To expect change from my cleaner?

[TextsOnReadBallsOnBlue]

Small backstory - our current cleaner is shielding so we have someone different filling in. They charge £9/hour and we have them 2 hours/week. We paid our previous cleaner via bank transfer but the new one has stipulated that she wants cash. £18 is tricky to cobble together when we're being encouraged to go cashless at the moment.

The first few weeks we had exact money, but since then have been giving £20. First time she bought change with her but not after that. I know I need to woman up and discuss it, but wanted to check first whether IABU!

If you can afford a cleaner u can afford the £2.00 two hours cleaning not exactly a livable wage!

Re agency, the total rate is £12/hour so £3/hour is paid via monthly direct debit to the agency. I appreciate it's still very good value.

Yanbu. It’s cheeky for her not to offer you the change back. You’re paying her like you would a business, for a service, so she should carry change.

For an easy life it’s probably worth going to bank and requesting a load of change you can keep aside just for paying her.

I would definitely square the balance with her but I agree with others that into shouldn't expect her to be carrying change around. Get the right money ready for her.

@Spied

My first thought was that if I could afford a cleaner I don't think I'd be giving the £2 per week extra issue any headspace.

^^ this!

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Why aren’t the posters here realising, and taking into account, that the OP is ALSO paying a monthly fee to the Agency - and I would imagine that is a decent figure to ‘make it worth their while’,

(However, I also hope that the OP is paying her regular help a retainer)

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You want to do BT. She wants cash. Personally I think the onus is on her to have change.

If you think she is doing an ok job may be stock up on change and money bags from bank.

If you feel generous to let her off with extra is personal decision.

I don’t think it would be right to knock previous amount off unless you said change is coming off next week.

I don't think YABU. If she is insisting on cash in hand, then she should carry change. Bank transfer would be much easier.

For those saying the Op should pay more because £9/hr is cheap, yes it is in some areas but in some parts of the country it’s not particularly. If the cleaner is being underpaid then it’s because the agency is under charging for her and presumably they wouldn’t be doing that as she’d go elsewhere and work for another agency where she got paid more. The conclusion has to be that she is getting paid the fair market rate in that area for an agency cleaner. If she does a great job and you’re really happy with her I would round it up to £20 as a sort of tip but that’s not what this is - this is about her making it really awkward for the OP to pay her and, I suspect, trying to manipulate a situation where she either doesn’t pay tax or forces an overpayment. That’s very different.

£9 an hour is very low, I'm a cleaner and charge £12.50, (oop north), I wouldn't work for less! If you're that bothered about the £2 just make sure you have a bag of coins from your bank.

@TextsOnReadBallsOnBlue
IME The agency will definitely not be paying any sick or holiday pay

@Thewheelsfelloffthebus

Where did you find an agency cleaner at £9 an hour! asking for a friend

This! Please send her my way! I also though 3h is the minimum time they would agree.

@Spied

My first thought was that if I could afford a cleaner I don't think I'd be giving the £2 per week extra issue any headspace.

This.

Exactly right spied what a tight arse

People are also not noting the fact that this isn't the OPs usual cleaner.

This is a new cleaner covering the usual cleaner.

Why should the OP feel obliged to up the agreed hourly rate?

If you think it's too low, then pay your cleaners more. Would you go about saying 'you paid 20 pounds for this haircut? I pay 100 pounds for mine's?

At the end of the day people, we all have to make financial decisions we can afford. I have friends that pay 8 pounds per hour, as that is all they can afford. The OP is also using an agency, so the cleaners get employee rights through that avenue, not the OP.

OP hope it works out for you and your usual cleaner comes back soon. You aren't stingy.

£9 is cheap for a self employed cleaner.

Either pay her £10 an hour or get the right change in. It's not her job to carry change because you can't be bothered.

Our cleaner charges £12 per hour and does 2 hours a week. I always make sure I leave the correct money (except at xmas I always leave a bit more with a gift).

I think most cleaners charge between £10-£12 per hour so if it was me, personally I would make sure I had the correct amount, or just leave £20 for them

I'm taking cash with my job at the moment but it has to be exact money, I'm not giving change due to covid.
Don't be so tight!

WhatAhNowTed said....what satisfaction will you get for the sake of a couple quid!! Leave the right money if you are that bothered .

@Veiaola

If you can afford a cleaner u can afford the £2.00 two hours cleaning not exactly a livable wage!

I object to your snarky comment, not everyone who has a cleaner has plenty of money, as you seem to infer!

I am disabled. My daughter has, up till March, helped out with housework that I can’t manage. I have been shielding, therefore she has been unable to help, and I have really struggled with basic housework. I have now had to bite the bullet and look into getting a cleaner. I can’t really afford one, therefore an extra £2/3 a week makes it even more unaffordable!

Sorry I agree that if the cleaner wants to be paid in cash the onus is on her to provide the change. OP has provided a perfectly reasonable alternative.

I want to be cleaner now.
I turn up, do my job for the 2 hours, demand to be paid in cash and accept the 10% tip because neither of us have right change and you are to polite to deduct it next week so I then move on to the next mug customer on the books and repeat.
This cleaner of yours is onto a proper pocket lining here if she does this at all of her appointments.

@katscamel

Maybe I'm just mean but I'd just deduct the amount owing from previous session... so instead of £18 leave £16. Of course I'd also add a note to confirm this.

Yes just do this

The OP isn't being tight, she wants to pay the agreed rate

I agree that the onus is on the cleaner to have change if she wants to be paid in cash.

Really she should have dropped you a text saying "sorry I didn't have change, just leave £16 next week".