iMessage didn't deliver... she wants me to pay her.

[LiveLiveAnna]

Cleaner text me via iMessage asking if she can change her days. I responded through text saying 'no problem see you on ...' - my message didn't deliver to her as she hasn't connected to WiFi over the weekend and has her iMessage enabled. I text her again to confirm and had no response. I had no idea it hadn't delivered to her. She's now turned up on the original day (I haven't been at home to let her in as she has no keys yet) and she's claiming that I need to pay her the £30 for cleaning as I didn't ensure the messages had delivered.

My argument was that if you have your phone set up to receive iMessage, and you send ME an iMessage, you should then ensure that you are connected to WiFi in order to receive my response. If you have iMessage turned on and aren't connected to the WiFi, it's your fault you didn't receive the message...

Who is BU? Me for thinking it's a mix up and I shouldn't have to pay her £30 for cleaning that didn't happen? Or her, for expecting me to pay her £30 when she hasn't done the work because her phone couldn't receive my message?

I sound really annoyed but I haven't actually responded to her voicemail yet so trying to get some honest perspective from AIBU!

Thanks.

The onus was on HER to check you got her message, she should have called you.

IF she hadn’t left a rude message I’d have said I’d be home on the day/time she wanted to change to, and I’d pay her then.

However, depending on how ‘rude’ her voicemail actually is, I might not want her in my home at all. Only you can decide this.

The cleaner should have checked that they had received a response to their request either by actually turning on said messaging facility or calling their employer, instead of just turning up! Why ask via iMessage and then not turn it on?!

They are completely in the wrong.

If she sent you an imessage then its not unreasonable to assume she had access to imessages. If she wanted the changes she should have chased up with you as she'd had no response, as you attempted to do yourself. She made the assumption that you didn't agree to the changes rather than making it clear. There were too many assumptions made, and she should probably learn from this that messaging then assuming without firm reply is not a good way of running a business.

In her favour though, at least she didn't not just show up when she thought you were expecting her.

I think its up to you whether her tone was enough for you to look elsewhere though.

She should have checked for a reply but iMessage does inform you when a message has been delivered so...

@Peonylover123 I honestly don't have time to check every message I send via text/whatsapp etc every day to make sure they've delivered. If someone has their phone off, nothing will deliver until they turn it on. Am I meant I check every 30 mins to make sure it's delivered to her? I just presume her phone is off or she has no signal. If I send a text or email, I don't have the option to check it has delivered. How would I know if it had delivered if I chose to use a message other than iMessage? Or would it still be down to me to chase this and make sure she got my message?

I genuinely think this was down to her and she needs to take it as a lesson learned. That's what I would expect anyway. Sadly stuff like this happens and I may have considered being less harsh had she not left me an incredibly snotty voicemail. For all she knows I could be in labour

You shouldn't use iMessage unless you have a constant WiFi / 3G signal. It simply doesn't work.

She maybe didn't realise this. But she needs to turn her iMessage off if she doesn't have any data / WiFi at least daily if she wants to communicate with people.

iMessages automatically send as normal network messages if there is no internet connection anyway

@adulthumanfemail that's only if the person sending them has no 4g/WiFi signal I believe, not the person receiving.

@adulthumanfemail no it doesn't, and that's the issue.

If it was me and I wanted to change days and I'd had no response I would definitely be following up closer to the day change! If I received no response I'd most definitely be questioning it x

She initiated the change. The onus was on her to confirm the details not you

It's a default setting on the iPhone to 'send via SMS when iMessage isn't available'.

Check your settings

She wanted to change plans - and she chose the messaging app as a method of communication. You gave her lots of notice in your reply (it wasn't last minute). The time should be convenient for you, the customer. And it's never okay to be rude to a customer.

As is, she hasn't provided any service so she hasn't earned any money.

I'd ignore her rude answer message and demands, but I'd be open to giving her another chance... If she realises she was out of order, and gets in touch apologising, I'd rearrange with her to do the job and get paid another day. If not, her loss, I'd get a new cleaner.

@adulthumanfemail the key word being 'send' not 'receive'...

I agree. She requested to change days and should have either rung you in the first place or rung/messaged to follow up. She obviously has your mobile number.

Sadly if she had no minutes/data then that's a problem for her, but she needs to be able to contact customers if she's cleaning for them.

I had the exact same issue last week!!!!!

Send a screenshot!

@LiveLiveAnna I have, for example' sent my husband iMessages that have ended up being delivered via SMS because he was out of internet signal. So it absolutely works both ways.

Did you say you sent a text as well as an imessage?

Not that it matters, she's still in the wrong!

I have been hiring cleaners for 20 years - please use this as an opportunity to ditch her. I have no problems paying cleaners for misunderstandings I make - but I would not trust anyone alone in my house that treats you the way she has treated you. Especially since she doesn't even have a key yet! She has shown her true colours to you.

OP also sent a text message so I’m assuming she would have received this unless her phone was turned off, in which case it is completely her own fault.

@OurMiracle1106 It sounds like both messages nay have been sent via iMessage, not SMS.

Is that right OP?

(Not that it matters, cleaner is still in the wrong imo)

You/she needs to change the settings on your phone to send as text when iMessage not available. Possibly she doesn't know this. I certainly didn't at first.

Screenshot the sent message and iMessage it to her

Nah, I still think that you're also just as in the wrong.

Yes she should have checked but so should you have. I think it's silly and naive of you to assume everyone understands the issue with imessage converting to text, my mum certainly doesn't and I occasionally don't get her texts until she's back in wifi (she never has her mobile internet on). So despite her messaging you through imessage it is still, for all intents and purposes, the text function on any non-iPhone.

I can see why her message would see rude, I'd be fuming.
All I can say is from experience of doing ad hoc work (tutoring) back in the day I would always get follow ups from parents asking if I got the message and vice versa.

It takes 2 seconds to flick back and check. Also if a message doesn't send as iMessage straight away I always press send as text instead to ensure it goes through.

I genuinely just think you're both in the wrong and I would pay her somewhat regardless. Maybe come up with a formal contract if you don't want to deal with things like this.