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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
ferriswheel20 · 03/03/2021 11:32

You can't force someone to use AirPods, especially if you're usually out when he comes! Do you even know if he has a set? Catch a grip ffs

Original poster
Lotty456 · 03/03/2021 11:32

Client/employer...I still pay him for a service...I wouldn’t expect my stylist to be on the phone whilst cutting my hair!

OP posts:
cantgetmyheadroundit · 03/03/2021 11:33

@UhtredRagnarson

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

His work isn't affected. You're not there to be disturbed by it. What's your issue?

cantgetmyheadroundit · 03/03/2021 11:34

@Lotty456

Client/employer...I still pay him for a service...I wouldn’t expect my stylist to be on the phone whilst cutting my hair!
But that's completely different, and you know it Confused
TheNorthWind · 03/03/2021 11:36

@FluffyHippo

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.

This. The only questions are "Is it clean?" and "Was it made clean in a reasonable length of time?"

"Unprofessional" my arse.

Do you also think office employees need to be micromanaged in order to stop them from skiving, OP?

Original poster
Lotty456 · 03/03/2021 11:37

My point is that you cannot do a proper job whilst on the phone so it’s a possibility that his standards were below par to start.

OP posts:
Winterfellismyhome · 03/03/2021 11:38

@UhtredRagnarson

This smacks of putting the menial worker back in his place tbh
Yup
cantgetmyheadroundit · 03/03/2021 11:38

Oh, so now you've decided that his standards are 'below par'. That's not what you said though, is it?

Original poster
Lotty456 · 03/03/2021 11:39

TheNorthWind
I do not micro manage, I’m never usually there, he was wandering around my home on his phone I didn’t follow him around I could hear him if I was in the next room!

OP posts:
UhtredRagnarson · 03/03/2021 11:39

@Lotty456

Client/employer...I still pay him for a service...I wouldn’t expect my stylist to be on the phone whilst cutting my hair!
No not client/employer. Just client. There’s an actual legal difference.
UhtredRagnarson · 03/03/2021 11:41

Would you expect your hair stylist to stay silent except for when asking you to put your head forward? Or would you consider it completely normal for them to ask you about your plans for the weekend, speak to her colleague and even the client in the next chair over? Because any time I’ve been to the hairdresser it was full of chat and conversation.

therealteamdebbie · 03/03/2021 11:41

I wouldn't pay for someone to be on their phone! I might as well pay my kids for being on Minecraft.

You generally don't pay cleaners per job, but per hour. Absolutely not on.

UhtredRagnarson · 03/03/2021 11:43

@Lotty456

My point is that you cannot do a proper job whilst on the phone so it’s a possibility that his standards were below par to start.
So then you wouldn’t have kept him on so long if his standards have been below par from the start? Or do you not actually look at the standard of work in your own home? In which case why does it matter if it’s below par? Confused
grapewine · 03/03/2021 11:43

Ah, so you just want to be right.

Sack him - he'll probably be fine, and you'll have to find someone else. Good luck with that.

therealteamdebbie · 03/03/2021 11:43

@UhtredRagnarson

Would you expect your hair stylist to stay silent except for when asking you to put your head forward? Or would you consider it completely normal for them to ask you about your plans for the weekend, speak to her colleague and even the client in the next chair over? Because any time I’ve been to the hairdresser it was full of chat and conversation.
I have never had, or seen, a stylist speaking to a colleague or another client whilst doing a client's hair! (mine or someone else's) They focus to the client they are currently styling. Apart from possibly a quick hello, but not a full on chat.

Where are all these rude people working? I never encounter anyone that bad!

Original poster
Lotty456 · 03/03/2021 11:44

I said maybe they were below par to start with so it could be better if he didn’t use his phone. The point I was making is that it really doesn’t matter whether he is a client or an employee; I pay for a service & I expect him to be professional when carrying out that service, I don’t see how what the legal difference is has anything to do with him using his phone?

OP posts:
UhtredRagnarson · 03/03/2021 11:44

You haven’t actually said whether he is using his handset or an earpiece OP. I suspect it’s the latter as you would have certainly agreed with others suggesting he can’t clean properly with one hand.

misselphaba · 03/03/2021 11:44

If it doesn't affect the quality of the cleaning then you're being bossy and a tad unreasonable considering he's given you two reasons why he may be on the phone. If he was stopping work to talk then that would be different.

You're paying him to clean and he's cleaning.

UhtredRagnarson · 03/03/2021 11:44

I said maybe they were below par to start with

But you’d have noticed, wouldn’t you?

UhtredRagnarson · 03/03/2021 11:46

I have never had, or seen, a stylist speaking to a colleague or another client whilst doing a client's hair! (mine or someone else's) They focus to the client they are currently styling. Apart from possibly a quick hello, but not a full on chat.

I don’t believe you.

Where are all these rude people working?

Friendly hairdressing salons.

UhtredRagnarson · 03/03/2021 11:46

For friendly people.

FlyingBurrito · 03/03/2021 11:47

Are all the posters on here self employed cleaners?

I'm quite surprised by the answers, no way would I continue to engage the services of someone in my own home if I wasn't happy with them for whatever reason. If the OP's not happy she's not happy why would she change simply because other people don't mind?

UhtredRagnarson · 03/03/2021 11:48

I don’t see how what the legal difference is has anything to do with him using his phone?

The legal difference is to remind people like you that you don’t own the self employed people that do work for you. Kind of to keep you from getting too uppity. Doesn’t always work. Stubborn streaks run strong.

Original poster
Lotty456 · 03/03/2021 11:49

I don’t have time to inspect every room thoroughly, I just notice he’s vacuumed & mostly it’s dust free. It looks cleaner than before he came but I don’t know that he is cleaning every loo seat or sink thoroughly etc, I trust that he has but if he’s on his phone he may not have. He doesn’t use a headset

OP posts:
LittleOwl153 · 03/03/2021 11:49

I think it is about standards of work and whether he is getting the jobs done to the required level - I'd give him some slack if he was there longer to achieve this. But if he is not getting done what you contracted him to do then no he is not fulfilling his contract.
Personally it would also be annoying to have someone in my home speaking loudly moving from room to room - its bad enough with dh working at home and 2 kids homeschooling adding to the usual noise/clutter (!) without a cleaner too... but then I'm used to wfh by myself...

So I would either ask him to use headphones and keep his volume down / calls short as its disturbing you, or if he cannot do this to take the call outside and carry one when he is done. Tbh I wouldn't like the attitude he seems to be giving you of you not being his boss so its none of your business. I'm self employed I would not respond in that kind of manner to my clients and expect to keep contracts. Its the kind if attitude I would expect from my teenagers!!