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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think this is not 2 hours' work?

63 replies

Zintox · 27/07/2018 16:43

First world problem alert.

I had new cleaners come today. When they visited previously they said I'd need 3 hours for the whole house.

We agreed on 2 hours weekly as I can't afford 3 and I thought that getting the house cleaned over 2 weeks with an hour for extra stuff would work well.

They came today. It's 2 people for 1 hour so 2 hours' work.

Yesterday I tidied the whole house so all surfaces were clear, floors clear etc.

They did:
Vacuumed 3 out of 4 bedrooms.
"Cleaned" the bathroom but the bath is still dirty and the floor wasn't done.
"Cleaned" the kitchen (which was pretty clean anyway) but the sink is dirty still
Vacuumed downstairs except not the front room
Didn't mop any hard floors (it's almost all hard floor downstairs)
I think they dusted some rooms. But I don't have any ornaments or a lot of surfaces.

I don't feel that's enough for 2 hours. My house is still dirty!

AIBU to not want to pay £30 for that? And should I give them another chance or just find other cleaners?

OP posts:
LeftRightCentre · 27/07/2018 17:47

Get rid of them. Don't give them a second chance.

Beamur · 27/07/2018 17:51

I don't think they're very good cleaners. Try someone else.

cansu · 27/07/2018 18:00

that is ridiculous. In two hours they should be able to vacuum everywhere, dust, mop floors, clean bathroom thoroughly and clean kitchen. It should be obviously clean. Get rid.

leghairdontcare · 27/07/2018 18:01

I went through 3 cleaners to find a good one. We pay £28 for two hours and the house is amazing afterwards. £30 for two hours for a bad clean is extortionate.

Nanna50 · 27/07/2018 18:05

I think they are maybe being awkward in that they quoted 3 hours you said 2 and they are saying that's all you get for 2. I also think it's bollocks as what is done should be clean. Did you have an agreement on what would be done in 2 hours as opposed to 3?

I don't think you can say you are only paying for an hours work but you could complain before you pay and ask for a discount for work not done.

It's hard to guess how long it takes to clean someone else's house and some cleaners are fast and thorough and on the other hand some of their employers expect miracles, but if you are not happy you need to say so now and not let it happen again.

Charolais · 27/07/2018 18:22

I need a cleaner as I can’t manage anymore. We live very rural and so I thought it impossible to find one but I just saw a woman and her crew advertising their services throughout the county. They have brilliant references. They charge $30/hour, that’s about £23.00. It’s a big house and I’m not sure how long it would take them or what I’m supposed to do while they are here. I can’t bear to just sit and watch other people work.

As a general rule do they come in once a week or every two weeks? I do my own laundry and can manage to clean the sinks and have a quick vacuum around - but I’m afraid not very often. It’s the stairs, shower tiles and anything that requires bending or reaching I can’t do.

I just don’t want to spend what little time I might have left cleaning this house. I’m in such bad shape now it takes me all day, with very frequent long breaks (with pain meds), to throughly clean one bathroom.

vodkaredbullgirl · 27/07/2018 18:32

My cleaning fairy buggered off

QuackPorridgeBacon · 27/07/2018 19:07

I don’t understand how they have missed parts of rooms, surely when cleaning you do the entire room before moving on? So say you clean the kitchen you do the worktops and sink etc first then hoover the floor, maybe use the hoover throughout the downstairs and then mop the kitchen, while it dries you do the front room dusting etc and it’s alrwady hoovered so then just mop? How can they have missed the sink if they cleaned the kitchen? I’d pay less, it’s not what you expected however, did you say what you wanted done in those two hours?

Original poster
Zintox · 27/07/2018 20:07

They didn't miss the sink. They claim to have cleaned it!
I've contacted them. They refuse to talk on the phone (we originally had contact via messenger) and will only converse on messenger.
Apparently it's my fault because they need 4 hours so it's unreasonable of me to expect anything to be actually clean after 2. Hmm
Unfortunately I didn't discuss with them what to do as I assumed that whatever they did would at least be clean and that they'd prioritise the jobs that make most difference i.e. Wet cleaning, vacuuming, and maybe some dusting.
Instead they've done a haphazard job to a very low standard so nothing is actually clean unless it was already clean when they arrived.
And they want me to let them come back at a slightly reduced rate so they can redo what they should have done properly in the first place show me what they can do in 4 hours.
I have of course said no.

