Have I been too cautious?

[tootsey]

Cleaner here. One of my clients has just returned from Tenerife. She contacted me and asked me to clean this week. I replied that as she had come back from somewhere that has coronavirus cases I would have to leave the cleaning for 4 weeks just to be sure. I have 9 chronic conditions, she is aware of these. She is late sixties and has health issues. She texted to say she felt fine and was not ill. I replied I would still be waiting the 4 weeks.

Now, I've just been sacked. I've cleaned her house for 3 years. Never one complaint.

Was I over cautious to leave it a while just to be sure?

Well if she's late sixties with health issues who did you think would clean for a month while you didn't

Did you suggest someone else for example ?

Sounds fair enough, although 2 weeks seems to be the usual period. But it was always going to be a risk refusing at all - probably worth it for your peace of mind, though.

4 weeks?
I wouldn't have sacked you but I think I'd be rolling eyes at you.
Would you insist on 4 weeks if she was just back from Berkshire, Scotland or Brighton?

Massively!

Why 4 weeks when the government recommendations are 2 weeks?

There’s corona virus in the UK. Are you stopping cleaning everyone’s houses?

Yes, you have. You've been silly and lost her trust.

Why 4 weeks?

4 weeks? Yes, massively.

You risk losing all of your clients soon - because you'll be hard pushed to find someone that hasn't had a connection somehow to somewhere or someone with coronavirus.

Perhaps you should just self-isolate until it's all over?

Normal cleaning schedule was every roughly every 3 weeks, so just an extra week.

Why 4 weeks?

You decided to didnt feel comfortable cleaning for her.

She decided to go elsewhere.

So why not clean in 3 weeks then? (Although I don’t see why you couldn’t do this week)

But it is not one week delay. This week and three weeks' time would be missed. Would it then be another three weeks before you went, so 7 weeks total? She can get someone else to do so before then.

Bizarre when there are now 35 confirmed cases in the UK.

I have respiratory problems, so protecting myself. I will be continuing to clean for everyone else as all other clients have not been abroad recently. I'm in NI.

I think you're overreacting if I'm honest. There are over 30 cases in the uk so if you're that worried then maybe you should start cleaning with (a proper) mask and gloves so that you don't come in to main contact with stuff.

Normal cleaning schedule was every roughly every 3 weeks, so just an extra week.

Well in that case, she's given you 3 weeks notice, which is pretty good of her.

Four weeks?! That’s excessive.

As an aside, you have NINE chronic illnesses?? How do you manage to hold down a cleaning job??

No you are not , I usually eye roll at posts like this but I see your point. Don't risk it

You were not being unreasonable to refuse to clean her home if you really don't want to.

She was not being unreasonable to sack you.

OhCaptain, yes nine. A cold can take me down anything from a week to a month. And everyday is a struggle, but as a single parent with a business I work 50 weeks a year. I have done more for this client than any other. And as she knew my health conditions that she would apply some commonsense.

I clearly got this one wrong.

I think you were over cautious but she hasn't exactly been very understanding either.

You poor thing! Well look, there’s nothing you can do about it now so I would try to forget about it.

My guess is she’s thinking four weeks is a bit of a piss take.

Either way, it’s not worth worrying about at this point. Just concentrate on the clients you do have.

you have 9 chronic illnesses are you sure about that ? that would include asthma, diabetes, cancer, cycstic fibrosis, alzeheimers, dementia, heart disease, eatting disorders, oral disorders, c.o.p.d plus others.
just curious
i have diabetes and a cold can lay me out for several weeks so i get that.