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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think my client could have given me more than one day's notice

137 replies

Pollyxcx · 20/12/2016 23:33

That she won't be needing me for the next 4 weeks?

I'm a cleaner, I cleaned this evening and she left a note next to my money saying "off on hols tomorrow, see you again 17th Jan!"

It has completely fucked my budget for the month and next month (I work 5 hours once a week so that's £200 I'm down)

I'm really bloody pissed off that she didn't think to tell me before

OP posts:
BadKnee · 21/12/2016 12:41

And Dangly always talks sense on any thread relating to cleaning. She is right. Set it up like a business. Make it clear what you expect and there are fewer misunderstandings.

lightswitchedoff · 21/12/2016 12:45

I'm a cleaner to and it's bloody annoying when this happens.

Most of my clients are excellent and usually I still go when they are away and do a deep clean/clean fridge etc but the odd one just cancels last minute. Then you get the ones who ask you to g meet them see the house etc and then tell you they will pay £7 s hour..... umm no sorry that's not my rate I'm self employed.

Mumsnet really does need a cleaning board, I'm now just getting back to work after really cutting down for maternity leave and want to build up my clients for weekly/ fortnightly cleans

CalleighDoodle · 21/12/2016 12:47

This is so rude. This is why having a contract is crucial. Everyone knows where they stand. Ensure you start the new year with contracts with all your clients.

OliviaStabler · 21/12/2016 13:31

There are so many desperate mnetters out there looking for help, someone should start a board

Agree

Bestthingever · 21/12/2016 13:37

Hope the Op gets a new job from this thread!

MyBonnieLiesOverTheOcean · 21/12/2016 13:43

That's awful of her. I don't know how she can't realise that is unfair of her to do this!

I've always left the decision to our cleaner about whether she wants to work or not while we're on holiday. We're happy to pay her while we're away to clean the fridge or the oven or but sometimes she'd rather have the time off.

Very poor form to cancel you like that.

mummyhappiness · 22/12/2016 17:30

I always give my cleaner at least a months notice if I'm going away. I don't pay her if I'm away but I do give her a generous Christmas bonus.
I don't think that is fair to do that to you. I agree with other comments- get yourself a new client ( I really don't think it will he hard to find one)
Good luck.

DierdrePewtey · 22/12/2016 17:53

Are you self employed or does she employ you? If the latter, she legally has to pay you holidays.

akkakk · 22/12/2016 18:12

I certainly pay my cleaner when I am on holiday - I also pay her when she is on holiday for up to 4 weeks a year (4 hrs a week) - she has been with me for c. 15 years and looks after me, why wouldn't I also look after her?

EnchantedByGin · 22/12/2016 18:15

Have only skimmed thread. But, a good cleaner is like gold dust. Our cleaner is an absolute star! Another of her clients is a good friend (probably the reason we were able to get her to come to us). We pay her a higher hourly rate, but don't pay her for her holidays, whereas our friend's arrangement with her is that she does, but pays her less/hour. We'd lose her if we didn't give notice of when we didn't need her. But that's only been once as it's so lovely to come home to a beautifully cleaned home (and like other posters have said, if we are away and she comes she does more spring/deep cleans). 💐OP. If she's really dumped that news on you just before Xmas!! 😡. I'd ditch her...she clearly doesn't realise your value!

JustSpeakSense · 22/12/2016 18:20

That is completely unacceptable. I'd be sending her a text saying in the future you require more notice, and then I'd start looking to replace these clients.

Some people are so selfish and inconsiderate.

LillyBugg · 22/12/2016 18:23

I would also ask existing clients if they know anyone who would take you on. People are always asking for my cleaners contact details, but I know she is fully booked. I would also only tell this lady that you are no longer available only the day before she's expecting you. It's so bloody rude and inconsiderate.

Lynnm63 · 22/12/2016 18:31

she really is a piece of work. I agree I'd be actively looking for other clients and I wouldn't go back to work for her unless I couldn't get anyone else. I'd be dropping her as soon as humanly possible though.

lalalalyra · 22/12/2016 18:48

You need to set out your terms with new clients. My cleaner requires notice matching time off - so if I don't need her for 2 weeks then I have to give at least 2 weeks notice or pay her full price. If we didn't need her while we were away then we pay half as a retainer, but normally we pay full price and get some bigger jobs done.

When she goes on holiday she doesn't charge, has the same notice terms and she goes on holiday ont he same weeks because of her husbands job so that works out well.

