Letting my cleaner go, how would you do it?

[Gardenwalldilema]

My cleaner has always left 10 to 15 minutes early, annoying but I've lived with it. Today the ring showed she left half an hour early, and its just too much. Her hourly rate on that is more than I earn, I just can't justify it. She didn't leave a note or a fiver behind to soften the blow.
How do I let her go? I'd like to tell her exactly why, but ultimately she has a key and it could be difficult. Would you just lie in this situation and make up an excuse?
I'm in a dilema, thanks for any advice

I’d change the lock if you think she is going to be disgruntled in the slightest.

How do you normally communicate with her? I would just use the normal method and try and keep it emotion free and factual.

Is she doing what you ask her to, to the standard you expect? If yes, I'd maybe try to negotiate you pay for less time or add other occasional jobs each week before sacking her. If you sack her you can either say she's not working the agreed hours or that you no longer require her services.

You make sure you or someone else you trust is in next time she visits and get the key from her.

I'd be tempted to say you don't feel you're getting value for money as you know she isn't doing her full hours. Then get the key off her. My cleaner has never left even a minute early, and on the odd occasion when I haven't needed her to do as much and she's gone half an hour early she's insisted on giving me a fiver or whatever back. If it's a one off I would write it off, but not if it's happening every week.

Have you spoken to her about leaving early before? I would be tempted, if not, to give her one last 'chance' as some people aren't concerned about cleaners leaving early once they've done everything discussed. So, I'd leave a list of tasks you'd like done that are somewhat additional to what she normally does - deep clean of one area, etc etc - and send a message saying 'I noticed. you left early, it would be great if you could stay late next time to make it up and if you finish early again I'm leaving a list of tasks you can work through'

Ours leaves 10-15 minutes early and we're in the house, I keep meaning to shorten the time we have her but I'm a wuss and hate confrontation. Plus, tbh, she does really clean everything in the time and we don't let her into the rooms we're working in as currently WFH. However the list of task she can do if finished early was suggested by a friend and is my next plan.

Or perhaps say that if she's regularly finishing before the end of the x hours, you'd like either to cut it down by 30 mins or add on some things. If the response is that she doesn't finish early, that's your answer.

I would just be straight with her. ( I am a cleaner ). I have never left early on a job. There is always something to clean somewhere. Say. I have seen your leaving early can I add on some extra stuff for u to do if ur done quicker.
Go with that. U may find as she knows you know she is leaving early she may start staying to her normal time. But to be honest anyone leaving early is a rubbish cleaner. So I would probably let her go

I just wouldn't trust her. I'd message her telling her not to come again. Does she live near you?

How good is she though? Does she do all that is expected to a good enough standard?

It used to annoy me when my old cleaner left 15/20 mins early but when she moved and I got a new one neither the new cleaner nor any of the substitutes the agency have sent for holidays etc have been able to clean it as well as the original cleaner did in less time. Wish I could have her back now!

Thanks for all the replies. The house is bigger than I would reasonably expect her to clean in 2 hours (well I can't anyway, but I'm a bit of a ditherer when it comes to cleaning) so there are set things she does every week, then other bits on rotation. There was loads left that could have been done, grubby marks on windows, skirting boards, high dusting...nothing weird or wonderful, just standard cleaning.
I take things to heart a bit and I just don't trust her anymore, I really don't think I want her here. Maybe I'll just say next week is the last, please leave the key, and get her a bunch of flowers or something.
I have no luck with cleaners, they start out fab then just go downhill from there

Ask for your key back saying your having to have new locks as your husband/whoever has left a key and then send her a message a few days later telling her you'll no longer need her.