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AIBU?

Cleaner bringing baby

275 replies

Hoppinggreen · 28/07/2022 19:33

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?

OP posts:
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Am I being unreasonable?

742 votes. Final results.

POLL
You are being unreasonable
43%
You are NOT being unreasonable
57%
Hoppinggreen · 28/07/2022 22:33

Blossomtoes · 28/07/2022 22:28

Presumably the “dicks” are those posters who don’t agree with you?

No, they are the ones who can’t express an opinion without name calling

OP posts:
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Greengagesnfennel · 28/07/2022 22:35

HangOnToYourself · 28/07/2022 19:45

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.

Agree with hangontoyourself. It's the deception about it that would bother me. If they phoned and asked in an emergency I'd probably say yes.

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Angelofthenortheast · 28/07/2022 22:36

This is a non issue. Do people with babies normally get a babysitter for when they're about to clean their house? Of course you can clean whole watching a baby.

Pay them both. I don't think you'd have much to stand on if they took you a small claims court

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sleepyhoglet · 28/07/2022 22:37

Totally not on. I would want some random kid in my house and if I am paying for a cleaner it would be because I have children and can't ever get anything done!

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niugboo · 28/07/2022 22:43

Do you have kids? Toddler could easily sit on its bottom and watch telly. I would suggest going home and checking if you’re happy with what they’ve done. But also consider these women will be earning peanuts. And working hard. They will need the money. You were expecting to pay it anyway.

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Ilovecrispytofu · 28/07/2022 22:44

It’s not ideal but I think you should show a bit of humanity OP. People are struggling and might not have the option to not go into work when childcare lets them down. I’m sure the cleaner herself would have preferred not to work that way if she had a choice.

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Viviennemary · 28/07/2022 22:45

Cleaners bringing a child with them is a recipe for disaster. Inform the agency and tell them you are very displeased with their service. Absolue cheek IMHO.

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wallpoppy · 28/07/2022 22:45

Was your house clean? Would you have been happy with the work if you didn't know about the children?

I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I threatened the livelihood of someone living close enough to the bone that they a. worked as a cleaner and b. were desperate enough as a one-off to need to bring their kid to work.

I recommend you read this book or even watch the series based on it on Netflix, maybe you'll develop some empathy.

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Hoppinggreen · 28/07/2022 22:47

niugboo · 28/07/2022 22:43

Do you have kids? Toddler could easily sit on its bottom and watch telly. I would suggest going home and checking if you’re happy with what they’ve done. But also consider these women will be earning peanuts. And working hard. They will need the money. You were expecting to pay it anyway.

And I have paid it if you RTFT
And yes, I have kids. Never sneaked them into work when they were toddlers though

OP posts:
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Thatboymum · 28/07/2022 22:47

im a single parent and work for a bank can you imagine if I showed up one day to my work with my toddler and a pram to plonk him in and expected everybody to be fine with it because I was a lone parent and had childcare troubles , both work and customers would be pissed I guarantee it and this situation is no different just because it’s in somebody’s home and not a formal setting, it’s inappropriate unprofessional and not something I would be happy with

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allboysherebutme · 28/07/2022 22:49

It would not bother me as long as the job was done. X

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tinkertailor2 · 28/07/2022 22:50

How miserable. In so many ways.

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SpotlessMind88 · 28/07/2022 22:51

SunshineAndFizz · 28/07/2022 19:40

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!! Cut the woman some slack

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allboysherebutme · 28/07/2022 22:52

How do you know it wasn't time for the baby to nap for a few hours. Mine has 2 or 3 hours. X

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urbanbuddha · 28/07/2022 22:53

It's the deception that's the problem. I wouldn't have an issue with a cleaner bringing a child when there's a childcare emergency but I need to know that people who have keys to my house are honest. I wouldn't use them again.

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Thegroaninggurner · 28/07/2022 22:55

As long as the job was done I don't see what the problem was.

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SprinklesMcDoodles · 28/07/2022 22:57

Not unreasonable. You paid for a certain amount of full working hours, not hours half watching a toddler that you weren’t aware was going to be in your house.

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whumpthereitis · 28/07/2022 22:59

Angelofthenortheast · 28/07/2022 22:36

This is a non issue. Do people with babies normally get a babysitter for when they're about to clean their house? Of course you can clean whole watching a baby.

Pay them both. I don't think you'd have much to stand on if they took you a small claims court

Not great as far as analogies go. When you’re cleaning your own house you’re not being employed by someone else and you are, you know, in your own house.

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Inyournewdress · 28/07/2022 23:03

You just don’t know if this is an ongoing issue or if it is true that one person was let down by childcare at the last minute. So I would probably just let this go and pay as normal this time, wouldn’t want to cause trouble for anyone.

I would hesitate about continuing though unless you can get some reassurance about this because it could be an ongoing distraction, and more importantly who is liable in the case of an accident?

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MargaretThursday · 28/07/2022 23:04

HangOnToYourself · 28/07/2022 19:45

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.

Exactly this.

One off emergency asking if it's okay. No problem.
If you agree for them to come it's not as issue.

Not telling you is the issue - you can't then trust them not to tell you if there's anything else that comes up.

But the fact that they tried to conceal it means that they know it wasn't acceptable, so they can't even say that "oh we thought as a one off you wouldn't mind" they clearly didn't think that.

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Dreamwhisper · 28/07/2022 23:05

Cleaners are often women with children so I would not put her down for needing to still work even though she had a childcare issue.

I WFH with a SAHP and still end up with childcare issues fairly regularly so they have my utmost sympathy.

If they have done the job I would not feel the need to raise this at all.

If I can ever afford a cleaner I wouldn't mind if they needed to bring their DC with them sometimes.

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Nanny0gg · 28/07/2022 23:13

Blossomtoes · 28/07/2022 21:28

I dont see how you can effectively clean while supervising a toddler

Women have been managing it fo centuries. We’re renowned for our ability to multi task. I think you’re being really precious.

There is a difference between cleaning your own home around children when you're not on the clock and being employed to clean someone else's house thoroughly in a specific time period.

And no, you don't take your children to work anywhere without checking with your employer

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Govesdancingpartner · 28/07/2022 23:14

Op I can see why you were annoyed with the deception part, blocking the camera to sneek the baby in.
But as pps have said this mum might be absolutely desperate for money and terrified she would lose her job because child care had let her down.
Please op think if you were desperate for money and no work means no money. I would also cut her some slack

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Pbbananabagel · 28/07/2022 23:15

This is possibly the meanest thing I’ve read all day. I agree with pp, she brought the buggy to contain the child, give her a break. You don’t know that they were trying to block the camera at all, you’re assuming this.

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Nanny0gg · 28/07/2022 23:15

And seriously, if there had been an accident and the OP didn't know there was a child there and nor did the agency, would insurance cover?

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