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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to expect my cleaner to clean for 3 hours as she is paid to do...

22 replies

SuGaRCoAteDPoiSOn · 16/09/2007 18:22

rather than bugger off after 2 hrs and 15 mins?

it's not a one off, she does it every time, twice a week.

She thinks she's done everything but she doesn't do a proper job of things, for example cleaning around things rather than moving them to clean properly. There's been a pile of dirt on my bathroom floor for months where she's mopped up against the side of the bath and it's sort of made a little hill, she doesn't wipe the tiles down or clean mirrors.. under the basin in there is filthy where water has run down and she's never bothered to give it a wipe.

I've been helpful to her in sorting out issues with her bank, immigration and an agency she signed up with who ripped her off so am I expecting too much for a bit of loyalty and care in return for my £60 a week?

OP posts:

Original poster

SuGaRCoAteDPoiSOn · 16/09/2007 18:23

forgot to say, I'm planning to talk to her tomorrow but her English is appalling and my Russian is non-existent so it won't be easy.

OP posts:

FluffyMummy123 · 16/09/2007 18:23

Message withdrawn

SittingBull · 16/09/2007 18:24

This reply has been deleted

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yogimum · 16/09/2007 18:25

I got annoyed when my cleaner left 10 mins early! If you are paying hourly then YANBU. She is taking liberties IMO. I think you should have a word with her and if it continues find a new cleaner.

hoxtonchick · 16/09/2007 18:26

i am the worst person to advise you on this, as i am getting increasingly pissed off with my cleaner's inability to see dirt & deal with it, but am too wussy to deal with it.... so i will look out for good advice & steal it!

Original poster

SuGaRCoAteDPoiSOn · 16/09/2007 18:27

cod, I know because I've been working at home so I'm in my study the whole time she's here.

sitting bull, problem with that is that she doesn't speak or read English so it's a nightmare trying to explain anything to her and cleaners are like gold dust around here

I did think about making her a list and then using babelfish or something to translate but who knows what it would come up with, lol

OP posts:

FluffyMummy123 · 16/09/2007 18:27

Message withdrawn

NineUnlikelyTales · 16/09/2007 18:28

"There's been a pile of dirt on my bathroom floor for months"

And you didn't think to either mention it to her or clean it up yourself? I know it can be awkward when you have to tell your cleaner to buck her ideas up - I had to do this when we had a cleaner and didn't enjoy it - but if you are paying someone for their services and they don't carry them out, you have to deal with it. It's best not left for months as she will be thinking you are happy with her.

Original poster

SuGaRCoAteDPoiSOn · 16/09/2007 18:28

luvya cod ;)

OP posts:

TinyGang · 16/09/2007 18:30

I gave up on cleaners.

They started off doing a fantastic job, but they ended up doing as little as they could get away with and thinking I didn't notice. (Ie just plumping up the cushions and vacuuming the bits that show in the middle.)

By then I didn't need them any more anyway, but it grates to hand over the money.

gess · 16/09/2007 18:30

write a list. She'll have someone who can translate. Add at the bottom of the list "if this is finished and you still have time left then do as many of the following as possible.... "

Original poster

SuGaRCoAteDPoiSOn · 16/09/2007 18:31

Nine.. I have mobility issues which is why I employ her in the first place. I can't physically get down on the floor to clean it and when I mention things to her she smiles at me, shakes her head and says ahh lovely missis

I'm going to try and discuss it with her tomorrow but I wanted to be sure of what's reasonable and what's not first

OP posts:

FluffyMummy123 · 16/09/2007 18:34

Message withdrawn

Original poster

SuGaRCoAteDPoiSOn · 16/09/2007 18:37

lol, go for it cod.. I'd feel honoured to be judged by your honour

OP posts:

FluffyMummy123 · 16/09/2007 18:37

Message withdrawn

NineUnlikelyTales · 16/09/2007 18:39

Oh I see, sorry, I didn't know your circumstamces. I had my cleaner because I couldn't walk much for a while after DS was born and it was useful, but stressful in other ways.

I used to find that repeated pointing helped where language failed! Do you think she is being deliberately uncomprehending at those moments? It ought to be obvious to anyone that if they are a cleaner and someone is pointing at dirt, cleaning the dirt is what is required.

If I thought my cleaner was neglecting something I used to say "I think you have forgotten..[point]" in her own language. It did work for me.

admylin · 16/09/2007 18:40

Maybe you should cut her hours down to 2 hours a time? I don't know how big your house is but a solid 2 hours at a time might be enough to clean through?

If she came directly from Russia or whichever country, it takes along time to get used to things in the UK. I know a man who lived here and he would go back to his home country with a suitcase full of cleaning stuff (even simple stuff like pan cleaners) and he would instruct his family on how to clean like in Europe! So your cleaner might just need step by step instructions.

Original poster

SuGaRCoAteDPoiSOn · 16/09/2007 18:45

tis ok.. I'm hoping it wont last forever :eek:

I've tried that.. for example when she scrubbed the nonstick coating off my george foreman and she just said 'not me' and ran off crying, lol

I'm going to do a list, translate it into russian then back into english and if it reads ok I'll give it to her if that doesn't work then DP is going to speak to the guy in charge of the army of cleaners at his work and see if he can recommend someone.

Apologies your worship actually you got me interested in becoming a Magistrate, I was planning to look into it when my health picks up a bit and other things in my life are more settled

OP posts:

MrsSpoon · 16/09/2007 18:49

I would say 'get rid'.

Did you see my Bablefish thread? You could be giving her an interesting list.

NutterlyUts · 16/09/2007 18:49

www.altavista.com is a not that bad translator

Original poster

SuGaRCoAteDPoiSOn · 16/09/2007 18:52

I missed the babelfish thread.. where is it? thanks for the altavista too

I was going to translate it both ways to make sure it works first tho.. sometimes I do it when she's here to try and explain things but it doesn't always work.

I had to explain to her what fuck means the other week.. as in fucking hell and fuck off and try to make her understand that she needs to be careful where and when she uses them, lmfao

OP posts:

MrsSpoon · 16/09/2007 20:30

My Babelfish thread seems to have gone, think I posted it in Chat. I had an enquiry from a potential French customer and had to explain something so thought I was being quite smart in putting it all into Babelfish and having it translated, without thinking much more about it I sent the email out, then later in the day I thought out of interest I would put the French translation back into Babelfish and check that it read back OK in English, I was ROFL. A few Mnetters confirmed that I had indeed writting a load of nonsence to the customer.

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