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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not put the heating on for the cleaner?

437 replies

Falcon1 · 26/11/2019 12:34

It's 13 degrees today and feels very mild. I work from home and I'm perfectly comfortable. I don't like being too hot and we only put the heating on if it drops below 16 in the house. It's about 18 currently.

Anyway, just had an arsey message from the cleaning company saying my cleaner has complained about the cold and that all clients must ensure their houses are heated to at least 22 degrees whilst the cleaners are there.

AIBU to think this is ridiculous? I'm in the bloody house myself! Surely if I'm comfortable sitting at my desk, the cleaner (who is being active) should be able to cope?

OP posts:
LaurieMarlow · 27/11/2019 07:37

I don't see why the OP should have to spend more heating a whole house to match the preferences of someone else.

Because it’s that persons working environment.

If the OP dislikes heating her house above 16 so much, perhaps she should do her own cleaning.

LolaSmiles · 27/11/2019 07:42

But it's not outside of required temperatures and part of going site to site / house to house is that they aren't going to be heated to personal preferences.

The house was 18 degrees. The OP isn't the cleaner's boss.

Don't get me wrong, if I had someone I'd worked with who was good and they said they were a little chilly then I'd turn the heating up as long as it didn't mean I was uncomfortable in my own house (my house is 18-20 depending on what I'm doing so wouldnt have an issue in that range). I'd be less than impressed if someone turned round to me and said "I want your house at least 22" because it's rude and totally not ok to tell me to heat my house around their preferences.

flouncyfanny · 27/11/2019 07:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LaurieMarlow · 27/11/2019 07:47

The house was 18 degrees

Hmm. Still beating that drum are we?

I don’t think anyone is saying that 22 is reasonable or that the OP is ‘obliged’.

Just that it’s kind to accommodate reasonable requirements (i.e. a thermostat higher than 16).

LaurieMarlow · 27/11/2019 07:48

The OP will not guarantee a minimum working temp of 18 for her cleaner. She will only guarantee 16.

PineappleDanish · 27/11/2019 07:50

22c is far too hot for any workplace, especially one where you're moving around and doing physical work.

Our heating is on a timer, it switches itself off at 9am and doesn't come on again until 4pm, unless the temperature drops under 13c in the house or someone manually puts it on. I will turn it back on when I'm here and if I'm cold - I'm not a MN heating martyr who thinks it's virtuous not to use the boiler. Have shown the cleaner how to switch it on too, but she never does. She says she's warm enough moving around.

Sounds like the OP's current cleaner is a bit of a pain in the neck if no others have complained in 10 years.

saraclara · 27/11/2019 07:55

@LolaSmiles, like the OP you're conflating the cleaner and the boss of the agency.
Yes, the OP is perfectly entitled to get back to the agency about the tone of the letter and the required temperature being excessive. But the cleaner neither wrote the letter or, I assume, picked the temperature.

The Op's house is 16 degrees, not 18.

Peaseblossom22 · 27/11/2019 07:57

Have none of these people fearing their houses to tropical temperatures heard of climate change . We need to use heating less , put on a jumper .

saraclara · 27/11/2019 07:59

Sorry, I meant that she only has her heating in if it's less than 16 (so it will go off once 16 is reached) The temperature in the house while she was making the OP (where are has admitted that it's a mild day) has nothing to do with the temperature when her cleaner was there.

LolaSmiles · 27/11/2019 08:02

Her thermostat was set at 16.
Her house was 18.

Just like my house is currently 19.5 and the thermostat is set at 18. My house isn't 18 degrees.

I'm not confusing the cleaner with the agency. I'm quite surprised an agency would pick a number so high and dictate to a long standing customer how to heat their house far in excess of what's reasonable.

ChasingRainbows19 · 27/11/2019 08:19

I work on a ward and the heating is on and it was 27 the other day far too hot for the running around we do!

I have heating Set to18/19 but not on all the time but if I'm exercising ( I do mine at home, thanks you tube workouts!) or cleaning no heating on for at least an hour before as I get too warm.

