Self employed cleaner only going back to clients who have continued to pay/support.

[shonapop]

Seriously considering ditching the people who didn't give a toss. Anyone out there the same?

You can fire them for any reason, as they could you.

If you can do fine without them, go for it - but bear in mind that there might be fewer other cleaning jobs available before you do it, as not everybody will be back at work or in a position to get a cleaner for a while yet.

I think you’re being ridiculous frankly. Why cut off your nose to spite your face?

My cleaner made it very clear she didn't expect to be paid for work not done. I can't wait for her to come back.

Honestly I suggest you a) check you’re eligible to claim the grant for SE people and b) get over yourself.

Being freelance means nobody is obliged to keep paying you!

Sorry, I am trying to multi task and failing, I should have actually said my cleaner said no to topping up as she thought she couldn't earn on top of the 80%, not that that's the actual case as she can earn and obv I completely misread your title, as you are SE not PAYE you can earn and also claim the 80%. Why aren't you doing that?

If people weren't paying because of financial hardship, then presumably they won't want the cleaner back anyway?

I would like to see your reputation if you do that. Not everyone with a cleaner is “rich”, many will have lost their jobs and couldn’t afford to pay you. You’re being very short sighted.

I think a lot of it boils down to the fact that this isn't your fault, but it isn't their fault either. It would be kind if they would keep paying you, especially as they obviously budget for it (COVID-related financial losses notwithstanding) , but I don't think it makes them terrible people if they don't, even if they could.

They didn't pay you for something you didn't do. Sounds fair to me.

How are you crediting the clients who continued to pay once your se furlough money comes in by the way? Can you treat it as prepayment / halve your rate until its earned back or similar? Otherwise of course you’re being paid twice and it’s not really fair on the clients who’ve kept you going on the interim

Yes, I wouldn't go back to anyone who would have seen me starve, (assuming they were not about to starve themselves).

I wouldn't say that's why, tho - I'd just say you "no longer have the availability".

I paid mine 50% of her rate. I thought that was fair. I can’t wait to have her back. We have decided to see what happens over the next couple of weeks.

We are aiming for a restart the first week of June, with appropriate safety methods in place. I will go out whilst she is in the house

What about other self-employed people we hire but cannot use their serivces - should we be paying for all of those services too? I'm thinking of things like my monthly physio appointment, my hairdresser (she doesn't work in a salon although I don't see her monthly). Also judging someone's finances is tough - you can assume all you like but you have no idea what's really going on behind the scenes with what government help they are receiving.

I'm a LTD company so not eligible to the 80% the government are yet to provide so I can't be putting my hand in my pocket for any services I'm not currently using. I don't have a cleaner though but I wouldnt be able to afford to keep paying one if I did have one.

Fair enough. I could not afford to keep paying the cm when DH was furloughed so gave her notice, paid that in full and just have to hope that when we need childcare again she will have a space for us. I won't be pissed off if she doesn't and if any of her other mindees families have been paying her throughout I'd understand her prioritising them.

Tempting to do that but you're cutting your nose off to spite your face if they're been good customers in the past. Everyone has their own financial issues to sort during this time.

You shouldn't expect to get paid for doing nothing especially when the government are giving 80% anyway

Cleaners are ten a penny round here. If mine decided to restrict herself to people who paid her to do nothing, I’d happily find another.

As it is, she never asked and I never offered. She said she was going to take up work cleaning at the hospital until she could start back with clients.

None of my clients are paying fees for work I’m not doing. It would be really shortsighted of me to ditch them when things start up again.

Well that's your choice, isn't it? But you are SELF EMPLOYED.That has advantages, and disadvantages. You don;t get sick pay, holiday pay, or pay when there's a pandemic and you can't work.

If you're not eligible for the furlough, then your clients are under no obligation to keep paying you when you're not working.

(And before you start, I'm self-employed too, and have been for 15 years).

I'm not going back to some. Only two offered to pay. As it happened I did get furlough.
One client who I am dropping didn't think to cancel me when they all had norovirus so I don't trust them to tell me if they have any covid symptoms in the near future.
A lot of self employed cleaners haven't been in business long enough to claim the SE grant, I run a limited company but I have PAYE in place so was eligible.
Most SE cleaners I know don't work cash in hand because it doesn't benefit them to do so( before anyone trots this old chesnut out again).
I'm just telling them I've been rethinking my future (which is true) there is no need for drama.

In these uncertain times, I’d be taking money wherever I could.
Unless you have significant savings to tide you over - what happens if there is another, longer lockdown?

I would say good riddance to you! Unless you're doing their accounts as well as their cleaning, you have no bloody idea whats going on.

I'm a self employed instrument teacher, no one, absolutely no one, has offered to pay me any sort of retainer since lockdown. Luckily about 60 percent have gradually come round to continuing via Skype so earnings are beginning again.

Well they're your clients so I guess it's up to you if you choose to remove them from your clients list. But why would you want to make extra work for yourself looking for new clients to replace them?

Presumably you were able to claim government assistance as a self employed person, so it's not as if if you haven't been paid at all is it?

I would put your loyal customers at the top of your list and add in/ omit others to suit yourself. You owe them nothing.

It depends why they're not paying - if they're still employed on full pay then they're scumbags, but if they've been furloughed or lost their income then of course they shouldn't pay, they likely can't afford it.

You can stop cleaning for any client for any reason you want.

And I don’t think it’s unreasonable to prioritise the ones who continued to pay.

But can you afford to lose the business of those who didn’t/couldn’t pay? Especially given it may be harder to get new clients than usual at the moment as Many people are facing financial uncertainty, have more time at home than usual, and are wary of having people coming into their homes.