Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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:
MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 20/12/2021 16:44

@Akire

It’s like working in office and completing 10 reports a day. Then suddenly you work at faster pace and say I’m leaving at midday because I’ve done 10. Surely your standard rate is now 20 a day because that’s what you can achieve working at a steady pace. If you have sit there working really slow just to get 10 done for sake of it that’s equally dishonest. This sort thing only ever applies to cleaners though it’s v odd.
If not with an agency, cleaners are self-employed. No one is forcing them to agree to work for 2 hours, or whatever. They have agreed that with the client. Having agreed to work for 2 hours, they need to work for 2 hours, unless the client is happy to be flexible. If they are not happy to be tied to a certain number of hours, they could also negotiate a price per clean. Good cleaners are in high demand in most areas, so it's not as if they are being forced to accept jobs they don't want.

I have worked as a carer with cleaning duties. Over time, I built up trust with clients and they knew that I would stay later to get a job finished one day, then take the time back another time. But that trust takes time and you need to have had the discussion, not just assume that it's OK.

Veeveeoxox · 20/12/2021 16:45

Mines started doing this Angry two cleaners come and I pay £26 it's supposed to be an hour for two to blast the house , they started moaning after I asked them to hoover my daughter's bedroom. I later caught them smoking parked up at the local shop on my TIME.

I was going to give them a Christmas tip but I'm so pissed off with them it's hard to even want too . I think it's time to change cleaners.

Concestor · 20/12/2021 16:45

@TellySavalashairbrush

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.
But if you're being paid for X amount of time, of you finish your usual jobs sooner then you should look for and do other jobs until you've done your time. Not leave early.

I used to work as a cleaner and I always did my full time. There's always extra jobs you can do if you need to fill in time.

Concestor · 20/12/2021 16:48

@Lovemusic33

But if your only giving her enough jobs to do in one hour then why would she stay for 2? Just add a few jobs to her list. She charges a minimum of 2 hours, probably because she has to cover fuel costs etc..? If she’s doing everything you asked her to do at a high standard then I don’t see the issue.
She should do extra jobs, like wiping skirting boards, or wiping down cupboard doors, or washing a dirty wall, or dusting places that don't get done every week, or washing out the bins, or vacuuming curtains. There's no way anyone is doing every single cleaning job that needs doing every week in just 2 hours.
Gonnagetgoing · 20/12/2021 16:54

@AskItaliano

Depends whether you have an agreement for her to be paid by the hour, or to be paid by the job. Did you agree to pay £28 for the house to be cleaned, or £14 per hour to two hours of cleaning?

Our cleaner charges by the hour, so if it takes her three hours we pay that and if it takes her two and a half we pay that. When she realised it was sometimes taking less than the originally agreed three hours she asked whether we wanted her to stay the full three and to give her a list of extra jobs to do if she had chance, or whether we were happy for her to go and just pay for the time she worked. We said it was up to her as if she needed the money we were happy to keep her three hours but if she'd rather get off early that's fine too.

Ended up agreeing she'll leave once it's done and we'll pay for that time.

She's really honest and I love that about her, she works while I'm not around so she could easily have just sat on her phone or relaxing for an extra half an hour each time and charged for the full time.

You need to be straight about your agreement here and if it was to have two hours of cleaning then you need to address it. Personally if I had a cleaner who was leaving significantly early without telling me and then accepting the full pay without saying anything I'd let them go for dishonesty and find someone else.

@AskItaliano - that's the key point here - honesty!

I used to have a cleaner like this - she had a 2 hour job with me but would often get it done (even when I was at home) in up to 30 minutes less. She would always mention this to me - even by text and ask me either if I wanted extra work done or if she could go early, I didn't mind as she was studying at college part time too. She was one of those cleaners that was quite thorough but also quick. As my house is small (cottage) it didn't take much time to do either. On a few occasions she did deep cleaning too and on a couple of occasions helped out with extras like making a lasagne (offered) or making something for me (which I paid for). She was more of a friend in the end than an employee/cleaner. It was a real pity when she got married and moved back to her home country which was down to her fiance.

woodhill · 20/12/2021 17:02

No yanbu, surely you are paying for her service for 2 hours itms

Few minutes is fine but not a whole hour

MrsMurdstone · 20/12/2021 17:03

I would assign her a special job each week (clean oven, clean windows, do ironing etc).

2bazookas · 20/12/2021 17:09

@DismantledKing

If I was paying for 2 hours I’d expect them to be there for 2 hours.
I would be there when she arrives, to GET YOUR KEY Back.

It doesn't matter how good she is at cleaning. What matters is that she's a dishonest conniving cheat who has already stolen from you.

Wheresthebeach · 20/12/2021 17:12

She can't be doing a very thorough job to clean a house in 1 hour IMO. Dusting, vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms and kitchen all in 1 hour?

This is why I got rid of our cleaner - I don't want to be chasing people to do their job properly. If you are paying for 2 hours, then she should be cleaning for 2 hours. It won't be beyond her ability to find cleaning to do without you spelling it out. By all means raise it but I'm not convinced there will be a long term improvement.

PrimalIceScreamer · 20/12/2021 17:14

Please say something. My cleaner used to do this. At first, I didn't mind because she did clean the house but like you eventually she was constantly leaving an hour earlier. When I mentioned it, she claimed she was doing extra at other times (she wasn't). We still kept her on but I found that her cleaning standards dropped and she was cutting corners elsewhere in order to leave early.

