Customer taking the p***

[Moondancer73]

I'm fuming and after opinions please. I work as a cleaner for a company. I have a client - a family home - that is a 2.5 hour clean, always been tight for time and the client has gradually been adding little things on that aren't on the original, agreed work sheet - 3 bed changes for a start, 'deep cleans' of the utility', clean the fridge, clean the freezer etc.
This week the house was an absolute shit tip, clothes everywhere in the kids rooms, things ground into carpets, half eaten sweets in the main bedroom and an overflowing bin stacked double height in the en-suite.
He's had the nerve to complain to my boss about his last two cleans. I've pointed out to her - via return email - that I've repeatedly told her that he keeps adding things to the clean and that I've even taken photos of the state of the house when the decorators were in and furniture was stacked in various rooms and he still expected a normal clean plus heaven knows what else but she hasn't replied as it was late on Friday when she said he'd complained.
Now it's just bugging me and I know it's going to bother me all weekend but I truly think it's him in the wrong. Sorry the post is lengthy but what do people think?

I don't know why the ICO would get involved for photos or how taking them breaches data protection laws. Data protection does not cover images of property (but does include images of people). Unless there was something in the shot that included personal data (photos on the wall, certificates, etc.).

Illustrative photographs for work purposes even within a private property are a legitimate use of data. The weakness is probably not being done within the company policies and data infrastructure (i.e. a personal phone rather than a business phone).

I think some people would like to think that it's unlawful within their own home. But if you invite a cleaning company into your home then before/after and condition photos are not unreasonable for quality and training purposes. The cleaning company ought to have this within their terms and conditions for completeness, and must include them within their GDPR procedures.

The legalities of photos are a red herring. Your immediate boss is failing to support you, and I think you're right to take it up a level.

I run a business in the same sort of domestic service sector, it's my job to manage. You're probably being paid considerably less per hour than the client is being charged for your services, in return you should be able to get on with the job you were employed to do, not have to deal with customer's unrealistic expectations.