Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To sack the cleaner after coming home and crying my eyes out

143 replies

OlderMummy1 · 10/06/2014 22:02

I had a cleaner for 6 months when I was pregnant as I had hyperemesis, severe PGP and a 2 year old. She was fantastic! We have a modest 3 bed semi and she used to get it all cleaned and a basket of ironing done in 3 hours. I paid her £10 an hour. She worked for herself and had insurance, references, CRB etc.

3 weeks ago her father became very ill and needed full time care so she had to give up work. Since then I have been looking for someone else as I am struggling to the point of depression with a refluxy newborn. Just surviving the day is an achievement for me let alone doing the housework.

I have found it hard to find anyone. Everyone I found who was self employed had no insurance and no references. To be honest, some came across as quite dodgy. So then I thought I would go through an agency. It is a national one so seemed good. They found someone for me and she came today. I decided to have 3 hours clean and 1 hour iron as I know my last cleaner was superwoman and I didn't want it to be unmanageable. Also, as it was her 1st time here I didn't leave any ironing to be done as it's always slower when you don't know the house and we did have 3 weeks of dirt.

We don't have pets and mainly have laminate floor so it doesn't get too dirty apart from the usual mess with 2 kids. I'm also not a clean freak, as long as it's done reasonably well then I'm happy.

Well! I just walked through the door after a long day at the hospital with the newborn trying to get his medication sorted out and I honestly thought we had been burgled!

The dining room table was crooked with all the seats pushed back, the coffee table was at a 90 degree angle to where it usually is , a highchair is blocking a doorway, 2 kitchen cupboards are wide open, the Hoover is half pushed back in the cleaning cupboard so the door won't shut and she's left a note saying she's broken a vase (wedding gift) and that she didn't have time to do any bedrooms! As I walked around in shock I slipped on a duster she had left in the middle of the floor and fell over with the baby in my arms. I couldn't save myself, only him, so have now got 2 very painful knees.

My husband has just got home and I've cried!

I don't want her to come again but I feel bad about sacking her. She only gets £27 for 4 hours, the agency gets the rest - it doesn't seem enough really. Maybe I am deluded as to how much can be done in 4 hours and our last cleaner was a one off.

Am I?

OP posts:
Original poster
OlderMummy1 · 10/06/2014 22:29

I am in shropshire near Telford

OP posts:
allisgood1 · 10/06/2014 22:30

Only ever hire a cleaner by recommendation!!! Do you have a local FB parents group that you can ask on?

I have a 4 bed end of terrace and I pay £10/hr. House is spotless when I come home (4 hrs, no ironing but they have to put laundry away).

Definitely sack and then go by word of mouth!!

stealthsquiggle · 10/06/2014 22:32

Our new cleaners, fwiw, are a team working for themselves - so they (in theory at least) have all the upsides of an agency (not dependent on one person, well insured, holiday cover, etc etc) without the downside as the money is going straight to them. Fingers are firmly crossed as it has taken me several months since our last cleaner moved on to another job to find this lot.

Good luck, OP.

curiousgeorgie · 10/06/2014 22:33

Doitlikeatourist - whereabouts are you? £8 is a bargain Grin

I once came home to my newly hired cleaner sitting on the sofa eating one of DD's Easter eggs. And she had switched all the pictures round into different frames, it was the oddest day ever!

JollyGolightly · 10/06/2014 22:34

You just tell the agency, it's their job to provide a cleaner who is up to the job.

If that doesn't work, try another agency.

Everything is heightened when you've just had a baby, it can be hard to manage day to day stuff and it's worse when things don't go to plan. This one could and should be delegated to your husband!

Congratulations on your new baby.

Original poster
OlderMummy1 · 10/06/2014 22:38

Yes it does all seem worse as I'm having a bad time of it lately. This was the last straw.

OP posts:
TheWordFactory · 10/06/2014 22:38

Avoid agencies.

They treat their workers badly IME. so the cleaners act accordingly in your home.

Better to ask around. See if any of your friend's cleaners want extra hours.

Ilovehamabeads · 10/06/2014 22:42

We had mixed results with an agency. The first cleaner they sent was lovely and did a wonderful job. When we moved house they sent a new one and she was consistently piss-poor so I cancelled and used a self employed lady recommended by a friend. She was fab- We have a 4 bed largish semi and she could clean it top to bottom in 3 hours. Our old house was also 4 bed and was done in 3 hours. Your cleaner sounds rubbish, get the agency to send a different one.

NinetyNinePercentTroll · 10/06/2014 22:43

Older mummy - my cleaner (and previous ones) have done my place in 3 hours. No ironing. It is around twice the size of an average 3 bed semi, she cleans probably about 3/4 of it (some rooms aren't done because they aren't used often). £10ph, outside of SE (don't want to be too specific).

