To feel annoyed I have to pay?

Yes, and people are allowed a little luxury in life if they want, without judgement. You would pay at least half for a service you didn't ask for and didn't want?

Im in London and don’t pay anything near that. I understand not wanting to lose a good cleaner they are hard to come by but if she was prepared to
let you pay for 4 hrs if you hadn’t raised the ring doorbell with her ,
hasn’t apologised , and
actually thinks her own cleaning wasn’t great as it needed three hrs cleaning despite no one else being in
then I’m afraid she will take you for a ride again if you don’t put your foot down
you pay anything near premium rate and have a commercial professional arrangement so she should behave professionally

I would say - I’m really sorry that you made a mistake in your diary however as you know I was in hospital when you cleaned last week and no one has been in the house since, hence why I had cancelled in accordance with our contract. In recognition of our longstanding professional relationship I am prepared to pay you for half of the time you worked. I hope that you agree that is fair given on this occasion there was no co tract to clean the house, which hopefully didn’t. Wed cleaning after your full visit last week

I don't think I'd want to continue with her if that happened to me. It all seems a bit disingenuous:
The clean was cancelled, as per the contract, with appropriate notice which she confirmed; she got dates confused and turned up anyway.
The house was already clean, cleaned by her; she says it wasn't too bad and only took 3 hours.
She let herself into your home without your permission.

For me, no matter how good she might be, the trust would be gone. There are plenty of good cleaners out there, especially considering the amount you're paying her, sometimes you have to kiss a few frogs, this one is a toad.

Hmmm. "Oops, I got confused", but then I walked in the front door and it was blindingly obvious no cleaning was needed. So I did three hours anyway. Riiight.

She’s cheeky as would have reliesed
House hasn’t been touched /stuffy and clean if no one there for 2w

tho wouldn't have hurt for you to say last time you saw /had her - see you in a month rem I’ve cancelled our next clean as I’m in hospital

I can't believe you paid for her to sit and drink coffee and then run the hoover around!

Why?! I'd not have said anything and then contested the invoice "thanks for your invoice, however as you can see I cancelled this session."

There is no way she didn't notice it was cleaner than usual, she's taking the piss piss out of you. You've been in hospital and are struggling to afford the service and you honestly believe that at no point did she twig it was cleaner than normal and think back to your conversation about your cancellation? You know, one of those very rare cancellations? Her diary mismanagement is her problem. It's a costly lesson for her.

"The house wasn’t too bad!" No shit, Sherlock, it's as clean as you left it!

Talk about judgemental! It's entirely up to the OP how she spends her money. She works but likes her home to be perfectly clean. You've also no idea if the OP has a disability, or whether she has work and family priorities that make it difficult to clean her home. What do you spend your money on?

This. She’s the one that has soured the relationship not you. She’s taking the piss.

You live alone yet have a cleaner?Understandable if you're disabled but if not, that's a luxury in itself. I'd definately pay at least half.

Yes, you are the fourth person to point this out. I apologise for offering another perspective - it was a comment, not an instruction, after all, but I withdraw it unreservedly.

I think the fact she said the house wasn’t too bad would annoy me as it’s how she left it in her last clean so that’s on her. Also does the bell show what time she left? 3 hours cleaning a clean house sounds like a cushy number to me 105 quid for what exactly.

Not sure how this is relevant. This is your terms of employment with your cleaner. The OP has different.

I’m on £34 an hour self employed in a different industry. But it’s only £34 if I don’t have any cancellations or gaps. I get 0 if that’s the case. I have to buy supplies. I have to do admin/CPD regularly. The only thing I don’t have to do is travel during the day. If this cleaner is spending 3-4 hours a day (to add the hours up to 7-8 hours a day full time) travelling she isn’t planning her day well. For example the OP normally has her 4 hours a day. So that’s all the work she’ll do that day? In which case that’s part time work. Because it’s home to OPs house then back home. The only travelling time there is commuting which is normal. Maybe another day she’ll have 2 clients for 2 hours each. Then what she’s spent 3-4 hours driving between them?? That’s bad management of time. Who would book a client in London for 2 hours then their next one in like Birmingham? I don’t know any cleaner that would take clients on for less than an hour a session. So even allowing 4 clients a day at an hour each she’s still driving almost 1 hour in between them. I can’t see that happening a lot.

