Cheeky message from cleaner

[EllJ]

I recently hired a cleaner to do a good clean of the bathrooms and a general hoover and dust round. She seemed nice enough and I thought she seemed trustworthy so we agreed to start her.
We had nothing but problems from the get go... she couldn't work the hoover, couldn't work the steam mop (despite being shown both more than once), didn't move things out of the way to hoover or dust around and just seemed to find a new problem each week. One week, the bathrooms were ignored completely as she "forgot her gloves", despite being told they were our absolute number 1 priority and that she just had to ask for any cleaning materials she wanted/needed.
Anyway, after giving it three weeks in the hope she'd settle in and then receiving a particularly cheeky note after the last clean, we decided not to continue with her. My DH sent a polite and to the point message explaining that we won't need her anymore and can she please return our key.
She has just sent back an incredibly rude message insulting the cleanliness of our home! I'm absolutely fuming and having to really hold back sending a rude message in return, which i know is the wrong thing to do.
Aibu to ask if anyone can help with a well worded message to send in return explaining that the specific items she has complained about being dirty were actually things we were paying her to clean!

Sorry for long post

If you don't already have your key back, I'd change the locks (as someone upthread suggested too). Then I'd send them the email that Paie suggested.
If the cleaner worked on behalf of a cleaning business rather than as a sole trader (so to speak), I'd be sending them an email too.

Don't get into a slanging match.

Just 'I'll repeat, I need my key by the end of today/tomorrow/Monday/whenever. Thanks very much.'

Send her a message saying yes the house is dirty because you the cleaner are crap if you’d have cleaned it as per your job it would be clean

Change the lock and send her this.

'We were sorry to read your message and realise the issues you have with understanding your role. Cleaning is a difficult job! - you shouldn't get so worked up about your skill set that you start lashing out, though - you'll only lose more clients that way. Maybe take some time out? Cleaning is a skilled role, not everyone is up to it. Good luck with working on your skills and also all the personal stuff. We do wish you all the best! Regards, ElleJ family'

Thanks, there's been some great responses . I've calmed down a little and think I'll hang off on sending any response at all, at least until the key has been returned.

@rookiemere I'd understand her attitude if that was the case, but she was complaining about dust under the furniture on wooden flooring being disgusting. The reason is was bloody dirty is because she hadn't cleaned it the first 2 visits and we asked her to sort it on the third.

Lessons learned here, I should have got rid after the first time but glad she's not going to be in my home anymore! There were so many red flags I shouldn't have let pass. She clearly just isn't cut out for the job!

Honestly I'd probably just send something totally false like -

Oh no! Sorry it didn't work out. If you could let me have the key back by the end of today that would be great.

Then you get your key, you don't have to worry about anything further, not worth sending an irate message tbh.

and hope she hasn't had the key copied!

She's a bit nutty, I'd definitely change the lock. I don't think it costs too much if you do as another poster suggested, changing the barrel.

Get the key and move ob, it's possible there was fault on both sides if your house was in a really desperate state and she was being expected to put it into order with little time or if you are generally just a dirty or messy family. It hasn't worked out, but such is life, she shouldn't have been rude, and you shouldn't be rude back.

grabs popcorn

Dear cleaner

Sorry you feel that way. We feel we have no alternative but to let you go. Since you started the house has been so dirty that we had to wipe our feet on the way out, rather than on the way in.

regards

EllJ

Change your locks.

Dont lower yourself. Dont bother responding. Just change the lock.

I know cleaning is a pain OP but look at it like this. When I had a cleaner my place was still not as clean as I wanted it. It cost me £50 a week, £200 a month, £2,400 a year. I can either pay that for a semi clean house or do it myself to an OK standard and spend that on a holiday.

@HoneyBadger32 I agree, I'm just going to get the key and move on now.
I'd actually understand where she was coming from if that was the case, but it's a brand new house that we keep clean and tidy, very little clutter etc. I was just a bit fed up of spending my weekends doing the cleaning.

Really good point @Perimenirant! Definitely something to think about

Op, don't get the key back, change the locks!

You'd be crazy not to, she sounds too bitter/unreliable to risk her having the key to your home and if she ever did misuse the key, there's a hugely high chance that your insurance won't pay out.

Just change the barrel and move on. For a few pounds it'd be well worth the peace of mind. And I wouldn't reply either, she means to insult and if you respond you show her it hurt.

We had nothing but problems from the get go... she couldn't work the hoover, couldn't work the steam mop (despite being shown both more than once), didn't move things out of the way to hoover or dust around and just seemed to find a new problem each week. One week, the bathrooms were ignored completely as she "forgot her gloves"

Where did you get her from? Are you sure she's a cleaner and not an elaborate burglar, who now has your keys/copies of your keys?

@PickwickThePlockingDodo gosh, I hope not!
We got her through an agency who appear to be equally as irritated at her unprofessionalism.

All comments regarding changing the locks or the barrel have def. been taken on board, thanks all

Get the key back & put it down to experience. I’ve had some dreadful cleaners and thinking of getting rid of my current one over the summer. We usually ask for key back and just say we don’t need cleaning service any more.

Do you have a burglar alarm? If you do, just get the key back, change the code (or delete the cleaner’s) and let the agency and cleaner know - cheaper than changing your locks.

Sounds familiar. We had a cleaner much as you describe. Because I was a teacher the job was term time only and we had decided to tell her we didn't need her after half term. Then we got a letter saying she was leaving because it wasn't fair that she should have to clean up after a dog. The dog was there when she came round before we offered her the job and she certainly wasn't expected to clean up his poo, but inevitably there was some dog hair. We still use her as a benchmark of how not to clean.

When I was a cleaner I scrubbed dry urine off the wall next to the toilet. I didn't tell the owner of the urine I just assumed it was my job as a cleaner.

@spanky2 that's vile! Kudos to you for that.

Our cleaner did her first clean when we had just had plastering done. The house was a literal sandpit. So. Much. Sand.

I could not BELIEVE how clean she had made it when I returned. In two hours. The place was damn spotless. We were apologetic that her first job was a rough one, but boy, did she overperform.

Is your house manky though OP?