Cleaner bringing baby

[Hoppinggreen]

Genuinely not sure if IABU so honest opinions welcome. Sorry so long
My cleaner retired so I looked for another and found a small local company. The lady cleans herself and has a couple of people who work for her. She came to see me and we agreed they would do 3 hours per week but doubled up so would be there for 1.5 hours. All good, more than I was previously paying but that wasn’t a problem as they seemed very professional.
We are currently on holiday and the lady suggested they do a really deep clean while we were away. Again all good and I was prepared for it to take quite a while as my old cleaner really only surface cleaned and I just did the toilets etc regularly.
I told lady we had a Ring doorbell so I would know when they went in and out as I dint think it’s fair not to be honest about that. 2 cleaners came yesterday and were there for quite a while but needed to finish off today. Again, no issue with that.
I checked the Ring today and one cleaner arrived and unlocked the door, then instead of going in she stands with her back to the Ring Camera in what looks like a deliberate attempt to block it. There is no other reason to stand in that spot. Once she is “in position” she shouts to the other cleaner (couldn’t hear what) and then that cleaner walks up the drive and past her. The angle of the camera means that it is still possible to see the 2nd cleaner enter the door - with a toddler on her hip but it wouldn’t be obvious it was visible unless you knew exactly where the camera was pointing
They both go in and then both come out very briefly to take a stroller in. They stay for 2 hours and leave carrying toddler again. I messaged boss lady who said she would look into it and then messaged to say someone’s childcare had let them down.
So mnetters am I BU to be pissed off?

There was (looks to me) a deliberate attempt to block the camera
My house isn’t toddler friendly and could have been dangerous if the child wasn’t properly supervised at all times
I dont see how you can effectively clean while supervising a toddler.
I am minded to pay for yesterday in full but only for 1 cleaner today - so 2 hours instead of the 4 I was billed for, would that be reasonable?
Also, I am not sure that I want them to clean for me regularly now
What do other people think?

[lot123]

I'm with you. They should have been upfront and asked if you minded, or offered to do an extra hour or whatever to compensate. The deception would really annoy me.

My cleaner occasionally turned up with her baby which meant she only cleaned for about 60% of the time I paid her for. In her shoes, I'd have done an extra half an hour but you try to be kind and accommodating.

When she wanted to bring her toddler permanently, and apparently her other clients thought that was fine, I found a new cleaner.

[SunshineAndFizz]

Was the house as clean as you wanted it to be? If so, I don't see the issue.

I'm guessing they put the toddler in the buggy while they worked.

If anything had been damaged or the work was bad, then fine I'd complain. Otherwise cut her some slack, sometimes childcare is a nightmare and she could really need the money.

[WelliesandWine88]

She showed up and did the job, and with na child? I need her details so she can give me tips! Absolutely wouldn't be annoyed! We all know it's crap when childcare let's us down! Cut her some slack.

[Undecidedandtorn]

My sil always took my nephew when she did cleaning jobs- as long as your house is clean I don't really see the issue

[Imaginary]

@SunshineAndFizz

Was the house as clean as you wanted it to be? If so, I don't see the issue.

I'm guessing they put the toddler in the buggy while they worked.

If anything had been damaged or the work was bad, then fine I'd complain. Otherwise cut her some slack, sometimes childcare is a nightmare and she could really need the money.

This.

[HangOnToYourself]

If they had called to ask as a one off emergency I wouldnt have minded at all. It's the dishonesty in the deliberate attempt to conceal it from you that would make me question them as you want someone you can trust if you are leaving them alone in your house.

[Hoppinggreen]

@SunshineAndFizz

Was the house as clean as you wanted it to be? If so, I don't see the issue.

I'm guessing they put the toddler in the buggy while they worked.

If anything had been damaged or the work was bad, then fine I'd complain. Otherwise cut her some slack, sometimes childcare is a nightmare and she could really need the money.

No idea
I am on holiday
If I had an established cleaner who asked upfront if she could bring a child I would probably say ok. I don’t know this one and she tried to sneak the child in

[MajorCarolDanvers]

I think its really weird that you are spying on people coming to your house.

Anyway if the job was done, your house is clean, and you are being charged a fair rate for the job then I don't see what the problem is.

[Hoppinggreen]

Also, they were supposed to be doing bedrooms today so must have been upstairs (no stair gate)

[ExtraOnion]

Is your house as clean as you wanted ? Was anything broken? Was anyone injured ?