LiberalLibertine · 10/06/2014 22:45

Don't have her back op! Agree, you need a recommendation.

curious that is bizarre!?

NinetyNinePercentTroll · 10/06/2014 22:45

And agreed re agencies - rip off merchants employing resentful staff and charging you through the nose for the privilege - around these parts charge £18-£25 an hour!! AVOID

calculatorsatdawn · 10/06/2014 22:46

Have you tried asking the cleaner you used to have? She is in the industry in the area and is bound to know who's good and who isn't, she may have a friend who is looking to take on extra work and it sounds like she has high standards and unlikely to recommend anyone who doesn't do a good job.

MogTheForgetfulCat · 10/06/2014 22:50

My cleaner is amazing, cleans 3-bed terraced house to a v high standard in 3 hours a week, 10 per hour. Before her we used an agency for a while - the cleaners were ok but not to her standard, and the cost was prohibitive. AND they only came every fortnight as too expensive. I would complain and see if you can find a recommendation locally.

WildMustang · 10/06/2014 22:51

No way. Def do not have her again and tell the agency. Not agood agency if you ask me.

Here in North London, good size four bed terrace always full of kids and pets in other words a mess gets cleaned to a good standard in four hours for ten pounds. Could find better but the girls are lovely, trustworthy, honest and now they can come and look after the DDs when they're poorly. That's more valuable to me than ironing underwear, say.

Most mine were good except for one who only managed a bedroom in two hours and broke something. She did not last. I am very very relaxed and do not care about housework much so the last thing I want in my life is having to check on cleaner constantly and time them. All I ask is a house that looks decent, at least for the few days after they've been!

mellicauli · 10/06/2014 22:54

Hang on. I see you are having a bad time and you are feeling emotional but would you expect to get sacked for doing something badly at work on one occasion? Wouldn't you expect an opportunity to put it right?

She might have had a bad day too. Maybe she had some emergency and had to run off to. Make a list of the things you want differently next time and tell/email the agency. Give her a chance to make amends. She and other may be really counting on this job. You have responsibilities when you employ someone.

fluffymouse · 10/06/2014 22:57

The agency should have insurance to pay for the vase.

And otherwise get rid.

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 10/06/2014 23:03

I disagree with mellicauli. You're not employing that cleaner, you're paying the agency for a service. The service wasn't nearly good enough. Don't have her back.

We pay £10ph outside of London. Would expect 3 bed plus ironing to take 4 hours.

cardamomginger · 10/06/2014 23:51

Your contract is with the agency, not the cleaner. Complain to them and in the strongest possible terms. This is not just a question of someone being a bit slow or not doing a particularly good job. She left your home in a dangerous condition. You tripped and injured yourself. Take photos. Including of your knees, if you develop bruises. They should claim on their insurance for the cost of your vase.

The agency's reaction and how they handle your complaint would determine whether I agreed to try out another of their cleaners or not. If the second one they sent was also shit, I wouldn't try a third time.

whynowblowwind · 10/06/2014 23:59

You're near me.

I'm considering offering my services Grin

wobblyweebles · 11/06/2014 01:58

5 bed house, 2.5 bathrooms, sitting room, dining room, office, dressing room.

Cleaner took 4 hours to hoover everywhere, clean the wood floor throughout downstairs, clean all bathrooms, leave the kitchen spotless and usually do an extra like clean out the fridge or clean the windows.

Original poster
OlderMummy1 · 11/06/2014 03:14

We're just having our conservatory redone and an outside office built so I'm just worried that if she can't manage what we've already got then I've got no chance of getting these cleaned as well once they're done. I could increase to 5 hours but that's what my mom has for a huge house so it seems a bit much.

I do feel bad about getting rid of her as I know she might be relying on this job. I don't think I'm a particularly hard to please or difficult customer but I do expect the whole house to be done and to come back to things where I left them. I'm happy for the cleaner to help herself to drinks from the coffee machine/biscuits and my old cleaner used to watch tv whilst ironing which was absolutely fine. Goodness knows how slow this one would be if she was watching TV as well :-(

OP posts:
SelectAUserName · 11/06/2014 03:42

If she's relying on the job - aren't we all? - then she needs to do it properly. You're not a charity; you're paying her, via the agency, to do a job to save you stress. Not to add to it.

Poosnu · 11/06/2014 03:56

I'm shocked at this. Complain strongly to the agency and ask for a new cleaner next time. Ask them to pay for the vase from their insurance.

Kezzybear · 11/06/2014 05:51

Don't use an agency. Ask around and go with recommendations. It does take a few weeks for them to get to know the house but she sounds awful.

MarshaBrady · 11/06/2014 06:11

It does sound bad, I don't blame you for feeling as you do.

When I walk in everything is sparkling and great care is taken with putting everything in the right place. Recommendation is usually the best way.

Swipe left for the next trending thread