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

[N0rfolkEnchants]

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?

I agree with you fission

Haha no vacanies but before I started last year I read every thread on MN about cleaners so I knew what NOT to do and leaving early was one of them.

She's being dishonest. If there isn't 2 hours worth of work, she shouldn't take the money. Or clean something a bit deeper.

We had the opposite problem. Our cleaner would literally down tools the second the clock turned to 2 hours! She could be half way through mopping a floor drop the mop and she was dust 😂😂

Cosmic - are you being deliberately obtuse

Not at all. Are you being deliberately pathetic?

You caught her out so tell her you have and either sack her, reduce her time or tell her you expect her to fill her time with other tasks after she has done the requested jobs.

Its really not difficult!

User

You get paid to do job . What do you do when you have no work to do .

Interesting attitude. There is always something productive you can find to do.

We got rid of our last lot of cleaners for doing this. They were being paid for an hour, but left after 40 minutes. This kind of behaviour is essentially cheating the client and is unacceptable. Definitely let her know that you expect her to stay for the full amount of time that you’re paying her for. And don’t be afraid to get rid if this continues.

Good cleaners are VERY hard to find. Personal recommendations and being prepared to wait until they have a vacancy is your best option. If you can’t wait, then just keep trying some out...but don’t be afraid to say ‘Don’t bother coming back’, you have to be ‘hard’ about it. I wouldn’t have that one back...she asked for 3 hours, she should have stayed and done 3 hours, there’s plenty she could have done.

I have a new one, he brief is to clean the house and she sends me an invoice for the time taken, she is far more efficient than my previous cleaner who did a set '2 hours'.

What time did you go out?

If she requested the first session as a three hour deep clean session then she should have been working for the whole three hours because the point of it was to get on top of stuff before she does her maintenance two hours . I'm not saying she should have been pulling out the fridge and washing machine, but I would have expected things like the skirting boards to have been dusted/wiped, door frames cleaned, sofas moved and under beds hoovered, kitchen cupboard doors cleaned, banisters dusted and cleaned, maybe a couple of windows cleaned. Etc etc All reasonable things that she could have done as part of a deep clean but which you might expect to be done on a rolling basis but not every week

I agree with pp. You are either asking to be paid by the hour, in which case you keep working until your time is up - or by the job e.g I will do x, y and z for £X.

I would message her and say "thanks, you did a great job - I noticed you finished early so going forward would you prefer to be paid by the hour or a set amount for a set amount of work? " She can then decide.

I went out at 8.35 as she arrived. I came back at 11.20 and she was gone

She had requested 3 hours herself as an initial clean - going forward it's 2 as that's all I want

Sorry 11.10 I came back. Typo

I have had cleaners over the last 35 years off and on - in different areas of the UK - and they have all done this. They say they need so many hours but then they speed up as they get used to the house and the most efficient way of doing things. Strictly speaking you are right and they should stay, but I have never really been bothered enough to fall out with them about it over 15-20 minutes or so. It's not always easy to get someone who does a good job, who you get on with and who is reliable. I found it worse when I had someone who frequently didn't turn up.

Currently I just have someone once a month to keep on top of stuff like windows etc. She started by saying she needed 4 hours but has now said she can do it in three - after about 4 visits.

I’ve had my last cleaner for about nine years and she is fantastic. She never leaves early or arrives late. She has a ciggie break but we agreed that when she started work.

When we first interviewed each other (I’m sure she was checking me out as much as I was checking her out) I said that I want her to work the full time I pay her and that I am paying by the hour. She agreed and that is that. I think she is fantastic.

I’ve done the same thing with cleaners I’ve employed before and it’s always worked apart from one woman who I ended up sacking. She came late a few times and I rem8nded her that I wanted her to work the full hours I was paying her and she would still come late and leave early. She was sneaky and would only do it when she thought I didn’t know. I gave her a second ‘clear’ warning and included a polite but ‘clear’ text but she still carried on so I told her I didn’t need her services.

If you are paid by the hour you should work your hours. It’s simple. 🤷🏻‍♀️
Of course if you are paid by the on then you do your ‘job’ then you can leave.

my cleaner often takes less time and she tells me and I pay accordingly

You really should mention it to her unless you don’t mind her doing it every time.

you need to give her a second chance, and stay in next time. just to make sure she does the actual hours.
but dont be afraid to let her go if she doesnt work out

There are always additional things to do. I would just say to her if she ever has time left could she clean the fridge/inside windows/dust blinds.

I am a private cleaner and all my clients are via word of mouth. Paid cash after the job is complete, pre agreed set amount. All clients are elderly and present whilst I work. I wouldn't dream of leaving early and usually go over which I don't mind. I just want to get the job done well. Even if clients are not present I wouldn't go early as the job would not be done. I would also feel dishonest. The hours are such for a reason and I have particularly tasks to do and it takes that amount of time.

Op, I think you need to politely say something.

my cleaner often takes less time and she tells me and I pay accordingly

that seems unfair.
if she wants 3 hours worth of money, if it takes her less time because she is good it is unfair to pay her less.

Look, it’s painful but address this now as a ‘misunderstanding ‘.

To be fair you asked her to do x,y and z which she did and then left. Say pleasantly that you would like her to stay for the full time and do a,b or c if she has spare time.

For what it’s worth a cleaner can work far for quickly than someone doing their own house. Mine do my entire house and some ironing in four hours and it’s a substantial property.

Actually I don't care about ten mins here or there.

I do care on a very first clean though where's she's doing hours she requested - it doesn't inspire me with confidence as it's her first clean with me

I think this is par for the course actually - the more cleaners I have. The majority do it it would appear