Cleaner charging higher rate for garden cleaning

[user874158974267]

We've had this cleaner for a few months now. She charges £13/h for domestic cleaning (going rate here is £10-£12) And this week for the first time I asked her to clean our garden. Now she sends me text saying that she spent 1h cleaning the garden and she wants £20/h for that work.

Garden is small with artificial lawn. She had to sweep the leaves and clean the small patio area with a power washer. And she cleaned some garden furniture - a table and a few chairs. And she put some kids toys around the garden in a storage.

I've had my fair share of cleaners so far and was never charged extra for garden tidying and cleaning. And the extra seems too high (over 50% of her domestic cleaning rate).

I could just suck up the extra cost to avoid a hassle. But once the weather gets warmer I need this cleaner to clean the garden each week. So the cost increase for me wouldn't be negligible.

AIBU to expect a cleaner to do some garden cleaning (as per the requirement above) at the normal rate?

YABU

What???? I wouldn’t expect my cleaner to sort my garden out?!??

My gardener does all that.

YABU!!!

Outdoor work costs more. She needs sun protection, both clothing and creams, possibly insect bite repellant.

Yabu

Yeah you’re being VU. she’s your cleaner. Get a gardener.

She can charge what she likes!

Haha

The isn't cleaning. it is outdoor work. What is the rate for that? I live in the north and is it £20 an hour

Of course YABU. She’s not a bloody gardener. Pay a gardeners rate if you want someone to clean your garden!

YABU and you know it. Gardening is for gardeners.
And she can charge what she likes and understandably so if she's suddenly asked to do a bloody garden !

artificial lawn= person to avoid

YABU

Ffs you’re tight, shes done a lot in an hour, well worth £20.
What is it with MN that they expect ppl to work for as little as possible. Any garden maintenance would charge £20 minimum for the power wash alone.

I call bollocks with this actually. Never happened.

Mate. For real?

Garden work is harder, plus it’s cold. I think £20ph is not an unreasonable rate. If you don’t want to pay that much going forward you could ask around for a gardener who charges less.

She should have agreed a rate beforehand but I'd never expect my cleaner to do any garden work. Like I wouldn't expect my gardener to clean my bathroom.

She’s given you a price, you don’t like it, say no and get someone else to do it

What’s the drama?

I think the higher rate = I never want to do THAT job again

To add, you could easily have done it yourself instead of bitching on here.

You have a small garden with an artificial lawn, yet need someone to sweep leaves and power wash the patio every week?

I'd charge more if I was your cleaner. Using a power washer is much dirtier than vacuuming/dusting and other indoor cleaning in terms of getting yourself dirty.

YABU.

Gardening work is not cleaning,

I wouldn't ask my cleaner to sort out my garden, but would fully expect to pay extra if she did

You can't be serious...

This must be made up!
You expect someone to power wash your patio and clean garden furniture in the freezing cold for £13.
Pull the other one!!