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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect change from my cleaner?

198 replies

TextsOnReadBallsOnBlue · 12/08/2020 11:52

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!

OP posts:
VeniVidiWeeWee · 12/08/2020 15:18

@anon5000

"Doesn't make a difference if the OP is on the bones of her arse or wiping her arse with £50 notes, it's her money and her choice whether she wants to pay over the agreed amount."

Exactly. And it is the Op's responsibility to have the correct amount.

YellowB33 · 12/08/2020 15:22

@TextsOnReadBallsOnBlue it's definitely not 'stingy' as people have suggested. Once or twice, fair enough. £2 every week soon adds up, especially if it's not just you it's happening to.

I would suggest having enough change in or maybe continue the way you are and after the 9th week, suggest a free week? I would speak to the cleaner though as it may be a genuine mistake 😊

Northernsoullover · 12/08/2020 15:24

I honestly feel like sending you a tenner OP to cover your shortfall.

AlrightTreacle · 12/08/2020 15:30

@Desperadododo

Tbh I didn't think bank transfer would be a problem as it's instant whenever I've used it. I would assume someone would carry change if they insisted on cash, if not then when she told OP she only accepted cash she should of mentioned the no change thing. A simple "I charge £9 per hour and ask for cash only, I am unable to offer change so please can you ensure you have the correct amount ready for payment on the day I come", either by text or mentioning it when she first met OP, would have cleared any misunderstanding up.

AryaStarkWolf · 12/08/2020 15:32

@Northernsoullover

I honestly feel like sending you a tenner OP to cover your shortfall.
Grin
Desperadododo · 12/08/2020 15:35

[quote AlrightTreacle]@Desperadododo

Tbh I didn't think bank transfer would be a problem as it's instant whenever I've used it. I would assume someone would carry change if they insisted on cash, if not then when she told OP she only accepted cash she should of mentioned the no change thing. A simple "I charge £9 per hour and ask for cash only, I am unable to offer change so please can you ensure you have the correct amount ready for payment on the day I come", either by text or mentioning it when she first met OP, would have cleared any misunderstanding up.[/quote]
It’s a problem because it’s not visible people don’t do it! People forget! My cleaner was forever fucked over by people ‘forgetting’. I did it when she was here or say before.

If it’s £9 ph and requires exact money, OP
Knows this and should prepare with her weeks notice or prepare. Months worth given its same day each week. Or tip instead of being a meany!

Ihatemyseleffordoingthis · 12/08/2020 15:36

Pay her the £20!
Or give her the right money - for 2 hours work it is really down to you to sort that not expect her to

AhNowTed · 12/08/2020 15:40

@year5teacher

Some of the comments about her being a “piss taker” and “tax dodger” are totally gross, sort yourselves out. You sound like daily mail readers.

You're probably right.

The types that don't look beyond the end of their nose to see an underpaid worker, cleaning your shitty toilet for a poxy £9 an hour. Accusing them of tax dodging. And justifying your position by equating it to shopping in fucking Tesco. Ffs.

And don't talk to me about the minimum wage. Try living on it.

Ihatemyseleffordoingthis · 12/08/2020 15:41

£9 per hour definitely only barely pays for her time onsite, actually cleaning and will have to cover her time and costs to travel to you to do the work.

It doesn't include any spare payment for time to go to the bank once per week, queue up and get a float in coins (which would also require the capacity to accumulate £20 per week that she doesn't need to keep her bills paid and family fed, which is hard to do at £9 per hour). If you want that you need to pay for that.

So why not just pay her the £20?

AlrightTreacle · 12/08/2020 15:47

@Desperadododo

I would prefer to set up a standing order or direct debit to pay them the day before so took away chance of me forgetting or having to go to cash point, so if cleaner came on a Wednesday, I'd set up a standing order for every Tuesday. But thinking about it now I do understand why they might want cash, it's easier than constantly checking account to see if people have paid.

KarmaStar · 12/08/2020 15:51

Blimey I'm embarrassed for you for fussing over £2!Blush

SlothMama · 12/08/2020 15:52

Why should she be expected to have correct change if you don't?

cringeworthit · 12/08/2020 15:56

@SlothMama

Why should she be expected to have correct change if you don't?
Because if she charges all her customers £9 an hour so she should be rolling in loose change?
Pesimistic · 12/08/2020 16:15

@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.
I'd do this
Ihatemyseleffordoingthis · 12/08/2020 16:23

@Pesimistic @katscamel

Do that and you can expect not to have a cleaner quite quickly.

fanstar · 12/08/2020 16:27

Don't be tight - pay her £20.
My sister is a cleaner and charges £15 an hour.
You are getting a good deal!!

Aridane · 12/08/2020 16:28

Ah, a sainted cleaners thread. Cleaners can do no wrong on mumsnet and every decent person paid their cleaner for not working during lockdown

Aridane · 12/08/2020 16:29

I would cheerfully give her the £20 to be honest. £9 an hour is a very low rate. I pay my cleaner £15 an hour.

Well bully for you - the rate for zoP is £9 an hour

mcmooberry · 12/08/2020 16:31

Didn't realise you could even get a cleaner for £9 per hour, if she is good I would - like so many others here - just tip her the £2 each week.

nevertheknowing · 12/08/2020 16:36

How does expecting to pay an agreed amount for a service have anything to do with the big issue?!

Because there is an agreed cover price for the product (Big Issue magazine) - exactly like with agreed price for the cleaner, but standing and waiting for your 50p change from Big Issue seller makes you a bit of an arse.

Aridane · 12/08/2020 16:36

It is your responsibility to give her the exact money, not up to her to give you change.

Yeah - like shops Grin

Aridane · 12/08/2020 16:36

Big Issue is charity, a cleaner ain’t

Aridane · 12/08/2020 16:39

Quibbling over a paltry £2 is unconscionable, IMO

And yet we have posters quibbling over hundreds of posts about how EGREGIOUS and UNCONSCIONABLE it is when they split a bill and paid £2 more because they didn’t have the bread

Iminaglasscaseofemotion · 12/08/2020 16:40

Because if she charges all her customers £9 an hour so she should be rolling in loose change?

If this customer can't have the correct change there to pay her, what makes you think any of the others will.

AlrightTreacle · 12/08/2020 16:42

@mcmooberry

OP pays £3 per hour directly to an agency, so it's £12 per hour in total.

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