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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To sack my cleaner for this?

176 replies

LondonUnited · 23/01/2020 14:46

I have a cleaner once a week. She comes with her sister and they blitz the house together (I have four children including a toddler and a baby who never sleeps so always plenty to do!) She has been coming for about 6 weeks now, and it’s a private arrangement not an agency one.

I came back today and pulled up on the drive. She then pulled up about 30 seconds later, followed by a police car with its sirens on. The police then proceeded to bust her for driving without insurance (or so it appeared).

About 15 minutes later she let herself in, found me and explained it was all a mistake, that she had comprehensive insurance on her other car so could drive this one, etc.

However. I feel really uneasy about this. Clearly the car she was driving was uninsured as it pinged on the police ANPR. WIBU to make my excuses and find another cleaner?

OP posts:
dottiedodah · 23/01/2020 17:24

Thoughtless inEngland As I explained up post ,I am not being snobby or judgmental .Simply that we had some Jewellery of my DM go missing along with a cigarette card book which was fairly valuable.She had carers /cleaners and so on .I never accused anyone but just felt after that experience better to be cautious is all.

EverybodyLangClegTonight · 23/01/2020 17:24

If she wasn’t insured they’d have taken her car.

Lipz · 23/01/2020 17:27

Was she drinking gin ?

misskick · 23/01/2020 17:32

Seems a bit over the top to sack her, surely if it wasn't insured they would of taken car and had it impounded. It could of been a genuine mistake.

impossible · 23/01/2020 17:36

You're overreacting and it's none of your business. It's also unlikely she has no insurance - if she was uninsured the police wouldn't have let her keep the car so she could drive her car away from your house.

In any case, it really is not your business so long as she 's doing her job well.

BreconBeBuggered · 23/01/2020 17:53

Presumably you don't imagine she drove off in a random vehicle. In all likelihood, if indeed any offence was committed, she genuinely thought she was covered by her own insurance. Police sirens do not in themselves constitute a judge and jury.

Marleyj8 · 23/01/2020 18:16

Sorry but this thread does seem a little odd

cabbageking · 23/01/2020 18:21

The other car needs its own insurance even if she is insured to drive another car. It may be she is insured and the car is not, it may be a cock up, it may be that everything is ok.

You can't drive an uninsured car even if your insurance allows you to drive other cars third party.

Does this effect her ability to clean for you? That is what I would consider.

messolini9 · 23/01/2020 18:24

We can only assume that they will just shrug if their car (or breadwinner, or child) is hit by an uninsured driver.

Check your logic circuits @mencken.

Not wanting to see someone sacked for no wrongdoing hardly equates to putting out the bunting in celebration of uninsured drivers.

Bakedbrie · 23/01/2020 18:29

Other than the police following her to your property ...is this any of your business?

Bakedbrie · 23/01/2020 18:31

@Lipz.....why gin? Are you linking to the quaffed gin thread? 😁

Rose789 · 23/01/2020 18:34

If she genuinely didn’t have insurance the police wouldn’t have kept her for 15 minutes and then let her trot off on her merry way with the uninsured vehicle. You’re being absolutely ludicrous

Redglitter · 23/01/2020 18:40

On the other side maybe driving W/O Insurance could be true and be short of cash

Theres nothing to indicate she doesnt have Insurance. As numerous pp have said the fact the Police left her and the car to continue their journey would indicate she DOES have insurance

Might be prudent not to leave any valuables around just in case of temptation do you think

Ffs the poor woman has done nothing to warrant that

BlueJava · 23/01/2020 18:49

I'm going against the majority - I don't say sack her, but I'd be wary. My reasons would be sirens for lack of insurance seem way over the top - was she telling the truth. If she didn't have insurance then it could indicate lack of cash. Has she got insurance for her business - what happens if her or one of her employees are injured in your home for instance? I had to let our cleaner go about 18 months ago - there were several incidents which we weren't sure were her or not, but when I came home earlier than usual to find she had helped herself to lunch from our fridge (then lied about it) it was fairly conclusive.

gobbynorthernbird · 23/01/2020 19:00

She could be driving lots of cars on one policy, without those vehicles having their own policy, if she has a trader's insurance policy.

scoobydoo1971 · 23/01/2020 19:02

The car insurance is her issue to resolve with the police. However, she is working regular hours for you, and I would take care to ensure that she understands (in writing) that she is a self employed person. The HMRC may take the view that you are her employer if she hasn't registered as self employed, has a regular service contract with you and that takes your responsibilities to a whole new level. As others have mentioned, she should also have work-liability insurance for working in your house. If she damaged something...say bleached your best carpet, or left the gas on and it blew your house up, then you may struggle to get the property insurance policy to pay out if home-workers are not covered. Perhaps it is time to sit down and have a frank conversation with her, as well as a written statement of your belief that she is self employed etc. Invite her to show proof of her liability insurance, and you could put it nicely saying you are reviewing your own house insurance arrangements and just wanted to clarify her position.

Yolande7 · 23/01/2020 20:03

Just out of interest: You say it is a private arrangement not an agency one. If she has an accident in your house, will that be covered by an insurance you pay for? Or are you using her services without insurance?

midcenturylegs · 23/01/2020 20:35

Plenty of people use cleaners privately. It's how single Mums (who have kids in school, or have parents who help out) make a living. My cleaner usually at my request brings her kid with her when her kid is off school. No I don't pay her NI etc. Should I insist on her joining an agency which demands she works hours she can't do?

Ancientruin · 23/01/2020 20:40

@Yolande7 The cleaner if self-emp should have her own Public Liability Insurance

Grin at Was she drinking gin?

Serin · 23/01/2020 20:44

DH triggered an ANPR police camera once, despite being fully insured, MOTd and taxed.
Police apologised and we went on our way.

Kinneddar · 23/01/2020 20:45

My reasons would be sirens for lack of insurance seem way over the top

It's not really. A quick blast of the sirens when someones being pulled over isnt at all unusual. A lot of drivers are oblivious to blue lights behind them

MistyMinge2 · 23/01/2020 20:51

I haven't read the entire thread, so apologies if this has already been mentioned. Having fully comprehensive car insurance on one vehicle you own does not give you third party cover to drive other cars you may own. It covers you to drive other people's cars in an 'emergency'.

Anyway, I definitely wouldn't sack her if I was happy with her cleaning and had no other concerns.

Dizzygirl00 · 23/01/2020 21:22

You’ve never seen a police car with sirens in your area? Do you live in Utopia? 🙄

Looobyloo · 23/01/2020 21:31

*On the other side maybe driving W/O Insurance could be true and be short of cash .Might be prudent not to leave any valuables around just in case of temptation do you think.

And, here we go again... she's a Cleaner so must mean she's short of cash and will steal from you. Every bloody time on Mumsnet, the cleaner may well be a thief.

I'm amazed any mumsnetters even hire a cleaner.

Looobyloo · 23/01/2020 21:38

@scoobydoo1971 The cleaner is followed into the OP drive by a police car and suddenly she's cleaning the OP house with no insurance, isn't registered as self employed, bleached the carpet, left the gas on and blew the house up.

Next, she'll be stealing her pink Gin!

Bloody dastardly cleaner!