Cleaner cancelled last minute due to childcare

[UmmUmar]

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?

@Waxonwaxoff0 - I don't think it's jealousy about other people having cleaners - it's the outrage at the idea of doing their own chores that rubs people up the wrong way when the majority of people just crack on with it

There's one idiot up thread who is winding posters up and is best ignored. Nobody with a cleaner has expressed outrage at having to do their own chores.

I have a cleaner because I hate cleaning and I can afford it. If I couldn't afford it, then I'd crack on and do it myself. I would dislike having to do it, but I'd hardly be outraged.

I'm sure you spend money on things that I wouldn't spend on. We all have different priorities for any spare cash we have.

Sorry but hiring childfree staff is no guarantee - the most unreliable member of staff I've ever had was a single man with no responsibilities. Most reliable have been mothers.

As PP said this is the most wanky comment thread I've ever seen.

You may think it’s ‘wanky’ but being late 20s, early 30s, no children (ever) and having next to no responsibility apart from our jobs is pretty awesome. I wouldn’t take too kindly to having my lifestyle impacted by someone else’s childcare issues.
Yes life must be pretty awesome that you’re hanging around on a parenting forum. Living the dream

I think this is the first time I've placemarked!

Child free people could still have elderly parents who could need looking after, hospital appointments and such like and they can cause similar problems with work

What...you have to clean your own house......oh dear how awful......
Being pregnant is not an illness, lots of people do manage with a toddler and being pregnant.
TBH you sound like a petulant child.

@HeadLikeAFkingOrange - I think this is more about the job, rather than the inconvenience tbh. If this was a solicitor you'd hired, a private doctor, or a tutor having to cancel their appointment at short notice, would you feel as pissed off?

I would be equally irritated, regardless of profession.

Fuck me, some people are twats on here aren’t they? Work hard, have a housekeeper, but jeez, you sound a proper nob the way you talk about it. Get some self awareness!

I think what some people seem to be missing is the fact that this woman is running a business offering a service to clients. When you let clients down for spurious reasons then they are going to think twice about continuing to hire you.

Some of these comments are really insulting to single mothers. Just because a woman is bringing up a child on her own for whatever reason, it doesn't mean that she is pathetic and incapable. Some of the strongest, most reliable and hard working women I know are single mothers - including my business partner. They don't have a partner to rely so actually can't risk losing their jobs/clients. I think some people forget that single people have to do it all and the buck always stops with them.

However, this cleaner is taking the piss and I'd let her go.

OP you should go through an agency, that way if your regular cleaner has to cancel the agency will resolve this by sending a cover worker. Appreciate an agency will cost more but that will mean that you have insurance, references and sick cover, and it also means that if you have concerns about reliability or standards then the agency deal with it and not you. I have used both in the past and highly recommend the protection of going through a reputable agency, that pays their staff well and does extensive background checks etc.

Nothing suggests “I am rich and successful and have lots of staff” quite like a total ignorance of employment law.

There are some very entitled people on this thread. OP, this is AIBU and many people told you YABU. What did you expect !
I'm a working mother with a cleaner and yes sometimes my cleaner cancels because of childcare issues. It happens but she is fabulous and because I'm an adult, I'm more than capable of coping for a week without her.
If I couldn't cope without a cleaner I would probably pay more and go through an agency who can send somebody in the case of illness.

Yes life must be pretty awesome that you’re hanging around on a parenting forum. Living the dream

I find you all very intriguing. And the relationship section makes for good reading!

Just checking to see if this thread is officially over yet?

Nothing suggests “I am rich and successful and have lots of staff” quite like a total ignorance of employment law.

Is it such a big deal?

Skittlenommer - what would you do if your “staff” get pregnant? How do you know they are childfree as you can’t ask that at interview.

It seems strange to have such a perfect, awesome “childfree” life but be hanging around on Mumsnet.

This thread is brill

@Skittlenommer
Yes, its illegal to hire/ not hire someone based on whether or not they have kids.

To be fair, a cleaner is not really going to have the legal firepower to challenge an illegal interview question.

I know the thread is OVER, but did she really cancel because her child fell asleep on the bus, or whatever?
I'd have assumed the child was ill. And maybe it was. Kids often get too tired before coming down with something.

It's annoying, but I'm sure your child's dad can manage to do some basic cleaning to compensate for it.

Cleaners are self-employed - why would there be any interview questions?

We have cleaners and if they're not reliable we just use different cleaners.

Skittlenommer has obviously been busy as a month ago she referred to having a cleaner and she now has a housekeeper!

@Biggobyboo what would you do if your “staff” get pregnant? How do you know they are childfree as you can’t ask that at interview she asked me if I had children and I said no and she told me she didn’t either and didn’t plan on ever having them. If she got pregnant I wouldn’t fire her but if after the fact she consistently let me down time and time again I’d let her go for sure. Same for gardener, I was asked first. The question of children didn’t form part of the interview it was an informal chit chat as I showed them around. Although I was curious I didn’t ask.

@IamtheOA Yes, its illegal to hire/ not hire someone based on whether or not they have kids I didn’t hire her because she didn’t have children, she was the best one for the job but I’m not going to lie and say it isn’t a huge advantage.

@Skittlenommer being late 20s, early 30s, no children (ever) and having next to no responsibility apart from our jobs is pretty awesome then

Thank the good Lord above that you didn't! 🙏

Use an agency and pay the rates then you won't have an issue.