What to do about cleaner in this heat?

[Rainallnight]

My cleaner travels from the other side of London. She’s due tomorrow. I think probably the right thing to do is tell her she doesn’t need to come and pay her anyway.

But I’m in two minds and interested in what other people are doing?

I told my cleaner not to come and paid her.
That's because I am not a sociopath.

As a cleaner myself, I’ve taken the last two days off due to the heat. My customers haven’t offered to pay and I’m yet to decide on whether to work tomorrow and Friday. Unfortunately I’ve so far lost pay, but this heat is extremely uncomfortable to do a physical job in a hot house with no air con or little breeze. By paying your customer and saying she can have the day off is extremely kind of you, and trust me…she won’t forget you’ve been that nice.

i finished work at 3 and am now at home cooking tea, emptying dishwasher, ironing, hanging washing out, putting washing away, sorting DHs meds, sorting out a couple of returns, then I'll do an hours exercise at about 7pm. I'm not after a medal just making a point that I am on my feet and busy and I won't melt I just carry on as normal but sweater than normal. I don't see any reason a cleaner can't work. If they say they can't then fair enough it's their choice, as a self employed person I think they have to accept that they get paid for the hours they work. If my cleaner said she wasn't coming that would be her choice but a cleaner is a massive luxury for me and I only pay for hours worked. Yes, it might be a 'nice' thing to do for some stinking rich people, but I find the majority of people who have cleaners are doing it so that they can go to work to pay their own bills. They certainly don't have £50-80 to give to a cleaner who hasn't done their job.

A good cleaner that you trust and is reliable is hard to come by. I’m sure she’d appreciate your gesture and will remember it in the future if she has to make cuts with clients etc.

It's difficult to get decent servants these days

I told my gardener not to come as I was worried he would make himself ill trying to work in full sun at these temperatures.
We aren’t paying him though because he is so unreliable generally and he often leaves 20 minutes early if we aren’t there to keep tabs on him (CCTV gives it away)

Unless you have aircon at home, how is working from home better than working in an office without air con? Or are you talking about "working" from home - you know, the sort that involves a lot of time in the garden....

That’s a nice thing to do.

We know you wouldn't.

the OP & others are being nicer 👍🏻😊

Anywhere near a GU postcode?

That's kind. She no doubt needs the money so if you say it's up to you but if you don't want to work on this heat please don't worry.
If you are willing to pay her anyway that's very good of you and the choice is hers.

You are obvs a lovely employer and that generosity will be paid back to you. X

My cleaner is not travelling that far, but I offered her today off paid but she chose to come. She said all her client’s homes are much cooler than her home so it is preferable to keep working. She is also a huge football fan and said she is trying not to become nocturnal during the World Cup 😂

I'd do the same OP. Just like I pay her when she doesn't come at Christmas or when she is on holiday (and during covid). I work on the basis that if I am earning I pay my cleaner, I get paid for annual leave so I pass it on.

There would still be a point. One less house to clean, she can slow down. Yeah a bit unfair it's just on the OP's dime, but no real difference to the OP if the cleaner had been able to stay home.

Hmm I'm not sure what I'd have done (as one of your clients if you had told me you weren't coming. It would have depended on what you'd said & how you'd said it.. maybe also when. I think.

whereas I'd have said not to come & still
paid you, but it would have been my decision.

small difference, but still a difference.

however if we had a good relationship I'd probably just pay you without mentioning it, so you might get some nice surprise deposits into your account 🤞🏼

well good on you, I suppose. Be thankful your body copes with this heat (if it's even hot where you are. It's 38° here) just remember things can change overnight. Many health conditions & their medication can affect your tolerance of heat. I had a stroke, literally overnight & now can't cope with the weather I once loved. I am just about coping by moving around my house using fans. Standing in a cool shower, lots of very cold drinks, etc.

Dye to the stroke I'm not working at the moment, but I certainly couldn't in this heat.

Being 'stinking rich' is IRRELEVANT if you can afford a cleaner, it doesn't change just because your toilet doesn't get cleaned.

Isn't it just, yet people do!

Seems fair enough!

Come on. You don't really need it explaining to you, you just wanted to git a 'dig' in.

🤣🤣

I’d give her the option but if she chose not to come I wouldn’t pay her.

I think I’d ask her what she wants to do. She’ll either say yes to do the job to get paid, or no and not charge. She may need the money though so always best first choice to be hers.

I think giving her the day off with pay is absolutely the right thing to do and treating people nicely has the side effect of buying loyalty and people work better for you.

Told mine not to come tomorrow but will still pay her x

As the LTR had asked people not to travel then seems sensible , and I couldn’t imagine having to scrub and bathroom in this heat! Do it.