Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Neighbours had their cleaner in today!

78 replies

PuffinTilly · 27/03/2020 21:50

Ok, I know I'm hoicking my judgy pants here, but would you? Neither one of the couple are working due to situation but are not ill, neither are elderly (they have a teenager), they're reasonably well off. I know they have a cleaner who visits once a week but should they still be having her come round in the current situation? I know I'm sticking my nose in and it's none of my business but surely they are putting her and her family, and themselves, at risk? Maybe she really needs the money but they could have paid her anyway and told her not to come. They are really nice people and I really like them but I'm a bit Shock at this!

OP posts:
MadamePewter · 27/03/2020 21:52

She’s allowed to come as obviously can’t work from home as long as social distancing.

Maybe she needs the money.

KitKatKit · 27/03/2020 21:55

Literally none of your business.

Windyatthebeach · 27/03/2020 21:58

Cleaner here. Now I know no help til June I have no choice but to keep on the customers who still want me..
Lots of hand washing. Hand gel. Gloves. Clean clothes. Separate rooms at all times.
Hot washed clean cloths. Bleach solution and lots of elbow grease.

FizzyPink · 27/03/2020 21:59

Surely this is just as bad as having friends over right now?! And maybe worse as she’s presumably been in lots of houses.
DP is a professional tennis coach and I was shocked clients still expected him to come out and teach them as part of their once a day exercise. Obviously he said no even though his income is now zero

Jeleste · 27/03/2020 21:59

Are you my neighbor?
Our cleaner still comes. I kept my distance and kept the kids aways from her. I dont like to breathe down her neck while she works anyways.
It was weird to have her come though, because usually im not home.

BuzzingtheBee · 27/03/2020 21:59

Im paying my cleaner to be off.

LightDrizzle · 27/03/2020 22:00

Leave your nets alone and look to your own.
You don’t know that this professional cleaner hasn’t got avoiding contact contamination nailed and that between them they haven’t devised a safe way of doing this.

Original poster
PuffinTilly · 27/03/2020 22:08

Yeah fair enough. I know it's none of my business. I just think the right thing to do would be to pay her anyway but let her not come until the lockdown is over. Jeleste - probably not your neighbour if you have kids plural! My neighbours just have one. It's just that they are both home and have a teenager and could surely do their own cleaning, as long as they do still pay their cleaner - obviously she shouldn't have to miss out on wages. Me and DH are really struggling financially due to the virus and I wouldn't wish that on anyone...

OP posts:
listsandbudgets · 27/03/2020 22:09

Our cleaner came on Monday morning. After lock down was announced in the evening, I texted her and said I'd put 2 extra weeks pay into her bank account and she wasn't to come until we could review the situation in week starting 13th April. We won't be able to afford to pay her for not coming long term but hopefully it takes the pressure off her until we find out what's happening next. She's a single mum with a teenage dd we can't just pull everything with no warning.

Original poster
PuffinTilly · 27/03/2020 22:16

BuzzingtheBee and listsandbudgets - lovely that you're doing this Smile

OP posts:
MadamePewter · 27/03/2020 22:16

Oh, ffs it’s allowed by law

Nacreous · 27/03/2020 22:16

My cleaner has still come this week.

I don't know what the right answer is, but I'm working 70 hours a week at the hospital (offices not wards) and she is saving my house from chaos.

I am the only person in the house so there is no one to pick up the slack except me. At the moment I am viewing it as an essential service for my sanity so I can keep working the insane hours required. But maybe that is wrong.

I have said she mustn't feel she has to come and just to let me know if she can't make it and to rearrange her days and hours however it suits her but obviously that doesn't mean she isn't coming in at all.

MadamePewter · 27/03/2020 22:17

My cleaner chose to stop work buy I can’t pay her to do so as I have no work because of all this

Stuckforthefourthtime · 27/03/2020 22:21

None of your business, but I still think it's really really poor form.

Original poster
PuffinTilly · 27/03/2020 22:24

Nacreous - you're clearly in a completely different situation and I don't think you're being unreasonable at all. My neighbours are totally in a position to both pay their cleaner and do their own cleaning

OP posts:
Bluntness100 · 27/03/2020 22:25

This is fully permissable and no reason why it shouldn’t be safe if precautions taken.

On a personal level I’ve paid mine and told her not to work for the next couple of weeks, she was happy to come, I was happy to have her, and if this gets extended will likely have her back. Right now I kinda view it as a paid holiday since we are at home.

SophieInTheSky · 27/03/2020 22:49

If they’re still paid as normal, they should pay their cleaner but ask her not to come to work. That’s what we’re doing: we’re still earning the same amount, so we’re paying our cleaner but asking her to stay at home.

MintyMabel · 27/03/2020 23:52

My cleaner cancelled all visits from last Monday. I was initially a bit grr as she was due to come to me on Monday, but at least it gives us something to do tomorrow.

She didn’t want paid.

Drivemybluecar · 28/03/2020 04:34

I’m a housekeeper. I’m still going in. I don’t have any choice as I don’t get paid other wise and can’t pay for food. By law I’m still allowed to work. By the way I would be really upset if I knew someone was clocking my movements in and out and taking about me like this.

pippong · 28/03/2020 04:40

Good to know cleaners can still work. I have a small mouth to feed and my only customer hasn't offered to pay me to stay away for a few weeks.

TKAAHUARTG · 28/03/2020 04:48

@Jeleste why is your cleaner still coming? If you are at home? Seems like unnecessary contact, and exploitation offesperatepeoplescaredto losetheir income. Just pay the cleaner and bleach your own toilet.

icklekid · 28/03/2020 04:51

Tricky because cleaners in schools and hospitals are obviously still working but obviously going into individuals homes is higher risk of spreading the virus- the more interaction people have unnecessarily the longer this will go on for...

Itwasntme1 · 28/03/2020 05:19

My cleaner had only just started with me when his was announced. She had only come twice. The arrangement was she was to come every other week.

I paid her last week (left money on the window sill) and asked her not to come in. Will do the same next week, but not sure what to do if this continues for months.

Had she been with me for longer before this started I would of course have kept paying her.

But please be honest - my friends say I would be mad to pay her for months When she isn’t cleaning seeing She has only been in my house twice. But I really feel for her.

Eastpoint · 28/03/2020 05:25

We have two houses. The cleaner at the house where we aren’t is coming as usual, not much for her to do but she can check on the property. I offered to pay her regardless of whether she comes or not & she has chosen to come. Her landlord isn’t going to stop charging her rent.

NorthernGravy · 28/03/2020 05:46

We have cancelled our cleaner. It is not essential as we are both off. Yes, if you are working 70+ hours at a hospital, disabled, then it’s ok and essential. The rest of you need to think about it you really need it. It’s ridiculous.

We are still paying our cleaner. She said we didn’t have to but we have. Her husband is self employed and we know they’ve taken a massive hit.

Swipe left for the next trending thread