AIBU to be pissed off with cleaner?

[CheeseEloise1]

We decided to take on a cleaner last year as I wasn't on topic the house work due to extra hours at work. We only took her on once a fortnight and whilst it seemed a bit of a luxury, we thought that it would be of help. I only asked her to do bathrooms, kitchen and living room as well as Hoover carpets in hall. She and a colleague would come for an hour and a half, so I would pay for a 3-hour clean. I gave her 4 of our rental properties to do, so consider myself a good client.
Her colleague has now left due to illness and the cleaning has gone completely downhill. She left after two hours yesterday, despite my being in the house and hadn't done Windows and some of the surfaces.
I know she is a single mother with 4 children and that things are probably tough for her, but she should really do the work that I am paying for. AIBU to pay her for only 2 hours this week? It would be very hard for her to bring it up with me as she knows that is how long she did. If I get rid of her, she would be lessening her workload of 5 properties, which is surely something she doesn't want. What to do?

Hide your candles.
Pay her for the 2 hours work she completed.
Tell her you're not happy with the recent standard of cleaning.

I would sit down with her and discuss how the current arrangement is working for both of you.

By that I mean, you explaining that you need 3 hours of cleaning for 3 hours pay, and that you can't get by with less (and certainly won't pay three hours for two hours work). She can then tell you if she can actually do this or if she needs to lessen her workload. As long as it is polite and business-like there should be no problem.

Talk to her, tell her you noticed and ask if she is ok first, she may have problems with her OH.

hide your candles

Beat me to it, Favouritethings

What does 'Hide your Candles' mean?

It's a 'thing' from a previous thread... expensive candle, cleaner suspected of theft... another 'in joke' would be 'stop the cheque'.

Don't worry about it, you have some good advice: a chat, lay out your expectations, find out why she has not been able to clean as expected, make your decision from there.

Good luck.

Definitely hide your candles

Chat to her, she's obvs struggling. Give her the chance to make up the missed hour, and see how she responds to kind offer of support. A trustworthy cleaner is worth holding on to.