To ask if you're all going to have your cleaners back? And have you been paying them?

[Dalamalama]

I'm a self employed cleaner who's obviously lost all of my jobs for now. I was just thinking, what if all my former clients have started cleaning themselves and finding it's not too bad so don't want me back? Also have you been paying your cleaner? Kept in touch with them? Do you expect them to come back?

I've got new temporary work for now and I'm definitely not going back to few who I was thinking of sacking anyway, and I've not heard anything from them.

Also, when do you think we'll be allowed back? At what point will you have your cleaner back?

@Dalamalama

I told some of mine by text this week that I won’t be returning. Similar to you in the length of time I have been with them. I think it has to do with double standards and hypocrisy- they trust us in their homes with their keys and belongings but they’re not prepared to do anything as a gesture of goodwill- even a retainer.

As I said on a different thread, this has really bought out the best or worst in people, hasn’t it?

@classiccar It certainly has!

What reason did you give them and did you receive a reply?
I think it's time I let a few of mine know that I won't be returning. I sometimes wonder why I stayed so long with a few of them!

I let mine go about 3 weeks before all this kicked off because she was batshit. It all came to a head when she wanted to take time out of her cleaning to do crystal healing on me (because I'm apparently full of sadness, which anybody who knows me knows that im always the opposite. People at work have nicknamed me the unicorn). Then she decided it was a good idea to start slating DH to my face for another 10 minutes.

DH is home during lockdown so cleaning hasn't been an issue for me to do as he watches the DC for an hour while I get it all done.

I'll source another when this is over and DH is back at work.

yes paying mine and yes will absolutely have them back and missing them like crazy.

But I am keen to know what makes your crappy clients crappy? (mainly because I never want to be a crappy client - I don't think I am, I only once complained about one thing that's over about 12 years, and I'm pretty easy going about stuff).

A few years ago, I deducted 50% of the cost of an apple remote control from the amount I pay them, by mutual agreement, because it was the second time they'd chucked a remote control in the washing machine - my cleaner comes and brings two helpers with her, not always the same ones, and I sensed one of them was new... I asked them to be careful the first time, and bought a new remote, and the second time, she offered to pay for it so I said, half is good. Never happened again....

Both times the remote was on the bed.

Yes we will have her back in a flash and still paying both her 2/3 on the premise we both are still working. Also still paying our hairdresser.

@agonyauntie2020 what makes a crappy client? for me anyway:
Always paying late.

Texting me the night before or even on the day to say they don't want me to come that week.
Sitting In the room I'm cleaning and sometimes telling me how to do my job.
Making themselves a drink and not offering me one.

As for breakages, if I break something I offer to pay or replace it but no ones taken me up on that as yet. I'm only human and accidents happen. If I broke something twice I'd absolutely expect to pay.

@agonyauntie2020
A crappy client is them giving you a very set time limit eg 2 hours but wanting the world cleaned within it eg 18 rooms from ceilings to skirting boards, seeing us sweat and then moaning it’s not to the highest standard- either choose quality or quantity and pay for it please.

Moving the goalposts and saying you don’t want something done such as the doorframes and then sending a text asking why they hadn’t been done. This puts us in a horrible position because if we put it back to you we feel bad but if we take the blame that’s unfair and unjust.

Putting the tumble dryer on in the room I’m cleaning in on the hottest day of the year. Have a little respect - either wait, hang it up elsewhere or at least ask me if I’ll be ok. So many other options- don’t treat me like a minor or play psychological warfare please.

Just because we’re on a low income doesn’t mean we have lesser feelings or are worth less - this is what threads like this are proving.

I don't think I'll have my cleaner back after all this but I will try and find another one. I have realised my cleaner wasn't very good!
She just didn't like doing some jobs which I really need to be done (dusting and wiping skirting and handrails sills shelves etc) and now I've had to do it all I've realised how long it had been left for!
I kept her because she was lovely and reliable and brought lovely orange oil which smelled wonderful.

