To expect them to put the heating on for me?

[Loobyloo16]

I'm a self employed cleaner. Now its coming colder a few of my clients still don't put their heating on. One works from home but just sits in a room with the fire on, another says she doesn't feel the cold. I went to a client yesterday and it was freezing, my toes were going numb, I did tell her but she still didn't put it on.
Another has told me to put it on myself if I'm cold, which I do.

I know it's no big deal in the grand scheme of things but I hate been cold and it's miserable cleaning with numb toes. People always say 'i thought you'd get warm with cleaning" I do but not that warm!

I woke from home. Wave my husband off as the heating goes off, I open the French doors and set to work on my computer. I wear a cardigan if i feel the chill. A decent pair of slippers if it’s below freezing. My point is, not everyone feels the cold. If I had a cleaner, she’d be cold too.
Wrap up, invest in some warm socks and think yourself lucky you’re working inside.

You think cleaners earn enough to buy specialist thermals, whatever they are?

Yes, I do. It's thermals, not a full-length fur coat . The OP says she's plenty busy.

I don't have a cleaner but if one expected me to turn up the heat in my home and add to my bills then I'd find another one.

I posted these earlier but I'll post again.
For OP or anyone who suffers from cold feet, these are amazing. (other toe warmer brands are just as good)
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00M2UIXVY/ref=mp_s_a_1_3_a_it?ref=plSrch&keywords=toe+warmers&dpPl=1&dpID=41uyuszvBZL&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1544823540&sr=8-3

they are sticky pads you put on your socks, when I wear them at work, I don't seem to feel them giving off heat, but my feet not cold or painful! when wearing them at home I can feel the heat on my foot.

I have raynauds also. Unfortunately it's like our inner thermostat is broken and we do feel the cold differently so I would defo try the non bulky thermals first.
Uniqlo have the heattech range, very comfy and feel light weight.

I've found these thermal socks fab and wear them most of the year round other than height of summer.

FLOSO® Ladies/Womens Premium Quality Multipack Thermal Socks, Double Brushed Inside (Pack Of 6) (Shoe 4-7) (Black) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005SM4A0G/ref=cmswwrcppapiii_krcfCb71GH6H4

This has helped cut down my white/blue finger and toes a huge amount. Normal socks I get attacks a lot more.
If my feet soles are warm or and my wrists are then it really helps.
Alternatively, lambs wool shoe liners are also amazing if you'd rather go that route. Less than a tenner and no ugg boot cost commitment.

"I don't have a cleaner but if one expected me to turn up the heat in my home and add to my bills then I'd find another one."

If you're too hard up to afford heating, you're probably not going to have a cleaner are you.
Good job you don't have one as well.

"An indoor job which, despite the claims of some PPs is not an aerobics class, should not require thermals, a wooly hat and a coat just to avoid freezing."

Exactly. All those people talking about thermal socks can f off.

"Its just basic human decency to treat other people like people and not nobodies."

I think I've been harsher on this thread than any other I've ever been on, but I'll say it again, this thread is full of heartless bastards.

"Gwenhwyfar

Ah hun tell me about it, my sister in law just called to say she'd been stuck outside for over 2 hours"

That's outside. What has that got to do with an indoor job?

@haudyar that has absolutely nothing to do with this situation. Do you not think if I was in that situation I would just say "no it's too cold, you're on your own" would I hell, I would also hold their hand, cover them with a blanket, freeze my tits off and offer reassurance. It's a completely different situation!

@wilbur, yes I'm really concerned my client will see this and realise it's me 'bitching' about them. I'm not bitching, I was genuinely interested in peoples views and it seems it's half and half.

^If you're too hard up to afford heating, you're probably not going to have a cleaner are you.
Good job you don't have one as well.^

I'm not at all hard up. I prefer to do my own cleaning. Hiring a cleaner is a business transaction, not a guest visiting. It effectively puts up the price of the service so wouldn't work for me when I could get the same service from somewhere else for a lower price. Several people have also pointed out how some disabled people have cleaners and cut back in other areas of their lives to do so because they are physically unable to clean for themselves. Care to be personally insulting about them, too, for not wanting to push the cost of the service up?

You really need to suck this up. If they're not putting the heating on for themselves when sat down at a desk then you can't expect them to put it on for you whilst you're engaged in very physical activity. Put a few more layers on and get on with the job. I've done all sorts of jobs in the freezing cold before, not ideal but then you're being paid at least minimum wage to do a job, this is a first world problem (as are most of the things posted about on MN I suppose)

@daedric thankyou I'll take a look.

Cleaners are self employed, the same way as some Bricklayers, Gardeners, door to door sellers etc...

As self employed individuals, it is THEIR responsibility to ensure their working standards,not those of there customers!!! if they don't like the standards they can go elsewhere, its not up to their customers to ensure they are comfortable at a cost to themselves, its a waste of money to heat a household for one person, and also not required as with any self employed jobs!!!

My old cleaner used to say she got too hot cleaning so asked me to keep it off. Just realised I've never checked with current newish cleaner. Now I need to ask her.

"Care to be personally insulting about them, too, for not wanting to push the cost of the service up? hmm"

They shouldn't be making their cleaner suffer, no, but in the case of disabled people who are really struggling I might blame the benefits system for not allowing them enough money to have the heating on. It's a basic right imo.

"I'm not at all hard up. "

Just mean then.

You think cleaners earn enough to buy specialist thermals, whatever they are?

The thermal long sleeved tops I brought on ebay were £7.

Gwenhwyfar Can you not learn how to quote properly if you're going to keep doing it so often? You put a * at the beginning and end of sentence.

You shouldn’t be working in temperature below 14 degrees

Loobyloo16 my point being you have a choice, your self employed, and can also use clothing/pocket warmers to heat yourself without it costing your customers! you choose to be self employed meaning your not contracted to any employer, you cannot have it both ways!

Just mean then.

For seeking the best value for money in life on services and goods I purchase and use? If you see that as mean, well, some have more money than sense. At any rate, you rather lose all credibility when you become personally insulting to someone just because he/she doesn't agree with you. Rather petty and rude.

ivykaty44 if you're self employed surely it's up to you to determine the temperature you're happy to work in? There is absolutely no obligation on people who give work to self employed cleaners to have their house at a certain temperature. This thread is ridiculous and I'm now annoyed at myself for joining in

I'm also a self employed cleaner and frankly I prefer a cooler house to clean. I'm non stop for three hours, so get pretty hot! Don't think I'd cope if all the radiators were on.

I also do gardening and one client keeps me on over winter, doing odd jobs in the garden. A few weeks ago, it was snowing and I was weeding the gravel in a very chilly wind, whilst they watched me from a warm kitchen.
But I had the right outdoor clothing, so I didn't get that cold. Better to have snow than relentless drizzle!

ivykaty44 No

She's self employed, she sets her own working conditions.

Then take a portable heater 🥺