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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To cancel Cleaner after two shifts

18 replies

Minko8990 · 27/02/2018 20:32

I had a new Cleaner start a fortnight ago. The arrangement was three hours a week every Tuesday. I wasn’t particularly thrilled with the first week clean and even less so with today’s.

Reasons being...bathroom toilets weren’t cleaned just bleached. Didn’t clean behind taps, left dust on loo push button. Floor still dusty around edges. Also kitchen floor mopped but not under sofa. Also spots of dirt left. A piece of stray pasta in sink. Bin top not wiped. Etc etc.

I want to cancel. My argument is if I’m not happy now as a new customer it’ll only get worse and I don’t want to get stuck paying for a service I’m not satisfied with.

My DH said I’m picky and should leave it a few months for them to settle in. I agree you have to get to know how both parties like things however I left notes both times and a pen for a reply but nothing, no questions etc. They’ve also not been in touch to get any feedback on how things have been so I get the feeling they don’t care...or just do it the same for all customers?!

So AIBU to cancel now and nip it in the bud?! She’s a really lovely lady but this is a huge luxury for me, I don’t want to spend the money to be dissapointed every week.

OP posts:

Worieddd · 27/02/2018 20:34

Yea get a new cleaner

Enuffsenuffsenuff · 27/02/2018 20:37

It would be more fair to let her know what your concerns are and to give her a chance to do it properly next time, but if you really can't be bothered then let her go and find someone new.

Biscusting · 27/02/2018 20:43

Sorry but what sort of note we’re yoi expecting her to leave you?

I clean for a friend and would leave notes if she was running low on something, but nothing more.

After three hours of solid cleaning, depending on the extent of the mess, i’d be pretty tired. Don’t think i’d be leaving notes or remembering to ask for feedback.

Whocansay · 27/02/2018 20:45

I had one of these. I was patient. I gently talked to her and explained what I wanted her to do. She was nice enough and it felt mean to sack her after a couple of weeks. She just got worse and worse and after much hand wringing on my part, she just stopped turning up. She made excuses for a couple of weeks and then announced she wasn't doing it anymore, leaving me in the lurch.

Lesson learned. If you are employing someone to do a job, make sure you lay down the rules firmly and enforce them or they will walk all over you. She isn't doing you a favour. You're paying her and you should get what you pay for.

My cleaner now is awesome. I never needed to have any kind of chat with her, other than to give her a list of jobs. Because she's a professional.

MyKingdomForBrie · 27/02/2018 20:46

Doesn’t really matter if she didn’t leave a note back biscusting she hasn’t done a good job! I assume OP means she didn’t say anything like ‘oh sorry I didn’t have time to do x’

Just get rid OP, she’s not being thorough and that’s not going to change with ‘settling in’.

Biscusting · 27/02/2018 20:48

What do you pay her?

I get £8-9 per hour, not inc travel time and I wouldn’t be phoning for feedback. I would say she probably cares, just not that much!

Flag up the pasta in the sink etc and show her how you want the toilet cleaned though. She’s probably just skimming through to complete the tasks, until you show her exactly what you expect I would give her another shot.

thisgirlrides · 27/02/2018 20:51

I would leave a very specific list of jobs and see how that helps. If it's still shoddy then get rid but IME you need to be really quite exacting about your needs ( and make sure you are paying for adequate time to do it!) eg:

Hallway: hoover & mop; wipe all skirting boards, dust ceilings, anti-bac wipe clean door handles, light switches & hall table.
WC: hoover & mop, wipe skirting boards, scrub clean toilet including under bowl & sink including pedestal removing all limescale from taps; anti-bac wipe clean splashback, mirror & light switch.

Etc etc

Audreyhelp · 27/02/2018 20:52

This is tricky don’t really know what you expect her to put in a note I would give her another couple of weeks and say could you please do round the edges and do behind the taps.

