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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:
AffIt · 14/10/2024 16:27

No matter how efficient you are, it isn't possible to do two hours of work in 30 minutes, unless she's found a way to bend the laws of space and time.

She has either over-estimated, in which case I would give her the opportunity to revise, or she's taking the piss, which I think is the more likely scenario.

Frozensnow · 14/10/2024 16:25

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?

The final time she did half an hour?! I wouldn’t have handed the money over. If you’re paying for 2 hours then she should clean for 2 hours. Surely she can’t have achieved much at all in 30 mins

threeunrelatedwords · 14/10/2024 16:23

Fire her, she’s taking the piss.

Scutterbug · 14/10/2024 16:23

Is she doing a decent job? I can’t imagine she gets much done in half an hour?

Gretagarbaled · 14/10/2024 16:23

Nah, she's taking you for a fool. If the work takes 90 minutes then she gets paid 90 mins, nature of self employed work when you charge by the hour. If she wants paid for 2 hours then she needs to work for 2 hours. She can either slow down or do other cleaning tasks.
Maybe easier employing someone who speaks the same language if that's the issue.

Dozycuntlaters · 14/10/2024 16:22

So she cleaned for half an hour but charged you for two? And you just handed over the money? Why didnt you tell her you know she has only been there 30 minutes?

AlertCat · 14/10/2024 16:21

Is she doing all the work you would expect to be done? Maybe see it in terms of the job rather than the time…

ShowerOfShites · 14/10/2024 16:19

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.

Leave her be then.

It's clearly job and finish with her, she doesn't need to be watering your plants just because she works quickly and efficiently.

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