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?

Hmmm very OTT @Nonotthatdr. I wouldn't keep paying in those circumstances. Mine has agreed to come back even though we will all be in the house as we're working. But we've agreed we'll stay upstairs til she's done downstairs and then swap, so there will be no f2f contact. Bank transfer payments.

Please remember that NOBODY has had money from the Self Employment Scheme yet
The first payments do not go out till next week
ALL self employed people are massively out of pocket at the moment

on the other hand the OP posted and ran

Where I live, good cleaners are so sought after that they have waiting lists!

One that I know was charging £16ph a couple of years ago, and still could have had double the number of clients she was prepared to take on. Most of her clients are still paying her, because they don't want to lose her, and they know she can easily pick up other work.

Nono will you keep her on or give notice?

Tbh we’ll continue without a cleaner for a while, it’s easier than considering with how safe it is.

Considering how..

Northernsoullover that's exactly it. It's as if I never existed, after several years of loyal service. Not heard a peep, or an enquiry as to will I go hungry?

OP I think this is a difficult situation all round. Many of your clients may have assumed you'd be eligible for the government's scheme, or perhaps they're on reduced money themselves and not able to carry on paying (taking the risk they'd lose you).

You're with your rights to ditch them though - but do consider they've not just done so out of malice!

Do you pay a gardener, window cleaner, dentist, hairdresser regularly? Have you kept paying them if so? Just a thought.

If you've been self-employed for several years you should be entitled to the SE support scheme. Have you applied?

I'm not paying my cleaner. I paid her initially because it was my choice not to have her come over. I've since said to her about coming back. She has chosen to stay away. I'm perfectly happy to have her come and work so I'm not prepared to pay her because shes decided not to. Oh & she has no vulnerable or at risk people in her household before anyone trots that out as a possible excuse.

If she doesnt come back then I.know from our local fb pages there are plenty people more than happy to clean

???

I am SE. None of my clients have carried on paying me. Because
1- they havent received the service
2- I am 'covered' by the SE scheme.

What makes you think that cleaners are any different and should have carried on being paid by their clients???
And what make you think it's ok to treat the people who are paying you like crap?

Fwiw, if my cleaner was reacting like this, I would be more than happy to not see her again. I am not going to be either bullied to do something that isnt in my contract OR accept to be 'punished' like a naughty child by someone I am paying to do a job (and hans't done it).
I'd be careful about the reputation you would gain added to the fact you would have less clients.... Will you find some to replace them I wonder....

@shonapop
Northernsoullover that's exactly it. It's as if I never existed, after several years of loyal service. Not heard a peep, or an enquiry as to will I go hungry?

Yep that's what is called being Seld Employed. Get over it.
Serioulsy, your clients dont owe you anything at all.
Rather you should be proud and grateful for their continuous custom (like I am with my own clients btw)

As you are self employed, you can of course choose how and when you work and that includes not working for certain clients if you don't want to.

The flip side of that is legally, self-employed people should only get paid if they work. Unfortunately if self-employed people are paid when they don't work (ad an employee would be) they could argue they have employee status. This could cause all sorts of issues for holiday pay, sick pay and tax and other employment claims.

Although it seems morally unfair, it's not worth the risk to pay a self-employed person if they don't work.

If I was to offer pay my hairdresser a bit of extra money during lockdown and call her to check if she's going hungry it would be bang out of order and hugely patronising! Why is cleaning different?

Cleaning is often seen differently on here to other SE services. Why is that

If you’ve been self employed for several years then you should know to ensure you cover periods of no work etc.

Have you paid for everything you normally have and haven’t over this period given that’s what you’ve expected from others?

Go for it but people will know why and leave their own reviews etc according. Presumably if you can afford to ditch clients you don’t need the income anyway.

It's not down to your clients to ensure you don't go hungry

If you are worried about money coming in the last thing you should do is hold a grudge against clients you know and want you back. But it’s up to you.

As a pp said the market will be saturated.

Guess it depends onthe circumstances - dont make a snap decision you might regret later - and also don't judge everyone - perhaps they cant afford to pay you whilst they are not earning either/

There was a thread a few weeks back where people were making a huge point of saying they were continuing to pay their cleaners regardless of whether they (the cleaner) was also claiming the government help. Also the language around it - people commonly say 'lovely cleaner' - it's just odd. It seems so patronising to me.

I'd very much like to know if the OP is slipping her dentist or hairddresser a few quid in this difficult time.

Why did you stop cleaning? I guess if they asked you not to come but also didn't pay, I wouldn't feel any loyalty either. But if you decided not to go, it's a bit rich to complain they didn't pay you.
Either way, up to you who your clients are
My cleaner didn't want to come. Her choice. I said to let me know when she felt ready but actually I am going to be wfh.til December so I don't really need her back. Up to her but I'm not chasing.

My cleaner is great. I've paid her throughout because she is SE, has kids to feed and waiting on the uncertainty of government help paid out in several weeks time could have led her to the foodbank.

I've been flexible about when she returns, and she has showed her appreciation by telling me she will give me an extra hours cleaning each week for the next month which is nice.

I realise that not all SE cleaners are covered by the govt support scheme but I have no idea whether my cleaner was eligible or not. So I rather think that it was up to her to ask if she wanted a retainer.

And I know the SE payments haven’t been made yet, but they will be backdated to cover the whole lockdown period. So what if you continue to pay someone who turns out to get support? Would they pay you back? Again, I think the onus is on the cleaner to set out their expectations.

I also think everyone is entitled to make their own decision on how much they value their cleaner. I’d only had mine a matter of weeks, plus I was already a little disappointed with the standard of work so I didn’t chase her up to discuss financial support. My previous cleaner who had come to me for years, I’d have paid in full regardless, with no issue.

But yes, I totally respect OP’s right to ditch any clients she wants. And if my cleaner refuses to come back to me, that’s up to her.

Are you newly self-employed and not entitled to furlough pay, @shonapop? Or the director of a limited company?

@MarshaBradyo not quite sure. Think I’m goi going to have to explore exactly what her concerns are and then figure out if we can address them. Think I will offer her reduced pay as can’t continue to pay for a service we’re not getting - as we’re out the house for work we need a cleaner long term as current situation not sustainable.