I used to be one with really warm heating but I've got used to reducing the temp and actually prefer house temp at around 18 with a boost to 19/20for an hour if really cold and sitting about. The air is fresher and not as stuffy and drying. Plus it's better for the environment too! Heating is off at night no idea how people sleep with a house heated to 20 at night

The letter is a bit rude but maybe just boost your heating before she gets there or for the first hour to 20 and then let it drop back down by the time she's finished she will be warm anyway and your house will be dropping back to your comfy temp. If she starts off cold she may not be able to warm up afterwards no matter how hard she works. I know it takes me ages to warm up after being cold.

Megan2018 · 27/11/2019 08:22

@Peaseblossom22
Very well aware of climate change thanks, my eco house is heated via electricity generated by solar panels and a home battery. Oh and it also charges my fully electric car.
How bloody patronising are you?!

Sssneks · 27/11/2019 08:29

I think people are conflating two issues here. A polite email saying "The cleaner is finding your house a bit cold to work in, would you mind putting the thermostat up a couple of degrees while she's in" is reasonable and accommodating this would be a kind and reasonable thing to do.

An email saying "all clients must ensure their houses are heated to at least 22 degrees whilst the cleaners are there" is a completely different matter and, for me at least, would be grounds for finding another cleaning company. Emails like that are a pretty good indicator going forward that they are likely to be very difficult to deal with in the future. When you are giving a company a key to your home and trusting a stranger to be in your house for three hours a week, you need to feel comfortable and at ease with the company and I personally wouldn't be comfortable with one that sends messages like that.

saraclara · 27/11/2019 09:02

Yep. I'd have issues with the agency. But I wouldn't dump my cleaner to teach the agency a lesson.

Again, I just find it odd how inconsiderate people are being. I'd be horrified if I discovered that my cleaners was uncomfortable in my house for any reason. Hospitality doesn't end because I'm paying someone, and I'm grateful for what she does, her flexibility and her willingness.

elizalvr · 27/11/2019 12:16

My cleaner she can have even 30 degree if she wants end of the day she's helping me on daily basic so I don't care about heating bill ..she's a great girl and always make sure she is ok in my house

Queenunikitty · 27/11/2019 12:18

My poor lady gets too hot when the heating comes on when she is here because she is working so hard!

Itwontrainallthetime · 27/11/2019 12:36

I wouldn't put it on. I don't know if it's just me but when I used to work for a cleaning company I used to be dripping wet within the hour from cleaning and it's still the same when I do it at home.
Maybe she could layer up if she's one to feel the cold. I wouldn't put my heating on higher it's you that pays for the bills and the cleaners wage.

I could understand if she is out in the open or a place where doors are continuously open but if it's in your home then no.

ChocolateOrangeIsAFruit · 27/11/2019 14:11

The lady who cleans my house always says she gets too hot if we leave the heating on

LolaSmiles · 27/11/2019 14:21

Sssneks
I agree. There's two different requests there and if I'm trusting someone in my home there's no way they're dictating how I heat my home.

The OP has used the company for 10 years i think and had no issues. If an individual cleaner needed to put a little request in then it can, and should, be done reasonably to the OP, not through going back to the company to complain and dictate temperatures (it seems a bit odd that a company would suddenly decide on stipulating temperatures that aren't reasonable out of the blue).

I would be dropping the company and cleaner tbh in this situation. Either talk to me sensibly and and reasonable or I'll look for someone else. The whole situation is weird and rude.

abitoflight · 27/11/2019 17:39

My cleaner acts no to any heating I offer and changes into shorts and a t shirt when she arrives.

randomchatter · 27/11/2019 17:43

22 degree on such a mild day is ridiculous especially when you're doing physical work.

Change your agency!

MrsBadcrumble123 · 27/11/2019 17:49

I’d think you’re unreasonable for house to be below 16 degrees but 22 degrees jeeez!! I’d tell the cleaning company to do one!

chocolatesaltyballs22 · 27/11/2019 17:50

WHAT?! You've made me think now as I never put the heating on for my cleaner unless I'm there. I'd assume she'd get too hot while she was cleaning - I used to when I did the cleaning myself.

Noodles12 · 27/11/2019 17:51

www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/law.htm

I assume you are in the UK
HTH

Shell4429 · 27/11/2019 17:52

Anything below 20 is uncomfortable to sit in but when I worked as a cleaner I was more than happy if the heating was off! If not I would sweat buckets.