Our cleaner got offended

You are technically right, but housekeepers do what they do and if you dare to ask them to adjust it at all - or god forbid criticise them, be prepared to have your keys returned! Just pray that they haven’t sold a set to professional burglars before they return them. Cleaners also prefer to work when you’re out of the house and generally do a better job.

We've got a wonderful cleaner who gets shit done.

Some weeks she's done a little early (maybe takes 1 hour 50 mins instead of 2 hours), but the house is spotless so it's not an issue.

We've had a CF cleaner before who would leave sometimes 40-50 mins early, and there were still things to be cleaned. No thanks.

She thinks you are rich and too soft.. So pushing your boundaries.. easy money

YANBU

I would suggest you get a new cleaner.

I used an agency once - never, ever again. The "staff" were all self-employed, which in principle I have no issue with, however, they earned a pittance really, so I never felt I could expect a lot from them for what I was told to pay them. Then again, most self-employed cleaners seem to have no trouble at all finding their own clients and don't need to go to an agency, so the fact that some do is "interesting", to say the least.

The agency were totally disinterested in managing the people they sent, to the point where I couldn't see what I was paying the agency fee for, other than for finding me someone...even that became impossible after the third person they sent me seemingly disappeared into thin air.

I got more consistency when I used a big-name franchise who employed all of their staff, but I never saw the same people twice, and the quality of the cleaning was very, very low for the very, very high price I was charged. I persevered with that one until I found someone who came recommended, because at least they always turned up.

I’ve given up on cleaners. I used an agency last time and it was still a bloody nightmare, just more expensive. Leaving early, not doing basic stuff just being generally useless. Last time I got help because I was caring for my dying father. It was supposed to be helping me but it just caused me more stress.

My cleaner started leaving early. I said would it be better if we reduced the time? She stopped leaving early

That's what I am doing now, and frankly I'd rather have someone to do the cleaning than I would the money I am saving.

You could always clean your own home and save money problem solved.

It's better to have a dusty, slightly dirty house than to deal with all this horseshit OP.

We had one like that, first 2 times, amazing then not so good clean, leaving early, getting a friend to pop round instead (!) Another nattered endlessly and still wanted to be paid for all time, although agreed not much cleaning done!

Your cleaner is getting the job done quicker but has increased her hourly rate by leaving early. A list is fine, but you might have to let her go.

But if she has finished and it's a fab job, no point hiding upstairs for 30 mins:)

If I had a cleaner that turned up, did the job, didn't try and chat endlessly to avoid cleaning, they could leave a bit early. Trouble is, the standard of work drops off. Ime.

I don't have a cleaner at the moment as I can just about manage, although I do miss my last cleaner dreadfully. Over the years I feel like I've had the lot - I've had people cash-in-hand who cleaned on the side, I've had cleaning companies (both small companies and franchises of big-brands), I've paid by the hour, and I've paid by the job.

Some people cleaned well, some didn't. Some were reliable. Many weren't. Ultimately, I preferred someone who worked alone, and my last cleaner was a god-send, as he worked alone but very much ran his service as a business. He provided everything to clean with, it was the same price every time (I remember well him telling me explicitly at the start that he did not charge for his time, but for the quality of his work). He was on the pricier side, but worth every single penny.

He also only came from word-of-mouth (he was a friend of a friend, which is how I came to know him). I know this sounds arrogant, but he always seemed "too good" to be doing that sort of job - I think he just enjoyed working alone- although all good things must come to an end, and eventually he went back to education as a mature student to retrain for something else altogether. He came to me for over fourteen years and I swear he was a mind reader when it came to cleaning my house - I never knew what he did, I just trusted him to come and do it. Since he finished about 18 months ago, I've noticed all the nooks & crannies that are getting dirtier & dirtier - he used to be on top of all of that.

The stress of finding someone else, and known he set the bar very high has meant I can't face getting anyone else in yet.

I find it very difficult too. I've list 2 cleaners who took umbrage when I asked them to tell me next time they weren't going to show up.

One was here for 2 hours and in that time only cleaned the shower tiles. Literally that was all she did, just wafted about and still got paid.

One invoiced me for £167 for a 3 hour clean. Another tried to charge me 10 hours when she had done 5.

Our current person is often found sitting at the kitchen table on her phone. She misses random things every time, for example last time didn't clean the toilet.

All these women have cried poverty to me and I just don't understand why these situations arise.

A self clearing out cleaner, very good. I don't know why so many work like this, it can't be good for business.

I think these cleaners rely on you feeling a bit guilty about having a cleaner. She doesn't respect you and she took the piss because she thought she could get away with it.

They're not doing you a favour cleaning your house because you're paying them. You're not doing them a favour by paying them because they're doing a job. No guilt or awkwardness required and being upfront about expectations re: tasks, quality and timekeeping shows respect on both sides.

Maybe next time agree on how long it should take for a clean and also agree on you providing a list of as and when tasks that they can do to make up to the hours when it's been an easy week.

Nothing wrong with charging by the hour, and nothing wrong either with making a list of jobs which will fill the time - the issue here is that you've got another pisstaker who didn't appreciate you making it clear you'd noticed

Once they've shown this attitude there's no point at all in continuing, so just tell her she's no longer required and look elsewhere

In this sort of situation I'd probably ask her to do deep clean tasks (such as wipe skirting boards or cupboard doors) or something like ironing or changing the sheets.

Did you arrange by time or jobs? I have someone come and, (as long as the jobs are done) i don't mind how long she takes. Sometimes I think things are rushed, but other times she does things I don't think about, so it all evens out in the end.

How are you finding these people? 🤣

Go on NextDoor or the Mums’ FB page for your area (there will be one, just search for it) and ask for cleaner recommendations. They most certainly aren’t hard to find, and most are fairly decent (although really good ones are rare). Sounds like pretty much anything would be an improvement on your current situation, through.

No, I would love a good regular cleaner but I think they are too hard to find.

I’d replace her. I wouldn’t be having someone storm around my house.

@ExhaustedHousewife

I know. I don't want to be a stalkerish person and say "I watched you on the Ring camera and you started at X and finished at X".

I'm just going to say what a previous poster has said below and say I'm going to do it myself going forward after Christmas.

She messaged me last week wanting me to confirm I wanted my weekly cleans running up to Christmas, I said "actually, could I skip one for XYZ reasons" and she replied basically saying she had held the spot for me and turned down other work because I'm her regular and she didn't bank on me saying I couldn't have a clean that week 🫣

I was a bit stunned as why would you ask if someone still wanted something and then be in a huff when they said no? I've never cancelled on her previously either.

I ended up still having her and paying due to her reaction 🤦🏻‍♀️