WWYD - Disappointing Cleaner Experience

[Cloud16]

Never had a cleaner before. Ended up calling an agency and they sent the manager out, who said it would take 2 hours to do a kitchen, w/c, shower room, and stair hoovering. I did think it would take longer, but she insisted!

Anyway, the worktops still have food marks on them, the kitchen plughole is dirty, crumbs all over the worktop near the toaster, the shower hadn't been touched (is this extra?), sink and toilet are dusty with marks on them and towel rail not even wiped.

The floors were mopped and hoovered though.

It's like she wiped things but didn't clean them? Things are wet but still dirty. Maybe just no elbow grease.

I also feel like a dick about complaining to the manager and don't have the cleaner's number... who is supposed to be returning next week!

I don't really want her to come again next week though :( but should I give her another chance or should I just say that it's not working?

I don't want the lady to get in trouble because she's new, lost her job during covid, and is quite elderly (I really don't think she can cope with the physical demands of the job which might explain lack of elbow grease!).

Just wondering WWYD and if it's sacking her, then how to go about it?

She's not a good cleaner!
I would ask on local fb page for recommendations - maybe a self employed cleaner so you know who you will get and decide if you like their work.

The manager is in charge. You want your house to be clean if you're paying a cleaner.

You can feel a bit sorry for the older lady, but not enough to keep paying for a shoddy service!

Don't feel sorry for the manager tho- this kind of thing is what she's paid for

If you booked her through an agency then complain to the agency that the work done wasn't up to standard. Its then their responsibility as to how they handle it with the individual cleaner who came out to you. I'd be telling them I expect it to be redone free of charge.

2 hours to do kitchen, w/c, shower and stairs - that's plenty of time isn't it? Should be sparkling!!

Don't get invested - Next! A short email to the manager saying you've decided not to continue with the service. Don't even need to slate the cleaner if you're worried about her employment.
So many agency cleaners do this kind of 'light touch' cleaning. They do not have the connection to the customer and therefore many do not particularly care about the standard they clean at. They also get paid minimum or close to minimum wage, despite the extortionate rate you will no doubt be paying the agency. I speak from experience after having 5+ agency cleaners before clocking on!
You will be better finding someone self employed by word of mouth, who cleans for a friend of associate. Self employed cleaners have their reputation to consider and they only get paid/keep clients if they do a good job. You can also pay them more money per hour direct, but less overall than you would pay an agency, so win win.

Take some photos of the bits not cleaned and send them with an email asking for someone to come round and do it again, which they should do foc. Tere might be circumstances which means the cleaner didn't do a competent job but that's not your issue and she won't last long even if you keep quiet.

Alternatively if you don't want the hassle just let it go and find someone through a recommend.

I've had the same experience with cleaners. The floor would be mopped but not cleaned. There was no initiative at all so each week they did exactly the same so after a few months my sideboard had been polished weekly but there were cobwebs hanging from the light fittings. I gave up in the end.

I think you do get a better standard from someone you employ directly but even then I ended up thinking it wasn't worth the money.

The only good cleaners I've found come via word of mouth.
I wouldn't be happy with that at all! Our cleaner comes 2 hours a week and does the whole place (3 bed terraced so not huge) and it looks gleaming by the time she leaves

Thanks everyone.

The whole idea was to make life easier, but trialling cleaners (seems to be you rarely find a good one) is something I don't have time or effort for at the moment!

So, I think I'll cut my losses and look out my marigolds!

I'm a cleaner and what you're describing isn't good enough. Complain to the agency.
I'm a self employed cleaner, I advertise on Facebook. Might be worth trying that.

My wonderful cleaner does a lot more than that in 2 hours

Kitchen, 2 bathrooms + downstairs toilet, 2 set of stairs, hall and two landings, vacs 2 reception rooms and always has 30mins spare to do whatever extra I need doing that week.

So I think the agency isn't expecting much speed in the first place, but then the lady that came is clearly not great at cleaning.

Asking everyone you know for recommendations is the way forwards.