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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think my cleaner should stay for two hours?

231 replies

Holeandthentwo · 20/12/2021 15:27

I pay for a cleaner to clean my house every other week. The minimum you can pay for is two hours, which is fine.

However, I’ve noticed over the months that she leaves early. At first it was only ten minutes or so and I didn’t care, but it’s built up and built up so that today she arrived at 2pm and left at 3pm. I always make myself scarce when she’s there so I’m not getting in her way, but I know the times because my Ring doorbell sends an alert as she arrives and leaves.

I’m torn about whether to say anything, because it’s now half the time I pay for, but she is a good cleaner, provides all the equipment, and is happy to let herself in with the key, and I feel trusting of her having a key.

Should I say anything? Or just accept that she can clean the house in half the time I pay for?

YABU - say nothing because the clean is still being done

YANBU - say something because it’s not what I’m paying for

OP posts:
notanothertakeaway · 20/12/2021 15:49

Ideally, you'd mention it first time it happens and give the option to (a) stay 5 mins later next week or (b) pay pro rata. But it seems petty, so you don't mention it. And then it creeps up

Leaving after 1 hour of a 2 hour job isn't acceptable

But it's never too late to speak up and turn it round

LethargicActress · 20/12/2021 15:51

You’re paying for two hours, therefore she should be doing two hours.

Next time you have proof she’s done it, only at her for one hour.

You expect her to be good and fast at cleaning, that’s why you hired her. If she does a good job in an hour she’ll do a great job in two. Cheeky fucker she is.

MaryAndGerryLivingInDerry · 20/12/2021 15:51

Well, if a dental nurse gets a tenner an hour, then 14 for a cleaner is a bit steep. But they all are taking the piss as the time goes

Why would you compare a dental nurse to a cleaner? Confused also a dental nurse is usually employed, a cleaner getting £14 per hour will likely be either an employee so won’t be getting the full £14 or they are self employed so they are paying their own fuel, insurance, products, cleaning equipment, national insurance and tax out of that. They aren’t taking home £14. And no, cleaners are not all taking the piss any more than dental nurses are all taking the piss Hmm

Witchlight · 20/12/2021 15:51

Have a long list of extra jobs. Far longer than the extra time she has.

Ask her to start working through the list, if she finishes the standards clean earlier than the two hours. To tick off the extra jobs and carry on with the list the next visit.

friedeggandsauce · 20/12/2021 15:53

@Akire

I’m sorry but you can’t do double the work in an hour. Not unless your standard rate was so slow it was sloth like. If you don’t want pay £28 an hour change cleaners. Really dishonest and would put me off totally
@Akire I don't understand this- if OP is paying for 2 hours then surely she should get 2 hours. So if she gets the job done in an hour she should move on to another job 🤷🏼‍♀️
madisonbridges · 20/12/2021 15:54

I do expect them to leave a little early because they have to get to the next place. But only doing 1hr for 2hrs pay is shocking. I'd definitely feel like she was taking me for a mug and I'd be unhappy about that.

MaryAndGerryLivingInDerry · 20/12/2021 15:55

@RozHuntleysStump

Fucking lazy cleaners. I’ve had a few like that. My last one was charging £14 an hour!
£14/hour is standard for a cleaner.
Bluntness100 · 20/12/2021 15:57

Mine was doing this I pay for two and a half and she generally did two, but I was silently annoyed even though I knew she was jist going faster and getting it done.

But she then left forty five mins early then the following week an hour early, so I had to have a word with her. It was awkward she was saying she was very busy and got upset then she tried to not take that weeks money, which I wouldn’t allow, she cleaned so I should pay, I just wanted her to stay for at least. 2hr 15 or so, I don’t mind a few mins early but when you’re leaving an hour early it is not on.

You need to say something.

Gonnagetgoing · 20/12/2021 15:57

Give her more work to do or double check her work and ask her to do it better, she's probably cutting corners - had one cleaning company come to tout for work where I worked and discovered (I would never have checked) that our toilets weren't being cleaned as well as they should have been.

If she kicks back against that then ask her if she'd like you to reduce her hours to 1?

Akire · 20/12/2021 15:58

Not sure what part my message was confusing? She should of course be doing 2h as you want pay £14 an hour not £28 if she’s only doing one.

Most adults have a standard speed at which they work you can’t double It. Not unless you are purposely going really slow in your normal rate.

Gonnagetgoing · 20/12/2021 15:59

@madisonbridges

I do expect them to leave a little early because they have to get to the next place. But only doing 1hr for 2hrs pay is shocking. I'd definitely feel like she was taking me for a mug and I'd be unhappy about that.
@madisonbridges - a cleaner should factor in travel time so they don't need to leave early to get to the next job. If I left 5 minutes early in previous jobs (I did once or twice though) on a regular basis I'd expect my boss to pull me up on it as it adds up during the week/month/year.
TellySavalashairbrush · 20/12/2021 15:59

I am going against the majority and saying YABU, largely because I was a house cleaner years ago and know how bloody hard I worked. If her work is of a good standard and she manages to get everything done to your expected standards, then I fail to see why she should be penalised and paid less tbh. If in the second hour you have other tasks for her to do, then of course ask her and if she says she hasnt got time, this can then be when you need a serious chat. I left an employer who I worked really well for, who quibbled that I left 20 minutes early one week (I had done everything as expected) and didn't feel I deserved £20 and offered me £10 instead. £10 for dealing with her teenager's filthy bedroom and the family bathroom that was like something out of a horror movie before cleaning- told her to keep the money and never went back again.

