Cleaner leaving early, not completing tasks and partners reaction to it

[NorthSouthcatlady]

We've had a cleaner for a couple of years, the standard of cleaning has been ok -not amazing but not dreadful either. Over the month or so then there's been the start of her arriving late and / or leaving early. A few weeks ago she left about 15 minutes early and didn't even touch one room. Last week she left nearly half an hour early and hadn't done everything. So she's not doing the time agreed and it's not as if she is doing the tasks either. Increasingly if feels as if she can't be bothered and wants an early start on her weekend as she's comes on a Friday. Don't we all! But lm not willing to pay her to do that. Cleaning tasks are all very standard: hoovering, mopping, dusting, clean bathroom, clean kitchen etc.

My partner thinks she needs "moulding and shaping". I think what is required is obvious and she doesn't appear to want to do it. Friday is an especially busy day at work for me and to be honest l can't be bothered doing moulding or shaping. Plus if she's like that while we are there (we are both still working from home still), then what will she be like when we are not there?

I've had enough of the whole thing to be honest. She used to bring her own hoover but then had car issues and had to start using ours. Then she starts moaning she doesn't like the hoover we have

Things have come to a head as my partner is on a training course all this week and he enquired what the plan is for this week. I said l would challenge her about the leaving early last week but could not be bothered with the fluffy stuff. To be honest l want to agree a date that she needs to have pulled her socks up by or we sack her. He thinks we need to tell her this and l said no. Things then got heated!

A good cleaner is like gold dust.

You already know her OP. You know she is honest in that she has not stolen the family jewels, so just haul her into line and tell her you know she is not working to time and doing less.

She could have had something traumatic happening in her life.

Just a suggestion

@NorthSouthcatlady
Get shot of her.
She is taking the absolute mickey.
No “ Moulding and shaping” required.

Our Aunt used to clean ( Sadly no longer with us)
The massive houses she cleaned, all by herself as an older woman was phenomenal.
She was recommended to others in the road as honest and trustworthy .
She also cleaned Doctor’s surgeries-
When she died, her Wedding ring was worn almost to a thin sliver of gold foil from decades of hand work.

This is a good cleaner.
I get so angry when I hear of crap cleaners who are ripping their customers off.

I hope you find someone as honest as our lovely Auntie B.
They are out there.

We had a gardener like this. Wouldn't do what was needed to be done and, in our case, would only do easy jobs, used to leave several hours early, etc.

We got rid. It wasn't working out and was making more stress.

Your dh's reaction to all this is baffling.

@NightmareSlashDelightful

I think neither of you are being unreasonable here actually.

Cleaners do need the occasional bit of guidance, in my experience. We have agency cleaners and I do have a line of dialogue going with the guy who runs the company, just to flag if they miss something one week or don't turn up on time or whatever.

Look at it this way -- would you expect to do your job with zero guidance from your employer/client, even if basic expectations were theoretically clear, and no pushback if you made a mistake or did anything wrong? If you wouldn't, then your cleaner shouldn't either.

So I think on that basis your H has the right of it.

But you're not being unreasonable to want a clean done to a decent standard.

My approach would be this: grab her at the start of next week's appearance. Bring up the three most major things -- late arrival, early leaving, rooms not done, whatever. And see what her response is. Not in a finger-waggy kind of way but in a 'we've noticed this has been happening, can we work constructively to sort this out' kind of thing. Again, the way you'd expect to be treated at work over a performance issue.

I don't think it's reasonable to sit there seething, but at the same time not tackle her about it.

And yeah -- replace the vacuum if it's not up to the job. She can't do a decent job if the tools are crap.

If she doesn't do something quite the way you'd like, then yes, have a word.

Leaving early/not doing your hours doesn't require training. She's taking the piss. So it's either a 'warning' - 'We need you to do the hours you're paid or we'll have to let you go' or just let her go

[quote NorthSouthcatlady]@FetchezLaVache exactly. It’s either a list of tasks OR time. Mine doesn’t seem to want either which is super convenient. Partner tried detailing what needed to be done the other week, she then ditched an entire room and left early still[/quote]
well partner has options....he can do the work that doesn't get done in return for the 50% that you pay, OR he can take over paying 100% AND do the moulding and shaping himself OR he can let you deal with it.

I would be having a chat with her and asking her if there is a problem with her "working the hours" and see what she says. This way you can say I have noticed that....

This is the reason we don’t have a cleaner any more.
Great in theory… in practice I couldn’t be bothered with the headspace of managing someone that was supposed to make your life easier. My husband used to grumble about her leaving early (to be fair it was never that early, up to 15 minutes) but never did anything about it.

the arriving late / leaving early is a more recent thing

Maye it is, but it's also a well trodden path, and IME once this kind of thing starts there's rarely a way back

Your DP's being ridiculous but it doesn't have to be complicated; just tell her politely what's expect from now on, and when she doesn't do it replace her

'Moulding and shaping' lol!!

Just tell her nicely, as stated above and if nothing improves look for someone else. Easy to say, I know! But really this isn't working for you and won't improve on its own.

I would get rid of her ASAP, cleaners have caused all sorts of problems in my life- it’s supposed to be the opposite but I honestly gave up, and this is with me doing everything I could to accommodate e.g making cups of tea, buying all requested products. They behave like arseholes on purpose and now honestly I would rather do it myself as that stress is less than what I experienced with an actual cleaner!

Would you keep going back to a hairdresser who kept giving you a rubbish cut?

The same applies with cleaners, get one who can do the job properly.

@Bunty55

A good cleaner is like gold dust.

You already know her OP. You know she is honest in that she has not stolen the family jewels, so just haul her into line and tell her you know she is not working to time and doing less.

She could have had something traumatic happening in her life.

Just a suggestion

She's not honest. She's taking payment for hours she's not doing.

That's theft

[quote NorthSouthcatlady]@FetchezLaVache exactly. It’s either a list of tasks OR time. Mine doesn’t seem to want either which is super convenient. Partner tried detailing what needed to be done the other week, she then ditched an entire room and left early still[/quote]
I really couldn't be bothered giving her a second chance. The minute you stop watching her then she'll just take advantage. I would sack her.

[quote NorthSouthcatlady]@IamtheDevilsAvocado this. All this! Problem is partner doesn’t see it this way and we pay 50/50 towards things. Part of the row yesterday was him
not wanting to rock the boat and wanting that quiet life thing men seem to love[/quote]
He is not getting the quiet life if you 2 keep fighting over it is he?

I'd point out to him that he can have a happy non confrontational relationship with his cleaner or a happy conflict free life with you and what would he prefer?