Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To only pay for hours worked?

39 replies

BecauseICan22 · 22/08/2022 12:21

Going to keep this very basic.

Cleaner paid to clean for set hours twice a week.

Cleaner is paid cash 4 sessions worth at a time. Cash is cleaners preference.

Cleaner has repeatedly left early, 30-45 minutes over the last couple of months. I've let it slide thinking it's currently the summer holidays and she has kids.

Today cleaner arrived at 10am.
I'm at work so left an envelope of cash for her paying for her next 4 sessions of cleaning.

Called DH about something unrelated, he's WFH today, I can hear cleaner saying goodbye to him and that she's going now but she's done all the cleaning.

I've messaged politely to say as she left an hour early today, I'll deduct an hour from her next set of payments.

AIBU or not?

For context, we NEVER not pay.
We clear our space before she gets there to enable her to clean without hindrance.
We empty bins and set clean bedding sets on each bed to be changed.
She's generally really good at what she does and she's been with us since March. No overt issues otherwise.

OP posts:
TriDino · 22/08/2022 12:23

Is the agreement you have with her for specific jobs to be done or for a certain amount of time?

Original poster
BecauseICan22 · 22/08/2022 12:27

Both.

Property is big so there's sufficient tasks that have been discussed and agreed.
Today's instructions were for a deep clean as there wasn't really much else to do. I'm not at home really to inspect.

I feel leaving a whole hour early and taking full payment is wrong. Especially since we've been really understanding with her leaving early previously. I think today is the first time she's left a whole hour early.

OP posts:
fufflecake · 22/08/2022 12:28

If she finishes before her 4 hours regularly maybe ask for 3 hours?

fufflecake · 22/08/2022 12:28

fufflecake · 22/08/2022 12:28

If she finishes before her 4 hours regularly maybe ask for 3 hours?

Oh wait no. Hopefully you get my meaning, ask to have her for fewer hours or find something else for her to clean.

Original poster
BecauseICan22 · 22/08/2022 12:29

fufflecake · 22/08/2022 12:28

If she finishes before her 4 hours regularly maybe ask for 3 hours?

Her regular hours are in 3 hour chunks. She's only cleaned for 2 hours today.

That's actually a good point, I may reduce her cleans to 2 hours instead of 3.

OP posts:
fufflecake · 22/08/2022 12:30

BecauseICan22 · 22/08/2022 12:29

Her regular hours are in 3 hour chunks. She's only cleaned for 2 hours today.

That's actually a good point, I may reduce her cleans to 2 hours instead of 3.

Show quote history

Yeah if she'll accept that. I'd accept your house may not be as clean as it is now though

carefullycourageous · 22/08/2022 12:31

There are only two possibilities:
-The cleaner is cleaning everything requested to an acceptable standard but is faster than expected
-The cleaner is not cleaning to an acceptable standard or is not completing your list

Which one is it? Are you happy with the work being done?

If you are happy, I would add tasks. If you are unhappy, I would find a new cleaner.

Robin233 · 22/08/2022 12:32

Has she replied ?
I think I'd rather be told what tasks to do.
Sometimes I quicker than others doing the house.
Otherwise she's just running the hover over the clean bits to make her time up ....

Booklover3 · 22/08/2022 12:42

I wouldn’t be too happy with that either

Tiani4 · 22/08/2022 12:44

Your cleaner knows she is cheating you

In a big house there's always more to clean and she's paid by the hour- my manager would ask me to make up hours and I'd be facing disciplinary if I was regularly not working my paid hours

I would ask her to come back and complete the hour she owes and say you've noticed she is leaving early not doing time paid for

I would not pay her in advance

Get a Ring doorbell so that can see arrivals and departures

Also I'd change cleaners
She is cheating you regularly out of money- doing 2 hours or 2.25 hours instead of 3 is charging 50% extra for nothing in the (2) actual hours she did

Statistically that's a big theft that adds up over a year and would be sackable gross misconduct at my work

Luredbyapomegranate · 22/08/2022 12:57

carefullycourageous · 22/08/2022 12:31

There are only two possibilities:
-The cleaner is cleaning everything requested to an acceptable standard but is faster than expected
-The cleaner is not cleaning to an acceptable standard or is not completing your list

Which one is it? Are you happy with the work being done?

If you are happy, I would add tasks. If you are unhappy, I would find a new cleaner.

This

BuenoSucia · 22/08/2022 12:58

IME they always take the piss and so less and less as each week passes. Cut her hours to 2 and she’ll do 90 minutes.