@Dalamalama

I said I’ve had to re-prioritise all aspects of my life which is completely true (ailing health of my parents) and I think it’s in their best interest to find someone now who can commit as moving forward it looks like I will be unable to.

And I haven't been paying her because just before this all happened she actually gave notice anyway as she was about to move away. That has all fallen through of course and after a few weeks of lockdown she asked to come back. Obviously she can't actually come back to clean but she wanted me to pay her to retain her again. I said sorry but no.

@Dalamalama - well who knew! And just like that a message has pinged - they are still working for a full-time salary, have enjoyed saving the money so they can spend it on themselves and not the house and wish me well!

No recognition of any previous work, no mention of speaking with the alarm company to take me off as a keyholder or even how I return their key.

I’ve paid mine for 3 months- she came every other week. She was happy to still come and clean, but I told her not to (frontline NHS). I am desperate to have her back at I’m working full time, and have 4 kids, a hyperactive dog and a DH with ADHD fucking up the house. I’ve realised it’s worth the money just to not have to hoover my stairs

Crappy Clients are definitely those that pay late and I have to chase for the money owed every single week
Those that add ten extra jobs onto a 2 hour clean and still expect you do all those and everything else, then don't even say thanks
Those that do not even get you a bit of something for Xmas
Those that make themselves a drink and sit and drink it in front of you without even thinking I might actually like one
I guess it is simply those that treat me lesser than them and order me about!
I think when I go back I will phase it in and take care of those clients that took care of me(or those I prefer) and do extra hours ect...there are maybe one 2 I don't really enjoy going to for various reasons so these will be the last ones I return to if at all

I will definitely be having mine back and am still paying her. As it will probably be a while before she comes back, I may pay her extra to do a deep clean once she does. (I expect she will be pleased with this, as she says I am the only of her customers who is still paying her).

Oh god I can't wait to have our cleaner back! We paid her the first week as we were self isolating & cancelled at late notice but not after that, she's through an agency so we let them handle any employment stuff. We know she has other employment with Sainsburys and cleaning was a bit of extra so we weren't too worried about that side of things for her.

Thanks for explaining what makes crappy clients. What CF-ers! Completely out of order for ppl to cancel last minute and then don't pay - that's time earmarked for them! Maybe fact I've had all sorts of jobs myself, including cleaning, means I couldn't even conceive of some of this shit (add on jobs to weekly hours and don't pay? Make yourself a cuppa and don't offer, WTAF?) I guess none of them believe in karma. I do. I also have a hard time understanding why some people think because they have money it makes them better than other people and gives them the right not to treat everybody the same. Ok, rant over. OP if you were my cleaner I'd be paying in lockdown and treating you same as everyone else. Sack those horrible clients and move on happily!

I run a business and am disabled with no domestic support so when my cleaner rang to say Im not coming tomorrow she really dropped me in it.

I offered her a reasonable compromise which is that I would work upstairs while she was cleaning downstairs, and vise versa. This is something that happens anyway. I never sit in the room where she cleans as I have my business to run and the hoover is a distraction.

I also reminded her I was disabled and asked if she could make an exception as there were household jobs I simply cannot do. She said if she made an exception for me it would cause resentment with her other clients (how would they know?). Her husband did not want her going into "all those houses" and risking bringing infection back.

I have not been out since before Christmas so it is ME risking being infected by her and not the other way around.

So presumably she and DH have discussed their financial position and can afford to live on what he makes (I dont know what hubby does).

If she was MY employee and I instructed her not to come then I would probably feel morally obliged to offer her a (say) 50% retainer. However like me she is self employed. I dont ask her if she is registered with HMRC - its not my business. If she has done things legally and filed her paperwork she can apply for government funding.

However I struggle with the idea of one self employed person paying another self employed person for work they have not done. If I dont supply the good or service that is contracted my clients dont pay me.