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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder why the hell the window cleaner would come on a Bank Holiday?

32 replies

Cactus1982 · 05/04/2021 12:29

Just that really. Sitting here minding my own business and the dog starts going mad, hear someone coming around the back. Get up to have a look and realise it’s the window cleaner. They always just let themselves in so that’s not an issue, but it’s a Bank Holiday and I obviously didn’t expect them so have no cash on hand to pay them! Now I think about it when I was out for my walk on Friday I saw them then (same company) cleaning windows a few streets away. So they were out cleaning on Good Friday as well.

Obviously it’s not a massive problem, but it seems a bit random for them to rock up on the Easter Bank Holiday Weekend when they could just come tomorrow or any other time. Also lots of people will be actually sitting in their gardens, kids playing etc when they arrive and surely it’s awkward to work around that?

OP posts:
CheekyWeeShite · 05/04/2021 12:30

Because they’re self employed and can’t afford to skip a week?

devildeepbluesea · 05/04/2021 12:31

I'm guessing he's not exactly been overworked this past year. Guy probably needs to earn some cash.

Teentitansonloop · 05/04/2021 12:31

Yes what @CheekyWeeShite said. Bank holidays are meaningless when you're self employed.

FAQs · 05/04/2021 12:32

Presume because he is self employed and doesn’t earn money if not working, I’m currently waiting for someone to turn up to do some work on my house.

Sirzy · 05/04/2021 12:32

Because they will be due at other homes tomorrow so it’s a lot easier for them to not lose two days work when they don’t need to?

Lbnc2021 · 05/04/2021 12:32

Same way I’m still having to work today because I’m self employed 🤷🏻‍♀️

SilenceOfThePrams · 05/04/2021 12:33

self employed. If they don’t work, they don’t get paid. So that’s either two lost days this month which could be quite a hit, or work as usual .

You’ll know for next time - ask them not to come if you’d prefer them not to. But they might not have capacity to do the job on a different day.

Not that uncommon. My cleaner is here today. I’d be happy for her to come a different day but she prefers to keep to her weekly schedule.

drpet49 · 05/04/2021 12:33

Funnily enough I’ve just seen my neighbours window cleaner. My self employed friend regularly works bank holidays

Sparklingbrook · 05/04/2021 12:33

@CheekyWeeShite

Because they’re self employed and can’t afford to skip a week?
Exactly that. Maybe he's having Friday off instead, or he really needs the money to pay his bills this month. People are more likely to be in on a BH and he'll get the money sooner.

I could sit in the garden and the window cleaner could still clean the windows-we would probably have a chat, but it's been snowing here. Sad

RaspberryCoulis · 05/04/2021 12:34

As a fellow self-employed person - what's a bank holiday?

EastWestWhosBest · 05/04/2021 12:34

@CheekyWeeShite

Because they’re self employed and can’t afford to skip a week?
Exactly this.

My dad was self employed and I don’t think he ever took a day’s holiday, bank holiday or otherwise.

Soothes · 05/04/2021 12:34

Because they'll work 2 days fewer this fortnight if they don't work bank holidays and they need to take advantage of dry weather?

Our window cleaner is here for such a short amount of time, it's not really an inconvenience regardless of when he turns up. Were a decent size 4 bed detached but I doubt it takes him more than 20 mins. It's not really a problem.

giggly · 05/04/2021 12:35

Do you live in my street op? I was woken from my long lie with my window cleaner.

Original poster
Cactus1982 · 05/04/2021 12:37

That’s fair enough I suppose, but this is the first time I’ve seen them on a Bank Holiday. They never really keep to a set day. So one month it’ll be a Monday, the next a Tuesday and so forth. I just wasn’t really expecting them today.

OP posts:
CuthbertDibbleandGrubb · 05/04/2021 12:38

If they are self-employed who can blame them. Maybe would have been nice if you had known so you'd have had the cash on you.

Refuse collection happened for me as it does each Monday.

EileenGC · 05/04/2021 12:39

I’ve been at work since 10 and won’t leave before 7pm. Was also in 1-7pm yesterday. Currently on my 30 min bank holiday lunch break. It feels luxurious as I normally take 10-15 mins. I’m self employed and can’t afford to skip work, if I don’t work I don’t eat. The window cleaner is probably also self employed and doesn’t care what day it is, it’s a Monday. Therefore he’s at work.

PandaFluff · 05/04/2021 12:42

Because they aren't a bank?

Sparklingbrook · 05/04/2021 12:45

You would expect retail workers to be in shops today ready to serve you from 8am onwards, and that dirty McDonalds breakfast won't make itself. District Nurses are out doing their rounds.
I think the days are gone where Bank Holiday Mondays are seen as Sunday #2 and a restful day.

Ellpellwood · 05/04/2021 12:48

Because a Bank Holiday is actually only an Office Worker Holiday.

I have to say I was a bit surprised that Aldi and Sainsbury's opened at 8am. I'm sure it used to be Sunday hours.

2anddone · 05/04/2021 12:48

It could be because he is self employed. It could also be because he doesn't celebrate Easter. My neighbour is a Jehovah Witness and window cleaning is one of the jobs he told me he is allowed to do in his religion.

Original poster
Cactus1982 · 05/04/2021 12:49

@Sparklingbrook

You would expect retail workers to be in shops today ready to serve you from 8am onwards, and that dirty McDonalds breakfast won't make itself. District Nurses are out doing their rounds. I think the days are gone where Bank Holiday Mondays are seen as Sunday #2 and a restful day.
I thought non essential shops open until 10am on a Bank Holiday? Admittedly I haven’t been shopping on a Bank Holiday for years.
OP posts:
LadyMonicaBaddingham · 05/04/2021 12:51

@CheekyWeeShite

Because they’re self employed and can’t afford to skip a week?
This. DH has cleaning jobs going on today - if there were only four days the clients wouldn't all fit inti the week..!
Original poster
Cactus1982 · 05/04/2021 12:52

@2anddone

It could be because he is self employed. It could also be because he doesn't celebrate Easter. My neighbour is a Jehovah Witness and window cleaning is one of the jobs he told me he is allowed to do in his religion.
That’s interesting, but our Window Cleaners definitely aren’t JW’s. They are old neighbours of my parents.
OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 05/04/2021 12:54

Waitrose opened at 8am here today. Shut at 6. Morrisons 7-7.

Ellpellwood · 05/04/2021 12:55

All the supermarkets are 8-8 here today!