Bloody clients cancelling at the last minute!

[Delamalama]

I've been a self employed cleaner for many years and have built up a good reputation and have lots of clients but could take on more.

Just had a text off a client who I'm due to clean for this Thursday saying sorry I forgot to say I don't need you this week, great, bloody marvellous that's me £20 down. She also often just give me a weeks notice she's going on holiday and has done this before but with more notice.

I really wish people would realise if I don't work I don't earn money and I work to pay the bills. I know I should tell her but it's so awkward and puts us all in a awkward position.

If you hire a cleaner please, please think before you mess them around.
How would you feel if your boss said, have tomorrow off with no pay.

AIBU to bin her?

Househunt1 don’t waste your time with that one. She’s just messing you around. Big time.

I've had to cancel my cleaner once or twice because my children have been home from school sick. It was really short notice, sometimes early in the morning if they've been ill through the night but I'd rather cancel then have them clean a house with a d and v bug in.

Just wait until you can get another customer to fill her space and then tell her you're finished.

Yeah that is rubbish of her but YABU for not having a policy in place.
I've been self employed as a tutor and I said if less that 24hrs notice then they pay 50%.

We actually have a cleaner atm and we still have him if we're away because (a) he only comes once a fortnight so it's probably dirty anyway, and (b) even if it isn't, he could clean something else that he doesn't normally do.

Now I think of it, the only time I've cancelled (in 2ish years) was when we were having building work done, and I think I gave 4 weeks notice. He has gone on holiday a couple of times and normally gives at least a month.

What's your cancellation policy? Can you fill the slot?

@Househunt1 I'd have to get rid of her just because she called you Hun seriously, do not waste anymore time on her!

Haha! I need the £20 a week but I also have abit of pride to not beg ! Hope you get some more decent clients soon

@ballsdeep of course that's a valid reason that I'd accept.

I don't have a cancellation policy (yet) and no new clients on the horizon. Then again I never advertise and mainly get jobs through word of mouth. I'm sure if I advertised I'd get more work. Just been so busy.

@Househunt1 you too!

I've had to cancel my cleaner once or twice because my children have been home from school sick. It was really short notice, sometimes early in the morning if they've been ill through the night but I'd rather cancel then have them clean a house with a d and v bug in.

But surely you still paid her in that case?!

I always paid mine if I cancelled.

It's a difficult one with illness. on one hand it isn't the cleaners fault but on the other hand of I wouldn't want to go in a sick filled house. The decent thing to do would be to reschedule, offer more hours the following week to make it up or even half the pay? But like I say I am too soft!

You def need t&c’s wirh cancellation period

Give to all customersfor new year

I would ask them to pay a deposit when your services are booked. I'm a beauty therapist and we get the same sort of thing.

I really sympathise with you, a lot of businesses would still expect payment if their services were cancelled at short notice. For instance years and years ago when my husband was in the armed forces he came home from leave from a posting abroad unexpectedly and I cancelled a driving lesson due the following day - I still paid without question even though I wasn't obliged to, we didn't have a huge amount of money but neither did the driving instructor who may have been able to book a lesson with someone else if I had cancelled earlier.

I think that sometimes people do not appreciate their cleaners, we have an acquaintance who is appallingngly inconsiderate with the person who cleans their home.

Good cleaners are like gold dust round these parts and it’s at your pearl that you mess around a good one!

Maybe take stock of your worth, if your busy and operate in an area of high demand then ditch her and replace with another client. Don’t be walked over.

I would always pay my cleaner if I cancelled. I'm well aware of how much she earns and that she is a single parent. If I just decided not to pay her then that's her weekly wage dramatically dropped!
We always ask her to work when we are on holiday so that she does not lose wages. The only time we do not pay her is when she takes her holidays.

I’m self employed I get this too. It’s frustrating

YANBU
The house will need a deeper clean next visit surely ?
The lady who helps us in the house every week has her own key and also gets holiday pay . She’s worth it . Find someone who appreciates what you do .

When they’re on holiday surely that’s when they can pay you to do all the extra ‘deep clean’ stuff that always gets overlooked in a normal week. I used to love coming back from my holiday to an amazingly clean house.

I'm wondering if she just thought, the house isn't too bad this week so I'll not bother having delama. She's bit a bit odd this year anyway. She always used to leave the room I was cleaning and even said once "it must be annoying if I'm sat in the room you're cleaning" I said yes. Ever since then she's stayed in the room.
If she doesn't want me anymore I'd rather she say, I'd survive! and be quite relieved

As for the holidays some say their partners are worried I wouldn't turn the alarm on or leave something on in a empty house? Always the partners.
As I said I have had brilliant clients over the years who will give me extra jobs when they are on holiday.

As in life some people are just a lot more thoughtful.

Maybe ask your others do they want an extra slot? Id love my regular cleaner to give me an extra slot a couple of times a year??

We only cancel for illness (d&v bug wouldn't have been pleasant for her) we still paid, and the other time was a sudden bereavement and we had family here, we were happy to pay but she refused (she's lovely) . When go on holiday she does other tasks eg Windows inside, cleaned out the fridge, washing machine and dishwasher and once washed all our duvets and did some ironing, but she suggests these things and we trust her to do them

To add to the convo I also had to let go of a client, yes money is money so maybe I'm wrong but they would pay me £20 on the side all in 20ps and 50ps,took the mick like I'm just worth the change they have gathered round, he would also go on holiday and leave me a list of things to do like water the tomatoes in the garden! Hang the hanging basket out after it had been left in the sink which then the sink was blocked with mud and woodlice! And also piling up the inside of the fridge shelves at the side of the sink for me to wash. Sorry going off track just venting on memories of cheeky clients haha

@Househunt1 they sound awful! When you drop a client do you tell them the truth they are tossers or do as I do and say you have another job