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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

CF cleaner

84 replies

sidesplittinglol · 02/02/2018 12:55

We have a cleaner that comes every week for 3 hours. She's always late and will never let you know that she's running behind. (We are her first job for the day). I'm always having to chase her up and have told her on several occasions to be on time as we have plans for the day and her being late delays us and if we cut the hours short, the work isn't done and end up finishing the job myself. Her cleaning standards have also gone down and isn't as good as it was.

Today, she hadn't turned up and when I called her she told me she was sorry she had to go to the office and would be with me an hour and half later. Had I known this, I could have taken DC's to a class and be back by the time she came.

When she did arrive, she had a relative in tow who had just come from abroad to stay here for a couple years to work as a cleaner. She said she would 'help' with he cleaning and would only do two hours as she had help. I told her she hadn't passed this by me beforehand and therefore I could not pay her. Not to mention she hasn't a work permit.

She left after 2 hours and my DH accidentally paid her for 3 hours instead of 2. The cleaner didn't say anything and took the money and off she went.

She was obviously expecting to be paid for 3 hours even though she had only worked 2 hours.

Before leaving she had asked my DH if it were ok if her relative could do our cleaning on some weeks instead of her.

Would IBU to not pay her the extra hour the next time she comes?

AIBU to expect her to give me notice that she is late and that she would be bringing someone else along with her to help with the work and expect payment?

OP posts:
Mummyoflittledragon · 02/02/2018 17:27

DavidBowie
You were probably more thorough. My cleaners didn’t break a sweat.

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 02/02/2018 17:43

Platypus, get a Rottweiler, and a Pitbull ... 😂
Seriously, give her, her cards. 🌸

IShouldntPostBut · 02/02/2018 17:58

twilightcafe: And change your locks if you let this cleaner go.
I wholeheartedly agree! Locksmiths aren't expensive, and they are surprisingly easy to replace it yourself.

sidesplittinglol · 02/02/2018 18:03

I agree with Sugarpie... you should get them Platypus!

OP posts:
ivykaty44 · 02/02/2018 18:10

I’d be very careful about having a cleaner who may not have the right to work in the uk....

Passmethecakeplease · 02/02/2018 18:17

davidbowies, I have a 4 bed, 2 bathroom, 1 shower room, 1 downstairs loo, 2 reception room and 1 kitchen house. Cleaner has it spotless in 2 hours a week.

Sounds like you were very slow!

DavidBowiesNumber1 · 02/02/2018 18:42

Mummyoflittledragon I did every area, top to toe, thoroughly Smile

Passmethecakeplease

Sounds like you were very slow!

I couldn't have gone any faster, and believe me, I tried! Grin

Maybe your cleaner isn't as good? WinkGrin

DavidBowiesNumber1 · 02/02/2018 18:46

Oh, also, the house was full, and I mean full, of expensive antiques, china and glass ornaments and loads of bits (crap) in every room.
The pub was an olde worlde country place with loads of pictures and brasses on the walls.
I'm not lazy at all, I really don't understand how some cleaners can do such a quick job.

Anyway, sorry for derailing your thread OP Flowers

Passmethecakeplease · 02/02/2018 18:51

Oh, I don't have crap in every room, I don't like clutter and make a point to ensure my hoise is tidy (Just not clean) before she arrives. She's there to clean and not tidy.

My cleaner is amazing though, couldn't fault her.

DavidBowiesNumber1 · 02/02/2018 19:24

Oh, I went into what looked like a bombsite every week Grin

ivykaty44 · 02/02/2018 20:47

Cleaners clean they don’t tidy up - if rubbish is left out then it’s cleaned under and rubbish put back

sidesplittinglol · 02/02/2018 21:42

Where do people find all these amazing cleaners? I'd love to know!

OP posts:
Beezley · 03/02/2018 17:38

I've been a cleaner for over eleven years if I did that to my ladies they would have me out on my ear.

DagenhamRoundhouse · 03/02/2018 17:49

Sack her but forget about the money, it's not worth it.

ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs · 03/02/2018 18:07

"Get a Rottweiler!" ....She already moans about the animals I have! It would get the blame for the breakages too. I bet it would also be scared of her!!

QuizzlyBear · 03/02/2018 18:15

I have a lovely cleaner who we all love to bits but to be fair, she takes the piss a bit. She shows up probably 60% of the time (her kids must be the sickliest in England as that's always her excuse) and whilst she's paid for 3 hours I realised (once I started wfh) she only does an hour and a half. She's started cutting corners and now never gets the cobwebs, cleans the bannisters or the skirting.

But we do trust her with keys to the house and she dog sits (which we pay her for separately) at her house when we go on holiday! So I'm prepared to put up with some crapness I guess. Yours though, OP - no way!

jayne1976 · 03/02/2018 18:20

My cleaner lets herself in and out, always the same day unless pre-arranged, but time can vary. She used to bring a relative to help, now it’s her husband.she oversees the quality of the work - I trust her, so in turn trust the people she brings.

Delatron · 03/02/2018 18:33

I want to know more about the cleaner who was evil eying the breastfeeding mum. What was she jealous of? She wanted to breastfeed? She thought you were lazy? She wanted to be at home breastfeeding her baby?

Nanny0gg · 03/02/2018 18:52

I have a lovely cleaner who we all love to bits but to be fair, she takes the piss a bit. She shows up probably 60% of the time (her kids must be the sickliest in England as that's always her excuse) and whilst she's paid for 3 hours I realised (once I started wfh) she only does an hour and a half. She's started cutting corners and now never gets the cobwebs, cleans the bannisters or the skirting.

But we do trust her with keys to the house and she dog sits (which we pay her for separately) at her house when we go on holiday! So I'm prepared to put up with some crapness I guess. Yours though, OP - no way!

Some crapness?? These people really see you all coming, don't they?

@QuizzlyBear do some maths and work out the hourly rate you're really paying for a sub-standard job.

Katyb121 · 03/02/2018 19:06

DavidBowiesNumber1 I'm a cleaner at a holiday home, 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 sitting rooms & dining room- all cleaned in 3 hours - yes I do break sweat! But I have fantastic employers & take pride in my work ,makes it all worthwhile when guests comment on how clean & tidy it is.

Situp · 03/02/2018 19:12

Definitely get a new cleaner. We have had several over the years and 2 have been brilliant, including our current one. She is fast, effecient, friendly and doesn't mind DD following her around and talking to her. I never feel uncomfortable with her being there.

Having the right cleaner is amazing.

PearlyGatesMontenegro · 03/02/2018 19:23

thecats what part of Birmingham are you in? I'm in the market for a cleaner Grin

manicmij · 04/02/2018 09:57

Find someone else. If two of them are cleaning it would take o my one and a half hours but you would still need to pay the 3 hours. If the relative on her own only does 2 hours then it's only two hours pay. Still get a new cleaner though.

trixymalixy · 04/02/2018 10:13

I'm another with a crap cleaner. I did put on my big girl pants and phone the agency on Friday to ask for the 4 oven dishes the cleaner broke on Friday to be replaced and for a different cleaner. It went to answering machine though and they haven't phoned me back yet.

We've put up with too much for too long too, but it's difficult as I feel sorry for her.

She came on Thursday and I spent several hours on Friday morning cleaning so the house was clean enough for my visitors that evening. She's supposed to be here for 4 hours but there's no way she's here for that long.

It's not good enough and I've had enough.

PoohBearsHole · 04/02/2018 14:48

Ooh I ran off and didn't return 😂😂

Blooming auto correct and presumptive text 😂

To clarify - I would sit feeding 3 week old baby cleaner would give me the evil that I was sitting down rather than helping her clean.

That's where the lazy comment came from.

I don't believe she had a baby herself and she never mentioned wanting to be breastfed.

Hope that's clarified. My point was you should never let someone make you feel uncomfortable in your own home.

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