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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to sack my cleaner - missing credit card

48 replies

smashupyourtvset · 12/12/2011 21:40

I've just noticed my credit card is gone from my wallet. I only ever use it online (use debit card in shops).

Last time I used it was to xmas shop online 10 days ago. I haven't seen it since (though assumed it was in my wallet).

Since then the cleaner has been (without me being in). I am thinking I must have left the credit card by the computer and the cleaner might have taken it.

Of course I can't be sure but can't think what else could have happened to it as haven't had it out.

I can't face confronting cleaner as obviously no evidence but now I feel uneasy so should I sack her?? She has cleaned for me for around a year now and no real problems (though a bit of a slacker, arriving late, leaving early etc - though I haven't mentioned the slacking to her as too much trouble to find someone else and she does a reasonable job in the time she does work).

OP posts:

ovenchips · 12/12/2011 21:55

But why would cleaner steal it then do absolutely nothing with it for 10 days? Why?

If your card has not been used the chances are overwhelmingly that it is has been mislaid.

VivaLeBeaver · 12/12/2011 21:56

Yabu.

I am forever losing credit cards and cheque books, mostly in the house. I have to cancel them and then usually find them a few weeks or months later. You think you left it on the table, could easily have been picked up with other stuff and be somewhere else or even in the in.

VivaLeBeaver · 12/12/2011 21:56

Even in the bin.

naturalbaby · 12/12/2011 21:59

YABU.

Cancel your card and look for it properly, or wait for it to turn up (kids bedrooms?!).

SucksToBeMe · 12/12/2011 22:01

I looked after a elderly lady for years cooked/cleaned/all personal care/banking etc. I worked 9 years without a day off, not even Xmas. Then her son and daughter ( both in their 40's) accused me of stealing a ruby necklace.
I was completely mortified. Plus the lady had never even owned a ruby necklace. It was a horrible experience to be accused. It still upsets me now.
But people DO steal everyday, so it may be natural to suspect human interference.

BlissfulMistletoe · 12/12/2011 22:02

tbh if i got sacked for no reason i would be contacting a solicitor for unfair dismissal

ImperialBlether · 12/12/2011 22:03

You can't do that if you're working in someone's home, Blissful.

MenopausalHaze · 12/12/2011 22:05

Wind up - and not a very good or original one either

BlissfulMistletoe · 12/12/2011 22:06

why not ?????

LemonDifficult · 12/12/2011 22:07

Weird. It doesn't sound like it would be the cleaner. Unless she knows the pin, presumably she'd only use it for mail order purchases which she could do just by writing the details down and leaving it where she found it.

Could your DCs have taken it for playing with?

theyoungvisiter · 12/12/2011 22:08

She's not an employee so she can't sue for unfair dismissal - unfortunately.

OP stop being an idiot and phone the credit card company NOW. Their phone lines operate 24/7 for a reason.

They will also be able to tell you if any purchases have been made on it that might not yet have shown up on your online account, but to be honest, it would be a bloody weird thief that would take a card only to sit on it for 10 days and do nothing.

I agree with everyone else - you've probably lost it and sacking this woman for absolutely no reason is really mean.

Is it shooting season for cleaners at the moment? What happened to that other woman who was convinced her cleaner had taken all the jewellery from her bedside drawer over a period of months?

theyoungvisiter · 12/12/2011 22:10

Imperial - it's not to do with working in someone's home - a nanny could sue for unfair dismissal.

It's because she's not an employee, she's self-employed and provides a service. It's a bit like you can't sack a plumber, or a window-cleaner. They are not your employee to sack.

They could sue for breach of contract if you had one. But cleaners don't, usually.

Beamur · 12/12/2011 22:12

It's missing 10 days, you now know it hasn't been used (but have not cancelled it at the same time..?) so if it has been taken - your thief is hardly a master criminal. This thread is sounding a bit unbelievable..

MenopausalHaze · 12/12/2011 22:14

This thread is sounding a bit unbelievable..

Ya think?

Vicky2011 · 12/12/2011 22:14

This is totally a wind up. Complete lack of urgency about cancelling the card is a giveaway.

However if I'm wrong, CANCEL THE BLOODY CARD and don't even think of sacking someone for totally spurious reasons

springboksaplenty · 12/12/2011 22:16

So you honestly believe your cleaner took your cc and has done absolutely nothing with it? Surely she would just note down the number or just small amts of cash instead?

But go ahead sack someone with zero proof. When you find your cc behind the sofa be sure to apologise.

theyoungvisiter · 12/12/2011 22:16

More to the point OP - you don't have a designated bra drawer?!

YABVVVVVVU.

Seriously, if I thought my credit card had been stolen I would not be faffing about online posting about my underwear arrangements. Unbelievable indeed.

randommoment · 12/12/2011 22:25

OP, 'fess up. You're trying to justify to yourself that you want to sack your cleaner, probably for being in your own words 'a bit of a slacker'. But she's doing the amount of work you wanted, just more quickly than you expected.

Your card is almost certainly down the back of something. You will find it approx ten minutes after you cancel it (Voice of Experience here).

LidlDonkey · 12/12/2011 22:30

The best thing to do is to cancel your card right now, and then ask your cleaner next time she comes in if she's seen it anywhere as you can't find it. No need to accuse her - she may have put it somewhere for safe-keeping and forgotten to tell you. Don't just jump to conclusions.

FabbyChic · 12/12/2011 22:31

Is she PAYE if so you cannot just sack her. If you are making her redundant you have to give her notice.

malakadoush · 12/12/2011 22:32

As long as you're just sacking her, but not labelling her then that's fine.

It's only a job after all...

WilsonFrickett · 12/12/2011 22:33

The reason you can't face confronting the cleaner about this is because you would be incredibly U to accuse someone in a position of trust of stealing from you without one shred of evidence. FFS no purchases have been made on it! You've dropped it, DC has picked it up and dropped it, cleaner's swept it up with last week's paper and binned it - 1001 things could have happened to it, but no cleaner is going to risk their job stealing a credit card (which they then don't use btw).

baubleybobbityhat · 12/12/2011 22:43

"The reason you can't face confronting the cleaner about this is because ..."

this is all made up.

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