To sack my cleaner for this?

[LondonUnited]

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?

@midcenturylegs

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?

No Mid, not at all. What we are saying is the
OP up in her high horse is asking if she should ‘fire’ her cleaner - you can’t ‘fire’ someone who isn’t your Employee. The Cleaner is self employed so the OP is a client - that’s all, she needs to pull her head in.

Sack her! Then take to SM to tell everyone how an Arden criminal she is...
I’m surprised you would have employed such a person after finding out of her organised criminal past when you was running your references.

I was pulled over with yes, lights and sirens for no insurance
Sat in the police car. Had a chat, was breathalysed (late at night). I was insured and I hadn't been drinking. Had changed the cars registration and told my insurance who helpfully hadn't changed it. Once I found the previous registration, they checked that, spoke to the insurance and let me go as it wasn't my fault and the car was insured

...I once had an overdue library book. Fortunately I didn't lose my job despite being in a position of trust. Phew!

I was stopped 3 times in 2 days when the insurance didn't register on the police system. It was insured!

No I wouldnt as it was probably a misunderstanding.

Did they leave her to drive home?
Is she non-white and under 50? (Dh used to be pulled over regularly, despite being extremely law abiding)

Another shall I fire my cleaner for no reason threads

Had it happened without you seeing you wouldn’t have known anyway, I don’t think it’s reason to sack her

I would actually like to mention that I’ve been done for driving with no insurance twice before and both times were a mistake!

Erm, what??? YABU

My car kept coming up as uninsured although it was on a trade policy and the insurers hadn't updated the database when I changed cars...harsh to sack for that alone!

But even if she's made a mistake and misunderstood I'm not sure that makes her fundamentally dishonest. There are lots of myths around car insurance and all policies are different. If I felt it was an honest mistake and she had always seemed trustworthy no way would I fire her. Good cleaners are like gold dust

Not sure why people are saying it’s an odd thread and totally OTT...

I understand why OP would be cautious. Police don’t just chase people for fun. Something obviously flagged up to pursue her. Yes they may have got it wrong, however the cleaner is hardly likely to say ‘yes I’ve got no insurance’.

It may be that they have made a mistake but OP doesn’t and probably won’t ever know whether it’s truth or lies.

If someone is lying in that way then of course you wouldn’t want them in your house cleaning and having the chance to access information, jewellery and the like.

I totally understand why you’re in a pickle, I’d think the same as you!

Also for those saying if she was lying then the police would have confiscated her care etc.... well not sure about that!

A few years ago I was stopped as it flashed up I wasn’t insured. Obviously it was a mistake and the policeman would be aware that there’s always the possibility that you telling the truth.

I was allowed to go (with my car) and has to produce my documents at the local police station to confirm I was insured.

Just because she was allowed to go doesn’t necessarily infer she was insured!

Police don’t just chase people for fun.

Where does it say they chased her?

My reasons would be sirens for lack of insurance seem way over the top - was she telling the truth.

If the police are following someone they want to stop they will often give a quick blast on their siren to attract the attention of the driver.
I don’t image it was a full scale police chase across town.

I thought your fully comp insurance only covered you to drive other INSURED cars third party. It’s possible she didn’t know it was uninsured or just misunderstood her policy. I’m pretty sure the other car needs to bY someone in its own right for the third party any driver thing to be valid.

Anyway, It’s not related to her work and doesn’t impact negatively on you though, so if you believe her to be of good character generally and she’s a good cleaner then I think you should let it go.

Needs to be insured in its own right

Absolutely nothing at all to do with you and no idea why you’d sack her over this. Also I’ve been pulled twice for no insurance and both were mistakes. You sound like a sanctimonious knob.

@dottiedodah you should be ashamed of yourself for that comment. Utterly ashamed.

Do your own cleaning like everyone else who has kids does
problem solved !!!

Do your own cleaning like everyone else some people who has have kids does do

Fixed that for you.

Thanks

Do your own cleaning like everyone else who has kids does
problem solved !!!

What, like dads?