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Original poster

Cleaners hung out to dry - times article

187 replies

Itwasntme1 · 19/04/2020 13:07

I have just read an article in the times about people not paying their cleaners.

My very wealthy friend stopped paying his cleaner on day one, this lady has cleaned his house for years. I had just employed a cleaner, she had only come twice, but I am still paying her.

I realise I am taking a risk, she might not come back when lock down is lifted and I have now paid her for more missed sessions than she has cleaned. However morally I would struggle with stopping payments.

Is the times article right, have most people stopped paying their cleaners?

OP posts:
FlamingoAndJohn · 19/04/2020 13:08

I still pay mine. I’m on full pay so it would be wrong not to.

MilkTwoSugarsThanks · 19/04/2020 13:10

Why would you pay for a service you're not getting?

SoupDragon · 19/04/2020 13:12

Why would you pay for a service you're not getting?

You could apply that to every employer whose staff have been "furloughed".

Interested in this thread?

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Cleaning
XylophoneSymphony · 19/04/2020 13:12

I owe mine £62

Mustbetimeforachange · 19/04/2020 13:13

Ours had been once and I didn't think it necessary to pay for the next few months (we are shielding). It is a company & they understood. I hope they are happy to come back in a few months. I could understand if you had had a cleaner for some years and wanted to make sure of retaining them, but not if they had just started.

velocitygirl7 · 19/04/2020 13:13

@MilkTwoSugarsThanks what a truly hideous response!
I'm an early years teacher, my school is closed to only a handful of children and as I live in a high risk household, I'm currently not working.
Should I not be paid? I'm certainly not providing the service I normally do.

maddy68 · 19/04/2020 13:13

I'm not paying mine...I haven't earned anything since the lockdown so no way could I afford to

Floobydoodoo · 19/04/2020 13:14

I’m still being paid so still paying my cleaners. Why wouldn’t I, when I’m in the fortunate position of being paid my salary still 🤷‍♀️

MilkTwoSugarsThanks · 19/04/2020 13:14

You could apply that to every employer whose staff have been "furloughed".

Employers don't pay staff who are furloughed.

GreenTeaMug · 19/04/2020 13:15

We are paying ours.

She has been with us 18 years and besides, it was not her decision to not come.

Bristolbitsandbobs · 19/04/2020 13:15

I love my cleaner, she’s been helping me for years. I know about her and her family, and she knows about us. I don’t want her to come but that’s my choice, but I set up a standing order so she is still getting paid. Why wouldn’t I? I’m being paid so is DH.

MyDcAreMarvel · 19/04/2020 13:16

Employers don't pay staff who are furloughed
Decent employers pay 20%.

Original poster
Itwasntme1 · 19/04/2020 13:16

@MilkTwoSugarsThanks

I pay because this lady would lose all her income if all clients stopped paying. She can’t work and as I pay cash (like I assume many clients) i don’t think the government payments will come close to her lost income.

She has a young child, and I am sure it’s a tough time for her family.

My income is secure, so I don’t feel right benefiting financially from this situation while the lady who scrubs my toilet suffers.

I am just surprised I am in the minority.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 19/04/2020 13:17

Why would you pay for a service you're not getting?

OK then, because I'm not a dick. Why would you not pay?

FlamingoAndJohn · 19/04/2020 13:17

Why would you pay for a service you're not getting?

Because I know that she was on a zero hours contract in her main job, her husband is self employed and she has 3 children. And I’m not a heartless dick.

MilkTwoSugarsThanks · 19/04/2020 13:18

Decent employers pay 20%

I assume OP is suggesting people with cleaners should be paying them 100%? Bit of a difference.

langkaw · 19/04/2020 13:18

I'd only had my cleaner once but paid her a months wages.

fuckinghellthisshit · 19/04/2020 13:20

I provide a private service for clients, not cleaning, but in many ways similar. As always, the poorest private clients are mortified they cannot pay and have been trying to pay by coppering up and offering barter, all the self employed have paid, a good group of others have tried to pay, the richest few have ALL stopped paying and when approached and asked if they will continue their charitable donation (My service is for a community interest company and £10 goes to providing the service free to those in need) they have aggressively refused. I think some wealthy people have little relationship between work and money and have no idea about others lives. I find it very telling how many are furloughed on huge salaries and telling me "everyone is in the same boat" about a single parent with 3 teenagers in a high rise flat. No empathy at all.

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 19/04/2020 13:20

Funny the difference in response to this. The outrage when a parent posted to ask if she should pay her childminder....

SpudsAreLife84 · 19/04/2020 13:21

Still paying ours too, would feel a awful not paying her when I am still working and being paid.

SpudsAreLife84 · 19/04/2020 13:22

@GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat paying half fees at the minute to the CM, to hold a place when they can go back to her.

MilkTwoSugarsThanks · 19/04/2020 13:22

Why would you not pay?

Perhaps not everyone can afford to. Perhaps people see their cleaner purely as a business contract and treat all business contracts equally? Perhaps they have made an assumption that the cleaner will utilise the government help that is available. Perhaps they are genuinely assholes?

goingtotown · 19/04/2020 13:22

My DM is paying her cleaner the full 6 hours in return for the cleaner to get her supermarket shopping.

Musseswoofles · 19/04/2020 13:22

Assuming it’s not through an agency your cleaner should be registered as self employed and paying tax then entitled to state help like most other self employed and freelance workers.

fuckinghellthisshit · 19/04/2020 13:22

Both my GParents are 97 and have paid their weekly cleaners since they locked down 6 weeks ago. The cleaners are dropping some shopping once a week and taking their bedding to wash following strict sanitation procedures. I live in Yorkshire and everyone I know is paying their cleaner - but the only people I know with cleaners are elderly.