To think this client is being unreasonable? (Cleaner)

[Cactusjelly00]

I'm a cleaner, don't work for an agency completely self employed. It's a fairly recent start up because I need to find some extra money for some legal expenses.
I work for this one lady that, in a nut shell,
Doesn't believe she should do any cleaning in the time I'm not there.
For context I go Monday and Thursday in week 1, Monday only in week 2, alternating like that. I go for 2hrs per time and it's a 5 bed 4 bath house.

Whenever I'm not there even basic cleaning isn't done,
Such as laundry left out on the floor, dishes in the sink, on the sides and in the living room. Dirty nappies littered around and down the side of the sofa. Cat litter trays not emptied sometimes. This isn't the kind of thing I do (except maybe the litter trays if pre agreed; this wasn't)

Now; I thought something like this would happen so I have an info leaflet I give to customers prior to accepting a job that states my role, what I do and don't do (for eg don't do ironing but will hang out washing if already washed but not dry, don't do dishes or "daily" cleaning type things, more like mopping cleaning the sides vacuuming cleaning toilets bath and showers) I have tried to raise this with the client but she has got very antsy about it, said that she shouldn't have to clean and hire a cleaner... She has already paid for this month so I will fulfil that but would I be U a to leave afterwards?
She pays well and is otherwise generous and kind, but she doesn't see the problem in that it's not what I do.
In addition she has also said that if I don't have enough time to clean down the kitchen once I've done dishes or similar I can go home or get paid for the extra hours. I still don't want to do this.

Dh thinks I'd be U as she's offering to pay extra so
Tell me, Aibu?

Wow; hard work, really?
I have a degree of flexibility (as mentioned, I'd have been happy to do some things with prior agreement) but it doesn't extend to picking up dirty nappies and the like, or hunting for their crockery if they've left it all over the house. If that means others do better than me well I can live with that....

I’d be clear that your services do not include the things she wants doing and then give her a flyer advertising your new housekeeping rates (separate to your cleaning rates) which start at £22 an hour and require a minimum of 12 hours a week.

By continuing to work there you are accepting the staus quo as the new “contract”. Accept, renogiate or leave.

She isn't asking for enough hours a week.

FWIW I do practically no cleaning between my cleaner's visits but it's a 3 bed, 1 bath and I have 4 hours a week + 1 hours ironing.

2 hours some weeks, no ironing, 5 bed, 4 bath - you set yourself up to fail by agreeing to too few hours in the first place. Even if she had been a clean freak, this was never going to be doable.

I'd leave at the end of the month but you need to be honest with new clients if they are asking for too much in too few hours next time.

I suppose it depends on what service she wants and equally what you are willing to provide.

Personally, I want my cleaner to "clean" and not spend time having to tidy up before doing so, so I keep my home in pretty good shape over the week.

However if she wants something different though the nappies sound vile tbh then you have a choice.

If you need the money it sounds like she will be a good client in so far she clearly needs someone cleaning/tidying more frequently and for longer. If your not interested then then fine. Tell her straight that she needs to find someone else willing to do the things you don't want to.

OP, I was more referring to: don't do dishes or "daily" cleaning type things and not wanting to take on extra hours of work to complete additional tasks.

However, what services you offer and how you run your business is completely your choice. It sounds as though this client is not the lady for you.

Type of work wouldn't fuss me but I'd be telling her I need more hours and an increase in rate

Sounds as though you're not right for each other. You need to ask yourself if you'd be happy to do the job if she committed to more hours so you could fit it all in. If not, just leave. If you would, raise it with her and see what she says. If she disagrees, walk away. If she agrees, job done!

FWIW, we're pretty tidy and my cleaners come for 4 hours (2 x 2 hours once a week) BUT I spend a good hour tidying before they come (papers moved from bedside table to the bed etc), all stuff in dishwasher, generally in "ready to clean" condition - not because I don't think they'd do it but because I'd rather do that myself and pay the cleaners to clean not to tidy up. I'd never leave anything grim though of course!

Just do what you can in the two hours and, if she'll willing to pay for more hours and she pays a good hourly rate, then choose to do extra or not. I don't see what the problem is. I've done lots of cleaning jobs in my time and I do whatever has been asked of me. In fact, I prefer going to a dirty home as I can see what progress I've made.

Personally, I want my cleaner to "clean" and not spend time having to tidy up before doing so, so I keep my home in pretty good shape over the week.

I never really understand this opinion that tidying is somehow better or easier than cleaning. Surely it's about the time it takes. If my house needs 3 hours of tidying before it needs 3 hours of cleaning then if someone comes to do 3 hrs tidying I still have 3 hrs of cleaning. It makes no difference to me if I spend that 3 hours tidying so they can clean or use it to clean after they tidy. It's still 3 hours of my time (i;d rather clean than tidy too).

When we got cleaners we always employed ones which described themselves as house keepers and made it clear tidying had to be part of the job. We never leave dirty nappies about or daily washing up by the sink, but there will often be clothes on the floor, toys everywhere and cups upstairs to be brought down etc.

