Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Cleaner cancelled last minute due to childcare

488 replies

UmmUmar · 05/09/2019 16:05

I've found a fantastic cleaner, single mum by the sounds of it, brings her daughter with her (I don't mind), you can tell she is struggling financially and with her little one.

Today she cancelled on me 10 mins before the appt because of childcare. I understand that with a kid, things get a bit difficult with work but a heads up would have been nice!

Since my house has been a tip I've got to do it all by myself (pregnant + toddler, and dh works long hours)

AIBU to be upset?

OP posts:
Kazzyhoward · 05/09/2019 16:25

As a one off, I'd let it go. If it happens again, you may need to get rid.

AryaStarkWolf · 05/09/2019 16:25

It may be a luxury but if I’m paying for a service I expect it to be done! DH and I worked hard to get to a place where we don’t need to lift a finger at home. We’re not about to start doing chores now. We’d just hire someone else if our housekeeper became unreliable. Lucky for us our housekeeper is amazing so it’s all hypothetical!

this place Grin

FudgeBrownie2019 · 05/09/2019 16:26

Since my house has been a tip I've got to do it all by myself (pregnant + toddler, and dh works long hours)

With the greatest of respect most pregnant women with toddlers don't have the luxury of a cleaner and just get on with it. YAB a little spoiled.

Emergencies happen, roll with them and don't leave your home to get into such a tip if it bothers you.

SoupDragon · 05/09/2019 16:28

If she's struggling financially, she isn't going to have cancelled for no good reason.

Gladimnotcampinginthisweather · 05/09/2019 16:28

Similar happened to me. Cleaner rang up to say she would be late as there was a crisis at her daughter's school. Fair enough. Texted later to say she would be another hour. Then texted to say she was still at daughter's school in O. That was odd as she had previously said her children were at school in I***. Any way she then texted to say she couldn't come at all that day. Fair enough. I have had crises at school.I texted and asked if she could fit me in later in the week. She texted back and said no, she was fully booked and wouldn't come any more as she had taken on too much work!
At the time I was mildly annoyed because she had given the impression she was just starting out and was glad of the work, but I got over it. I am afraid you just have to put it down to experience.

Coffeeandchocolate9 · 05/09/2019 16:28

I wouldn’t tolerate being let down for childcare issues!

What a nice comment to read on Mumsnet Hmm

OP can you not see the irony of your post? I can see the headline on Newsthump now; "Mum who employs another mum to do housework is annoyed when other mum has to cancel because of mum stuff"

You say yourself she's hard up for money. She won't have taken the decision lightly but she probably has spared your household from whatever bug her child has.

JoxerGoesToStuttgart · 05/09/2019 16:29

But IME cleaners that let you down once will do it again and again.

Surely that can apply to any job though? Receptionist calls in to work saying she has childcare issues and can’t come in so does that mean she’ll do it again and again?

kryztinababy · 05/09/2019 16:29

Can't you clean your house yourself?Hmm I've cleaned my house with two toddlers and expecting a baby.

Horatioroses · 05/09/2019 16:31

Sigh. I don't have a cleaner, but if I had one I wouldn't feel it was any more self indulgent than getting my hair cut by someone other than me, or getting someone else to wash my car. Remember women, cleaning is your job and you should embrace it!

TheCatInAHat · 05/09/2019 16:31

I’m in exactly this position today (except I’m not pregnant, I’ve got a bad back flare up so can’t do it myself). These things happen, I have two kids myself so I know what it’s like- I’m not pissed off with the cleaner.

kryztinababy · 05/09/2019 16:32

Problems of rich people who spends thousands on organic baby clothes and organic food GrinGrin

AMidsummersNightsNightmare · 05/09/2019 16:32

Her DC may be ill and she couldn’t find anyone to look after her. I understand it’s annoying but you do come off a bit spoiled.

Bookworm4 · 05/09/2019 16:32

Quick mobilise the MN team of cleaners: pregnant mum of one lives in a shit tip and her cleaner cancelled!!!
This poor woman can’t be expected to clean!!
Most cleaners don’t tidy, they clean.
Get up and do it yourself and don’t let it get into a tip.

Namechangeforthiscancershit · 05/09/2019 16:32

I've just had to stop my cleaner and I don't have another one yet (nightmare whatever everyone else says) because she got so unreliable. I was sympathetic to start with but it was most weeks for about 3 months

MidCenturyVintageWoman · 05/09/2019 16:33

I gradually ghosted a long-term friend partly because of her attitude towards her cleaner. The final straw came when she told me the cleaner had fallen down the stairs while carrying an open bottle of bleach. My immediate reaction was "Oh no!" in an 'on no poor cleaner hope she's ok' kind of way. My friends reply was "Yes, I know! What the hell was she thinking carrying a bottle of bleach down the stairs without the lid on?!" It was a lightbulb moment that really showed me what kind of person she was. What kind of person do you think you sound OP from your post?

Instead of being upset, perhaps you should be counting your blessings that you are not a single parent poorly paid cleaner. Also it is possible to be pregnant, have a toddler and do your own cleaning. I'm sure many if not most of us on here have managed it.

MsLumley · 05/09/2019 16:33

Surely that can apply to any job though? Receptionist calls in to work saying she has childcare issues and can’t come in so does that mean she’ll do it again and again?

Yes, but this thread is about cleaners 🤨

FudgeBrownie2019 · 05/09/2019 16:33

DH and I worked hard to get to a place where we don’t need to lift a finger at home. We’re not about to start doing chores now.

Genuinely the most wanky thing I've ever read on Mumsnet. Well done.

Pinkblueberry · 05/09/2019 16:33
Biscuit
TheRealShatParp · 05/09/2019 16:34

Maybe consider reducing your hours at work so you have time to clean? I assume you work judging by the significant impact this has had on you and your home?

Merryoldgoat · 05/09/2019 16:34

I’m so glad you’ve been fortunate enough to never have a child who has been unexpectedly ill.

Skittlenommer · 05/09/2019 16:34

The solution is to hire childfree people. I have a childfree housekeeper, two childfree gardeners. Maintenance man has adult children so that was a bit of a gamble but it’s worked out so far.

JoxerGoesToStuttgart · 05/09/2019 16:36

Yes, but this thread is about cleaners

Oh so you do actually think that someone who has a childcare issue will just be a permanently unreliable employee. Gotcha.

KittenMittens1 · 05/09/2019 16:36

@FudgeBrownie2019 Haha I know gave me and the office a chuckle that phrase! Grin

ScarlettDarling · 05/09/2019 16:37

Feck. You poor thing. Having a child and being pregnant and having to clean your own house Shock

SophieSong · 05/09/2019 16:37

I wouldn’t tolerate being let down for childcare issues!

What a nice comment to read on Mumsnet hmm

I'm pretty sure that poster has a weird fetish for joining parenting forums to discuss how ghastly children are. Very odd.

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.