To not put the heating on for the cleaner?

[Falcon1]

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?

CottonSock
Really?
That's easy to check if all the work is done.
I worked very hard when I was a cleaner, but it still gets cold in winter, 22 degrees is a bit ott, but I'd think 18 is acceptable.

@lauriemarlow the OPs house isn't 16 either, it's around 18.

22 is comfortable to me but we have a log burner and it was 30 in here last night now that was hot!

13 is bloody freezing.

22 is very warm

Yanbu our heating is set to 17 degrees and is off between 7am and 3pm (I’m home all day).

the OPs house isn't 16 either, it's around 18.

Now. But given that the heat only comes on when it drops below 16 and its winter its not going to stay that way.

I'd also be asking the cleaning company exactly where that was specified in my contract.

does noone else not have theirs on timer to come on not until the afternoon around 4pm ish?

18 is very cold for inside a house and at everyone saying they’d be dripping with sweat at 22.

YABU.

My thermostat broke stuck on 15 degrees once, our house was freezing. 16 degrees isn’t warm! especially if you have laminate or tiles. 18-21 is the norm.

@kateandme
We have a fancy underfloor heating system with an air source heat pump. It works best when on constant with a target temperature, then it just kicks in when needed but we have mostly slate floors downstairs that stay warm. I’m on mat leave anyway so home a lot.
When I lived in a house with oil central heating it was on a timer for a few hours morning and night as was so bloody expensive.

18 is very cold for inside a house

Not if you're a healthy adult and wear appropriate winter clothes. Which means wool layers, this time of year.

Not if you're a healthy adult and wear appropriate winter clothes. Which means wool layers, this time of year.

People have different sensitivities to cold. Get off your high horse. You’re not an arbitrar of how everyone should be.

I am a healthy adult and wear layers, thanks for the reminder mum.

18 inside a house is really cold.

OMG would people stop going on about how many degrees is too hot or too cold 🤦‍♀️. The cleaner is cold and uncomfortable in her workplace...just turn the bloody heating up for a couple of hours!

well like a lot of cleaners she's from a hotter country and probably on very low wages. She will be cold from being outside, again because she's not used to our weather. If you had to work somewhere and they kept it at a temperature you found uncomfortably hot or cold would you be happy. When I'm cold at work i'm miserable. It definitely doesn't improve my performance.

The radiator valve is irrelevant. It's not her fault it doesn't work and you find the thought of you having to work at 22 degrees ridiculous. It's 3.5 hours per week.

@BarbourellaTheCoatzilla
Lots of women feel the cold not just those from warmer climates, I was born in uk and feel the cold DH born in tropical climate doesn’t feel the cold his Nephew born in same country feels the cold terribly nobody’s personal thermostat trumps another’s in office environment.
If you employ someone to clean your house it would be kind to turn up the heat where they’re working for maybe first half of shift as they would then have warmed by working.
Op can turn down radiator in her office (once she Buys the key).
Why is so important to be unkind and place your needs over someone else if you can be kind and comprise.

22 is ridiculous, not many have that on for their own family let alone for someone cleaning. I would burst into flames if I had to clean my house at that temperature.

The cleaner is cold and uncomfortable in her workplace...just turn the bloody heating up for a couple of hours!
It's an entirely reasonable temperature in the OP's house.
Why should she pay more to heat her house to a temperature that will leave her uncomfortable in her own home in order to accommodate the preferences of someone else?

If the cleaner is uncomfortably cold despite doing her job properly and is wearing sensible winter clothes - including a thermal vest and a woolly jumper - then think about compromising. But not many people wearing winter clothes and doing physical work feel cold at 18 degrees. How does she cope when she goes outside?
In the age of climate catastrophe, heating your house in preference to dressing properly is immoral.

It's an entirely reasonable temperature in the OP's house.

I don’t believe 16 is an entirely reasonable temperature (which is what her thermostat is at).

I’ve never worked in an indoor job where 16 would be seen as a reasonable temperature.

The OP is an employer and has responsibilities as such.

I hate to be cold and 16° would be far too cold for me. Also some thermostats are not a true temperature, mine read high so I have the heating set at 24° and realistically that is actually more like 21°

I do have an incredibly energy efficient home and can set each room to different temperatures which helps as I only tend to heat the room I am in

I look after little kids and the recommended temperature for them is constant 18.
As a previous poster said if she is cold at that heat she is not working hard enough.

16 is too cold but if the email had said a more reasonable request it’d be better.

It takes a fair boost of heat to get this house up to 22