She had a client treat her badly not so long ago and she had a replacement within a day - good cleaners are like gold dust. I bet if you mentioned to your current clients you have a space you'd be full very quickly!

Katherine2626 · 22/12/2016 18:48

She should have appreciated you, and also understood that £200 is a lot of money to lose 'just like that'. I would pay a cleaner, at the very least a retainer, or do as suggested and ask her to carry on with hours as normal but perhaps do some window cleaning, oven cleaning etc. instead.

Cleaners are like gold dust - there will be more appreciative people out there looking for you - go find them!

AcaciaYou · 22/12/2016 18:52

How much do people give their cleaners as a Christmas bonus? I was going to give mine an extra week's pay but worried that might not be enough. Extra week's pay plus bottle of wine?

Chippednailvarnishing · 22/12/2016 18:58

We do a week extra and a bottle.

OP are there any FB "mums groups" you could join and offer a last minute pre-christmas cleaning service? Obviously make sure you don't go to any stranger's houses on your own without checking them out first...

DanglyEarOrnaments · 22/12/2016 18:59

Acacia extra weeks pay is fab but the thing that our cleaning staff love the most is a card with a thoughtful message in along the lines of how much you value our services and love your house after we've been.

That's the Godshonest truth, as cleaning business owners (and cleaners ourselves obviously) we value the appreciation the most and our staff are constantly asking 'has anyone given any feedback about me lately?'.

The card with the kind words inside is THE thing they love and show and talk about.

amispartacus · 22/12/2016 19:21

TBF - you are self employed. You could leave the next day if you wanted to and there'd be nothing your client could do about it.

It's one of the hard things if you are self employed and work regularly for people - such as if you do tutoring, gardening etc. You are not doing any work for them so why should you get paid? I know that sounds harsh.

People have suggested terms and conditions. I would also factor in 'holiday pay' into your charges.

I am self employed and would not expect to be paid for work if I didn't turn up. I don't get sick pay. My terms and conditions clearly state what I charge, what you get for that charge and how you give me notice. I also have cancellation built in if I am not needed on a day I am expected to be there.

But I do know it is hard losing money like that you thought you might get.

Manijo · 22/12/2016 19:49

I would look for new clients Polly. I always pay my cleaner when we go on holidays and like other people have mentioned get her to do some deep cleaning while we are away. It is not your fault that they've gone on holiday. Pretty pissy thing to do before Christmas.

Kika2901 · 22/12/2016 19:50

I think she should have given you more notice but personally don't think she should pay you up for 4 weeks that you aren't needed for cleaning. It's a service and if she doesn't need the service for that length of time then it's unnecessary to pay you. Unless you have a contract which says otherwise. Presumably you are self employed so you do need to accept that it doesn't come with the same level of job security that you would get if say a cleaning company employed you. Do you even have an agreement? I think you are annoyed because common courtesy would be to give you more notice but I don't think you should expect any more than that. So you can choose to work for new clients but not all with be generous to pay you for when they don't need you. I have paid my cleaner when I had to cancel her for a week at short notice as we had builders in but I don't pay her if I am going on holiday but I do give her a couple of weeks notice out of courtesy although I'm sure there are times I have forgotten to give that much. Equally, she has just told me she isn't coming next week which is fine by me as the arrangement is flexible, she is self employed and we have no agreement so it works both ways!

amispartacus · 22/12/2016 20:02

Where do you stop with people who provide you with a service?

Tutors?
Piano teachers?
Gardeners?
Fitness Instructors?

fatimashortbread · 22/12/2016 20:08

Like others posting before I always paid my cleaner when I was away. The first week there would be the normal clean; the second week I would ask her to clean the fridge or something like that. If it didn't take the full time I didn't care. Good cleaners are like gold!

glintwithpersperation · 22/12/2016 20:11

I have a cleaner, I would never, ever treat her like this. However,I am a decent person who treats people with respect, your client sounds like a thoughtless cunt.

londonmummy1966 · 22/12/2016 20:23

My cleaner is relatively new - mid -Septemeber and said she wanted to work all over Christmas - I suggested that she did until tomorrow and then back on 29th and that I'd pay her fr a full week anyway. I was going to give her a nice bottle or some chocs as a present. IS this reasonable over Christmas given she's only been here 3 months? (She is brill though so I don't want to lose her).

I also said she could have 4 weeks paid holiday - 2 at her choice and 2 at mine. I'm told that is is fairly standard? Not quite sure as I've had a self employed lady before but this one is my employee....