Cleaner problems ( before she even stats)

[Sidneysussex]

I am desperate for a cleaner. 2 full time working adults and 4 children household I also currently also have a broken arm, so you get the picture.
Local lady advertised so I said yes.
But she has already cancelled twice on me and today didn't turn up as expected. She has never done a clean for us.
So I did the standard sorry this obviously isn't going to work response when she texted this evening with an excuse for not coming. But now she is begging to come. I feel guilty as I do understand she probably needs the money. But the reality is I need reliability and I just don't trust this person now.
I don't know if I should reply to the begging text or just simply ignore now as I already replied.
Arrrr I hate the idea I am being mean to her but I am so busy and stressed with work. I just can't keep running round the house every morning tidying up after children so it's cleaner ready and then her just not come. I was actually late this morning because I was ensuring yet again no Lego on floor etc.
What is the right thing to do?
Ignore her from now on its over or reply with in depth explanation about reliability or just be a nice person and give her yet another chance??
I was googling cleaning companies when she texted with her excuse this evening, I hadn't chased her.

You’ve given her enough of an explanation. Just ignore

What was the excuse? Child sick? Given I’ve been called twice out of work this week to collect sick kids I’d probably believe that.

Car trouble? Not twice.

What would happen if you didn’t show up to your work for three days without explanation?
This is a business transaction, and you need to keep your heart out of it.

If your message made it clear you were no longer interested in employing her, then ignore and find someone else.

The vast majority of people want to make a good first impression so it's odd you've been let down right at the beginning of the arrangement. I would reply once , repeating the I-don't-think-this-is-going-work message, and get on the phone sharpish to an agency, for at least the short term.

No. She's just going to keep letting you down. You'd be daft to give her yet another chance.

Nah, ignore her

I had this years ago . It didn’t get better. Sorry but I’d ignore or say I had someone else now

Personally, I’d give her one more chance, but then I am probably too generous. If she turns up then great, you don’t have to look for another cleaner. If she lets you down again get rid. Also it depends on her reason…

This is so annoying.

My last cleaner was forever late/not showing up and telling us all her misfortunes and how it wasn't her fault.

Then she lost my house keys. Got rid of her after that. She also once left my house unlocked.

It's unfortunate but start as you mean to go on. She might be going through all manner of things but right now your immediate needs don't align - she needs all the understanding and flexibility under the sun and you need your house cleaned.

Also , they ran up a massive phone bill
Honestly , don’t go there

She needs to learn how to run a business and keep customers happy. Her income/misfortune is not your problem. Find someone who can be relied upon.
I've seen many adverts on Next Door in my area recently of people setting up as cleaners. I doubt they have any experience. One that I know of doesn't even have transport and we live in a rural area with crap public transport. Wouldn't touch them with a barge pole.

Don’t use her and warn other people about her. Write bad reviews online.

How much notice did she give you to cancel each time?

If short notice, she is definitely lying.

Ignore.

I’d probably find someone else. I’ve had a new cleaner for a few months after a break while on mat leave/lockdown and while she she does an ok job (my first cleaner was amazing, I miss her!) she turns up every week and I’ve never had an issue with reliability. I had a nightmare with my last one barely managing 1 week out of 4 so on balance reliability is more important to me.

Ignore her. She’d be incredibly rude to persist any further so if she does, you can be blunt back and tell her to go away.

@BluebelllsRosesDaffodills

Don’t use her and warn other people about her. Write bad reviews online.

How much notice did she give you to cancel each time?

If short notice, she is definitely lying.

Obviously don't do this.

Yeah nah, it’s not worth the hassle. You’d be better off paying more for a more reliable service.

Yeah she’s not the one. Finding a good cleaner is hard, I’ve gone through several, some better than others. My current one is brilliant - she has kids - one of whom has SN and she still manages to turn up every week! Sometimes she will rearrange days if she has appointments etc but is always communicative and very sorry for any inconvenience. She values the flexibility we offer and we value her hard work so it works all round.

Try an agency so they hopefully can send someone else if your regular person is unavailable. Sounds like you need the reliability more than consistency so that even if they don’t do the same things every time at least you know the basics will get done.

Flaky and untrustworthy. Don't let her in your home or give her your keys.

Just ignore. She will cause you problems.

I’d probably reply, so as not to be rude, and say you’ve found someone else now. She can’t be pissed off if she’s let you down 3 times without ever once coming to clean!

Definitely do not have her in!!! I had a cleaner that would regularly be late and didn't show up once or twice. It didn't get better, it got worse. Sacked her after 2 months, caused too much stress thinking she was coming at 4 and her actually coming any time between 4-6pm. Always had an excuse.

@BluebelllsRosesDaffodills

Don’t use her and warn other people about her. Write bad reviews online.

How much notice did she give you to cancel each time?

If short notice, she is definitely lying.

This is harsh, and goes way too far.

She may well be flakey, but no one KNOWS this...

How do you know she's lying ré last min cancellation ???

Have you NEVER had to cancel something at short notice? I'm not a cleaner... But I've cancelled arrangements when : I fell downstairs on the morning of an appt and I broke my ankle, an lunch appt as my mum had died that morning and, another appt as my dad had been blue lighted into hospital... Of course I was lying... , I wish.

As the saying goings when someone’s tells you who they are believe them. 3 chances is more than plenty. Some people lives run around one constant disaster to the other, you will get more and more frustrated when the car, boiler, childcare, bus, sickness delays happens every week.