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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

If your cleaner offers you a half price clean to make up for cancelling last minute

28 replies

GlowUp2022 · 05/05/2022 20:51

There’s no way in hell you can accept it, is there? I think absolutely not, DH says if they offer why not

OP posts:
Wherearemymarbles · 05/05/2022 20:54

Nope.

LadyWhistldown · 05/05/2022 20:56

Why did they cancel? An emergency or couldnt be bothered? It makes a difference doesn't it.

Original poster
GlowUp2022 · 05/05/2022 20:57

@LadyWhistldown accidentally double booked and (probably correctly) assumed I was the person less likely to me cross about it

OP posts:
Chasingsquirrels · 05/05/2022 20:57

I agree with your DH

NoSquirrels · 05/05/2022 20:58

Depends - are they usually reliable, why did they cancel?

Rainbowqueeen · 05/05/2022 20:58

I’m a little torn. On one hand I think if you pay the normal rate they will be extremely grateful and prioritise you as a client forever. But then it could go the other way and they think you’re a mug and treat you badly forever.
The fact that they offered it suggests they are a good person who values their professional reputation.

I’d probably pay the full rate but keep an eye on future behaviour and find a new cleaner if I felt taken advantage of in the future

Lazypuppy · 05/05/2022 20:59

Why would you not take the half priceclean?

NoSquirrels · 05/05/2022 20:59

GlowUp2022 · 05/05/2022 20:57

@LadyWhistldown accidentally double booked and (probably correctly) assumed I was the person less likely to me cross about it

Will they double-book again - was it a regular booking?

FusionChefGeoff · 05/05/2022 21:00

Maybe they feel really bad and the way to make them feel better / remove the guilt is to accept?! If you turn them down they might feel forever awful for letting you down and not being allowed to make up for it....

Comedycook · 05/05/2022 21:00

Maybe take it but when you pay, add a generous tip

PrincessRamone · 05/05/2022 21:00

From a larger cleaning company, yes. From an individual, definitely not.

Original poster
GlowUp2022 · 05/05/2022 21:01

@NoSquirrels they’re kind of flaky to be honest, but competitively priced for where we live and really nice. Got me a card when I had a baby in December. To be honest I don’t want to pay them less than a fair rate to work.

We’re not rolling in money, but weekly cleans are something it feels worth stretching to because I struggle to keep on top of it all with a toddler and baby. I can certainly think of better ways we could save the cost of half of a clean.

OP posts:
Original poster
GlowUp2022 · 05/05/2022 21:04

NoSquirrels · 05/05/2022 20:59

Will they double-book again - was it a regular booking?

Show quote history

I don’t know, probably. Honestly they’re pretty flaky but usually it’s just wanting to move to a different day a couple of days later which I normally only find slightly inconvenient.

They’re nice, competitively priced and do a decent job but I think they’ve definitely mentally put me in the category of someone it’s easier to mess around than some of their other clients, if that makes sense.

OP posts:
Original poster
GlowUp2022 · 05/05/2022 21:04

Rainbowqueeen · 05/05/2022 20:58

I’m a little torn. On one hand I think if you pay the normal rate they will be extremely grateful and prioritise you as a client forever. But then it could go the other way and they think you’re a mug and treat you badly forever.
The fact that they offered it suggests they are a good person who values their professional reputation.

I’d probably pay the full rate but keep an eye on future behaviour and find a new cleaner if I felt taken advantage of in the future

I wouldn’t describe it as taking advantage as such, but I think they see me as more flexible as some of the other people they work for.

OP posts:
Springhassprung86 · 05/05/2022 21:06

Given the update I would accept it, or at least not be so nice about being messed around in future.

Original poster
GlowUp2022 · 05/05/2022 21:06

PrincessRamone · 05/05/2022 21:00

From a larger cleaning company, yes. From an individual, definitely not.

Oh yeah if it was some big company employing people on a set hourly rate I wouldn’t think twice

OP posts:
NoSquirrels · 05/05/2022 23:15

they’ve definitely mentally put me in the category of someone it’s easier to mess around than some of their other clients

Then I’d sway to taking the money off!

Honestly, I think I’d say something like “Look, you’re great and we like you but it is difficult to be messed around with times and I appreciate you’ve offered money off to reflect that. I’ll say no on this occasion but if you need me to be flexible in future maybe we should discuss a reduced rate as part of that agreement?”

Kite22 · 05/05/2022 23:22

I would pay the full whack.
You've said she is competitively priced, and does a good job. I'd been willing to take the odd poor organisation hit for that combination.
Cleaners don't generally earn much anyway - it would seem wrong to pay half of what they do.
Either pay the full rate, or say - "no, that's not convenient, we'll have to leave it this week and I'll see you at the usual time the week after."
That way, you aren't paying her a really poor rate, but you are clear the time you have arranged is the time that works for you.

WomanStanleyWoman2 · 05/05/2022 23:26

Of course you can take it. Why wouldn’t you take it?

knowinglesseveryday · 05/05/2022 23:30

No

declutteringmymind · 05/05/2022 23:44

My initial thought was no way but I'd accept a voucher for a free hours clean, like I would accept a voucher from anywhere else if they'd messed up. Maybe because it's such a personal service, and it's not a big company that can afford it, plus it's likely to take her under the minimum wage which is basically modern slavery. So it's still a no, don't accept it from me but can't think how she can redeem herself. I'd just put her on a final warning.

Meadmaiden · 06/05/2022 00:09

For a half price clean, would you be paying under minimum wage? Or under living wage?

I don't think you could reasonably accept this offer, given it would deprive a low paid individual of income

WomanStanleyWoman2 · 06/05/2022 00:17

Meadmaiden · 06/05/2022 00:09

For a half price clean, would you be paying under minimum wage? Or under living wage?

I don't think you could reasonably accept this offer, given it would deprive a low paid individual of income

Hang on though - normally if anyone on MN talks about ‘employing’ a cleaner, they get told that unless they are paying National Insurance and have provided the cleaner with a contract, they are absolutely not an employer and that the cleaner is self-employed. If a cleaner is self-employed, minimum wage doesn’t come into it - they don’t have a wage at all.

SammyScrounge · 06/05/2022 01:24

Cleaners are low paid and work very hard for what they get. I agree with the OP - she can't really accept her offer. The cleaner made a mistake, that's all. The OP's instinct is to be generous and I think that:s right.

Bunty55 · 06/05/2022 02:02

To offer to clean for half price is a generous thing, and shows she wants to make amends for letting you down but you couldn't possibly let her do this !