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Original poster

To wonder why every cleaner I've ever had leaves early?

133 replies

N0rfolkEnchants · 01/07/2018 10:18

Do you have a cleaner? Is this normal?

I have one as a treat I suppose. Although I work from home for the most part, I have 2 hours a week to do bathrooms and kitchen and floors. It's a big help

Anyway I had to ditch my last cleaners as they were sloping off early, bringing children with them and not doing a good job. So I've found a new one and she comes highly recommended

We chatted about what I wanted and she asked to do 3 hours as an initial clean, it'll be just the 2 hours I want afterwards. Fine I said. So why oh why did she arrive at 8.35am and leave at 11.10am? A shortfall of 25 minutes. I'd left the cash for her as she's asked for this for the first week or two and then we will do it via bank transfer

I was at home when she got there and I then went out to give her space and I cane back at 11.10am and she'd left. She had done a good job but I've paid for 25 mins that she didn't do

Is this normal? Do I just suck this up? Or when you're paying an hourly rate should they actually stay for the time you're paying them for?

OP posts:
hidinginthenightgarden · 01/07/2018 10:25

Has she done a good job?

We had a cleaner do a pretty bad full house clean (left toothpaste in sink etc) offered guidance next time e.g clean x, y, x PLEASE LEAVE THE KITCHEN. Kitchen was the only thing she cleaned including putting the dishwasher on less than half full. She also left early both times. We have a sensor on the door so knew exactly how long she had been there. The second time she arrived late and left early.
I have given up with cleaners now.

Original poster
N0rfolkEnchants · 01/07/2018 10:28

Yes she'd done a good job but there was stuff that she could have done to fill the 25 minutes

I didn't ask her to do 3 hours - she requested that as her first clean. And if she leaves early on a first clean then god knows how it'll be in the future

I may end up giving up on cleaners too

OP posts:
MyKingdomForBrie · 01/07/2018 10:28

Just text her something like 'hi, see that you managed to finish up half an hour early, that's fine we can just add it to next week. Did you have any problems with anything?'

You need to remember this is business and set your stall out early on that you will notice things like this.

topcat2014 · 01/07/2018 10:28

Surely the answer is to do your own cleaning - I don't think I could be doing with the stress, tbh.

Also, accept a slightly messier house. mine is a shit tip

CosmicCanary · 01/07/2018 10:29

I suppose if they do a good job, complete all of the tasks and are not leaving an hour early its fine.
Do you expect them to just sit in your house doing nothing for 25 minutes?
If you do then you need to tell them when they start that they are there for the full 2 hours and do not leave early.

Original poster
N0rfolkEnchants · 01/07/2018 10:30

I need to work on being assertive Brie that's for sure!

When my last cleaner did it I didn't say anything but I did transfer over the correct money for the time she'd been there . This one was slightly different as she wants cash initially so I'd left it for her

OP posts:
Carrotcakeorchocolatemuffin · 01/07/2018 10:30

Mine does this too. DH challenged her on it and she does half an hour less now. Well is paid half an hour less. She probably still leaves early!

Original poster
N0rfolkEnchants · 01/07/2018 10:31

Topcat - I do do my own cleaning. I also like 2 hours a week for someone to do the bathrooms. Is this ok with you? I also don't like to live in a shit tip but I don't judge you if you like to

OP posts:
Joboy · 01/07/2018 10:32

Cleaner are being paid to do cleaning . People get hour paided hourly. You need to give her a list of job when she done the job she can leave. If it before the 2 hours are up .
You get paid to do job . What do you do when you have no work to do .

Original poster
N0rfolkEnchants · 01/07/2018 10:32

Cosmic - nope I don't expect anyone to sit in my house for half an hour doing nothing. But in my job, I get paid for the hours I do. I don't expect to be paid for well, nothing

OP posts:
Original poster
N0rfolkEnchants · 01/07/2018 10:33

Jo - my job doesn't work like that so I don't have 'down time' in that way.

I just think that if you charge by the hour then you should do that hours work. If you do less than that then you should be honest about it and not just take the money

OP posts:
MyKingdomForBrie · 01/07/2018 10:34

what do you do when you have no work to do well that's totally irrelevant @joboy as the OP has said there were still things to do. If you're paid a set amount for a set amount of hours you work that amount of time.

Original poster
N0rfolkEnchants · 01/07/2018 10:34

Carrot cake - are you unable to check?

OP posts:
SleepFreeZone · 01/07/2018 10:34

She either charges by the job or she charges by the hour, she can’t have it both ways.

ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs · 01/07/2018 10:35

My cleaner has a timer on her phone that goes off when her time is up (her idea, not mine) however I have other issues with her that I'm too much of a wuss to address

CosmicCanary · 01/07/2018 10:35

But if she had finished the tasks you set her what do you expect she do?

If 2 hours is too long add on extra tasks or reduce her hours.

Original poster
N0rfolkEnchants · 01/07/2018 10:35

Definitely still things to do!

OP posts:
Original poster
N0rfolkEnchants · 01/07/2018 10:37

I don't set tasks. I say my bathrooms and kitchen are my priorities followed by the downstairs toilet and then my floors. I'm realistic about what can be achieved in two hours too.. doing a good thorough job should only really get the bathrooms and kitchen done

OP posts:
Original poster
N0rfolkEnchants · 01/07/2018 10:37

Cosmic. I don't expect her to take the money for doing nothing. I expect her to be honest

OP posts:
PaddysMarket · 01/07/2018 10:39

I'm a cleaner and out of the 6 houses I do there is only one I leave early, he is in the house and tells me to go as it's a one bedroomed bungalow. I say every week does he need anything doing before I go, even if needs a tea/coffee/lunch made.

The rest of the houses I will stay and find something to do and I often get gets of thanks saying it was a nice surprise to come home to things tidied/cleaned.

Original poster
N0rfolkEnchants · 01/07/2018 10:40

Got any vacancies Paddy?

OP posts:
CosmicCanary · 01/07/2018 10:40

So if she has cleaned them properly as you have requested what else is she supposed to do?
Reduce her hours if she is doing a good job and finishing early.
Sack her if she is doing a poor job.

You could say "if you manage to get everything done quickly and have time left you could do A, B or C until the 2 hours is up"

Thehop · 01/07/2018 10:41

That’s dishonest in my book,she accepted a wage for time she hadn’t worked!

I would mention it now and start as you mean to go on. Pp suggestion of adding onto next week is good.

FissionChips · 01/07/2018 10:42

There’s always something a cleaner can do to fill the time, dusting door frames, skirting etc

Original poster
N0rfolkEnchants · 01/07/2018 10:42

Cosmic - are you being deliberately obtuse? She's supposed to either use her initiative or be honest and tell me the clean only took 2 and a half hours and not take the money she's not entitled to as she's not worked for it.

She wasn't expecting me to come back early. I got back at 11.10am and she wasn't there so she could have left at any time prior to this

OP posts:
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