Help! Cleaners insisting on working

[MiniatureRed]

Hi MNers,

We use a small agency for our fortnightly cleaners. We've had the same pair for 3 years and they are fantastic, we really value them and try to show our appreciation often.

When we went into lockdown I messaged them saying no need to clean, I will still pay you. But they turned up! This was last Monday. I told them please no need to clean and tried to give them the money. But they said we want to clean, please go out so we can do it and were adamant. So I took DS out on a long walk.

What shall I do? It feels wrong that they're working in lockdown somehow. I'm not going to lie, I'm glad they cleaned as I'm a key worker and bloody knackered but it doesn't seem right!

Tell them no. No.

It's not a joke, no. I am way too soft and felt flummoxed on the spot!

Thanks all for the reality check. I'm going to message them now and say, I will continue to pay for as long as needed as we value you, but please don't come until I ask you.

Why don't you also say, if you turn up, I will not let you in.

My money is on the ‘agency’ not employing the cleaners, and the cleaners not declaring their earnings. So they will be attempting to carry on working to keep earning. Selfishly, in my view.

^ but I offered to keep paying them...

I am a cleaner-Everyone bar two have cancelled
I do not get paid if I do not work and I do not qualify for UC
I am torn over going to work for them or staying at home
They are more than happy for me to go and I would be in a different room at all times

but I offered to keep paying them...

Who are you paying? The cleaners, directly, or the ‘agency’? I bet that it’s the latter, and that they have told the cleaners that if they don’t work, they don’t get paid.

Recent events have exposed all kinds of dodgy practices. If the ‘agency’ tells the cleaners where to go and when, ie basically controls what they do, and passes money to the cleaners without putting them on the payroll, they are arguably avoiding NI because the cleaners are de facto employees. Most legitimate temp agencies now employ temps for this reason. On zero hours contracts, but nevertheless NI and PAYE are accounts for.

I feel sorry for your cleaners if this is the case (and for the poster above who I assume is a self-employed cleaner) but going to people’s houses to clean during lockdown is bloody irresponsible. It doesn’t matter that you are in a different room: the virus can live on surfaces and no cleaner, no matter how thorough, can guarantee that he or she hasn’t left any traces behind.

Or that he or she hasn’t picked something up to transmit to the next household.

But they said we want to clean, please go out so we can do it

WTF?

Aside from the fact they must be doing that to all their clients and spreading germs from each 'isolated' house to the next, it's your bloody house - they can't come in if you say no!

I wonder if they are doing it because they know you are a key worker and they want to help you out?
They know you will be exhausted and won't want to do it yourself. Maybe this is their way of giving back x

Who are you paying? The cleaners, directly, or the ‘agency’? I bet that it’s the latter, and that they have told the cleaners that if they don’t work, they don’t get paid

This. Can you arrange to pay them directly instead of the agency?

but please don't come until I ask you
Stop being so polite, it didn’t work the last time.
Tell them under no circumstances will you let them in the house and that they will still be paid.

We do pay them directly.