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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Cleaner broke something

84 replies

Malbals · 09/02/2021 14:30

Aibu to say nothing and ignore the accident

My cleaning lady broke an ornament today it was a wedding gift from ten year’s ago from a family member I’ve no idea whether it’s expensive or not it’s obviously got sentimental value but it’s now smashed into two bits possibly it might be able to be glued back together
She apologised and carried on
How would you deal with this
Let it go
Complain
Ask for compensation

I’ve said nothing I do feel upset but accidents happen!
I’ve paid her as normal for today

OP posts:
FuckyouCovid21 · 09/02/2021 17:17

@AStudyinPink

And I didn’t see that the OP has no idea of the value of the ornament. Sounds like it doesn’t mean that much to her...
Well I have ornaments that were gifts and have sentimental value, I have no idea how much they were as they were gifts
user1471538283 · 09/02/2021 17:24

Both my cleaners broke something as accidents happen. They both offered to either try and fix them or replace them. I said not to do so but one cleaner sourced the broken item anyway.

It is upsetting when something you like is broken but you have enjoyed it for the time you had it.

HappydaysArehere · 09/02/2021 17:42

If she does her job well and is a decent person accept the apology and say no more. It’s a risk if you have a cleaner and to talk about her having insurance is not very nice. If she worked for a firm of professional cleaners then yes they usually have insurance. The average person trying to earn a little money to add to the family pot is unlikely to have insurance so by the time she has paid you she would be working for nothing. I would advise put precious items away from general dusting etc.

Hobbesmanc · 09/02/2021 17:56

If she's from an agency, then request details of how to claim- but make sure they don't take the excess off the cleaner.

If she is engaged directly as self employed, she should have her own insurance- but it might not be worth her claiming if the excess is high or premiums would increase.

Honestly if she does a good job and you can afford to lose it, then maybe do the nice thing and forget it.

If you have really valuable things, you probably need to check your own contents insurance, or exclude them from her cleaning routine.

LaurieFairyCake · 09/02/2021 17:59

I would expect all breakages to be replaced - I couldn't afford to have things broken and not replaced - dishes and glasses are in 'sets' and I only own nice things I want replaced Confused

So I would definitely only recruit someone with their own insurance

I've never broken anything in my house - that's probably weird

Ihopeyourcakeisshit · 09/02/2021 18:03

Your OP states you've paid her as normal for today, why would you not?
Compensation? Really?
I'm agog at most of your post tbh.

NailsNeedDoing · 09/02/2021 18:05

If she doesn’t offer to replace it or doesn’t come next time with a bunch of flowers/wine/something to say sorry for her mistake and thank you for your understanding, I’d think very differently of her.

I would be inclined to let it go, but I’d also think that a decent human or professional cleaner would do something to try and rectify it if they broke something that belongs to a client. I wouldn’t want someone cleaning my home if they weren’t the sort of person that would show genuine remorse for breaking one of my wedding presents.

AgeLikeWine · 09/02/2021 18:08

Get a grip, OP.

Nobody died.

It’s only stuff. Accidents happen. She apologised. Move on.

lanbro · 09/02/2021 18:08

Accidents happen, I have a member of staff who is terrible for breaking things, just cups and what not bit she is always mortified! She doesn't touch my kenwood mixer bowl after I told her how much it would cost to replace!

Don't punish her for a genuine accident, if it was expensive claim on your household insurance

LaurieFairyCake · 09/02/2021 18:10

Hang on - most householders can't claim on their own insurance as there's usually an excess

Surely cleaners have insurance for (relatively) low value items?

Say she broke a £50 vase - I can't claim on that as I think my excess is £250 Confused

ALemonEntryDearWatson · 09/02/2021 18:13

Depends on what she broke as far as I'm concerned. I've got a fair bit of Lalique for example - I'd have to claim on insurance (mine or hers) if she broke one of those pieces. Something cheap? I'd be fine about that

Ihopeyourcakeisshit · 09/02/2021 18:13

@NailsNeedDoing

If she doesn’t offer to replace it or doesn’t come next time with a bunch of flowers/wine/something to say sorry for her mistake and thank you for your understanding, I’d think very differently of her.

