Paying the cleaner

[lboogy]

Obviously the cleaner can't come and clean. Oh how I miss her so. Anyway, I've paid her for each week she couldn't come. Do I just pay her for 3 months in advance or keep paying each week?

I would ask her but I think she's a little shy to ask directly

It's just that I expect most people in pretty much every walk of life have a very uncertain economic future at the moment and are worrying about cutting back for whatevery hits us economically. I can see that prioritising helping the cleaner at this point when there is no income is a decent thing to do, but once they do get the 80% grant then you're effectively paying them a massive bonus whilst getting no service. I think there'll be a lot of people who don't think that's a good use of money at the moment.

We'll be paying ours their full pay weekly through June. But we will be revaluating it in July. We've had our cleaner for ages and we're wondering if she'll take this time to retire. Don't know what we will do in July, but we may be dropping the amount to 50%.

@slybunny

I'm not paying mine. Why would I? Nobody is paying me for services I'm not providing.

I think there'll be a lot of people who don't think that's a good use of money at the moment.

I’m not really bothered about what everyone else is choosing to do tess. It’s a personal decision and I know I’m lucky to be in the financial position that I’m in. I think those of us who are better off need to be spending to keep businesses going through this.

I'm currently paying my cleaner every week by bank transfer as I am still being paid (working from home) and I know that she doesn't have much other income. I'm not sure whether she is claiming anything from the government but whilst I can afford to pay her I will carry on doing so.

As a cleaner they are self employed and qualify for the government scheme

I am not paying mine (paid 1 week extra but cancelled when lockdown started)

Am self employed myself, and only get paid for the hours I work

Sorry I'm not criticising you! Just trying to work out the ethics/economics. I can see people carrying on paying if they know the cleaner is not eligible for the grant, or adding the extra 20% or making an advance payment whilst waiting for the grant to come through, but I just don't understand paying full amount whilst knowing that most of the losses are being by the govy covered anyway. As you say, you are free to give a big gift if you want to, I'm just interested in the reasoning

Sorry that should read 'I just don't understand paying full amount whilst knowing that most of the losses are being covered by the govt anyway.'!

I am still paying for mine to help her with cash flow, and we agreed that she would do a deep clean when the lockdown is lifted, so it's pretty much like a voucher scheme. It works for both of us

@Northernsoullover
I am a cleaner too I will not be returning to the ones that have not paid either (they don’t know yet).

We're not paying ours. She does it as extra on top of her normal job (which she has been furloughed from). I tried to pay her but I don't have her bank details and she refused to give me them when I asked! She's lovely and more of a friend now, I think when she comes back I'll get her to some some extra to drag the house back to a decent standard and make some of it up to her that way.

are you claiming the grant Memphis? Antenna's arrangement sounds a good approach

I pay half. I am getting paid, but have to do my job, as well as childcare and clean..She told me she will claim. So half seems more than fair to me. She has the option of claiming from gov, and taking on other work.

We are both self employed, so are not paying our cleaner. If she has been paying her taxes, like us, she will receive government support.

For those cleaners saying they will not return, why are you expecting to be paid for a service you are not providing? Is it because you do not declare your income and will not receive government support.

Our gardener turned up last week. I nearly wept with joy.

I am still paying mine even though she isn't coming in . She has been lovely and I suspect from her reaction, not all of her clients are paying her.

@Tess83
I have not had a letter from HMRC regarding the grant. The financial worry is making me ill.

I'm amazed that so many are paying cleaners, gardeners, window cleaners for not working. I can't afford to employ anyone to do these jobs, so find it astonishing that so many of you are paying them for NOT doing their jobs. They will surely be claiming government grants, UC etc in addition ...

There will be no contact until June for self employed.

Really sorry Memphis, it must be extremely stressful waiting. If, it's not too rude, can I ask what you've said to the clients who are paying about what you will do if the grant comes through?

which of the essential reasons for leaving your house does cleaning fit in to?

Work It's their job and it can't be done from home. What a bizarre question - did you think cleaners cleaned peoples' houses because they enjoy it?

OP, I'm confused by your question - you've been paying her each week, why would you switch to paying her 3 months in advance? We've always paid ours by direct debit, so have just carried on doing it.

(I miss ours too, I'll never moan to my husband about her overusing fabric conditioner ever again!)

We are paying ours 50% and will do until the end of June. She has said she will get the government grant then.

I think it's a nice gesture but didn't really want to pay 100% whilst I am cleaning the house and it's also a LOT messier as we are all home all day.

To those Saying ‘but if you pay the cleaner and she claims the 80% government grant, she will be paid 180% for not working’ - surely they can only claim if they lose income? If someone is self employed and continues to be paid by their clients (whether they are actually working or not), surely they can’t also claim that money from the government? Otherwise what’s to stop EVERY self employed person claiming the 80% even if they’ve not been affected?

gingham Our cleaner offered to carry on coming and as it was technically allowed, but husband didn't want her to, we didn't feel it was right to not pay her. We're very lucky that he hasn't seen a slump in earnings, so we can do it. I'd have been happy for her to keep coming to be honest, but she is pretty overweight and a heavy smoker, so it's probably the right call, as I think she's probably quite vulnerable, even if she isn't classed as such by the government.

(Although it does make me wonder why it always seems to fall to ME to change the fucking sheets and do all the hoovering and every sodding other thing in her absence though )

Modgepodge I thought that would be the case too but apparently you don't have to show loss, you can just claim 80% of your average income and it is taken on trust that you only claim if you have lost. I am not 100% sure that's the case but that's what I've read on previous threads on here. Of course if you do only claim your loss then the clients who are choosing to pay are saving the Govt money but not benefitting the cleaner in the long term.