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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To fire my new cleaner this quickly?

31 replies

Askingadvice100 · 30/01/2025 19:50

I was offered more hours at work at the end of last year and so decided with my husband that with some of the extra money I’d be earning we would invest in a cleaner to come once a fortnight for 3hrs to help with housework. Found a lady who is part of the same school community as me although didnt know her personally and agreed that she would come for 3hrs every other Wednesday. The first Wed she came just before Christmas and cleaned the house, and before she left I logged into my bank so that I could set her up in my account and make sure I could pay her for that day and going forward. I looked round the house after she left and she had mostly done a good job, although the kitchen wasn’t brilliant, but didn’t think too much of it as it was the first time she had cleaned and I’m realistic that you probably can’t get through everything perfect in only 3 hrs and felt sure she would rotate her focus each time and get to know the house better etc. She also didn’t like my steam mop so I said I would buy a traditional mop for her next visit. Two weeks later was Christmas so it was 4 weeks before her next visit. She messaged to say she couldn’t do the Wednesday but could she do Tuesday afternoon instead. I said fine, I would be at work but husband working from home so no problem. When I got in husband said she had been but not stayed quite the full 3 hrs, and the place looked like it had been cleaned, but quite a few areas that were a bit sloppy. For example she had cleaned the shower screen but obviously not the tiles on the wall of the shower which still had some dirty marks on them. The floor had been mopped but the odd area where there was a bit more stubborn dirt hadn’t been thoroughly removed even though she had used the new mop. I messaged in the evening to say thank you and that I had paid. Two weeks later brings us to this week. She messaged again to say she couldn’t do Wednesday and would be there at 11 on Tues. luckily H was working at home again. He rang me at 11:45 to double check when she was coming as she hadn’t arrived. She arrived just after 12 and said sorry she’d had car trouble. She cleaned and then left after only 2hrs 40mins. Again the house looked like it has been cleaned but wasn’t perfect, she certainly wouldn’t have run out of things to do! She then messaged before I had even finished work to ask that I pay her.
So AIBU to think this really isn’t working out and look for another cleaner? I mean if I pay her for 3 hrs she should give me 3hrs work right? I don’t expect her to work like a robot for the entire time but I do expect her to spend the time I’m paying her for?! Being flaky on days and times isn’t ideal either as can’t guarantee my husband won’t have to go to the office or in a meeting.
Also the message she sent asking me to pay her has pissed me off a bit. I mean if I am being generous maybe she really needed the money quickly to pay for the car repairs, but it left a bit of a sour taste in the mouth given that I had paid so promptly the first two times. My husband says we should give her a couple more cleans before we make the decision. She is a very nice lady and I completely trust her to be in the house which is obviously an important factor. What do you think?
If you are still reading thanks for getting to the end of this long post 🤣

OP posts:
BeLilacSloth · 30/01/2025 20:37

Get rid. She sounds awful.

Wanderdust · 30/01/2025 20:21

Wanderdust · 30/01/2025 20:18

I was in a similar situation. How big is your house? And what does she clean? Apologies if you've already said in further posts! I started to suspect that I was asking ours to do too much in the space of 3 hrs, to the standard I was expecting - sure she could just about get round it all but similar to you, quite a lot missed or half arsed! I repeatedly asked her if it was too much, and was happy to be more flexible. I also thought that, like you, she'd just focus on different areas each time (if she wasn't too thorough in some areas on the previous visit). But no, she just kept saying it was fine and that our house wasn't that dirty! In the end, it was the lack of transparency and communication that led me to get a different person in! It was awkward and I felt bad but it was the right decision as new cleaner works super hard and does everything to a high standard in the 3 hours!

This might be a good way to play it, if you're feeling awkward (even if I didn't get the answer I wanted!). You could try asking if you're being reasonable in expecting x number of rooms clean in 3 hours? That way it doesn't sound like you're criticising...

Wanderdust · 30/01/2025 20:18

I was in a similar situation. How big is your house? And what does she clean? Apologies if you've already said in further posts! I started to suspect that I was asking ours to do too much in the space of 3 hrs, to the standard I was expecting - sure she could just about get round it all but similar to you, quite a lot missed or half arsed! I repeatedly asked her if it was too much, and was happy to be more flexible. I also thought that, like you, she'd just focus on different areas each time (if she wasn't too thorough in some areas on the previous visit). But no, she just kept saying it was fine and that our house wasn't that dirty! In the end, it was the lack of transparency and communication that led me to get a different person in! It was awkward and I felt bad but it was the right decision as new cleaner works super hard and does everything to a high standard in the 3 hours!

eightIsNewNine · 30/01/2025 20:16

If you don't say anything about the time & cleaning standards, it won't magically improve itself. If you say something, there is a chance, or you will have your confirmation it doesn't work.

Fynoderee · 30/01/2025 20:10

You trust her but she’s already undercut your time so in that respect, she isn’t very trustworthy.
I would always do a long deep clean the first time i clean for a client so everything is up together so perhaps she should have suggested that. However, she appears to have time left over so she could be using that to clean better.

Is she actually a cleaner or just someone doing it cash in hand here and there?

I would mention the time issue. See what she says. Go from there. But, if I paid by the hour, I’d want the full time - I charge per job, not hourly. Some days I’m super quick, other days I take longer - client still gets the same clean as we agree what will be achieved each time

RoastDinnerSmellsNice · 30/01/2025 20:07

Well having someone you feel you can trust is a major plus OP, however the constant changing of days and times would annoy me. Also the fact that some of the work appears slap dash, particularly as she's not doing her full 3 hours. I think perhaps you need to have a conversation with her if you want to keep her. Say something like my husband noticed that when you came on (whatever day) you didn't stay the full 3 hours, and I've also noticed that some jobs aren't being done quite as thoroughly as I like them to be, so in future, rather than rushing so that you can get away early, would you please make sure you do each job properly, and only finish when you've done the 3 hours. If she gets narky /defensive, then you'll just have to tell her that it seems you're not compatible, so perhaps it's better if you call it quits on the arrangement.