Can I ask for my money back?

[HereForTheHelp]

Think this is a bit awkward and I'm not sure about the logistics of how it might effect someone who is self-employed, so here goes!

I've been using a cleaner since February, she runs a small business and employs a few other people. The arrangement was she'd come every two weeks and I pay her upfront on the last working day of the month (so always pay her before the cleaning takes place)

On August 30th I paid £170 for our two usual cleans and between one thing and another, she hasn't been able to come. I've had to cancel twice because of sickness or work emergencies, but always let her know 24 hours in advance.
She's cancelled on me four times, usually an hour or two after the time she was supposed to arrive. I didn't mind too much, she had family sickness problems and it was unavoidable for her.

Anyway, after the last re-arrangement she said she'd get back to me with the next dates she could do ASAP and it never happened.

My ask is, can I ask for the money back and just say we'll re-start the schedule back up in mid-January time when she has room in her diary?
It's rather a lot of money to have 'banked' just before Christmas and in all honesty, it'd come in very handy! Not sure if this is the done thing though? Will it hurt the financial side of her business because that's the last thing I would want!

I've been a cleaner before and I wouldn't have spent any money that I hadn't completed the job for yet so would've been able to. However she may have spent it.

Doesn't hurt to ask but if you definitely plan to keep her then I'd just book dates asap.

Thank you @Surfskatefamily I think that's the issue, I'm not 100% sure I want to keep having a cleaner, we've managed quite well the last few months! I think if they'd been we probably wouldn't have booked again. What feels awkward is just asking for my money back and then saying we don't want to book back in!

Ah ok yes then definitly ask for it back. Honestly it shouldn't get spent before the jobs done. If she runs a business rather than being simply a sole trader I'd hope she will be quite organised with money

Don’t hesitate to get in touch to ask for your money back.
Don’t mention not booking in again
You’ve got absolutely nothing to feel awkward about

@Pateontheback thank you! I have sent her a message but she's not opening it, I think she's knows I'm going to ask for my money back

She's said she can't give me my money back because I've cancelled with short notice previously. She said she'll just book us in with the next availability but I don't really want it anymore, I'd rather have the money!

Do I have any right to change my

Posted too soon!

Do I have any right to change my mind? Or should I just cut my losses? I feel awful when I've cancelled the two times, we've have two disabled children and it's been at times when they've been having really really awful days and couldn't cope with going out/having strangers in the house.

She had cancelled on us 4 times too though, and has done this previously. I don't know, I feel quite intimated and don't want to argue with her because she's just said it's not possible to refund :(

Does she not have a cancellation policy? Often with less than 24hours notice you would pay. If she employs others why could someone else not come when she cancelled, at your convenience. If she had booked you in every fortnight there should be pre Christmas slot available. Tbh it all sounds disorganised and would look elsewhere.

I'd be inclined just to let it go.

After all, if you'd paid for two cleans that had happened in September, you wouldn't have any more money and your house wouldn't be very much cleaner than it is now, yes?

Obviously, legally and morally she should do two more cleans for you, but practically from your viewpoint it's almost certainly easier to leave it.

If she ever gets back in touch, book in two more, but otherwise pretend they've happened.

Has she got any keys to your house?
£170 is a lot of money so I wouldn’t let it go so I’d get her still to do the cleans and then not get her again.
Find someone new who you pay after the job completed

Get a cleaner where you pay after the job has been done.

To keep on good terms, you could just book her to use the money, then when your both square, then sack her in the nicest way possible. Just say she’s a luxury you can’t afford anymore.

Oh god, I hope someone is still going to read this!

So she refused to give me my money back, said that 'given the circumstances' I couldn't have it because I'd cancelled twice. But she'd also cancelled twice each time being 20 minutes AFTER she was supposed to arrive!

Anyway, I just said okay and booked in for the two remaining cleans that I'd paid for.

She was supposed to come on the 13th, she messaged me the night before, all fine. I'd made sure all my meetings were done super early because she said she was coming between 11-1 and it was a deep clean that takes about 3 hours.

Anyway, she cancelled at 11:20. Said an emergency with her child and that she was sure 'I'd understand'. I said I did, but I'd much rather have my money back as it was a nuisance to arrange meetings then be told it's cancelled and it saves me the stress of having to do it again.

She took till Saturday to get back to me, she tried to book me in for February, I refused and said I'd just rather have a refund. She then offered me 50% (which of a £130 clean is not really a lot!)
I just accepted because I wanted it over and done with and she said she'd send it right away.

Basically, she hasn't. We chatted a bit about what's going on with her child and I genuinely do have so much sympathy but I still feel like the client/business relationship should come first.

I've messaged her twice now, all nicey nicey asking her to let me know when she's sent the refund but she's just ignoring me! She's online and posting but not reading my messages. What the hell do I do?? I'm tempted to ask for the whole amount back but I know she'll refuse and get arsey. We've got another clean booked in next week that I don't even want but can't stomach losing £60.

FWIW these cleans were paid using DLA, we've got two disabled children so cleaning is really difficult to do and we thought having a cleaner would lessen our load. But we've managed without one since August now anyway! 🤦🏻‍♀️

I've just checked my messages, it was 4 times and it was an hour after she was supposed to arrive! Oh my god, I'm such a pushover aren't I

Just message her saying that as she isn't upholding her end of the deal you would like 100% refund before the end of the week. Don't leave it open for negotiation, be specific and firm.
It seems completely ridiculous that you've agreed to this in the first place though, you're paying £23 an hour, upfront, for a service you're not receiving.
Sack this woman and find someone else via recommendation.

Bloody hell op.
I'd send her a message giving her a list of all the times she's cancelled on you. Tell her it's completely unacceptable to not honour the refund.

I'd also be tempted to shame her on your local Facebook group.

I'd get shitty and post on her fb page or equivalent if she has one. Clearly being very cheeky!

@Woeisme99 I know! She doesn't advertise by the hour for the deep clean is like £130 for a three bedroom, £120 for a two etc. There are usually two people here so that's probably why it's so expensive?

The other clean is a two hour one I think and it's £55.50?

I just feel so shitty and like I've not got a leg to stand on because I've also cancelled but half of me thinks she probably wouldn't have turned up those times anyway!

Small claims court - she’ll give it all back no problems once she receives the paperwork

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/legal-system/taking-legal-action/small-claims/making-a-small-claim/

There is a template letter on the Cab site. Send her one of those - may scare her into action

Tell her if you don't get your full refund you will go public with it and take her to small claims court. The threat would probably be enough to kick her in to gear.
Chances are your not the only person she's done this too. Everyone has shit going on at home but we all still have to get up, do our job and honour the commitments we have made.

I've just gone through all our messages since we started using her which was from late March.

She's cancelled 8 times and all of them were after she was supposed to arrive.

I've cancelled 4 times, two the day before with plenty of notice and 2 super early in the morning on an afternoon clean when my boys were needing to go to A&E. This is what's making me think I haven't got a leg to stand on, I forgot about the two day of cancels on my end 😔

Yes, ask for it back. She's not delivered the contracted service and it's not your problem if she's spent it.

You have paid for a service she hasn't provided
What does it say in your contract?

I didn't have a contract 😩 and I paid via PayPal but as if she was a friend! I feel like an idiot! But she's genuinely a very rebuttable business, got loads of followers and really good reviews!