Cleaner didn't lock front door

[shivs1974]

Used a cleaning agency for a number of years & have been reasonably satisfied with them. DD2 came home from school on Thursday to find the front door closed but unlocked.
Contacted the owner who apologised and said that she'd understand if we wanted to leave.
I have no option, do I?

Why leave? Mistakes happen.

You have plenty of options.

Also doesn't your door lock automatically?

I wouldn't leave after one mistake like that. Dh forgot to lock the door last week and I've done it myself. If it keeps happening then I'd find someone else.

Of course you have a choice. Leave or don't. If you have only had this problem once over a long while, it could be a one off. If you change cleaners or had used a different agency over that time, who knows it could have happened or might happen many times. Rather than having an entirely emotional over reaction, try logic and probability.

Failing that, all cleaners make tea, just leave a reminder by kettle or tape a sign to inside of the door.

One mistaking a number of years of good service is ok by me.

Of course you have a choice, is she a good cleaner, are you otherwise happy with her? She's going to be triple checking the door from now on so probably a better bet than a new one.

I've gone out without locking the door more than once and I'm sure other people have as well, everyone makes mistakes.

But it's entirely up to what you're comfortable with

Yes, mistakes happen, i understand that. However if I had been burgled because of their error, I wouldn't have been insured. I asked her to clarify the situation with her insurance company and they weren't able to confirm the situation either.

Have you never made a mistake at work Op?

I knew someone would ask why you have a door that needs to be manually locked, only took a two posts

Believeit not all front doors have yale style locks. Ours doesn't. You have to lock it to make it secure.

What's wrong with asking?

I find it strange! Simply because I used to live in London and would want a door that had an automatic latch on it to cover me when I would forget to lock it

Don't go through an agency. Ask around, find a local cleaner who works for herself/himself. Be cheaper too.

It was a mistake . Is the new cleaner less likely to make a mistake?
I would let this go as a one-off .

You weren't burgled. It's annoying but nothing bad actually happened. Speaking to the insurance company seems way over the top.

It sounds like you want people to tell you to leave. If you want to, that's totally up to you and you don't need the approval of anyone else.

Why so dramatic? She forgot to lock your door, she didn't shit in your kettle.

What does living in London have to do with it? Is that the only place that has burglary or door locks?

Lots of people have doors that you can only lock with a key.

Interesting responses, thank you.
Yes, of course I've made a mistake at work. Who hasn't? However over the years with this agency there have been a number of mistakes made which I've always let go.

This, in my opinion, is much more serious than just missing or not doing something like some dusting.

To clarify I didn't speak to my insurance company. I asked the owner to clarify the situation and she didn't know the answer so called her insurance company.

I would think that having forgotten once ( & presumably been reprimanded for it), they would be much less likely to make the same mistake again than a new person..

Thank you for comments. Interesting to have other people's views on it.

not all front doors have yale style locks. Ours doesn't. You have to lock it to make it secure

Just wanted to point out that a Yale lock isn't secure at all and that's why insurers insist on a second lock as it's so easy to get in with just a Yale,it can be opened with a screwdriver and no damage to the door.

OP- this would make me very twitchy tbh,it's pretty serious.

The massive uplift you pay to an agency is because of their insurance. It's their staff's negligence in failing to lock the door which makes the cleaning company responsible; whether or not they are insured for any losses that you claim against them is not your problem, they are still liable. That's what I'd point out to them, adn require that they train their staff correctly in future to avoid the need arising for you to make an expensive claim against them which they may not be able to recover from their insurers.

I'd ask your insurance company if you were still covered if you did keep them on. And yes "mistakes" happen but saying haven't you made a mistake at your job too makes no sense. Forgetting to lock a door is a dangerous mistake. Your child could have walked in on a burglar.

BTW mt front door has a Banham style lock - far more secure than Yale, but it automatically closes when pulled to like a yale.

Lots of people have doors that you can only lock with a key.

I do, I had the door changed when I moved in to ensure we couldn't lock ourselves outside by mistake! I do not want to need my keys every time I step in the garden. It works for us.