Cleaner etiquette

[hibbledibble]

I have had a run of bad luck recently.

How many times in a row do you have a cleaner not turn up/cancel, before you look for a new one? My last one was fairly unreliable, but I didn't want to be unsympathetic. In the end I just felt like I was being taken for a ride having had 10+ no shows this year, and many in a row recently. I was paying top rate as well. I've now asked for the keys to be returned as it's clear she isn't coming back.

Got a recommendation for a new one, and had 2 no shows, for the first two times she was meant to come. I haven't met her yet, and have only exchanged a few polite messages about arranging a time, so it's definitely not me. Now wondering if I should get another recommendation.

If they didn't want to work I wish they would just let me know!

People who use cleaners/cleaners, what is reasonable? How many no shows do you put up with before looking for someone else?

Has she given a good reason? If not, I would probably cut it now - she probably will be unreliable if she's starting this way and it will only get more difficult once you've met her/feel a sense of loyalty towards her/she has your keys.

There have been reasons given but I don't know if they are just excuses.

I tried to be sympathetic to all the reasons given by the previous cleaner, but found out that they were at least partially untrue from a mutual acquaintance, so wary of being taken for a ride again.

I think you are right.

Bumping this for other opinions

More than 2 we have a conversation.

2 no shows when the cleaner hasn’t even started is ridiculous. No way would I proceed with that one.

I used to have a team from a National cleaning agency turn up once a fortnight to do a deep clean, and they were fairly good. They would always send someone even if staff went off sick or left their job suddenly. It was run on a local franchise basis, but our local branch eventually closed down, and no one else took over and so the area was left without a service.

There were several local cleaners who followed afterwards, but none of them were very good. Some only turned up when they felt like it, one started bringing her toddler son with her, then spent more time playing with him than actually working, then another one stole my daughters very distinctive hand knit designer cardigan, and l caught her wearing it a couple of weeks later when we were both booked into the same hospital clinic at the same time. She tried removing it and putting it into her bag, but it was too late and l had already seen it, needless to say she never turned up again after that.

My eldest DD now comes and helps me once a week, she enjoys being here, we have Lunch together and a laugh, and l help her run her car and provide a few nice treats for her in return.

Savannah you are right that it's really hard to find someone decent nowadays! I feel like giving up but with work and children I don't have enough time or energy to properly clean the house