Is it unreasonable to expect a cleaner to give me some notice if she's not coming?

[heidimumsy]

Twice now, my cleaner hasn't given me notice that she wouldn't be coming on her scheduled day.

The first time it happened, she didn't tell me at all and it wasn't until I texted to see if she was okay that she told me she was taking the time off because he son was in town and she "forgot" to tell me.

And today, she's just texted me on the morning she was supposed to come to say she's on holiday and won't be back for 3 weeks.

I have 2 issues with this (aside from it just seeming a bit inconsiderate to me)

1. She cleans for me fortnightly so now if she's telling me she's coming in 3 weeks time, it is off the planned schedule and I have guests visiting on that date (I would prefer the house not being cleaned while they are there as it would be awkward).

1. I kind of like to know at least a few days in advance when my house is NOT going to be cleaned for that week (especially if we only have her fortnightly) so that I can make arrangements.

Are either of these unreasonable expectations?

Also - do you give your cleaners a key? She has one for ours and I do trust her but it makes me feel uncomfortable when she doesn't communicate with me about scheduling.

Would love to hear what you ladies think. x

Yanbu.

Would love to hear what you ladies think

I was going to answer you, but as I'm a man, I shan't.

I ended up sacking my cleaner for this kind of unreliability. Texting on the day she was supposed to come saying she couldn’t make it.

It didn’t help that she was also a pretty mediocre cleaner as well and broke quite a few of my things (some quite expensive).

@ShatnersWig,

Funny I did think of this right after I posted it and tried to find how to edit it but then I thought, reasonable mistake, since it's called MUMsnet and I don't think anyone on here would be so petty.

I hope you don't feel emasculated by being called a lady.

@Bugsymalonemumof2 - Thank you for that!

@Piglet89 - thanks for that. I hear you, same here - she's been a bit slack lately too which doesn't make me want to keep her. I may start looking around.

x

As a cleaner myself sack her. She sounds useless and completely stupid if she thinks she can get away with it. A holiday she would have known about.
I work for a company and work evenings so If I'm not able to go in due to sickness I have to call by 10am if I worked the day shift I have to let them know the previous day.
Normal employment rules still matter she would not get away with that in an office so why does she think it's ok to do it to you.

I ended up deciding it was easier to do the cleaning myself than manage this kind of thing. A reliable cleaner is worth their weight in gold and but if they just add another level of stress, better off without them

I was going to answer you, but as I'm a man, I shan't.

Woman up. Ladies is just a default, gender neutral term for everyone.

heidimumsy Be prepared for a shock. There's a strapline beneath the name which says "by parents for parents". But weirdly, not only are there MEN here but also NON-PARENTS! I don't know why this site hasn't been prosecuted under the Trades Description Act.

I shall go and put on a frock, call myself a woman (which seems to be the in thing these days) and then come back to answer your post.

If she had to cancel on short notice because of illness I wouldn’t mind, but simply forgot as an excuse isn’t good enough.

Also, a holiday is something she would have known about in advance.

Might there be any other reasons she avoids calling or communicating on the phone? Language barrier?

Sit her down, tell her you need reasonable notice and if she does it again let her go.

@donquixotedelamancha

well said - and thanks for the back up. ;) x

then I thought, reasonable mistake, since it's called MUMsnet and I don't think anyone on here would be so petty.

You must literally never have read a single thread to imagine no one will be petty about your OP.

I would let her go

That’s very unreliable

My cleaner has occasionally not been able to come but she usually arranges to swop days if she can or gives me notice so I can split the clean up into to small bits and do some after work each day

She sounds really flaky

@ShatnersWig I’m quite happy to only obtain views from women so I shall now include ‘what do you think ladies’ on all my OPs.

Thanks for highlighting this feature for me

You aren't being unreasonable. I'd understand if she were ill on the day, but these reasons could definitely be sorted in advance.

heidi I'm now wearing a very fetching knee length number in red. Which was a bit daft as despite my having very good legs, the weather is bloody awful.

But back to the usual programming....

Sack your cleaner. A decent cleaner gives notice. If the cleaner is this slap dash about telling you they aren't coming, then it's fairly likely their cleaning will be slap dash too. Good cleaners are worth their weight in gold.

Shatners wig is a great name

Danny Crane

nzborn Denny Crane. Two little words that inspire shock and awe!!! Wasn't that a seriously fabulous programme that so many people missed because it wasn't shown on Channel 4 (where it should have been). Shatner's best work. He's coming to Cardiff next year with a screening of Wrath of Khan and at the Q&A I'm going to ask him what it was like doing scenes with a Candice Bergen sex doll - and ask him to say those two words!!

I''ve recently decided to stop having a fortnightly cleaner and that we (ie all the members of this family, not just me) will do the cleaning ourselves from now on, and book a cleaning company to do a deep-clean maybe three times a year.

Like yours, OP, our cleaner became more and more unreliable the longer she was with us - changing the days randomly; arriving earlier and earlier without warning despite me expressly telling her that I did not want her to start before the DCs had left for school; leaving early sometimes when I'd gone out and she assumed I wouldn't be back before her designated finishing time.. always making out that she was doing me an enormous favour even though I was paying for the privilege. I ended up feeling uncomfortable in my own home when she was there.

@ShatnersWig pics please

Op,you have 3 weeks to find a new cleaner.Get busy.And you can dump the old one,when you find the new one.

dustarr I hope you don't want those pics for any salacious purposes

I shall go and put on a frock, call myself a woman (which seems to be the in thing these days) and then come back to answer your post.

It's not 2014 anymore, you don't need to change your appearance to identify as a woman. My beard and beer belly are just as womanly as if I had a uterus.

OP where are you based? I have a wonderful recommendation if it’s near me.

Let her come with the key before you let her go. Take the key then sack her. Your being took for a mug.

ShatnersWig just put a cardi on. Strapless is not your friend in this weather.

OP, I'd sack the cleaner. She must have known she was going on holiday and just didn't bother to tell you - unless she was afraid you'd be angry and start firing questions at her?

donquixote You're quite right, I forget how time has moved on and men can simply make a declaration and it must be so, and woe betide anyone saying I can't use a female changing room.

There was me just being daft earlier and now I'm getting on my soap box again. That whole self identification thing just makes my blood boil. Get the fuck out of women's safe spaces.