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Original poster

Another cleaner one…AIBU

9 replies

Andontothenextproblem · 30/09/2023 15:33

I’m not sure if I’ll get shot down for this or I have a point but interested either way.

I have never had a cleaner before, I only went back to work after having my 3 DC last year so it’s never really been a financial option for us and I was at home all day anyway.

However life has got busy in the last year though and on top of this my DH who is Military deployed a month or so ago and is away till next year and the house has really started to get on top of me.

I decided to treat myself to a deep clean with a local cleaning company who came yesterday. I originally asked for 4 hours but the lady who owns the company said that 5 would be better which I was happy to agree to, 5 hours came to £85 and I left £90 and they took it all.

I was VERY clear that the house was feeling a bit grimy but would be tidy ish so they could concentrate on cleaning. I’d been asked to write a letter with priority areas so that they could concentrate on them 1st, which I did, mainly bathroom and two toilets and kitchen. Teenagers room was still a tip so I knew that was likely a no go however both other DC had tidied there rooms to a degree and I’d hoovered throughout, washed breakfast dishes etc.

They said they would arrive at 9am which was ok but my bus was due to arrive at 9.10 so I had messaged they would have to be sharp if they wanted me to introduce them to the dog, I can see my house from the bus stop and they still hadn’t arrived at 9.15.

At 1120 I got a message to say they had finished, the house needed a lot more time but they had done the best they could in the time allotted however they would be happy to come back another day

I was quite surprised and didn’t realise when it’s a team of 3 that means they all cover an hour of work each, they aren’t actually in the house for 5 hours, however put that down to my lack of knowledge rather than them mucking me about.

They said they didn’t get round to everything and concentrated on the bathroom and toilets

I messaged back to say that was fine, and had they managed to hoover throughout as we had guests arriving who would get there before me.

The answer to that is no, and on top of that all 3 girls bedrooms hadn’t been touched, no mirrors, banister, the kitchen floor hadn’t been mopped, there was Shampoo still all over the times in the bathroom, the sink in my bedroom had toothpaste in from the morning, there was a bag of rubbish I had missed from the morning (clearly) rubbish in the upstairs hall which not only hadn’t been put out but had been knocked so the contents were coming out of it, the bathroom floor hadn’t been done, there were crumbs in the gap of the top of dishwasher and surface, there were grimy marks around the pIug in the bath and the plug was blocked with hair, I could go on and on.

My youngest daughter was actually in 1st and phoned to say the cleaners mustn’t have turned up as she could see no difference at all.

Eldest was also really furious and wanted to message the company on my behalf.

However I’m torn, maybe my house really was just that bad, I’m so busy now, 3 DC, animals, husband that permanently works away, work I really do struggle to keep on top of it but on the other hand if I’d had 2 rooms that had been done to a really lovey standard and a quick dust and hoover throughout I’d have been happy, but it was like not one single area was cleaned properly.

I wondered how this comes across, that we live in a slum, that I’m expecting miracles, that I’m mug for not chasing this up, whether I should just put down to experience and choose a different company next time, that I should demand more time/money back…

Also is that a normal that if you book a company that sends out 3 cleaners for 5 hours that they are in the house for 2.

Any advice welcome.

OP posts:

Bluebirthdaycard · 30/09/2023 15:51

Yanbu, you stated what you wanted doing and they haven't done it. Think you might have to put this down to experience and don't ever use them again obviously. Try to get some recommendations for next time.

Redglitter · 30/09/2023 15:54

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

TibetanTerrah · 30/09/2023 16:02

Well if you expected 15 hours of labour (5hrs x 3) for £90 that's £6/hr for each of them so...

I think they were unrealistic with their quoting tbh. I've cleaned houses with 3 kids and a dog and honestly it varies so much. Clutter makes a huge difference, sometimes you get stuck in and only then do you realise how deep the clean is going to have to be.

Interested in this thread?

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Cleaning

FloweryName · 30/09/2023 16:06

Yanbu

They we’re late and did a shit job so they deserve a complaint. Even if the house is a tip, five hours of work should produce a visible difference.

Hummingbird233 · 30/09/2023 16:12

3 adults should be able to get two bathrooms and a kitchen spotless in 2 hours. And it would take what, 20 mins to run the hoover over the carpet?

I would be complaining, send in photos and ask where your £5 change is.

joan12 · 30/09/2023 16:16

We had a deep clean for 5 hours with 3 cleaners and were quoted around 500. Including carpet cleaning so part of it was that they brought all cleaning products and the machine.They did a good job, price was what I expected around here but I am astounded by the price you were quoted. This was for a 4 bed 3 bath. I had spent the summer holidays decluttering and moved small furniture out onto the patio so the rooms were as clear as possible. I honestly think your cleaners massively underestimated the job.

NewUserName23 · 30/09/2023 16:21

A 5hr deep clean and the cost was only £85/90? That price is more of a standard clean but even at that it sounds as though the cleaners you hired weren't great if they have missed all the things you have mentioned.

Bananas1350 · 30/09/2023 16:25

i used to be a cleaner. The first time it takes longer as u don’t know the house , finding plugs etc I always told people this. but my suggestion would be to ask on Facebook and find someone who isn’t part of a company. The rely on doing a good job. If I didn’t do a good job I didn’t get to go back. People who work for a company don’t have that and don’t really care.

pinkdelight · 30/09/2023 16:34

It definitely sounds like a standard amount of time and money for a clean on an ongoing client, not a deep clean for a house that's not been cleaned professionally of late. They sound like they don't know what they're doing and did a crap job so you need someone better, but also a proper arrangement to keep on top of things plus a bigger initial cost for a proper deep clean. Five hours for a family home would be about the normal time for a clean every two weeks, just to keep on top of it. For an initial deep clean it'd be more time/£.

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