...to have sacked the cleaner?

[ladylily29]

*Disclaimer: I'm quite possibly suffering from pregnancy hormones and therefore perfectly willing to hear IABU.

Got back from a mental day at work today to note from cleaner. It said she was shocked at the state of the house, that she didn't expect to pick up clothes (there were three socks and a pair of pants on the bedroom floor that had fallen out of a drawer...) and that the state of my house had cost her the clients after me because she had to stay so long. To be fair, it was a bit messy, but I'm pregnant, sick, and have had a manic week at work, so it's not been my priority.

I never asked her to stay more than her hours (and actually she usually cops off early!), and to be honest, I've come home early a couple of times to find her partner or kids here, which has made me really uncomfortable. And there have been quite a few broken items that have turned up... Also, I pay her 30% more than she asks for, so she gets a nice tip every time she comes here.

Was IBU to send her a text to apologise that she'd felt so unhappy about the state of the house, and to say that as we both now felt uncomfortable, it was probably best to call it a day? It's done now, but I feel a bit guilty.

I agree with everything you just said Fabulassie - hell i don't take a wage some weeks and work for more than 12 hour per day but then this is my passion and I plan to draw a regular wage very soon even after we hit VAT (next month at this rate!Yikes!!!)

I can only handle the crap of employees because of my passion for delivering the cleaning people need - it's a vocation for me unusual but shared by a fair few in the UK funnily enough!

I am also familiar with the 'trunkslammer' term having cleaning business owner friends across the pond and it is so true what you say, they are neither insured nor trained and demand cash amounts which under-cut the desirable end of the industry, but don't worry, they are not our competition, their service level is nothing to do with us, it is separate and will attract a separate type of client! These clients are not a good match for us, ourclient's would never hire an unprofessional service and vice versa!

There is so much work for either end of the industry I think nobody should worry about any competition, staff however is a different mattter!

I also agree the OP should sack because of the family in the home issue, however it seems to me she was engineering getting sacked rather than her sacking the client, this is how cleaning people try to get out of clients they do not want to service anymore but I do think it seems a bit unkind in this instance and OP NBU!

Had (the same) cleaner/ironer for 11 years. I always tidied up before she came (I'm naturally quite neat anyway, and would prefer to put my own 'stuff' away) as it was the ironing I really wanted her to do ( I hate ironing) and the other couple of hours were to make it worth her while . As they got older, it was an excellent 'excuse' to make my DDs tidy up their rooms the night before she came-she had strict instructions not to do their rooms if they were a mess ! Might be illogical, but I didn't like the idea of them getting used to having someone tidy up after them (which I didn't do either) .I agreed with her initially that she was to prioritise the ironing, kitchen, bathroom and loo(s) .Anything else she had time for was a bonus-though she did usually put the hoover over , and dust . I think you have to decide what matters to you!
I knew people who didn't have the'master' bedroom cleaned by the cleaner as it felt like invading their privacy . But I was thrilled one year when we came back from a two week holiday to find she'd re-made our bed which I'd stripped (I'd left the clean sheets etc on top) . We did know her pretty well by then.
I once had a younger cleaner with oneyoung child . She had my OK to bring him with her in school holidays and I daresay she might have brought him if he was ill . Anything to come home to a clean house . I would not have been happy if she'd had several and /or a Dh who frequented my house . Suspect she wanted rid the job!

ballsfor earrings I'm intrigued as to what exactly it is you do when you clean that 'homeowners can't easily do for themselves'? I've never had a cleaner ( even the above mentioned 'treasure' )who could get my house as pristine as I can (and now do) if set my mind to it. I include very expensive and highly recommended agency staff I had briefly after dd2 birth, when I wasn't supposed to do anything much. Do you steam clean/sterilize the the whole place and put those funny things on the loo like they do in hotels or something (friend had a cleaner who did that...)

Haha no Postchild - no fancy toilet paper folding for us, nor towel animals.

We simply clean very thoroughly, which homeowners do not because we train our teams to cover all the areas of the home since the client is paying a premium for this service level.

We bring all the chemicals and equipment we need and train teams to get the very best out of them, we train them to understand the chemistry of cleaning so they do not damage surfaces and can break down deposits of almost any type of build up.

It's not that you CAN'T do it yourself - it's just that most people would not want to clean to this level (or just don't know how to), I don't clean to this level myself in my own home when nobody is paying me for a full service!

When clients see the difference they don't know how we did it but it is just having the correct supplies, training them to clean to a standard service level and then usually the staff improve considerably over the first few weeks, we always use teams so one person will always have the experience to oversee the newer person's work!

That's about it really, it has took me 17 years and a ton of research to devise such an effective system though but that is what it boils down to - just cleaning and washing down things the homeowner would never think to do for themselves each visit so it is always a lovely surprise for them.

By the way, I can't remember who said I am touting for business before but just to be clear - we are fully-booked and no new hires on the horizon - NO VACANCIES at all, not touting, cannot accommodate any new business at the moment ,just trying to be helpful!

I would agree that I didn't clean better than a homeowner who cleaned very thoroughly. It wasn't that I was doing something extra special that nobody else could do. I did it to a high standard but I wasn't magical or anything. I was being paid to do something they didn't want to do, or didn't have the time to do, themselves.

YANBU. I would have sacked at briniging guests without permission. Glad she left amicably.

The two problems I've consistently experienced from cleaners are:

• lack of reliability
• lack of attention to detail/cleaning thoroughly

(I can also find some agencies just a bit too pushy and the hyperbole a bit unbelievable).