It's not. IF (and it's a big IF) she's managing 20 chargeable hours per week, that's turnover of £700 for say 44 weeks of the year (she doesn't get paid for holidays nor sick days), so total turnover £30,800. LESS overheads which could easily be a few thousand for insurance, accountancy, bank charges, subscriptions, mobile phone, travelling costs, materials/equipment. So, maybe £25k p.a. Profit.

Someone working full time on NMW earns £25k p.a.

Chargeable hours of 20 per week can easily mean full time "working" due to non chargeable travelling, admin time, time spent buying supplies, etc.

So, actually pretty comparable to a minimum wage employed worker.

Come on! It’s ridiculous!

Personally I don't think £35 per hour is a lot for a self employed cleaner to charge, it's at the more expensive end yes, but still within the range of normal cleaning rates, if she's professional, good and reliable (and she's clearly set up properly as a business with her having t&cs which shows intention to operate professionally), but I do think it's cheeky of her to charge for a mistake she made and you shouldn't have to pay for that, the fact that she's trying to charge for it, I do find unprofessional of her.

That’s insane! £35 an hour!! Also if it is a professional relationship you should not be paying if you cancelled. I would tell her that in hindsight, as per the terms and conditions, you won’t be paying for the clean. I’m sure you can find a less extortionate cleaner if she walks away.

Yes and if my house was like a show home I'd be bloody offended if someone said it "wasn't too bad" 🤣

Cleaners can claim travel between jobs I imagine. But then it’s tax deductible so that helps financially.

Nobody earns travel time. You're not going toget paid for commuting

I'd just say, sorry you got confused but I clearly cancelled this clean and do not require cleaning until [x date]. Refuse any requests for payment. If she objects just bin her off and get another cleaner.

But surely averaging 20 hours a week IS allowing for travelling time etc. I mean if you choose to work 20 hours a week including travelling time then you’ll be earning less. Anyone working part time will be earning less than full time. But most people working full work more than 20 hours.
So if she is EARNING for 20 hours a week and the rest is travelling time it’s STILL a lot of money and is more than a lot of people get. 20 hours a week is only 4 hours actual cleaning time a day. That allows a lot of travelling time for what is still a decent wage.

Everyone who is self employed is aware that they don’t get holiday or sick pay. So they calculate their charges to include that.

I’m self employed. I went to university for 3 years to qualify in my job. I have a student loan debt because of that. Every year I need to pay indemnity insurance and a registration fee or I can’t work. I need to do CPD yearly which costs me money. I need to buy my uniform and certain equipment. I don’t get holiday pay. I don’t get sick pay. If my work shuts because of a power cut for example I lose a days pay. I lose loads a Christmas as my job totally shuts. If I’m not actually doing my job at work I don’t get paid. I could be sitting there for an hour or two because multiple people cancelled and I don’t get paid. Granted I don’t have travelling time between jobs like a cleaner. But I’m on £34 an hour (as long as I have had any cancellations of course).

Honestly I’m in the wrong job it seems.

Fucking hell. £35 an hour. Honestly at this rate I would encourage you to risk the relationship and find another cleaner. I’m in SE, 25 min train into London and I pay £20 for my cleaner.

£35 an hour! For "cleaning" a clean house!

Bloody hell no wonder she "forgot" you cancelled.

If you are happy to lose the money go ahead and pay her for doing nothing. There are plenty of cleaners out there for half the price. I’m in London too and pay £20. She is off her head if she thinks £35 is fair pay.