Bluebells12 · 22/08/2022 13:02

Tiani4 · 22/08/2022 12:44

Your cleaner knows she is cheating you

In a big house there's always more to clean and she's paid by the hour- my manager would ask me to make up hours and I'd be facing disciplinary if I was regularly not working my paid hours

I would ask her to come back and complete the hour she owes and say you've noticed she is leaving early not doing time paid for

I would not pay her in advance

Get a Ring doorbell so that can see arrivals and departures

Also I'd change cleaners
She is cheating you regularly out of money- doing 2 hours or 2.25 hours instead of 3 is charging 50% extra for nothing in the (2) actual hours she did

Statistically that's a big theft that adds up over a year and would be sackable gross misconduct at my work

This. I’d change cleaners too because if she’s happy to behave like this, what else is she happy to do? It isn’t honest behaviour. She knows she’s leaving early and is relying on you being too polite to query it. She thinks you’re a mug.

And why isn’t the cleaner emptying the bins?!

SirChenjins · 22/08/2022 13:04

YANBU - I've been self employed on contracted hours before, so I would work X number of hours for Y number of ££s - I don't think the organisation would have been very happy if I had clocked off early every time claiming I'd 'finished' the work.

Could you have a core list of jobs which have to be done in the 3 hour chunks, and an additional list which can be worked on if the core list has been completed before the 3 hours?

Wonnle · 22/08/2022 13:16

Simple question to ask

"Is there any reason why you think i should pay you for 4 hours work when you seem to be only here for 3 ?"

VeganCow · 22/08/2022 13:27

Is she completing all tasks though? If she is faster but still as good, does it matter if the jobis completed? Why should she go slow so you get your moneys worth in your head?

Vikinga · 22/08/2022 13:31

It depends. If she did a good job but was quick and efficient, I wouldn't care.

Wonnle · 22/08/2022 13:31

VeganCow · 22/08/2022 13:27

Is she completing all tasks though? If she is faster but still as good, does it matter if the jobis completed? Why should she go slow so you get your moneys worth in your head?

Because the cleaner is being paid by the hour not the task

cooldarkroom · 22/08/2022 13:34

Why dont you just have extra jobs she can do if the main chores are done ?
Windows
Clean washing machine filter
Clean door step
Sweep terrasse
Clean oven
The list is obviously endless.
She cannot just leave because the hoovering is done & the beds are made.
Tell her you pay for 3 hours, if she wants the money she needs to clean for the 3 hours

Ottersmith · 22/08/2022 13:47

So she manages to get all the tasks done and is doing it quickly so you want to dock her wages. Do you go to work for two hours at a time? We have minimum calls in my work where you get paid for three hours at least as it's insulting to call someone in for two hours. I bet you wouldn't do a shift that short. She could have gone slow and let the work drag out to three hours but that is such a waste of everyones time.

Haysmiths · 22/08/2022 14:01

It sounds as because you pay by the hour, you are expecting that she should clean for the amount of hours worked. (I would be the same). It's fine if it is a one off event leaving 10-15 mins early - but not every visit and an hour early is just cheeky. It is the principle.

If she is leaving because she has completed all the jobs you outlined, I would wonder why why she did not use her initiative to clean something else or why she didn't call or ask whether she could do anything else.

Even though I don't get paid by the hour, I'm sure if I regularly left everyday it would not create a great impression.

Have a chat with her and outline your expectations - whether you want her to stay for 3 hours and do as much as possible, or do X tasks for a set price regardless of the time taken.

Duettino · 22/08/2022 14:18

I used to be a cleaner a long time ago. With a standard 3 bed house, you get into the swing of things and can get the house done in less time. You're paying for a job to be completed rather than time sometimes.

I used to have an agreement they would pay less or give me a list of more things to do. I would never leave early (maybe 10 mins max if there was nothing that needed doing) with the assumption that there wasn't more and especially if they were in the house so I could literally ask!

She's taking the piss a bit. Is she doing a good job?

HardRockOwl · 22/08/2022 14:24

They all do this (well, in my experience!) it's the reason I no longer have a cleaner.

You pay her an hourly rate, she should stay for those hours. It's as simple as that.

Just tell her you expect her to stay for her agreed hours and deduct pay when she doesn't. There is no employment out that they would allow you to slope off at 4pm when your office contracted hours were 9-5

Or alternatively, sack her

coconuthead · 22/08/2022 16:36

It's notoriously hard to find a good and reliable cleaner. So imo if you are happy with the work being done i would pick your battles. It is really annoying, and we've had the same and other issues from cleaners over the years. A friend of mine started inspecting his cleaners work and cutting her money for leaving early et. and his cleaner sacked him! It seems they aren't short of work where we are.

coconuthead · 22/08/2022 16:37

She should ask if there's anything else to be done if she's finished early and yea she should charge you for the full time but in my experience they all do this.