I would be inclined to let it go, but I’d also think that a decent human or professional cleaner would do something to try and rectify it if they broke something that belongs to a client. I wouldn’t want someone cleaning my home if they weren’t the sort of person that would show genuine remorse for breaking one of my wedding presents.

Are you having a laugh? The cleaner apologised, she might not have known it was a wedding present. Anybody who is precious about stuff like this needs to get insurance or get the bloody pledge out themselves.
AStudyinPink · 09/02/2021 18:15

Well I have ornaments that were gifts and have sentimental value, I have no idea how much they were as they were gifts

Absolutely, but if the sentimental value was the issue I don’t think “compensation” would be the focus here.

MissMarpleDarling · 09/02/2021 18:19

Surely she has insurance for stuff like this? What about the next thing she accidentally breaks (as accidents do happen) you can't let everything go.

Derbee · 09/02/2021 18:25

I’d be pissed off if our cleaner broke something and didn’t apologise AND offer to replace it either herself or through her insurance. I wouldn’t take her up on it unless it was very valuable, but I think she should offer to sort out a replacement, and not just apologise.

gamerchick · 09/02/2021 18:27

@Malbals

It’s because I mentioned it to a friend who I was chatting with afterwards on the phone and they were shocked that I would just leave it! And shocked that she didn’t offer to replace it. So I did wonder , if my reaction to say nothing was abnormal and others may not be as laid back that’s all , I’m actually fine about it Thanks
It's a good time to maybe ask if she has insurance though.

Howling at the vulnerably unemployed thing though Grin. Cleaners are in high demand atm. Shows what people really think of them that does.

CookEatRepeat · 09/02/2021 18:29

I would definitely let it go. These things happen to anyone.

However, I did once sack a cleaner because she broke a vase (also a wedding present) and didn't tell me. I found the broken pieces piled up behind the TV. Accidents are completely forgivable. That wasn't. It wasn't fixable - she had binned the small pieces and left the big pieces. It was genuinely my favourite and completely irreplaceable.

Anniying · 09/02/2021 18:33

I'd say ignore it if you are genuinely not bothered or else ask for insurance details. My cleaner broke something inexpensive at her other client's house. The lady said it was fine but always bought it up. Cleaner said she repeatedly asked what she could do and where to get a replacement item, offered cash and even did her own research to replace the item but the client declined each time, only to continuously bring it up. She even texted her a year later just to bring it up but declined a replacement. I don't many people are that batshit, but if you think you will be resentful in any way claim from her insurance

williowrosenburg · 09/02/2021 18:44

Our cleaner broke something but didn't say anything. I went to pick the thing up and it fell apart in my hand... it was very sentimental.... and had been expensive (for what it was) to get as it had been shipped from the US.

If she'd told me, I would've been upset but accidents happen and I would've tried to repair it.
But because she hadn't said anything I emailed the cleaning company owner who apologised and ordered us a replacement. She said the cleaner wasn't sure if she broken it or if it was already broken..... would've cost the company around the £100 mark to replace it!

FFSAllTheGoodOnesArereadyTaken · 09/02/2021 18:49

Her insurance will have an excess eg £250 so unless it's more than this, it would be coming out of her own pocket

AhNowTed · 09/02/2021 18:49

It was an accident.

If you were doing your own cleaning you may have broken it yourself.

I have a cleaner and I see this as normal, accidental, and it could have been me.

Your friend is ridiculous.

ktp100 · 09/02/2021 18:51

It would depend on how much it cost & whether you were actually going to replace it - if it was expensive and you are then I'd ask her to use her business insurance to replace it, if not, let it go.

All cleaners should have business insurance as standard, if she hasn't I'd think twice about continuing to use her.

ktp100 · 09/02/2021 18:53

@FFSAllTheGoodOnesArereadyTaken

Her insurance will have an excess eg £250 so unless it's more than this, it would be coming out of her own pocket
I'd outright ask her about this. If she's a good cleaner and has genuinely accidentally broken eg a £50 photo frame or something then surely it's not worth it.

That said, if it wasn't much, she could at least offer to replace it.

nicky7654 · 09/02/2021 18:54

Honestly let it go. It's an accident!

ktp100 · 09/02/2021 18:54

If I accidentally broke an expensive ornament I'd claim for it on my insurance.

Again, it comes down to what it's worth, really.