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Original poster

To say no to my cleaner coming over Christmas?

347 replies

ettyz · 19/12/2018 14:17

My cleaner who works 5 days a week doing 6 hours a day for us and gets above the average wage for a cleaner, has said that she needs to work next week. I said no to working Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday as obviously it’s Christmas and no to Friday as I have people over. She’s obviously self employed and we are her only cleaning job, but I don’t really fancy someone cleaning when Me and dh not at work, all the kids are at home and we just want to relax without anyone in the home. She said it’s too much money for her to lose out and she won’t be able to afford to not work those days. she hates Christmas and doesn’t have any family to spend it with so was actually asking to do Christmas Day! It’s not my fault she hasn’t budgeted for it but we had told her when we first took her on in April that we don’t need her services over Christmas. Aibu to say no to her working those days next week, I don’t want to upset her. We are hosting Christmas at ours so no time when we won’t be at home next week for her to pop in and clean, plus I’m at home so I’ll be able to do it anyway!

OP posts:
BookwormMe · 19/12/2018 16:01

This is either a troll spinning a yarn my money's on that or you might just be the tightest person to have posted on MN, OP, because if you can afford to pay a cleaner for 30 hours a week, you can afford holiday pay too. It's YOUR choice for her not to work next week, so you should compensate her for that. We paid our cleaner every week when we had building work done even though she obviously couldn't clean - because it was the right thing to do. I love how you also think you're being so generous that you buy the cleaning products - you actually contemplated making her pay for them???

NailsNeedDoing · 19/12/2018 16:01

If she says she doesn't want to be employed then she can't expect the perks of being an employee, like holiday pay. She can't pick and choose the bits of employment or self employment she likes and ignore the bits she doesn't.

I can't believe people are calling you tight, cleaner sounds like a CF to me.

anniehm · 19/12/2018 16:02

If you have her working for you as her principal job, you are her employer so should be paying her paye and giving her paid holidays and a pension - you are very much in breach of the law currently. It's easy to set someone up as an employee either use an agency like nanny pay or do it yourself. You should pay get and give her time off!

Heartofglass21 · 19/12/2018 16:02

Did anyone see 4 In a Bed this morning with Danny Lambo, the bloke with a boutique hotel in West London and a Lamborghini?

samG76 · 19/12/2018 16:02

The bit about not claiming damages for breakages is a classic. Mother Theresa would have nothing on you!

Of course you can't claim for breakages - if you are cleaning, washing up or dusting antiques, things will fall and break - you can't just deduct from wages....

BookwormMe · 19/12/2018 16:03

Oh, and even if she's a self-employed contractor I think you'll find she might still be entitled to holiday pay – the Gov rules are it's something like a day's paid holiday for every nine continuous days worked. As she works for you five days a week, that counts as continuous.

RB68 · 19/12/2018 16:06

I think you would be classed as her employer - you need to formalise the whole thing and pay up tax, nics etc as appropriate. As an aside that then entitles her to paid leave and sick leave etc.

As its you that doesn't want her to work her normal hours you should pay her for the time. If you look after your staff they will look after you and go the extra mile.

SummerStrong · 19/12/2018 16:06

You need to pay her for the days you don't want her to come in, obviously.

Janecon · 19/12/2018 16:08

My cleaner comes for 2/3 hours a week and I'm giving her a week's wages and a bottle of fizz and some flowers. I can't believe that you are being so mean.

ScarletAnemone · 19/12/2018 16:09

For heavens sake, you’re her main source of income and she needs the money and is available to work. Just pay her and don’t be a Scrooge.

Stop using breakages as an excuse. She can’t pay the rent with those. Claim them off insurance if they’re such a big expense.

Janecon · 19/12/2018 16:10

Oh, and it's not up to her to choose to be self employed. That isn't how it works. I'm self employed and work for lots of different companies. If I decide to only work for one then they are my employer and I would be an employee. Have you checked that she is paying the appropriate tax and NI? She's not working an insignificant number of hours for you.

TokyoSushi · 19/12/2018 16:10

ShockConfused

NRPDad · 19/12/2018 16:12

She may technically not be self employed if she is doing 30 hours a week for you as her sole client

Let's hope HMRC don't ever investigate...

FruitCider · 19/12/2018 16:12

I’ll let her work overtime in the new year.

Self employed people are paid per job not per hour, if you think you have a right to offer her over time then you are a NI contribution, holiday snatching cheeky fucker.

crispysausagerolls · 19/12/2018 16:13

I reckon this is the DM trying to implant a Meghan Markle story 😂🙈

Lonecatwithkitten · 19/12/2018 16:13

You need to read up on IR35 urgently and hope you don't get a fine and a massive tax bill.

LovesLaboursLost · 19/12/2018 16:13

You’re going to spend your Christmas holiday cleaning your seven bathrooms for six hours a day? Sounds festive.

NameChangeOhNameChange1 · 19/12/2018 16:14

Tbf, there are thousands of families in the UK who employ a full time housekeeper. Usually other staff too.

I'm a Nanny and I work for a family who pay out £100,000+ per year for childcare for 1 child (2 nannies), plus have three full time housekeepers (probably another £120k for those three) plus drivers.

I've worked for at least half a dozen families similar and have a lot of Nanny friends with similar jobs.

So THAT bit I believe.

But the OP is written in a deliberately goady way, so...

Heartofglass21 · 19/12/2018 16:15

I love the fact the OP pays for the cleaning products, as if that's a perk. I've never had a cleaner - do they usually supply their own? I would have thought it was the home-owner's duty to provide products and equipment.

Eminybob · 19/12/2018 16:15

How many people live in your house so that all 7 of your bathrooms need cleaning every day?

If this isn’t bullshit, then surely she is a housekeeper rather than a cleaner and should be employed by you?

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 19/12/2018 16:22

I'm a Nanny and I work for a family who pay out £100,000+ per year for childcare for 1 child (2 nannies)

FIFTY GRAND TO BE A PART TIME NANNY? FIFTY? Where do I sign? My kids are old enough to look after themselves.......sort of...........

Bekabeech · 19/12/2018 16:22

Sorry but a) as far as HMRC are concerned you are her employer.
b) that means you should be giving her paid holidays (I was advised to do this when I employed a cleaner for only 3 hours a week).
c) you should have enrolled her into a pension

On the other hand 30 hours a week cleaning is an awful lot - even with antiques etc. So either she is very slow, you are damaging antiques by over cleaning them or its a bit of a con.

TinkerSpy · 19/12/2018 16:23

This isn't remotely true.

samG76 · 19/12/2018 16:23

OP paying for cleaning products is another indication that she is employed.....

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