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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think my cleaner shouldn't eat all the biscuits

283 replies

thepurplehen · 01/10/2017 20:36

I've noticed that my cleaning lady is clearing me out of biscuits. She eats an entire biscuit tin whilst she's in my home. So 1-2 packets. She's never asked if it's ok or replaced anything. I've never offered them to her either.

OP posts:
TimeTravellersCompanion · 02/10/2017 15:49

My nanny used to do this - she just loved cake and biscuits :-)

ChaosAD · 02/10/2017 16:24

Just hide the fecking biscuits! Unless she's a rubbish cleaner, in which case fire her.

derxa · 02/10/2017 16:29

Is she a good cleaner? If so buy more and better biscuits.

Peppermintcreme · 02/10/2017 16:31

I cleaned a couple of homes last year and if I'd forgotten my bottle of water I'd not even dare to use a cup/glass without permission. I think its rude and it is stealing. Even if she's going without food she should ask or use 40p of her wages earnt from cleaning yours to go to the shop and buy her own.

Spookle · 02/10/2017 16:32

Just leave a note in the tin.

'Stop eating all of the biscuits!'

SoyYo · 02/10/2017 16:32

If she's a really good cleaner/you want her to stay I would remove all biscuits, casually mention you are now a "sugar free" household due to new weight loss plan, kids hyperactivity, whatever...
But I would pay attn. Seriously.
I have had cleaners/home helpers most of my working life and this is not normal behaviour.
I could not have someone like that working in my home.
It is a Trust thing and Boundaries must be respected.
I once had a cleaner who used to pretend my kids/the cat broke ornaments. Stupid stuff. It went on for a while. I got rid of her. Tactfully but I got rid.
Found someone else. Trustworthy. Wonderful person and excellent cleaner. She has been coming to my house now for 7 years and she is human and slacks every now and then, but a quick word is all that is needed to get things back on track.
I always have a huge mug of tea ready for her arrival (if I am away she knows she can help herself to unlimited tea/drinks). She also goes to Slimming World (maybe persuade your cleaner to join a weigh loss club?) and the fruit bowl is available and very occasionally she takes an apple or an orange. And she asks!
Your cleaner may have a problem, but it is not YOUR problem unless you make it by allowing the behaviour to continue...

thornyhousewife · 02/10/2017 16:41

She might be hungry and/or have mouths to feed at home.

If she's a good cleaner can you give her more work or see if she wants a sandwich?

MarthaArthur · 02/10/2017 16:46

Its cheeky to eat all the biscuits but equally cheeky not to provide biscuits and drinks for someone working in your home. If work men are offered biscuits and tea why isnt the cleaner?

bananafanana1 · 02/10/2017 16:52

I had a decorator in for a few days and I said 'help yourself to anything'

he drunk 4 cans of lager and a whole bottle of vodka Confused

TimeTravellersCompanion · 02/10/2017 16:53

you need the opposite of an "eat me" label :-)

inchyrablue · 02/10/2017 16:57

We had a decorator once whom we said to "help yourself to a biscuit". We don't really eat them much so didn't notice he had eaten a whole pack of chocolate hobnobs, and a pack of Twix fingers. He left a note for us asking if we could get the milk choice hob nobs please next time. Shock

thatcoldfeeling · 02/10/2017 17:00

Bulimia? Compulsive overeating?

No money for food cos she works as a cleaner so is really hungry?

Worth considering before doing anything because if any of the above she is going to be particularly ashamed at being 'found out'.

00100001 · 02/10/2017 17:01

Crumbs... that really take the biscuit. She'll end up with digestive problems, is she as thick as custard creams?

Cleanermaidcook · 02/10/2017 17:02

She's eating 2 packs of buscits in 3 hours - not leaving herself much time do do the cleaning is she?
I'd be annoyed and confront her, it's both time wasting and stealing, and cleaners are often on a decent wage especially if they're self employed.

00100001 · 02/10/2017 17:02

Katedotness1963 Jeez, you're a proper lightweight, if two choccy digestives is bourbon you can handle

SoyYo · 02/10/2017 17:03

Martha drinks of course, it is the right/polite thing to do.
But I am not getting why you think it is "equally cheeky" of an employer not to offer them. I totally get it if someone is slogging for more than 7+ hours at a time (like builders often do) but in this example I understood the cleaner was doing a 2 hour shift...even if that wasn't the case it is polite to offer a drink/snack but never "cheeky" not to. It is a business transaction.
My employer offers me free hot drinks and water. Many don't. I don't expect to get free snack as well. Hmm

bec3105 · 02/10/2017 17:05

Just seen this on the FB page - maybe the cleaner will see it!!

Allesie · 02/10/2017 17:11

bananafanana1 - wow! Hope the job took longer that a day...!

"Help yourself to anything" - Reminds me of the thread where friend of the OP stayed over and helped herself to baby food haha

PopGoesTheWeaz · 02/10/2017 17:13

If she were eating a biscuit or two, I'd let it slide (and I would have offered anyway) but if whole packets are going missing that means she is stealing them. Either she is literally starving and you need to pay her more or she thinks it is okay to steal from clients which is a slippery slope, and she may soon be helping herself to other things she thinks you won't miss

MarthaArthur · 02/10/2017 17:14

soyYo I personally do find it cheeky. Babysitters are given food and snacks to sit on a sofa for a couple of hours. I made a workman his lunch today for a 2 hour job.. if someone is working in my home i would offer drinks and snacks even if its only a couple of hours.

StormTreader · 02/10/2017 17:15

A couple of packets must surely mean she is taking them home - I'd be concerned what else she thinks you are rich enough to not mind her taking or using.

Imstyledilemma · 02/10/2017 17:30

Cleaning someone else's house must be a shit, back breaking job at the best of times..
If you can't have a couple of biscuits to alleviate the boredom ,then I despair!

I could quite easily scoff two packets of biscuits.
No problem.

SoyYo · 02/10/2017 17:31

Fair enough Martha I must be a slave driver then...it would never occur to me ...unless it is a favour at a very low cost, but if I am paying a fair market price I offer tea (the odd biscuit if it is a long day) but even when I have had builders working full time on my property for months it never occurred to me to give them lunch as well...

Imstyledilemma · 02/10/2017 17:32

Are the biscuits loose or still in the packet?
If they're loose and she's a greedy person, it's possible she doesn't realise how many she's eating.
I can easily work my way through a whole tin while watching tv.

Maybe she's watching tv whilst eating the biscuit?

KurriKurri · 02/10/2017 17:35

Either she is literally starving and you need to pay her more

That kind of assumes the OP is underpaying her - which we don't know, the woman works from 8 -11am - that's three hours a day, five days a week max. She may well not earn anything else outside those hours, but it's not up to the OP to pay her for hours she doesn't work at hers, she will be entitled to benefits if those are her only working hours and she has to resort to filching biscuits

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