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.

If you have a local Facebook page for your area you could ask on there if anyone can recommend a Cleaner.

Who knows? She may have panicked /careless /made a mistake....?

If I was happy about her cleaning apart from this, I would tackle her.

People usually have very fixed beliefs about their mistakes, a range from compulsively owning up to every minor indiscretion to full on denial /hiding breakages..... Often from how they grew up /their other experiences.

As some employers are shits.... Many years ago I had a summer job in a very busy city central petrol station.... They would charge staff for any drive offs-these were very easy to do... The sight lines were rubbish and they would only have one member of staff... As you can imagine some poor staff ended up owing the company.... I left within the month...

I’m in shock that shower heads can cost £700!

I think it's quite creepy that you watched her on CCTV and I feel sorry for the cleaner. Sounds like they've realised you're the kind of person who will kick up a big fuss about it.

Gosh some people have got low standards!
“Check your privilege??”
“Creepy” that op is watching in CCTV?
Calling op a “meanie?!”
I’m sure op hasn’t got a money tree in the garden!

Op, you pay for a service and this is unacceptable. If you don’t want to speak up against cleaner just cancel the service. The fact that they replaced the bin means they know it was broken by their cleaners. Find someone new.

I wouldn't have a liar in my house. How could you trust her in your personal space. It's hugely unprofessional behaviour. She would't tell the truth and replace the bin for £20, what would she do if she saw a pile of cash in your home?

No different to stealing and that is certainly not a trait suitable for a cleaner.

I think it's quite creepy that you watched her on CCTV  and I feel sorry for the cleaner. Sounds like they've realised you're the kind of person who will kick up a big fuss about it.

Wow there's a dishonest person right there.

Op, get rid. The majority of decent, honest hardworking people know that accidents happen but denying it, then lying about it shows a horrible dishonest side to a person.

The benefits of employing cleaners through a company is surely so there's insurance when things go wrong.

The owner was wrong and sneaky to try and replace your bin while you were out. You get to decide how this is resolved, not her!

You send her the link to the correct bin and let her know you expect it to be replaced like for like. Why should you be disadvantaged for their incompetence?

And no, you absolutely DO NOT need a notice or signs for having internal cctv!!

Lol, yes I do understand why it sounds a bit creepy to have looked at the surveillance but that is why it’s there. My husband gets an email with a photo whenever the cctv motion get triggered so he would’ve seen it anyway. The cleaners all know we have cctv, we have never hid the fact and the cameras are obvious.

I can imagine it sounds like I’m making a mountain out of a molehill and I do accept we do have more privileges than the cleaners may do but I feel that perhaps some details have given a false impression of my financial situation etc.

We have cctv because there have been a large number of car thefts in the area where people have broken into the house and stolen keys and we felt it was necessary.

We live in a modest 2.5 bed house (the boxroom bedroom can’t really count as it’ll only fit a toddler bed comfortably) and we had our first holiday abroad in 4 years last year. So we’re not massive splurgers or have money coming out of our ears or anything.

I bought a more expensive bin as thought it would be more cost effective than repeatedly buying the cheaper more affordable ones. My husband wanted that horribly expensive shower head, and was happy to cut out some other things and (still) drives a dying old banger so he could buy it. Having worked FT and then until 3am for almost 2 years doing our house renovation I think fair does to him, although I personally would never buy it.

Anyway that’s some background to us not being uptight rich people, we have a relatively modest life and I find I’m happy to work extra to pay for a cleaner as I’m much slower with the children grappling for my attention whilst I’m trying to scrub toilets.

I don’t feel they think I’m the type of person who kicks up a big fuss, I think it’s possibly the opposite and they just think ‘oh we can get away with it’ as it’s me. The showerhead example reflects that, I told them it doesn’t matter, just wanted to know what happened.

There have been a few times theyve not shown up and cancelled last minute and I’ve not said anything so I don’t think they’re scared of me. With the bin I just asked as I was disappointed not to find a note to say sorry it was broken or a text message about it. It wasn’t an irate message, just ‘do you know what might’ve happened as I found it broken when I got home’.

So after owner saying she would ‘definitely’ be there yesterday to do the weekly clean and not turning up or messaging to say, I had arranged for them to come this morning and no one turned up nor did owner message saying they couldn’t make it again. My friend also uses the same cleaners and they have been flaky/not responded to messages with her too so I’m not taking it too personally, though it does make me feel I definitely need to resolve situation and get some new cleaners this week.

Let it go. Expensive bins don’t last! If you invite others into your house, expect accidents.

It’s annoying but that is life. X