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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to pay cleaner half wages if they couldn't get in.

237 replies

couchparsnip · 27/04/2025 12:03

We have a brilliant cleaner who we don't want to lose but I am not sure what the done thing is here and what she would consider fair.
She was due to clean last week while we were on holiday, so we have a key safe so she can get in.

Unfortunately my friend, who was feeding the cat, forgot to replace the key in the safe. So my cleaner arrived but was unable to get in. My friend was at work so couldn't come round with the key.
I need to compensate the cleaner for her wasted time but do I give her the full 3 hrs or 1.5 hours.
She probably spent 15 mins trying to get in and phoning me plus travel time of about 30 mins there and back.
She's employed by an agency and I pay her directly. The agency provides cover if she's sick etc.
Should I cover what she was expecting to earn or just compensate for the wasted time plus a bit extra?

You are being unreasonable - pay her the whole amount
You are not being unreasonable - pay her half

OP posts:

TheRubyPoet · 04/05/2025 16:46

Your DH is a dick for thinking you should just pay her half. It shows a sexist attitude towards women's work. Bet he wouldn't think he could just give a plumber half pay if he was waiting outside and couldn't get in.

Cariadm · 04/05/2025 16:11

Is this a serious question because if so I can't imagine how you manage to get through the day if you don't instinctively know the right thing to do! 🙄

MellowCoralPlayer · 04/05/2025 09:28

JifNtGif · 27/04/2025 12:42

I wouldn't be happy if I was an employee and I would be in the right. However, if I was on a zero hours contract I would be resigned to it. Also I would have some free time to look for more work.

Show quote history

Imagine if everyone she worked for did this. They could just change their minds daily after she'd got there and she'd be turned away at the door. She'd be broke. So that's why she'd drop anyone who plays this sort of game. Then they'd be out of a good cleaner due to their own tightness and stupidity.

Washingupdone · 04/05/2025 09:22

It wasn’t her fault, therefore you should pay, it’s her livelihood.
If you hadn’t respected me by paying me fully and I was offered another place to clean would take it, as I wouldn’t have any loyalty towards you.

TheRubyPoet · 04/05/2025 09:17

How could you possibly blame her and expect her to take half pay? Crazy.

Arancia · 04/05/2025 08:43

couchparsnip · 27/04/2025 12:53

I think I worded this wrong and made myself look like the idiot! DH thinks we should just pay for her wasted time, I think we should pay her in full. I will show him this poll and do what I wanted to do. Thanks x

But her whole time was wasted, because she had no way of booking in another job. So, your husband is not wrong in that you need to pay her for her wasted time - it's just that her wasted time = all of the hours she'd booked you in.

You need to pay her the full amount.

Xmasbaby11 · 04/05/2025 08:06

Full amount. Not her fault she couldn’t do her job.

Buzzingabout · 04/05/2025 08:04

of course you must pay her in full. Things happens.She should not lose valuable money when it was not her fault she could not clean. I would have had a third spare key and given that to her anyway as the neighbour forgetting key was a fifty percent chance of happening. Bite the bullet and pay. And apologise for her wasting her time.

Vye1988 · 28/04/2025 22:42

Shocking! You do realise the cleaner if she knew in advance could have booked other work, they have no option for that now. It's like people who don't bother cancelling appointments with hairdressers who are baffled why they are charged a cancellation fee or not offered another appointment. If you go to work tomorrow and there is an issue with access and you are sent home. Should they only pay you half pay or worse time wasted via travel etc. I am sure the cleaner would prefer to work and be paid in full than waste their time and not be compensated. Ridiculous to suggest they should just be happy they have a few hours free!

CinnamonBuns67 · 28/04/2025 14:37

You should pay her full amount. She turned up to work, not her fault she couldn't access the property.

Londonrach1 · 28/04/2025 14:34

Full amount. You can't even think of paying a penny less!

Slawit · 28/04/2025 14:32

Has anyone found a thread on here from the 2% that say You are NOT been unreasonable?

commonsense61 · 28/04/2025 03:07

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

republicofjam · 27/04/2025 20:46

JifNtGif · 27/04/2025 12:45

I would assume that OP doesn't have an employment contract with cleaner.

Show quote history

I would assume from your comments that you are unfamiliar with the concept of common decency.

Zone2NorthLondon · 27/04/2025 18:11

Cleaner allocated you a time slot making her unavailable for earning potential anywhere else, you pay her fully. She can’t be expected to lose income because you friend denied her access

steff13 · 27/04/2025 18:06

Exasperated24 · 27/04/2025 12:06

I can’t believe this is even a question 🤦‍♀️

Yeah, same.

Presumably you budgeted to pay her for the full amount and she likewise was counting on earning the whole amount so I think you just give it to her. If I had to go into my office and the door was locked I couldn't get in so they told me to go home they would still pay me for the day.

Iwiicit · 27/04/2025 18:06

100% your fault therefore you pay 100%. Then you apologise for the inconvenience you have caused.

Zone2NorthLondon · 27/04/2025 18:04

She allocated the time,turned up and your friend incompetence meant she couldn’t access to work her shift .Pay her fully

BrillantBriony · 27/04/2025 17:50

You should pay her in full. We pay our cleaner even she is on holiday. We value our cleaner and don’t want to loose her.

godmum56 · 27/04/2025 17:46

couchparsnip · 27/04/2025 12:53

does he not understand that all the time she should have been at yours was wasted? She can't just get another job to fill that time so she is out of pocket.

CamillaMacauley · 27/04/2025 17:43

Can afford a holiday. Doesn’t pay for professional pet care. Quibbling about a couple of hours pay for a cleaner. It’s not a good look.

PurpleThistle7 · 27/04/2025 17:35

This seems super obvious to me. It’s not like she could quickly get another job, she’d set aside the time for you. Absolutely pay her - and apologise!

JunkShopper · 27/04/2025 17:31

The point is not how much time it took her to get to yours and go home again. The point is that she'd reserved three hours (plus travel time) for working at yours, and that's time she couldn't be working elsewhere. It's not like having not been able to get in, she could just magic up three hours work somewhere else instantly.

I'm self employed in a similar situation (regular weekly hours for regular clients) and I'm always surprised when people need this explained to them.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 27/04/2025 17:24

SmudgeButt · 27/04/2025 16:49

Pay her the full amount and tell your friend that she's got to give you the money. Or at least a portion.

Hi friend, thanks so much for taking care of my pet for me (rather than making me pay full price for a registered pet sitter), however after your innocent human error that harmed nobody il now charge YOU rather than pay my cleaner myself.

Yeah that’s not absolutely CF territory at all.

TwentyKittens · 27/04/2025 17:23

couchparsnip · 27/04/2025 12:53

Well her wasted time is 3 hours, so she gets paid for 3 hours.

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