I’m sure she would have preferred not to bring her child, but needs must - and i’m guessing she only gets paid when she’s working.

if you don’t pay, I am assuming she doesn’t get paid .. and whilst 2 hours money might not seem like much, to some people it’s the difference between putting the heating on or not.

It’s your prerogative not to use them again.. not sure i would be that bothered as long as the job was done.

[HangOnToYourself]

@MajorCarolDanvers

I think its really weird that you are spying on people coming to your house.

Anyway if the job was done, your house is clean, and you are being charged a fair rate for the job then I don't see what the problem is.

It's a ring doorbell not a hidden camera and the cleaner is aware of it so it's not spying. The OP will get a notification when someone is at the door. Honestly some people just look for reasons to be an arse on here sometimes 🙄

[pinkyredrose]

Was it baby or a toddler? Either way it's out of order, they're there to work. How do you know if the kid touched your stuff or not?

[Hoppinggreen]

@MajorCarolDanvers

I think its really weird that you are spying on people coming to your house.

Anyway if the job was done, your house is clean, and you are being charged a fair rate for the job then I don't see what the problem is.

Not spying, I was wondering if they had finished so I could ask my neighbour to pop the alarm back on for me. I was very upfront about the fact that due to the doorbell they would be recorded going in and out
The Ring pings my phone when there is movement at my front door

[Hoppinggreen]

@pinkyredrose

Was it baby or a toddler? Either way it's out of order, they're there to work. How do you know if the kid touched your stuff or not?

She was carrying it on her hip so pretty small

[doodleygirl]

I think if you are on holiday you should be enjoying yourself rather than checking your ring doorbell. Who does this?

If your house is clean it is really a non issue, someone had childcare issues, instead of cancelling they used their initiative and common sense. Perhaps you should unclench.

[Mrsjayy]

I mean you could say to them that you saw the baby and you are fine ( or not ) maybe she couldn't get a babysitter and had to come to work she needed her wage.

[Thornethorn]

It's the dishonesty. I would complain and go elsewhere.

[Hoppinggreen]

As I explain I wanted to know if they had left so my neighbour could put the alarm on.
One of them could have done 4 hours rather than 2x2

[MVVP]

The one carrying the baby is probably hoovering (I know I can do that one armed) and the other going the surfaces. If it’s clean when you get back, don’t worry about it.

if you get back to smashed ornaments and spit up milk on the sofa, then I reckon you can dock pay…

[KvotheTheBloodless]

@MajorCarolDanvers

I think its really weird that you are spying on people coming to your house.

Anyway if the job was done, your house is clean, and you are being charged a fair rate for the job then I don't see what the problem is.

What do you mean weird? These are people she doesnt know coming into her house - it would be very trusting/naive indeed to just assume they're grand and not bother at all about security. It's her home!

And it's not spying FFS, she told them about the doorbell.

If they'd just asked if they could bring the child, OP could have made a decision - they didn't ask, they were sneaky about it, which isn't on.

[PinkButtercups]

@SunshineAndFizz

Was the house as clean as you wanted it to be? If so, I don't see the issue.

I'm guessing they put the toddler in the buggy while they worked.

If anything had been damaged or the work was bad, then fine I'd complain. Otherwise cut her some slack, sometimes childcare is a nightmare and she could really need the money.

I agree with this.

[lunar1]

I would check the job they have done when you get back before paying, I also wouldn't use them again. It's a matter of trust and they deliberately blocked the camera.

[whowhatwerewhy]

I think the trust has been broken, I would find a different company.
I understand childcare issues but to try and block the camera makes it look like they were deliberately trying to deceive you .

[Mally100]

@HangOnToYourself

If they had called to ask as a one off emergency I wouldnt have minded at all. It's the dishonesty in the deliberate attempt to conceal it from you that would make me question them as you want someone you can trust if you are leaving them alone in your house.

Yes this part would have made me very upset. You wouldn't even know if something was broken or damaged until much later. Even if childcare let them down this isn't your problem, you wouldn't try this in many other professions. My cleaner brings her ds along, he is only a year older than my ds and they get on really well so I don't mind. A baby/toddler would be a no for Me.

[ChicagoBears]

Childcare is a nightmare for many (I speak from ongoing experience), if the house is clean I wouldn’t bat an eyelid.

As a mother myself I think it’s important to support one another so certainly wouldn’t have called the company and they probably blocked the camera to avoid that.