To plan to fire my cleaner

[happyzapper]

My cleaner is a family friend who fell on hard times and couldnt get a job so my husband and i employed her as our cleaner . In the first month she was good . Turning up on time and doing a good job and i thought £15 an hour was enough but after that she was always late . She started smoking in the house agaunst my wishes . Most days she would just sit on a sofa and watch T.V and talk to me dh or dd . I think she took the fact we were friends for grantage . Usally I wiuldnt complain however in the past week the following items went
missing :

A watch
my dh cufflinks (which he bought at a vast expense)
My pearl earings
A braclet given to dd

And I would never have even thought she would take anthing but today dh saw her routing through my jewelry box and is pressurising me to fire her .Any advice ?

This is a joke right?

Tell her about the theft and say she was seen with the box. tell her you are going to tell the police if they are not returned.

Then sack her. She isn't a friend.

I'd have fired her after the smoking, to be fair.

This isn't a friend.

A friend wouldn't steal your things, tell her you don't need her services or her friendship.

This is the same husband who has made gazillions of pounds and keeps you in 5 holidays a year? And he can't challenge the cleaner who is caught in the act of pilfering your jewellery?

Go to the police.

Thank you i knew i should fire her its just because she was my friend . Thank (most of you who kept your cool)for your brilliant advice

I saw your post on the other thread OP, and you sound as inventive here as you did there.

Either that, or a whole new class of super dickishness evolved while I wasn't looking.

@ Norway

Friends don't route through other peoples stuff and steal it.

Seeing as you're apparently worth £48million I'm sure you can afford to replace her.

An amusing troll.

Most days she would just sit on a sofa and watch TV and talk to me dh or dd

Most days.... so she cleans for you most days?

Um just trying to get the picture here... So cleaning lady walks into the living room, while the family are watching TV and just plonks herself down and starts chatting?

Ever thought of stopping her sitting down by giving her enough work to keep her busy? My cleaner has routine jobs, she know what she needs to cover during her visit. She does have time for a cuppa (which I encourage, you cant clean for a few hours without having a refreshment).

Sacking her, when you havent given her clear rules of engagement isnt fair. You are cutting off her livelihood, without giving her a chance to get better.

How much jewellery can you keep under a bridge?

Is this a bit trolly? I must admit my trolly antenae are impaired due to 30 degree heat

Just a bit....

Don't fire her, you deserve each other?

Thank you wizard, I think I will retire to my drawing room in that case, and get the maid to bring me in a g&t on the rocks.

Chaaaaaaars

What a dreadful load of old bollocks.

Yes fire her. Taking someone for grantage is a terrible crime

Someone who is a counsellor (ha) who can't address an issue like this? Excuse me while I take a moment to look at the pig that just flew past my window...

I did notice that you cannot spell the word counsellor....

OP has also posted on the 1st birthday present thread