Cleaner - what would you do?

[NeverGotMyPuppy]

A few months ago we let our cleaners go, they didnt do a very good job.

I looked around and was recommended a lady. She came round and I took her round what we would like done. She said it was her and an older lady and explained what they both did. She went to great lengths to point out what my previous cleaners hadn't done. She said it would be £40 per week. For a few months it was great however things have started to slip - bits of floor missed off, cobwebs appearing, sinks not properly cleaned. DH works from home sometimes and said that the lady who came with her didnt match the description she gave. Last week i texted her asking about her partner and explained that the work wasn't as good as usual. She apologised and said she had sacked her and she would rather do the work alone and properly, which sounded good. After the clean last week I wasnt particularly happy - sink still wasnt clean, there is now bits of black mould growing round the bath. DH worked from home and it transpires she has brought someone else along with her.

She is a good cleaner and I hate confrontation but I cant help but feel that my trust is being broken. Thoughts?

Obviously she's not a good cleaner though!

You need to get rid. She's not being clear about who she's letting in your house.

That's the thought I keep coming back to.

Why cant I find anyone good?!?!?!?

Unless I say she comes alone or doesnt come - but DH isnt always here to check that

I’m a cleaner. I would let her go and find another. Do u have a community Facebook. Ask for recommendations from people on there. That is how I got my jobs.
I never understood why cleaners do a bad job. Most are self employed and lose jobs by not cleaning properly. Word of mouth is so important at. I would imagine she is not staying for the full time.

What did u ask her to do in how much time ?

Yes that's how I found her originally!

So I asked her how long for the job. For the £40 we agreed she would: clean the hard floor downstairs and hoover upstairs (we've a 3rd floor but v clear she didnt need to do that). Dust - so that's living room, dining room, 2x bedrooms. Clean one bathroom and the kitchen.
Does that sound reasonable? She said she priced the job rather than the time. I'm annoyed because I really went to lengths to make sure we were paying enough to get the job done.

Good cleaners are worth their weight in gold. When ex dp left I couldn't afford to keep mine on .....I honestly miss her more than I miss him !

Sorry. Have I missed the length of time she is with u?

She isn't a good cleaner or you wouldn't be posting on here. Tell her you don't want her services anymore

I'd recommend using an agency instead of direct then you can just let the agency know if your next cleaner isn't good

@Drivemybluecar she never gave me a time - she just said it would be £40 per week to do the job

This is why I haven't had a cleaner for ages now. Have had 3 previously. All start ok and then just become rubbish. Cutting corners, leaving early, bringing odd people with them, bringing their kids etc. Seen it all

For £40, I'd expect about three hours of cleaning. Is she doing this?

Yup. U should always get a time for the job. She is probably just doing the shortest amount of time and running off with ur money. I could be wrong.

How long does she seem to stay for

Would it be worth paying a bit more and using an agency instead? My neighbours do that and the cleaners work as a team of three for an hour then the job's done.

When we have been here she is staying a decent amount of time - I would say 2 of them for an hour and a half.

I was happy with her suggestion because I've had cleaners before who say 'oh I ran out of time to do the floor' so I liked the idea of knowing what she was going to get done every week.

She is due tomorrow and I'm nervous, I hate doing this.

Good grief. You pay £40 for an hour and a half clean !!!!
Sorry. She is taking u for a fool. I charge £10 an hour. I’m in Suffolk.
Sorry. I sound rude but I don’t mean to but you need to let her go. £40 and your sink is not even clean!!!

No - 2 of them for an hour and a half so 3 man hours if you like.

The 40 quid and my sink isnt clean is the bigger issue

Phew. Okay. But still. There are two of them and ur still not happy. That’s bad. I would talk to her about having hours. If she is unhappy to do that I would really think about finding someone else. Your not in Suffolk are u.

Sadly not.

Ok, maybe I try again and talk to her. She did such a good job at the start I really felt like it was sorted

It happens a lot. Cleaning a new house is ‘exciting ‘ and new. So you clean really well. After a while it gets boring cleaning the same thing over and over again. Especially if your doing several houses a day. It happens to us all.

If I find myself like that I will clean out of my usual routine in a house. One lady I used clean for loved to move her furniture all the time. I liked cleaning that house as it was always different.
But ur paying her for a service. If she is not doing it right let her go and re look again.

Blimey, she's taking the mickey. I'm a cleaner - self employed - and charge £12.50 an hour. I could do that in 2 hours and certainly would give you a set time to do the job, not just a price - that's very odd.