However, if you are clear you wont do these things then they shouldn't have employed you.You don't seem matched in expectations. I'd make that clear and that you would need way more time (i have a similar house and when it's been left it takes 8-10hrs of tidying and cleaning)

YANBU

Tidying is difficult to do quickly if you don't actually live in the house & know how / where things things are supposed to be.

Cleaners clean, don't they? It's years since I had one & they didn't tidy up first - I did that the day before.

One used to iron for me & would change bedlinen.

I think it is easier for me to do the tidying, because I know where things go, and my cleaners are better at cleaning than I am, because they do far more than I do - so if I tidy up, they can get more cleaning done than if they tidied up, and then I did the cleaning.

I have cleaners come in once a month, and I think that it is my responsibility to do what needs doing in between times so I think the OP’s client is being very unreasonable in her expectations, and she would not be at all unreasonable to stop working for her at the end of the month.

Leave.
You are providing a services that has been very clearly stated.
You have reminded her of the contract and what it covers.
Finish the month and tell her what you wont Be carrying on.

i suppose it depends what needs tidying. All the toys downstairs are easy to tidy as the toy boxes are there. The clothes/towels on the floor all need to go in the laundry basket, cups back downstairs etc. Nothing requires any knowledge of the house. I much prefer cleaning so would rather someone helped tidy. I often work with the cleaners (when we have them) at the same time. So they come for 4 hrs and i do 4hrs alongside them.

Actually what is not reasonable is not having a way to deal with non adherence to your terms and conditions. Next time add what penalties you expect (financial, withdrawal of sevices, both the aforementioned, reduction in output etc) and just invoke these clauses upon these problems occurring.

And no you are not hard work btw.
Whether you are happy to offer a different service (tidying up for clients, incl tidying dirty nappies left on the sofa ) is very much up to you and you have no obligation to add that service to your repertoire.

Fwiw that woman seems filthy. How can you leave dirty dishes for a few days in the sink, dirty nappies in the side of the sofa etc....
A minium of hygiene is required even if you have someone to tidy up after you!!

Your not happy so give her notice. End of.
I actually gave my cleaner notice as I teally needed a housekeeper too and dudn’t feel it was fair on her.

I don’t clean in between my cleaners visits. But what you are describing is basic stuff. I would have always done the washing up / put things away etc so all that needs to be done is the cleaning.

Personally, if I was a cleaner setting up a business I would just do whatever was asked me. (With the exception of dirty nappies).
If she's paying you a set rate to do two hours work (e.g.), what difference does it make to you whether you spend that time hunting round for crockery, or mopping the floor? It's still the same amount of time for the same amount of cash. I'd just do it.

She needs more hours, and a housekeeper as opposed to a cleaner. You have clearly told her what you do and don’t do. If she wants more services and you aren’t willing to offer them then it is totally fair enough to part ways.

FWIW I have a 6 bed/bath house, 3 children and another on the way and we currently have about 15 hours cleaning a week (AND looking to get separate help with the children eg a nanny who will do their cleaning and laundry) and I am CONSTANTLY tidying up / loading and unloading dishwasher. I cannot believe she doesn’t do anything between visits?!

Our 15 hours is housekeeping btw - so so does laundry and ironing. I would NOT expect her to pick up dirty nappies from the floor though - how can she leave those lying around for days?!?!

I actually don’t think op is hard work- that’s a horrible thing to say. Op has laid out her terms, you’re free to find someone else if you don’t like them.
I’m hoping to soon be able to hire a cleaner- I’m struggling massively with housekeeping due to disability, and things like picking small things off the floor are difficult. But I have a ds in nappies and I don’t leave used ones anywhere besides the bin, that’s absolutely foul.
When seeking a cleaner, I’d be very honest about my areas of difficulty and if they think they’re unable for whatever reason to work with my needs, I simply move on and find someone else- not get them in and try to push them to do what they clearly state they’re unwilling to.

She wants a housekeeper, you don't want to be a housekeeper. Of course you can choose not to do the job. If she wants washing up done then she will have to pay someone for a lot more than 6 hours a fortnight.

I had my own cleaning business for 10 years. I was quite happy to do anything really (except go up ladders as it was an insurance exclusion). People would sometimes leave washing up. I would just make it clear that time spent doing things like this meant less time cleaning, and as long as they accepted that, it was fine by me. I think you have to be flexible really. However, there are some people who have unrealistic expectations of what you can do in the time they are willing to pay you for.
If you don't like this client op, drop her. I had no compunction in getting rid of clients with filthy habits, although I always used to say something first, if things didn't improve they were off the list.
Btw, if you are after extra money, ironing is a good one. I had several clients who would leave me a basket of ironing which I took home and did in the evenings in front of the tv, so don't turn it down out of hand.

My SILs cleaner quit because of this, said she was being a “diva”... damn right she was! If she wants you to be a housekeeper then you need to be paid much more