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AIBU?

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Original poster

To get rid of my cleaner

209 replies

Lotty456 · 03/03/2021 10:09

I’ve had a self employed cleaner (same person) for about a year now & I’m generally happy with his work but last visit he was on his phone for about half hour. I asked whether calls could be made outside work hours & his response was that sometimes calls are unavoidable as it’s lockdown & childcare is an issue so he needs to take calls, he also said that as he is self employed he may needs to take calls from other potential clients although he will be quick. I don’t know whether I’m over reacting but I feel that he shouldn’t be on his phone when he is supposed to be working (although he doesn’t stop working he just carries on one handed)

OP posts:
UhtredRagnarson · 03/03/2021 10:49

This smacks of putting the menial worker back in his place tbh

Kokosrieksts · 03/03/2021 10:56

If he gets the job done then I think you are being precious.

pollylocketpickedapocket · 03/03/2021 10:57

@Lotty456

It isn’t really stopping him working, he is still performing to the same standard I just think it’s unprofessional. My neighbour uses him & I asked her & she said he’s always on his phone since lockdown but as he’s self employed & not my employee it’s his prerogative & rude to mention it as we don’t know what reason he needs to be on it. I just thought maybe he could do better if he wasn’t on it.
Your neighbour is right.
Wexone · 03/03/2021 10:57

Has his standards slip ? Are you still paying the same amount of money ? Is the cleaning being done ? Then i wouldnt have a aproblem with this. Have you ever taken a personel call during your works hours ? Done anything online etc that is not related to work during work hours? My cleaner uses her phone while she cleans, be it talking to people, litstening to music. I have no problem with it, the job is still getting done to a high standard. She never stops actually, i have to force her to take a 5 min coffee break sometimes. To me it wouldnt bother me the slightest

BumBurnerBum · 03/03/2021 11:00

@UhtredRagnarson

This smacks of putting the menial worker back in his place tbh
Yup
Viviennemary · 03/03/2021 11:01

I think it's quite cheeky and unprofessional behaviour.

UhtredRagnarson · 03/03/2021 11:02

@Viviennemary

I think it's quite cheeky and unprofessional behaviour.
How so?
Blockedoff · 03/03/2021 11:03

So his work is good, your mother normally there but you thinks it's "unprofessional"!

If he's a good cleaner, I'd advise him to get another client.

He's self employed, you're not his lord and master.

SignsofSpring · 03/03/2021 11:03

It wouldn't suit me as I work from home, and so someone wandering around my house chatting away presumably not quietly would be very annoying. Listening to music is fine esp if Air Pods/headphones. I don't think he is concentrating if he's chatting away to friends- he can't have 20 and 30 min calls for important arrangements, they would take 2 min. This wouldn't work for me, if it works for others, that's fine, there's a demand for good cleaners so let him go and get another one. There's also lots of people looking for cleaning work right now. My cleaner is absolutely ace but wouldn't do this and I bet most people's cleaners don't.

quarentini · 03/03/2021 11:04

Imagine wanting to sack someone because that are still doing their job, while on the phone.
He is a self employed cleaner not your personal slave.

Kokosrieksts · 03/03/2021 11:05

In fact having read the attitude in your updates I hope your cleaner decides to stop working at your house. You sound like a slave driver, bloody hell what difference does it make if cleaner is talking on the phone/ listening to music or audio book or whatever to get a rather boring job done.

whoworksforfree · 03/03/2021 11:08

I think you’re overreacting just a bit. The number of times I’ve had plumbers, electricians, has engineers etc doing work in my home and take a call from another client while still working. If you need to call someone to book them or change your booking, ask questions etc then you’d no doubt be pissed off if you couldn’t speak to them and get an answer until the evening when they’d left jobs

BumBurnerBum · 03/03/2021 11:09

Is he socialising or organising childcare though? In your first post it's the latter but then you say he should be cleaning (he is) not socialising.

SignsofSpring · 03/03/2021 11:10

Also he's not very professional if he's working one-handed during these calls, if he had a headset if he wants to chat away, that would make more sense! You can't clean one-handed.

AwFeebs · 03/03/2021 11:11

YABU.

His work is to the same standard, he doesn't actually stop working.

Just sounds like you're being awkward for the sake of it.

HollowTalk · 03/03/2021 11:16

When I mentioned it to him he seemed affronted & implied that as I’m not his employer then I have no reason to question it

Of course you are his employer! That's a ridiculous thing for him to say.

The thing is that you are paying for a one-armed cleaner. If he had an earpiece that would be completely different.

FluffyHippo · 03/03/2021 11:19

' It’s just irked me that’s all'.

Best ever reason for someone losing their job.

Chanandlerbong01 · 03/03/2021 11:20

I would be annoyed! If there isn’t a drop in his standards then it means he probably has done it half arsed from the start. If I paid for an hour I would expect full focus for the hour and not a one handed rushed job.

Beautiful3 · 03/03/2021 11:22

As long as the cleanings still being done to a high standard and isnt costing me extra, I wouldnt mind at all.

Original poster
Lotty456 · 03/03/2021 11:23

I usually make a point of going out when he is coming so he can just get on without me in the house so I do not usually see him working, potentially I may not need him as often if he was off his phone he may only have continued to work as I was around but he might usually sit down & have a cuppa?? Who knows anyway I will make sure I’m in from now on & ask him to use AirPods

OP posts:
FluffyHippo · 03/03/2021 11:25

To all you people saying that being on the phone whilst cleaning someone else's house 'isn't very professional'.

Cleaning isn't a profession. It's a job. A dirty, boring, tiring job. It's such a horrible job that people who're too busy or lazy to do it themselves pay someone else to do it.

It's not a fucking profession so professional standards of behaviour and work etiquette don't apply.

BlingLoving · 03/03/2021 11:27

Unbelievable. The only reason you could have an issue would be if his phone calls are loud and disturbing you. How he does the job is entirely irrelevant - he could be using his toes to clean - if the job is done to a satisfactory standard at a price you are happy to pay, that is all that matters. I'm actually quite shocked that you seem to think he should be paying more attention. If he listens to music or a podcast while he cleans, would that also be unprofessional?

I don't blame him for being a bit bemused by you.

UhtredRagnarson · 03/03/2021 11:30

@HollowTalk

When I mentioned it to him he seemed affronted & implied that as I’m not his employer then I have no reason to question it

Of course you are his employer! That's a ridiculous thing for him to say.

The thing is that you are paying for a one-armed cleaner. If he had an earpiece that would be completely different.

No she isn’t. She is his client. He is self employed. She isn’t her hairdressers employer either.
sneakysnoopysniper · 03/03/2021 11:31

As the last poster pointed out its possible to wear an earpiece and to carry on with the work at the same time. Cleaning is boring mindless work and wearing an earpiece would not prevent him doing it and talking at the same time. However you do need two hands for some of the tasks. Regardless of whether he is employed or self employed he has contracted to provide a service for you. If you feel he is not doing that to an adequate standard you should take him up on that.

UhtredRagnarson · 03/03/2021 11:31

@Lotty456

I usually make a point of going out when he is coming so he can just get on without me in the house so I do not usually see him working, potentially I may not need him as often if he was off his phone he may only have continued to work as I was around but he might usually sit down & have a cuppa?? Who knows anyway I will make sure I’m in from now on & ask him to use AirPods
😂😂😂😂