BackforGood · 27/02/2018 20:52

I think if you are the kind of person who twitches at something that has been missed, rather than noticing all the things that have been done and thinking 'how lovely that I don't have to do that', then I think you need to take the time to tell her specifically what you would like doing.
It always takes a cleaner longer the first couple of times to get through the house, and they begin to speed up once they know where things are (including sockets, etc).
If you aren't able to be there when she is - even if you offered to pay her to come round one evening or weekend so you could walk her through what you want ?), then write her a lovely letter thanking her for what she has done, and asking her how she is managing the list of jobs you left in the first place in the time. Say you realise it is difficult at first and tht she will get a bit quicker once she knows the jb, but, if there isn't time to do everything then could she prioritise X,Y, and Z, and then fit in P, R and Q if there is time.

Peoplesuckballs · 27/02/2018 20:55

Sack her immediately. If she is that bad to begin with, things are only going to get worse. A good cleaner is very difficult to find, please don't settle for half arsed jobs.

Viviennemary · 27/02/2018 20:58

Pasta in the sink is a bit much. Depends on how much you're paying and how big your house is. I agree it takes longer for a first time clean. You do sound a bit overfussy. Dust celings In three hours. Poor cleaners.

Vangoghsear · 27/02/2018 20:58

My experience was similar to Whocansay. The cleaning was never done properly and half the time she didn't turn up. In the end i had to change the lock as I never managed to get the key back.

LloydColeandtheCoconuts · 27/02/2018 21:03

Blimey, you’d think that the cleaner would make a massive effort at the beginning! If she can’t be arsed during the “honeymoon” period then get rid. We had a few cleaners before we found the right one. I agree with the PP, “a good cleaner is hard to find.”

Original poster

Minko8990 · 27/02/2018 21:09

I walked her through what I wanted prior to her first clean and discussed timescales both agreeing on the three hours. I wasn’t as thorough with my instructions as thisgirlrides suggests but I (naively) thought she’d know the basics? I wouldn’t appreciate someone micromanaging me so I thought she’d rather the same.

I explained that the jobs to be done every week and the ones to slot as and when upon her discretion.

Our bathroom was a weekly job so I expected it to be done properly. I understand things speed up but I’d rather less jobs be completed than something not be done properly and I’d expect someone decent to think the same?

And by a note yes I meant ‘not had time to clean bathroom thoroughly, gave quick once over will do next time’ at least that way I’d of had some insight.

I do feel bad as she’s nice but I kind of want someone to make my life easier.

I’m paying £12/hr. I had a few quotes ranging from £8-£12.50 so seems standard for our area.

OP posts:

AlpacaLypse · 27/02/2018 21:10

I'd get rid and start again. However - speaking as a provider of a domestic help service (dog walking) - it really helps if both client and provider know exactly what is expected right from the beginning.

Make a list of what needs doing. Be realistic about how long this takes. I remember my youngest sister solemnly timing how long it takes per stall to clean a set of office loos... and also that it takes considerably longer to clean mens as opposed to ladies... whole other thread!

AlpacaLypse · 27/02/2018 21:11

Sorry x posted!

Sounds like you've got a one woman band. Does she even have any insurance?

BackforGood · 27/02/2018 21:28

I understand things speed up but I’d rather less jobs be completed than something not be done properly and I’d expect someone decent to think the same?

Not necessarily. Just as feasible to think it was important to you that she did her best at everything.
Don't get me wrong, she might not be a very good cleaner, but equally, she just might not be a mind reader.
Communication is the key.

pattimayonnaise · 27/02/2018 21:42

Your cleaner sounds exactly like my old one. I never had the guts to get rid of her because I felt bad (?!) but eventually I went on maternity leave and told her I didn't need her anymore - what a wimp!
Mine didn't clean the toilets either (or anything really!), just did a squirt of bleach, yet used to chat to me about what high standards she has and how her friends were always comparing their houses to her amazingly clean house. Cleaning a toilet properly is just basic cleanliness, if you don't realise that you need to actually lift the seat - or you can't be bothered, then you're in the wrong job! Get rid and be braver than me!

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