To ask when you think cleaners will be allowed back into houses?

[Dalamalama]

Not really an AIBU. Just curious when Boris announces he's going to unlock the lockdown will that mean cleaners will be allowed to work again? Will you be happy to have yours back?
I'm self employed and need to get back for the money?

Why have almost every company more or less that can not work from home, outside food production and fuel closed for six weeks if we were all 'allowed' to work and carry on as normal???
But that’s not true. You’ve misunderstood.

@Biscuit0110 Non-essential workers are allowed to work although they’re encouraged to work from home if possible and socially distance if they have to work with others. The reason restaurants, hairdressers and beauty salons etc closed was because it’s not really possible to socially distance in them and because people aren’t allowed to go out to them at the moment. There’s not much point in them being open for no customers.

They've always been allowed to work as long as can respect social distancing so it will not be any different I expect going forward. Mine isnt working atm because she's a single parent with young children at home.

crispy there is definitely not the case here (south west) every company we know have furloughed their staff.

Lots closed because of lack of footfall or because they didn't want to put staff at unnecessary risk. My window cleaner just sent a text to check I was still happy for him to come and he didn't walk through the house to get to the back at he normally would (climbed over a low bit instead).

bumbley what about other services that could carry on but haven't. Car washing for instance is low risk, completely closed for six weeks now. Our recycling centre still closed. Even low risk businesses that could adhere to social distancing like those offering riding lessons one to one, personal training, counselling - all closed or offering zoom options.

Lots closed because of lack of footfall or because they didn't want to put staff at unnecessary risk

I get that they were 'legally' allowed to continue, but 95% of businesses around here shut up shop anyway. Literally. No thought as to how they might socially distance, continue in some way. Nope. It was full lockdown here.

Dentists are still open for emergency work. In my area window cleaners are definitely still working. My Ironing service (picks up and drops off) has also been working. Washing machine repairs etc have been going on if serious enough and presumably respecting social distancing. Loads of work can still carry on at the moment.

Certain businesses were instructed to close - most shops, hairdressers etc. Most things the public would go out to visit.
Other businesses were told to have their staff WFH where possible.
It was all very confusing at first and not surprising people have interpreted differently.
Info is available on the Govt website for your relevant UK authority.

I also don't agree that they closed because of lack of demand, many services would have seen an increase in business, but still chose for six weeks (btw we have worked throughout, but our industries never close)

I am just stating there was a vast difference between the legalities of companies remaining open and working, and actually doing so.

Not all Florists are closed. We supply them.

Oblada You are having a very different experience to me!

Dentists - closed, every single one. You have to go to hospital or a hub if you have urgent dental work.

Ironing service - stopped six/seven weeks ago. Still not operating and certainly not looking like it is opening any time soon. Ditto dry cleaners.

Washing machine repairs - taking bookings for June!

Nothing is open here. As in nothing. I assumed it was the same everywhere, as my parents also report the same (SE) and my family in SE and SW London ditto.

king the only way I can get flowers is to order them from Waitrose/Interflora now. All florists here closed and have not reopened. Absolutely none. All have notes on the door saying due to the coronavirus they are now shut.

It's a shame loads of businesses just shut down. That the main mistake made during lockdown - lack of clarity from the government + too generous furlough scheme. If the furlough scheme had been less generous or restricted to places actually asked to close businesses would have been more creative everywhere to continue trading.

I am waiting for the list of services and shops that are open in your area king so far you have said florists.

Furlough has supported the closure of perfectly viable businesses as well as supporting those that couldn't stay open. A better furlough might be targeted at eg hairdressers and clubs those industries that can't reopen safely.

biscuit

Nope they haven’t. Some may have but we’d have shut if they all closed. There are hundreds open and always have been

My window cleaner never stopped coming round either

Biscuit0110 - it's a shame it's like this in your area and others. It's not good for the economy.

I know a lot of nurseries also closed without making provisions for keyworker's children (because it wasnt worth the hassle) and now are complaining about the fact that they cannot use furlough for all their staff (due to public funding). I've had clients running care homes reporting that the staff couldn't find childcare and couldn't come to work. All of that should have been avoided.

oblada Whatever the reason, we have seen a mass closure of literally everything in this part of the country, and other areas I assume. Whether they were technically allowed to continue is irrelevant because they chose not to.

king I am waiting for that list still...

We were told to WFH (since 13th March). The business has continued uninterrupted. Only a very small part, say 50 out of 20,000 employees are 'key' workers but we have all kept working.

We would have paid our long term cleaner whether she came or not, we have been her only client for some time. She has visited us throughout. We go out for a walk / into the garden / keep out of her way while she is here, but we do that regardless of any new virus.

As PP have said, people have been 'allowed' to go to work if they have not been able to WFH.

Lots of businesses which you might think of as closed, such as airlines are still doing cargo flights and processing people's refunds.

If everything had closed, life would have been a lot harder, no deliveries or utilities.

Funny how people understand things differently, even after only a couple of weeks.

oblada I agree, it is a disgrace that so many companies jumped on the bandwagon when there was no need to.
I for one, will be only using companies where possible that continued to make an effort to work even when they could have just given up like everyone else.

Window cleaning guy still 'unable to work' until gov orders new guidelines according to him.

I have had to contact my MP and local paper to try and get the tip reopened after receiving a militant reply that they will NOT be reopening any time soon.

The idea that many have just carried on offering some kind of reduced or socially distant service is just not the reality here at all. It is still a ghost town with no cars, movement or service of any kind. Like the living dead still, six weeks nearly a month past the peak. No sign of life anywhere.

biscuit

I don’t know every business that opens personally but you said every business shut and that wasn’t true. You said that all florists had shut and that wasn’t true.

I called every cleaning agency in the county for my parents (one just had a hip replacement) not a single one was open, most had an answer phone message about being closed, one or two called me back incredulous that I was even asking as we are on a 'lockdown' and could not help. So I am not joking or exaggerating when I say everything is closed, because it is, and can't see it changing any time soon here.