where you pay for output not time.

If she finished two hours of work in 90 minutes, she’s worth the same amount of money.

Original poster
Hocuspoc · 14/10/2024 19:34

I am sorry for the typo in my post - last time she worked for 90 mins not 30. The thing is it is 30 mins less than agreed. And she never stayed longer it is always shorter.

OP posts:
bows101 · 14/10/2024 18:21

Would you pay the same price (cleaners where I am are about £15 a hour so let's say £30) £30 for 30 minutes? If you are happy with that, then leave it. However if you agreed an hourly rate she should really get £7.50 which I'm sure she would be less impressed with!

PassingStranger · 14/10/2024 18:12

What's the hourly charge?

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