Am I being a total cow?

I don’t get why people are comparing to schools or hospitals. If she wanted to work in a hospital or school she would have.
Also she could refuse to work if it’s too hot and the hospital would have to manage it, change hours etc.
But she is self employed, she can pick and choose on when she wants to work.

No, I made massive changes to my home after ending up in hospital through overheating but hooray for missing the point as usual.

People who are currently cooking in their homes almost always - but not always - have options to improve the situation whether it's throwing a sheet over the outside of your windows, sticking tinfoil to the glass or paying more money for more expensive options to shade a home and garden.

Or be like my immediate neighbours - leave all the windows open all day with curtains open then whine that the house is hotter than the outdoors. But they won't change a thing.

If she had been good then what she’s asking is not unreasonable.
And good cleaners are hard to find.

You said she is refusing to work.. 'imagine if everyone did that'.

But she isn't 'refusing to work', she isn't an employee like the people you keep referring to, she has a contract with her client with set terms and conditions, and she is changing the terms of that contract as is her right.. she could just as easily say she will no longer work on Tuesdays, that isn't 'refusing to work'.

Her client is free to look for someone else if the terms no longer suit her.

If she worked in a hospital or school as an employee she would have no choice but to continue working so your point is .. pointless.

This. You need a service, she is not providing so totally fair to go for someone else who will. She knows the risks when she made the rule.

Neither of you are bringing unreasonable, there could be any number of reasons why she's less able to regulate her temperature and that's fair enough. So are your needs however so if that means you need to find another cleaner, then that's just the way it goes.

She is absolutely nuts. Get a new cleaner.

To be fair, I wouldn't say employees generally give much of a toss about their employers either. Most employment relationships are transactional, employees work for pay, and employers pay for the work. Some workplaces build genuine loyalty and mutual respect which is great and we should strive for that, but I don't think it's fair to assume either side universally cares deeply about the other because thats not really realistic or appropriate for a work environment.

I also don't think most people work their fingers to the bone because they believe it'll bring them happiness. The reality is that most of us work because we need to earn a living, pay the bills, support our families, and build a future.
If self-employment works for you thats great as it can offer more freedom and control over the work you take on. But it comes with downsides too. You have to account for sickness, annual leave, pensions, periods without work, and the lack of an employer's safety net.

Like most things in life, every choice has its benefits and its trade-offs. Neither employment nor self-employment is inherently better, it depends on what suits the individual.

Go with someone else

I expect she doesn't get paid if she doesn't come in.

So just get in an agency cleaner, it may not be today but you may find someone for Monday.

who said she wasn't allowed to choose? Yes, she is choosing to REFUSE to work. Good for her if she has the luxury to do so.

Perfectly valid choice, but it doesn't change that it's not such a hardship to work as a cleaner when it's hot, and it's a good thing cleaners employed in, again, schools, hospitals keep going.

Yes, I would get a new cleaner if mine did this. I don't have time for things like that. She's NBU to operate her business how she wants to, but it wouldn't work for me.

Yeah, that’s not on. Isn’t she instead asking to work early and and later on instead? Your house sounds quite well set up too for this weather and better than some of her other clients I’m sure! She’ll lose clients and have less income as a result of this, but her call 🤷‍♀️

It’s a business, your choice and you aren’t a cow- she isn’t providing the service you need- especially as you are recovering from an op. Sack her and get a new cleaner.

I think you are blind to the realities that others face with the difficulties of keeping their homes cool. Well done to you though, keeping your home comfortable and telling everybody about it.

I would look for another cleaner

She's self employed and she can make this choice. It's the beauty of being self employed if you can afford it.
I'm a bit on the fence about whether it's very professional or not but if getting a good cleaner is as hard in your area as it is here, then I'd suck it up and go with it.

I’m with others in that probably time to move on.

i have a lovely lady who has some health issues and we have an open dialogue - a couple of the days she hasn’t felt able to do my place and that’s fine. Other days she has. Weirdly she did the hottest days but some of the cooler ones she just couldn’t manage. But a blanket rule of over 25 is just arbitrary - sometimes there’s a breeze, sometimes not. That makes me feel she’s just being unreasonable and yes, in june - august temps over 25 most days are normal

Her rules are fine, and you sacking her as a result is also fine.

As you are unable to fulfill your duties, I will be terminating your contract and employing someone else. Thank you for your service.

You may find she changes her mind. If not, get a new cleaner.

I'm well aware - I live in Cornwall, in a South facing, 1970s mid terrace, surrounded by hot tarmac. I have blinds, curtains, shade sails, ceiling fans and a militant approach to opening and closing doors and windows. It's working but it's been a long slog to get to this point.

Anyway, OPs cleaner obviously makes enough income not to work on a nice day, so that's her choice. OP also has a choice to use someone less flaky.

Imagine if everybody refused to work, refuse to clean schools, hospitals and places that REALLY should have air con or more protection against the heat.

She isn't refusing to work, she is choosing not to and letting her clients know, as a self employed person who can make those choices for herself, she knows the choices may mean that she loses clients, but she obviously isn't concerned about that.

My attitude around work changed a lot around lockdown.. because it had been ingrained in me that my health and happiness revolved around working my fingers to the bone, for someone who ultimately doesn't give a toss about me as an employee. I do feel for the people stuck in that life with employers who couldn't care less, but I've made my choice now to be self employed. It doesn't make me lesser of a person to pick and choose what I'm prepared to do and what conditions I'm prepared to work in, I still work really hard for my clients, but on my terms.

OP by all means look for a new cleaner, if the arrangement isn't working for you, it's not working, but I can't fault her one bit.

Yes, but not all homes are made the same. I was just in Windermere. The temp outside was 25 but the room that we were in, was 28 and that’s with fans etc.

It depends on so much. If it’s an old stone home or a new build with lots of insulation. If it’s a detached house of a flat. If there’s a loft conversion, if the main windows of the home are facing N/E/S/W. How many windows and the size of them.
There's too many variables to say that just by closing the curtains and putting on a fan means that you can keep the temp comfortable. Many people do this and it’s still too hot.

Sorry, this is nonsense, I know people in the UK are unused to the heat, but Its not 25 degrees inside your house with fans & portable A/C.
How do people survive in Southern Europe. ? Its currently 27 degrees inside my house as I type, with A/C on ! Its hot, but I would happily do the cleaning.
Just find another cleaner, she’s not reliable.

you have NOT sweated half your body weight away

Which is fine- noone is saying she must work.

But then dont blast the OP for finding someone else.

If this woman can afford to take the whole summer off work then good for her- I'm actually jealous and wish I could do the same

I’m self employed (not a cleaner) and I’m frequently told on here I was aware that being self employed meant no holiday or sick pay etc when I chose the job so I can’t complain about that as you can always choose something else. Which is true really. If you want the employee benefits including being part of a team then everyone is free to get a job that includes those. You can’t exactly call people privileged because they chose employment over self employment. It is a choice.