So, if I was to be specific, and not going into the complicated details of the type of property concerned, the problems would be:

Superficial cleaning which missed out areas such as skirting boards and specifically the part where the skirting board joins to the wall, which, left to my own devices, I hoover with a nozzle or clean with furniture polish, and use a toothbrush for (you have to be careful not to push any dirt into the wall). If the dust build up is really bad I actually repaint the whole skirting board, and that is not something a cleaner will do.

Or in the kitchen, failing to clean the bit between the bottom of the kitchen units and the floor, or in any gaps between the units. Missing the top of appliances is another one, or the outside of the drum of the washing machine. I've never met a cleaner who ever thought that cornicing required cleaning, but its a haven for dust. Mind you, that might be a blessing in disguise, as I wouldn't want harsh chemicals used on them.

Windows are another area of difficulty - myself, I would use something like a narrow wallpaper scraper to clean that bit between the glass and the mastic.

Or even just the corners of floor coverings and under beds - theres a difference between pushing a hoover around and actually using a nozzle to get into corners. Same goes for tiled bathrooms really.

I also hoover mattresses, duvets, pillows and sofa seat cushions.

The above is what I would describe as a deep clean, when you haven't had access to a property for some months, not one you do every week.

Since I can do it myself, I tend to notice when things aren't thoroughly cleaned because I know where to look. And I've had experiences of trying to persuade cleaners to do 5 or 6 hours well paid work, only for them to want to leave after say 4 hours, because they think they're finished. Of course, it is quite tiring cleaning properly. But whats the point in being a cleaner if you don't like cleaning or doing slightly dirty, unpleasant work?

I'm enjoying reading the comments above and the posters' attention to detail!

No yanbu!!! I have cleaned peoples houses and I can tell you three pairs of socks and unused pants would have been a treat!! Yes I picked up some very worn ones in my brief time in one woman's house! ( with gloves on might I add)

TheChandler - Now I agree with you on THAT post!! If a deep clean has been ordered details should not be skimped, if clients are paying a premium rate they must get a premium level of service.

As for your last point i could not agree more, I get SO irritated when people suggest this or that about cleaning work is humiliating because firstly - it isn't, it is HUGELY helpful and secondly - why be a flipping cleaner then if you don't like it?

Totally agree with all that!

The sort of clean you do ballsforearrings would be great once in a while and I suppose people with beautiful homes, lovely furniture etc , very high standards will be happy to pay a premium for it to be done regularly. A looking -good -like- you'd- do- it yourself - on- a -good -day was good enough for me when I had children at home .
I actually quite enjoy (my own ) housework.The reason I didn't do it when working was time ,and the fact that I needed someone to iron (back problems and I hate it anyway),at the time 7 DH shirts, 10 DDs shirts a week ,and added in some cleaning to 'attract' someone . I paid ( well, by local standards, and we raised it every year - I supposed it assuaged any sense of guilt I might have had. I am from a working- class background and my mum used to clean )for 5 hours but I trusted my cleaner and she went when she felt she'd done what was agreed. She also did sewing (made bridesmaids' dresses, re-lined jackets etc) for me, as she was by trade a seamstress and it was great having someone there if you were expecting a parcel, had a tradesman working etc . She did also once or twice 'sit' a sick child while I organised working at home, which was handy too! She took a lot of pride in her work and 'saw us through' and took a great interest in extensive (and
messy)renovations including new kitchen , new bathroom, conservatory etc
I know I've rambled on a a bit above but its to demonstrate I think it's a employer/staff relationship to be 'managed' like any other and I found it easier to manage one person I knew well,rather than agency staff . But I dare say others find the relative im-personality of an agency easier.

We are not an agency Postchildren, we are a private company, it is a very personal service (unlike with most agencies I know of - but that service level too has it's place)

We no longer do one-off's as we are too busy with our regulars now, we provide weekly or fortnightly options. (Although no options at the moment since we are short staffed and I won't just hire anybody for this!)

Our regulars are all different, some are very high-end with the most beautiful homes and lovely top-end furniture, they hire us because we know how to care for their home properly, but we also have working class family homes to attend to who are simply too busy and desperate for help as they both work long hours and have kids, they choose us because they are houseproud and want to pay a little more to not have to go over someone else's work. We also have every type of client in between, we love them all, we have a very warm relationship with all our clients I can't think of any who I am not fond of, but Iam thinking of cancelling a booking for late Feb I just made to fill our last spot as I just don't feel right about the client, got a weird vibe I think I would rather give our last place to someone who we will match.

That is it really - I always say this, you have to find a good match for one another, some will want what we do which is defined by a service level they can rely on, some will just want a bit of this and that from a cleaning lady which is obviously cheaper and a bit so-so but that is what they want, some will be happy with an agency, also cheaper and variable service level as cleaners are booked hourly and are self-employed, some will pay for a huge franchise at £25 ish per hour because they can't find another reliable option!

It really is horses for courses. We have to find 'our' clients and our clients have to find 'their' cleaning service. Our website is designed to attract the right clients for us so we don't experience many bad fitting clients!

There is a lot to be said for continuity. Ours has been working here for at least 14 years I think.It is a big house and there are areas I do - I tend to catch up a bit on areas not often done in the summer when she's abroad on holiday.

My daughter by the way speaks very highly of a cleaning app she's started using. They send someone when you need them and it's all fixed on line. It might be this one £10 an hour - Moop
www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/10726285/Need-a-cleaner-Theres-an-app-for-that.html