Justheretoaskaquestion91 · 20/12/2021 16:00

It’s absolutely dishonest and off putting. Giving her a list of extra jobs is such an English, passive aggressive thing to do. Do what a PP suggested, say you noticed she left an hour early and can she make it up next time please.

But btw exactly the same happened to a friend of mine and the cleaner responded very badly to it, tried to lie and then quit.

DPotter · 20/12/2021 16:01

I do expect them to leave a little early because they have to get to the next place

Why ?

Cleaners, tradespeople, nurses etc who work in a domestic setting have to build travel time into their schedule. I do not pay someone to travel, I pay someone to work in my home. If I'm paying for 2 hours work, I would expect to have 2 hours of work done. They will need to factor travel time into their overheads as part of their hourly rate.

madisonbridges · 20/12/2021 16:02

@Gonnagetgoing. I used to think it wasn't on, but recently I've had a lot to do with carers and it's standard practice for them so now I allow it for everyone. I guess I might change my mind if my cleaner didn't work solidly once she arrived.

Gonnagetgoing · 20/12/2021 16:03

@LethargicActress

You’re paying for two hours, therefore she should be doing two hours.

Next time you have proof she’s done it, only at her for one hour.

You expect her to be good and fast at cleaning, that’s why you hired her. If she does a good job in an hour she’ll do a great job in two. Cheeky fucker she is.

@LethargicActress - I don't always expect a cleaner to be fast - when I've had them in the past, if one is a bit slower than usual but cleans well then I prefer that to someone who speeds through tasks but cuts corners. If someone cleans quickly and is efficient and thorough as I like that's different.

One fast cleaner I had in the past I asked if she minded unloading and loading the dishwasher and washing machine (she did both of those) and I also asked her to do 30 minutes ironing (which she also did). That meant she did her 2 hours.

madisonbridges · 20/12/2021 16:03

@DPotter

I do expect them to leave a little early because they have to get to the next place

Why ?

Cleaners, tradespeople, nurses etc who work in a domestic setting have to build travel time into their schedule. I do not pay someone to travel, I pay someone to work in my home. If I'm paying for 2 hours work, I would expect to have 2 hours of work done. They will need to factor travel time into their overheads as part of their hourly rate.

It's a bit like if you went for an hour's massage. You don't get massaged for an hour, they allow dressing and undressing time within that hour.
Justheretoaskaquestion91 · 20/12/2021 16:04

@TellySavalashairbrush

But if that’s how you want to work you need to charge for the job as a whole and not by the hour. There’s also a huge difference between 20 mins early once and an hour (after repeatedly leaving early).

I’ve had a really really bad cleaner, and I’ve had some excellent cleaners. And now I’ve had the excellent ones I’m angry with myself at the shit I put up with. But it’s like every job - some people care and some people don’t. Just feels more galling because someone is coming into your intimate space/there’s an element of trust etc.

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 20/12/2021 16:04

Why would you not ask her about this?

She's ripping you off.

Gonnagetgoing · 20/12/2021 16:04

[quote madisonbridges]@Gonnagetgoing. I used to think it wasn't on, but recently I've had a lot to do with carers and it's standard practice for them so now I allow it for everyone. I guess I might change my mind if my cleaner didn't work solidly once she arrived.[/quote]
@madisonbridges - maybe a carer I would factor this in for - as they do have to travel, but generally I wouldn't.

Certainly not for a cleaner!

It's not my issue if a cleaner takes a lot of jobs some of which require more travel time to get to and either doesn't have transport or doesn't factor in travel time.

BlackberrySky · 20/12/2021 16:05

Leaving ten minutes early now and again is fine, or even half an hour on rare occasions, but an hour early every week is not on. I would actually look at it another way - when she first started working for you, she had a reduced task list while she got up to speed. Now she clearly is up to speed, you can add the rest of it to fill up the time.

Squeezita · 20/12/2021 16:06

That's insane. There is no way your home is cleaned in an hour.

RozHuntleysStump · 20/12/2021 16:08

I was happy to pay £14 an hour but I expected them to work for the entirety of that time. Nurses don’t get much more. I do think it’s expensive for unskilled labour. When they leave half an hour early it’s then about £20 an hour.

Chloemol · 20/12/2021 16:09

If her minimum is 2 hours, but she does it 8n an hour I would just give her more to do

Thatldo · 20/12/2021 16:12

Here is a reply from a cleaner.are you happy with her work.is the house clean?If so,you are lucky to have a very efficient superb cleaner and you should have no issues in paying her for her excellent work.she is ,as you describe trustworthy too.so,please non of that rubbish of pp to complain and giving hef morr work.this kind of attitude is really outrages.I would never clean for such arrogant customers.
If, however you are not happy with her work,things are not cleaned properly, you have every right to complain.Ask her why she leaves after one hour and tell her all the things you arr not happy with.you give her a chance to step up to the mark .

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