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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To sack my cleaner

82 replies

Summerdayshaze · 23/02/2021 00:33

I’m quite recently disabled, due to cancer. I’ve employed a cleaner for two hours per week. £12.50 an hour. I leave her £25 cash and go to my sister’s house (my support bubble) while she cleans. Has her own key. Two weeks ago I had a security camera fitted at front of house (for reasons entirely unrelated) and it alerts my phone when anyone walks up the path to my front door and out again.

So last week it alerted me and she only came for 55 minutes. This week she only came for 40 minutes. She took the £25 each time. I feel like I’ve given her the benefit of the doubt but this just isn’t on. So I texted her to say I need someone who will do two hours and I had to let her go.

She replied that she’s on a diet and is doing two hours work in half the time so she can burn calories and doesn’t see why it’s a problem.

This is bollocks isn’t it? Or AIBU?

Today stairs not hoovered, mirrors not cleaned, bathroom floor not cleaned, only wiped around kitchen appliances so crumbs etc under them, dusting not done much. I can’t physically do much and am in a wheelchair.

OP posts:
WhereamI88 · 23/02/2021 09:27

I'e had 5 cleaners along the years, only one of them was decent and she was with us for 3 years. Unfortunately it's unskilled work and while there are plenty who are amazing, there are plenty who think it's an easy job and take the piss. Not your fault, move on to another cleaner and don't hesitate to fire them.

OneForTheJourney · 23/02/2021 09:53

She's taking the piss!! I'd be asking her to refund the money she took for time not worked! Cheeky cow!!

jb7445 · 23/02/2021 10:19

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northbacchus · 23/02/2021 10:27

Well done for not letting her take advantage of you OP, doubt she expected you to realise! Especially with that awful excuse!

I'd potentially leave a review of her on Facebook if possible, and change your locks if she had a key.

Going with an agency can help, as then the cleaners are accountable to some kind of management.

StamfordHill · 23/02/2021 10:34

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KarmaStar · 23/02/2021 11:33

Sack her.She is being what they say a c.f. And has to go.you definitely do not need her negative energy around you.Flowers

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 23/02/2021 11:44

You are paying for 2 man hours of cleaning time shes a complete CF.

Sunny4876 · 23/02/2021 11:50

I've been a domestic cleaner in the past and if a job takes me 2 hours then it takes 2 hours,I don't go slow.If I ever finished early,which I didn't,I'd be looking around to see what I'd missed.Absolute piss take of a woman!!

RainingBatsAndFrogs · 23/02/2021 11:55

Today stairs not hoovered, mirrors not cleaned, bathroom floor not cleaned, only wiped around kitchen appliances so crumbs etc under them, dusting not done much. I can’t physically do much and am in a wheelchair

This is the crux of it.

I have had a cleaner, ages ago when we could afford it, who was absolutely brilliant, did extra things, but did manage to do it all under the allotted time, quite often. But the job was more than fully done, and well.

That she is leaving early having not completed the job: total piss take.

PerkingFaintly · 23/02/2021 12:32

Ah, OP, I'm sorry to hear this. I'm afraid you may need to brace yourself for a lot more of this crap.

IME, when you're disabled, the cheeky fuckers make a beeline for you. They reckon you'll be an easy mark, and that because you can't just say "For heaven's sake, I'll do it myself," you won't be able to stop them.

And at the same time, the impact of their failure to do the job is much greater on you than on someone who could just do it themselves.

So while being disabled means you often get to see genuinely nice people at their best, you also end up with a higher proportion of cheeky fuckers in your life – a lot of whom will add insult to injury by looking you in the eye and telling you that they're "Doing you a favour", or "Just want to help", or "That's your problem, you refuse help," while trying to stitch you up like a kipper.

Then of course their gaslighting makes you doubt yourself and starts to impact your mental health too.

Just one of the charming features of becoming disabled and dependent.

Lots of good luck with your next cleaner: there are some really lovely, decent people out there, they can just take a bit of finding.Flowers

Sahm101 · 23/02/2021 12:37

Sorry you are going through a tough time op. She is cruel to take advantage of you knowing your situation.You did the right thing.

5zeds · 23/02/2021 12:40

a lot of whom will add insult to injury by looking you in the eye and telling you that they're "Doing you a favour", or "Just want to help", or "That's your problem, you refuse help," while trying to stitch you up like a kipper.
This is very true. You are right to expect 2 hours work for two hours pay. My son is disabled and I often feel winded by the assumption we don’t deserve the same level as others. Chin up, there are decent people out there.

QueenofGallifrey · 23/02/2021 13:11

@ PerkingFaintly

As someone who is chronically ill and disabled, what you have written is so true. I have found that people just want to take advantage of me due my disability, as see me as an easy target.

I

EL8888 · 23/02/2021 13:12

She’s talking total and utter bollocks. Get rid

Pebbledashery · 23/02/2021 13:16

Another one to add that she's completely taking the piddle!! burning calories! WTF! I might use that as an excuse at work!
You need her to do the bare minimum which is her 2 hours and she's not even doing that.
No regrets for sacking her!

Nonamesavail · 23/02/2021 13:16

Thats ridiculous. Sometimes I've finished my usual jobs in under the paid time but I find something else to do and clean or organise. Would never take 2 hrs pay for 30mins.

Yellowhighheels · 23/02/2021 17:25

You've absolutely done the right thing OP, sounds like a completely made up on the spot excuse. You'll find someone trustworthy so don't settle for anything less. I wonder if there's a local disability group or forum who might be able to recommend someone?

shavenraven · 23/02/2021 17:30

If she can do the work that fast then just pay her for the time worked. You'll actually be saving money

I would sack her immediately

123HereComesTheSun · 23/02/2021 17:52

YADNBU!!

30scrisis · 23/02/2021 17:53

Definitely taking the piss. My cleaners get paid for two hours and two come for one. I
Come home and kitchen and bathroom are clean, floored hoovered and mopped, dusting done, mirrors cleaned and even washing up put away!

Shitonthebloodything · 23/02/2021 18:00

I do house cleaning. Some days I do seem to just whip through it and have half hr left. I do ironing or odd jobs like insides of cupboards etc for the rest of the time. I'd tell her you have the camera first and give her one more chance but yes it is a pisstake if things have been left out.

ThatsnotmyBorishishairistoneat · 23/02/2021 18:02

Shes so full of shit, you are well rid.

VouisLuitton · 23/02/2021 18:05

I do cleaning for some of my clients who are mainly elderly or vulnerable. I treat every single house as if they have cameras in every room so if I ever think, “hmm, I’ll give that bit a miss today...” I remind myself I’m being watched (although in not, I don’t think!) and it’s rare it takes me less than the two hours I’m paid for.
If I do finish early (pre covid) my clients usually just want me to spend time with them so we will have a cuppa and a chat. This takes me over the time, never under.

Glad you have addressed it already. What your cleaner was doing is unacceptable.

Cheeseandlobster · 23/02/2021 18:10

Nope. She is a thief op. Tell her what you have written on here and that she is not to come back

unmarkedbythat · 23/02/2021 18:11

Yanbu and clearly this person has been taking the absolute piss and not doing what she was paid for... but this has made me think about cleaning and pay in general.- If me and my husband did the same cleaning job to the same standard, I would probably finish it in half the time he would. I think I'd rather agree what work I wanted done and pay for completion of that than pay for a set amount of time spent cleaning, if that makes sense.