Cleaner broke and item then lied about it and I found out AIBU

[Whyismyhousealwaysmessy]

Hi

i have cleaners come once a week to help me try and be get the house to look semi decent and have used the same ones for a couple of years. Last week they came whilst I was out and my relatively new kitchen bin was broken (not particularly expensive, prob around £40/50, this is more about the principle) when I got back. I tried to fix it but it’s been snapped in a way the lid can’t be reattached back on.

I waited to see if they would mention it to which I would’ve said it doesn’t matter etc. But they didn’t.

I then spoke to the main lady who also came that day to ask if it was accidentally broken. She said she didn’t take the bins out but asked the other cleaner who did. Bin remover said she doesn’t know and hasn’t broken it.

I was a little perplexed as no one else had been to the house apart from them so was a bit about it. I decided (with little hope of seeing anything) to check if anything was caught on our outside cctv near the bins.

Low and behold it was all recorded on cameras, she had taken the entire bin outside (rather than just the bin bag), broken it and then spent a good while trying to fix it back on.

Now what do I do. I’m quite unhappy at being lied to, but don’t want her to lose her job or anything.

£50 for a bin! I'd want it to empty itself at that price!

Breaking things is fine, accidents happen but lying is absolutely not ok, you shouldn't allow them in your home again. If she's lied about this, she's a dishonest person and that's something you don't want especially if they have your house keys?! Just do it yourself until you can find someone else reputable.

Agree with everyone else about the lying. My children know to come and tell me when they break something so I would certainly expect an adult to be able to do so!

What else could she be lying about then? Sorry but I would contact the agency immediately and request someone else, explaining why. She's happy enough to take your money while lying about something she broke. No.

Thanks for your responses. I feel it’s giving me the nudge I need to do what I should’ve done earlier as they’re not amazing anyway.

The owner messaged saying it has been playing on her mind how it happened and she’ll get it replaced. She then dropped a bin off when I was out. It’s not the same brand or design but it’ll do the job, I’ve got two printed floral ones that match; one for recycling and one for other waste.

I would’ve just got the matching again myself and now don’t want to say anything about it not being the same one to avoid sounding like an ungrateful diva.

DH said not to say anything about it not being the same one as she tried to replace it even though cleaner denied anything.

*i haven’t mentioned the lying thing to owner yet. I was planning to at the next clean, I have to be in as I’ve got the key off them now

would you confront her gently and then going by her response (apologetic or arsie)then decide what to do next.

Would you trust the cleaner in your house, knowing that she is untruthful?

I would also be asking for a like for like replacement. If the cleaner had been honest and admitted their mistake, fine. Accidents happen, we move on. But the lie is the significant part of this. I wouldn’t give them an inch. You are paying for them to be professionals, time they damn well acted like it.

For me having a cleaner would mean having to trust someone enough to be in my home with my possessions. Unfortunately that trust has been broken because the cleaner lied to you about it.

I would definitely let the cleaner know you knew it had been broken by her and you do t appreciate being lied to.

I agree you need a like for like replacement. A bin can be quite a large focal point in e.g. A kitchen. Them choosing a cheaper replacement, particularly after lying would not be acceptable.
Say you want the same bin and then will not be requiring their services again. Or speak to the company..

The lying is the huge issue - you just can't have them working for you anymore.

The different bin thing is so awkward though! I mean really they should replace the exact bin that was broken, but it is very uncomfortable and I am not sure how you could bring it up...

I don't believe in pussy footing around with people we employ in our homes. In your shoes, I would hand her the bin back and say it is not a replacement for the one her employee/colleague broke. You would like a replacement of like with like then you will no longer be using their service. I would also make it plain you have the entire episode on CCTV and will use it if needed.

Definitely let the business owner know all that you know! It is for them to manage! At this point they will not know that their employee is lying and they NEED to know this so they can handle the necessary disciplinaries etc.

In our company we let all our cleaning staff know that, because our job entails touching all of clients possessions breakage will occur, we all expect this as do our clients but what is not accepted is not reporting said breakage via our two point procedure.

If procedures are followed nobody will be in any trouble but if not then we need to make sure they will be the following time. Without the vital information from a client as per your case, we would never know what had happened or how to manage this correctly and offer compensation is need be.

Every business needs ALL the facts in a situation to be able to manage this correctly. It is in everyone's best interests - including the cleaner who obviously needs more training to succeed in her role.

They were supposed to come later today to do their usual clean but never showed up and didn’t let me know, I had to ask if they were still coming today.

DH thinks owner probably knows they did it and is embarrassed about the whole thing so came to leave bin when she knew I wasn’t in and avoiding any awkward discussions about it.

whyismy Wow - get rid then, totally unprofessional!!

You do not need signage to record your own property.

Report to cleaning company,ask for cash for replacement and ask for a different cleaner as she has lied and broken your trust.

Definitely ask then to take back bin they got you and ask for cash so you can replace like for like.

I would take the time to explain that the next time anything is broken, they should feel comfortable to just tell me.

I break things around the house and the cleaners lied because they would lose their already minimum pay.

If I can afford a cleaner I am already one step above financially than a cleaner.

I am sure they would not lie if they were sure they would not be penalized.

I would take the cleaner to one side and ask her again , making clear you know that it was fine before they came in . If they still lie then get rid , you do t know what else has gone wrong behind your back.

Am I the only one that thinks £40/50 is a LOT for a kitchen bin -looks lovingly at £3 Wilkos bin-

I would definitely message the owner re it’s all on CCTV and that you’re very disappointed that the cleaner lied. If she broke it, it’s because she was careless. Why take the whole bin outside? That’s weird.

Lol Angie it was a splurge I admit! My other ones around the house are from b&m or Asda and they’ve been great!

The kitchen ones, I’ve been through a few Asda £20 30L ones so thought I’d get something a bit more robust but evidently it’s not worked. Or perhaps the cleaners have been dragging those bins outside too and that’s how the others got broken . I just assumed the kids knocked into them with their scooters and what not and they dented easily. Became a nightmare to try and get a black bin bag out of a dented bin and they’d end up tearing.

I would report. Who knows if this woman has broken and lied before? She may have a habit of it.

I’d get rid. Either they’re not insured or they make their cleaners pay the excess. Either way it encourages lying. What if it is something valuable damaged next time?

Nobody can learn from this if you "let her off" by not saying anything. If you speak up then the cleaner may learn a lesson and - who knows - it may save her from much worse trouble in future, because not everybody will be as understanding as you. It's a judgement call as to whether you just speak to her in private, or go to her manager - if you're feeling kind and want to give her another chance then speaking to her in private would do that. But just letting her off by not saying anything would be actively unhelpful because a) it's not fair on you, and b) it's letting her get away with a betrayal of trust, lying and damage, which is not going to advance her career!

I've had the odd thing go missing which has wasted LOADS of my time as I tried to look for them. I'll never know if my cleaner/lodger/builder actually lost, broke or nicked it, but it was definitely one of them! The loss of the item doesn't matter much - it's the waste of my time arising from their lies which I begrudge.

Aww you’re being such a meanie OP. Cleaner probably just worried about them taking the 40 quid out of her pay check at the agency as well as the usual fees.
Check your privilege.