OP posts:
Themerrygoroundoflife · 27/07/2018 20:09

I’ve had numerous cleaners. Some last years and are amazing. Others are a joke tbh, I’m too nice and always give them moths of benefit of the doubt but from experience, just get a new cleaner. Some will do in an hour what another one wouldn’t do if you paid her/him 40 hours. Just cut your losses.

steppemum · 27/07/2018 20:42

If they say they have cleaned the bathroom, then I would expect as a normal standard:

loo, basin, bath, shower all cleaned in side and out with flash etc
surfaces all wiped down eg windowsill and shelf over sink (properly)

Floor hoovered/swept/mopped.

If there is anything less than that, they they haven't cleaned the bathroom!

Same with kitchen, basic would be sink with flash, work surfaces with flash, hob, and wipe down front of fridge.
May not be time every week to do all the cupboards, but if you are efficient, then yes. Plus sweep and mop floor.
It takes me about 10 minutes to hoover the whole of the downstairs of my house if it is tidy. It really is a fast job
Upstairs is slower, but still.

This isn't about how MUCH in the time, it is that they have doen each job badly.

I would email them, and say - bath is still dirt, sink still dirty etc as you have said here, and say you will pay half and then don't return

Original poster
Zintox · 27/07/2018 21:53

Steppemum that’s basically what I have said. They’re not happy and have gone silent. I don’t have bank details for them so can’t pay anything if they don’t respond.

Here’s the kitchen sink that is allegedly clean.

AIBU to think this is not 2 hours' work?
OP posts:
PoisonousSmurf · 27/07/2018 22:07

I'm a self employed cleaner and find my own clients. I've had cleaning companies trying to get me to 'join', but I don't like their tactics of using the same cloth and cleaning fluid for everything!
I carry over 20 individual micro fiber cloths that are disinfected between each job.
I dry everything as I'm in a hard water area, the slightest bead of water turns to white muck in no time.
Sometimes I will take longer, but I won't charge for it. It's a job that needs to be done to a high standard.
At least with an individual cleaner, you know that they have a reputation to keep. Agency cleaners are two a penny.

QuackPorridgeBacon · 27/07/2018 23:42

Zintox When I said they had missed it I was taking the piss, as clearly they can’t have cleaned if it’s in such a state. I wouldn’t pay at all given they are refusing to talk to you.

Original poster
Zintox · 28/07/2018 09:28

Oh sorry I missed the sarcasm.

I can’t pay without bank details so if they don’t reply they won’t get anything. But I’m now thinking they are going to just invoice for the full amount anyway.

OP posts:
bluerunningshoes · 28/07/2018 09:37

they sound inexerienced.
should have asked you what to to do first.

your house sounds much too big for 2 hours a week.
1 hour alone goes (should go) on kitchen & bathroom

CurlyhairedAssassin · 28/07/2018 09:42

Is that rust on the sides of your sink or is it just really filthy?

Bluelady · 28/07/2018 09:45

That's nonsense. I can clean my bathroom in ten minutes, the kitchen takes 20. And you shouldn't have to tell them what to do, professional cleaners should know exact what cleaning a house properly means.

Bluelady · 28/07/2018 09:46

Exactly even!

LIZS · 28/07/2018 09:52

They don't sound very good but also I think you may find you will only ever get a superficial clean in that time. Agree 4 hours every fortnight will do more than scratch the surface and then you can just wipe over the kitchen , bathroom and floors in between.

Tartyflette · 28/07/2018 09:54

Poisonous I need you! You're not in North Essex/Herts by any chance ?? Grin

InfiniteCurve · 28/07/2018 10:11

I'm amazed by how much some of you/ your cleaners get done,I'm obviously failing housework Grin
Though we do have lots of stuff,every job involved moving bits out of the way to get to what you need to clean......

bluerunningshoes · 28/07/2018 10:14

I can clean my bathroom in ten minutes, the kitchen takes 20

really? including all surfaces? above the cabinets? floors? soapscum off showerscreen?

Bluelady · 28/07/2018 10:36

Does anyone clean above the kitchen cabinets every time? No scum in shower, it's squeegeed with every use. It takes literally two minutes to clean the work surfaces in the kitchen. And five minutes for the floor. I hate housework so much I get it over as quickly as possible.

Nanna50 · 28/07/2018 11:44

I can clean my bathroom in ten minutes, the kitchen takes 20.
I could wipe my bathroom in ten minutes but I couldn't clean it, couldn't do my kitchen in 20 either.