Eventually DH asked me would I leave my work 1 hour early all the time? What would my manager think? What would that say about my standard and professionalism?

I gave her a chance to rectify it - she didn't so I got rid of her.

Blondeshavemorefun · 20/12/2021 17:16

A few mins fine. Not an hour

Tho is the house spotless

TrufflesAndToast · 20/12/2021 17:18

It’s mind boggling to me that someone who is of an age (adult) and a life position to have a weekly cleaner is tying themselves in knots over what to do when their employee walks off the job after half their paid shift. Honestly, baffling. How is this a topic of discussion?!

peboh · 20/12/2021 17:18

Is all the work being done in an hour? If so, I'd be looking at finding a cleaner who charges by the hour rather than two hourly.
Are you leaving her a list of what you expect doing?

woodhill · 20/12/2021 17:25

@PrimalIceScreamer

Please say something. My cleaner used to do this. At first, I didn't mind because she did clean the house but like you eventually she was constantly leaving an hour earlier. When I mentioned it, she claimed she was doing extra at other times (she wasn't). We still kept her on but I found that her cleaning standards dropped and she was cutting corners elsewhere in order to leave early.

Eventually DH asked me would I leave my work 1 hour early all the time? What would my manager think? What would that say about my standard and professionalism?

I gave her a chance to rectify it - she didn't so I got rid of her.

Yes that's it

Also the cleaners should not act if they are doing you a favour.

Luredbyapomegranate · 20/12/2021 17:29

You need to give her more work!

Can’t blame her for leaving if she’s finished

Pigeoninthehouse · 20/12/2021 17:29

I think it depends if you are paying her to do a job, i.e. clean your home, or you are paying her to stay in your house for 2 hours.
Providing you home is clean when she leaves, I see no point in someone sitting in your property to make up time.
If you want her to stay longer, giver her more jobs to do to make up her time.

Curiousmouse · 20/12/2021 17:30

I have got rid in this situation. Most people do.. It doesn't usually improve.

ChampagneLassie · 20/12/2021 17:31

I'd say I noticed you were only here an hour last week - if you've done most of the normal clean, if you're not sure how to fill the time - either give me a shout or have a look at this list of other jobs etc

MGMidget · 20/12/2021 17:31

She should tell you she has finished everything and is there something extra you'd like her to do? Surely there are areas she could deep clean on a rotation each week to make up the time or perhaps she could do some ironing for you? I would say that you have noticed she is finishing early and could she therefore add x,y, z to her list of jobs to do in the two hours you are paying her for. Also, say that if she finishes before the two hours are up can she ask you what else you'd like her to do if she's unable to take the initiative and identify areas that need more attention? Does she actually do everything in just an hour? I mean if you run your finger over the higher shelves and under the sofa do you pick up dust? Is a tide line starting to form on the bath? We had a tide line start forming on our bath when a cleaner was supposedly cleaning it every week. Needless to say I don't think she'd touched it for months!

Concestor · 20/12/2021 17:37

@Luredbyapomegranate

You need to give her more work!

Can’t blame her for leaving if she’s finished

She should either use her initiative and do extra cleaning, or if she really can't think of anything else that might need doing (which I find very hard to believe) she should ask. Or she could say she's only done X time so to only pay her for that.

What she should not do is piss off early and still charge for the full time.

Ninananna · 20/12/2021 17:37

My cleaner did this and used to have her husband in for coffee at 11 am. I knew nothing about this as at work. My neighbour told me. I gave her more jobs to do and told her a coffee break was fine but my house was not a cafeteria. I also used to pay her when she was ill until she seemed to be ill every other week. I like to be fair with people but not taken for a mug.

Justheretoaskaquestion91 · 20/12/2021 17:38

Can’t blame her for leaving if she’s finished

It’s cheeky fuckery because she has a minimum requirement of 2 hours. I am sure there are plenty of things she can do if she actually wanted to. Our cleaner cleans silverware if she has run out of things to do. Or sorts out cupboards etc. Doesn’t really matter / if she has genuinely run out of things to do (which I doubt as one hour is not a long time to clean a house!!!) then she needs to explain that to the person paying her snd find more tasks. You don’t simply leave an hour early - halfway through your shift!

speakout · 20/12/2021 17:39

Or you could just have an open conversation with her to re-affirm the arrangements you have.
Perhaps she is under the assumption that you are paying her to do a set number of tasks, so once they are finished she can leave. Some cleaners are very quick and efficient, others take more time.
If you are paying her for a set amount of time then that needs to be clarified- and if she completes the basic stuff in less time -then as other posters have said then you need to have a discussion about jobs that can be done less frequently- hoovering behind sofas, sorting out cupboards, emptying and cleaning the cutlery drawer. You could give her a list of the stuff that is less of a priority if she completes the basics with time left over.
In any case I see no need for conflict or bad feeling- just an honest open discussion about expectations.

LethargicActress · 20/12/2021 17:44

@Luredbyapomegranate

You need to give her more work!

Can’t blame her for leaving if she’s finished

There is no way any house is ever so clean that it’s ‘finished’ in an hour. There is always something else that can be cleaned.

For £14 an hour, a professional cleaner should be able to show a bit of initiative, instead of trying to rip off their clients.

Justheretoaskaquestion91 · 20/12/2021 17:52

Also whether I would immediately get rid or not would depend on her response when I explain she’s left an hour early.