Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To only pay cleaner for what she worked

99 replies

confuddledconfudle · 18/03/2018 11:17

I am not sure if I Abu or not.

I've hired a new cleaner. She came once, house looked good. Next week she couldn't make it due to snow. I still paid her for this week. The week after she cleaned but I noticed she had just cleaned round things and there were crumbs baby had left under hallway table.
So getting to this week, I happened to be at home. She is hired to do 2 hours. She arrived at 11.45, I went out at 12. Before I left I asked if she ever had any left over time could she clean cupboard doors and windows.
After I left I realised I hadn't left money out for her so I did what I needed to do and rushed home. I was home for 13:20 and she was gone. I phoned her and apologised for forgetting to leave out the money and how can I get it to her. Explained I had rushed home trying to get her before she left. She said she left about 10 minutes ago. She asked me to do bank transfer or it could wait until next week. Cupboard doors and windows are not cleaned.

I then messaged her asking if she could confirm she was only there for an hour and a half (11.45-13.10). She said she didn't know but was there until after 1 and I could only pay her for the hour and a half if I wanted.

AIBU to only pay her for an hr and a half?

OP posts:
Namesarehard · 18/03/2018 11:20

I'd get a new cleaner. Had you not gone home you wouldn't have known she'd left early and she hasn't finished her job.

dreamingofsun · 18/03/2018 11:37

i'd get a new cleaner too. if my cleaner had to rush off early, i'd expect her to leave a note. my cleaner would either expect less pay or to make up the time - and would ask me which i'd prefer. i also wouldnt pay her if she didnt work and she wouldnt expect it

stilltryingstillfailing · 18/03/2018 11:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Heartshapedfairylights · 18/03/2018 12:05

I had a cleaner who did this. I found out by popping home and finding she had gone.

After I was alerted to this, I was able to check her times in and out on our house alarm.

I used to leave a little list but not all of it would be done because she had ‘run out of time’.

What was daft was that I felt really bad about letting her go but I eventually made my excuses about not being able to afford it any more. I never had the courage to confront her. Silly I know!

I now have a lady who is much more thorough and reliable.

Original poster
confuddledconfudle · 18/03/2018 12:12

Thanks for the replies everyone
@Heartshapedfairylights I'm the same, I totally hate confrontation but I'm so angry that I paid her for a week she wasn't even here and feel she has taken the Mickey. I am at home next week as well so I might just wait and see what she does then as well.

Although I feel it might be best to just cut my losses Confused hate the thought of sacking her though.

OP posts:
MyBeloved · 18/03/2018 12:14

Get rid! It wont get better.

Original poster
confuddledconfudle · 18/03/2018 12:22

I just messaged her saying how disappointed I was and how she had broken my trust. I have just given her a house key Angryso terrified that she may cut an extra or something. I will ask her back for it next week

OP posts:
SauvignonBlanche · 18/03/2018 12:25

Get rid now, it'll only get worse.

ObiJuanKenobi · 18/03/2018 12:26

You've done the right thing

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 18/03/2018 12:26

Could you not go round pay her, and get your key back ?

whampiece · 18/03/2018 12:29

Could you not go round pay her, and get your key back ?

I would do this.

BewareOfDragons · 18/03/2018 12:33

Go get your key back. End it now.

Eltonjohnssyrup · 18/03/2018 12:34

You didn’t leave the money to pay her as agreed. Why on earth would she have done extra work in that situation? I think you’re lucky she did any work in the circumstances. Why did you not text her as soon as you realised?

In those circumstances you’ve got a fucking brass neck whinging she’s ‘broken your trust’. I imagine she probably felt that not being paid as agreed was a bit of a breach of trust too.

I wouldn’t worry to much, as I doubt she’s particularly keen to keep you as a customer.

forgettingnames · 18/03/2018 12:34

She may not come back next week after a text like that. I know I wouldn't.

Eltonjohnssyrup · 18/03/2018 12:36

Get your locks changed. And remember next time you give someone a key to your house not to treat them like shit or get arsey that work you haven’t even bothered to pay for hasn’t been done.

Gide · 18/03/2018 12:36

I would have waited to see her, got the key back and told her to go. She’s taken the piss big time. .

BuggerLumpsAnnoyed · 18/03/2018 12:36

I think I’d youre having a person in your home you need to trust them. stilltryingstillfailing have you asked your neighbours? I’ve never had a cleaner before but after upping my hours at work I asked a few neighbours. One mentioned that hers is alright but never moves things to clean which really isn’t of any use because I can push the hoover round in a slightly half arsed fashion myself. Anyway I asked another neighbour, she loves hers and another neighbour on our street uses the same lady. She’s honestly fantastic. I know she does the full time as we’ve got a key situation so she picks up and drops off from my parents.

YoThePussy · 18/03/2018 12:38

Tolerated this with Mum’s cleaner for a few years, Mum paid her so felt I couldn’t say anything. Paid for 2 hours and she would shout ‘finished’ after an hour. Drove me mad as there were many more things she could have done.

Like others have said nip it in the bud now and find someone else.

GreenSeededGrape · 18/03/2018 12:40

Elton the OP was back before 2 hours so the cleaner didn't know for sure she wasn't going to get paid.

YoThePussy · 18/03/2018 12:41

I don’t agree with others. How did she know you hadn’t gone out to get her money for her.

WinstonlovesJulia1984 · 18/03/2018 12:41

You're missing the point Eltonjohnssyrup. The OP rushed back to the house at 1.20 with the money when she realised her mistake, so if the cleaner had done the full 2 hours agreed 11.45 - 1.45 she would have got her money before she left.

Serialweightwatcher · 18/03/2018 12:46

I'd have got the key back before telling her I didn't trust her, so get it back asap ... If she's only been once before I think she's got a nerve leaving that early and not even doing what you asked her to do so would only pay for 1.5hrs too

ElsieMc · 18/03/2018 12:48

So many threads about this with cleaners it makes you wonder why anyone bothers. I had this with my dm as well and we asked her to get rid of the cleaner who was taking the piss as well as a whole lot of money off her. She sided with the cleaner.

You need to get rid now. She is causing you more problems and stresses than if you didn't have one. The whole point is that you get a clean house and it is one job less for you. This isn't happening.

I think word of mouth may be the way forward for you. You have to have someone you trust in your home and you cant spend precious time watching her.

GnotherGnu · 18/03/2018 12:48

You didn’t leave the money to pay her as agreed

Yes, she did, Elton. She came back especially to do so at the time the cleaner was contracted to be there.

user1474652148 · 18/03/2018 12:52

You did the right thing - she is a cf. Change the locks for peace of mind and find a decent cleaner

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.