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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

New lockdown- do I pay cleaner?

166 replies

Bizawit · 04/01/2021 22:40

I’ve had my cleaner since the summer. Best cleaner I’ve ever had, and she really makes a difference to my well-being. Although it is still allowed in the rules, she
texted me this evening saying that she wouldn’t be coming for the next few weeks because she doesn’t feel safe using public transport and mixing in different households etc, and with schools closed she has her children at home (her youngest is 14 so not small children).

The question is do I need to continue to pay her for the weeks she doesn’t come? I’m thinking that she might be expecting me to offer, and she is such a good cleaner I don’t want to lose her. Plus she’s a lovely person and I don’t want to be an arsehole/ put her in a difficult spot. On the other hand it is her choice not to come to work, and it is a fair amount of money for a service I’m not receiving. My DP says there’s no need to pay her and I shouldn’t , but I’m not sure he is right. So:

YABU - no need to pay the cleaner during lockdown.

YANBU - yes you should pay the cleaner.

OP posts:

Newkitchen123 · 05/01/2021 21:27

I wouldn't pay.
It's her choice that she's not coming.
However for all those saying she can claim SE grant, you don't actually know that she can. For the third grant they tightened the rules. I claimed the first two. I'm not eligible for the third.
If I don't work no one pays me.

ScruffGin · 05/01/2021 21:44

We paid during the first lockdown, as they weren't allowed to come. They stopped cleaning soon after lockdown ended...
Now have a new cleaner, and she had decided she doesn't want to clean during this lockdown. So not paying her, as I want her to come and she is allowed to.

ellenleaves · 05/01/2021 21:48

I paid last time throughout but won't this time if she decides not to come. I will be out when she comes. If she or we are isolating/sick I will pay her.

Russellbrandshair · 05/01/2021 22:07

However for all those saying she can claim SE grant, you don't actually know that she can. For the third grant they tightened the rules. I claimed the first two. I'm not eligible for the third

Firstly, someone else’s finances is none of my business and would be a breach of GDPR even to ask and secondly, even if she wasn’t, I am not responsible for anyone else’s welfare and it’s not my job to step in if the government won’t!
I cannot possibly be financially responsible for everyone I have ever received a service from. By that rationale I’d be paying my gym, hairdresser, taxi drivers that I use often, dry cleaners, beauty clinic, dermatologist, mechanic, masseuse etc
I don’t have the funds to pay all those people when I’m not receiving their services! MN really does assume everyone is mega rich don’t they?!

Newkitchen123 · 05/01/2021 22:19

@Russellbrandshair

However for all those saying she can claim SE grant, you don't actually know that she can. For the third grant they tightened the rules. I claimed the first two. I'm not eligible for the third

I wasn't suggesting otherwise I was pointing out that a good few people have said she'd be claiming. I wasn't saying that it should be a factor I was simply saying that the rules are different I agree with your analogy about other services you've paid for

Newkitchen123 · 05/01/2021 22:23

@NotSorry

Not earning enough to pay tax is not relevant for the Seiss - I don’t earn enough to pay tax and was able to claim the grants. Being a cleaner does not mean they are incapable of submitting self-assessment. My cleaner manages it.

If they set up their business after the cut off date they're not eligible to claim.

NotSorry · 05/01/2021 22:29

True

Babybaby432 · 05/01/2021 22:47

No I wouldn’t pay, like I wouldn’t pay for my dog walker if she said she didn’t want to carry on walking the dog or the window cleaner if he couldn’t clean the windows. If I decided not to work I wouldn’t get paid. I think cleaners are doing a very safe job if they are not in the room with someone else.

kerkyra · 05/01/2021 22:59

Regardless of being told it's safe to go and clean in several houses,it isn't!! High rates of transmission around here.
So no,I've said to all my clients I wont be coming until its safer and if it's too dangerous for schools to shut then I dont believe it's safe to be going to all their homes.
Two clients have said they will pay be half pay ,just like in the spring which is really kind.

Viviennemary · 05/01/2021 23:00

No you should absolutely not pay her. Cleaners are allowed to work during this lockdown.

AndcalloffChristmas · 05/01/2021 23:12

We use a cleaning company and their are still going to be coming!

LuaDipa · 06/01/2021 13:09

@Fatladyslim

Oh goodie, another set of new threads debating whether to be a decent human being or not.

If you want to keep your spot and your cleaner, offer the money or at least SOME money! If not, don't and look for someone else.

I understand the logic if she couldn’t work as was the case during the last lockdown, but in this instance she is making a choice not to. If I was op I would be considering paying someone else tbh. I have spent the morning trying to find a cleaner as I am already overwhelmed by everything I have to do during this latest lockdown and I’m sure op will be missing the help too. I do wonder whether those saying to pay would have the same attitude towards a plumber or electrician. Would you pay them now and then again when actually came to do the job?

popcorndiva · 06/01/2021 13:19

I wouldn't pay her as she is refusing to work, she could if she wanted.

If I called my employer tomorrow and said I am.not working I wouldn't expect to be paid. Its totally different compared to if she is not allowed to work

balzamico · 07/01/2021 12:22

I have paid mine this week and said we'll look again at the numbers in a fortnight when she is due next.
I don't feel that she should come this week even though she's allowed, and so felt I should pay but I don't want to end up as we did at the end of lockdown 1, feeling that she should come but why would she when we're paying anyway.
She is a single mother, very grateful and says I'm the only one who's offered to pay

Russellbrandshair · 08/01/2021 13:03

Oh goodie, another set of new threads debating whether to be a decent human being or not

You do realise that not everyone can afford to keep paying as they might have suffered financial losses too?

But interesting to know that you believe only wealthy people are "decent human beings!"

Happyhappyday · 28/01/2021 05:10

We are paying our cleaner & our nanny & have through all the openings & closures, sometimes gov said they couldn’t work (we live abroad) sometimes we wanted them to have the same safe option of not having to work as we do since we work from home. You don’t HAVE to pay anyone without a contract but our view was that our financial circumstances haven’t changed so it seems like the least we can do to make sure other people have stable income too. Also tipping hairdresser etc double rate as only going half as often etc, it’s not I’m paying someone else to cut my hair or clean my house!

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