To only pay for hours worked?

[BecauseICan22]

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.

I think the outcome is more important than the time spent here. Is she doing what you ask, to the requisite standard? If so, job done.

If she's rushing things, or not doing everything you've asked for, that's a different issue.

My cleaner started leaving earlier and earlier every week. She hasn't finished, she just wasn't doing things!

She only lasted for 8 weeks and I don't think she cleaned the shower at all in that time. I thought I needed to re-grout because it was looking discoloured but it literally just needed a clean!

Finding a decent cleaner is so difficult.

This. If you live in a ‘large house’ and she’s doing a good job maybe just let her get on with it instead of depriving her of the little income she has? What do you want her to do, clean things that are already clean just so you don’t feel cheated?

Some odd replies here. The cleaner is being paid by the hour. Therefore, if she leaves an hour early, she should be paid for an hour's less work.

I'd be pissed off too OP. Finding a good and reliable cleaner is a massive pain.

I would really doubt she’s cleaned everything on a big house in 2 hours.

I feel a bit upset at the 'they all do this' comments. I am an ex cleaner, and I definitely did not do it. As someone else said, often as you get used to a house, (and get things clean!)it takes less time, but there are always extra jobs you can find. I used to tell new clients that my first couple of times might take 3 hours, but in time I might be able to do it more quickly, and ask what they would prefer me to do. In every case they said they would like me to find extra jobs to make up the time. In one house I cleaned one window inside every week, so over a few weeks all the windows were cleaned. In another I cleaned the husband's gym equipment, and in a third I washed down the decking and the children's outside toys, or sorted out the children's bookcase.
When you first meet your cleaner, you should discuss the "what ifs", and make a list of what jobs you particularly want done every time. For example, one new client said she wanted the tiles behind the bath cleaned every week, as her previous cleaner never did them. Another lady wanted her front door wiped down every week.

If you think she's not doing everything she could be doing, I would give her the choice of doing the things she's missing and keep the agreed hours. You'll have to identify what she's missing though.

If you're happy with her work and you're just annoyed she's doing it quickly that's more difficult. If you drop her hours because she's too efficient I would expect her to walk.

I think the way you’ve dealt with it may mean it’s no longer an issue- you’ve lost a cleaner.
Rather than informing her of lost pay it would have been better to open a dialogue, after looking at the work. If there were bits missed raised it, if it’s ok ask her if two hours is enough or if she’d like to re-discuss tasks and time.

If it was an issue her leaving at that time why didn't your DH ask her to do a few jobs and give her a list instead of happily waving her on her way and then you texting that?

@BecauseICan22 has she responded to your message?

When I last had a cleaner I used to leave ironing out and if she finished cleaning she would start on that. You could try that, or if you don't have much ironing ask her to pull out beds, or clean the oven or fridge - things that don't need doing every time and it doesn't matter if the time runs out half way though as some progress is better than none.

If you play her by the job then yabu, and if you pay her by the hour I'd say that if she has finished the usual jobs in lesser time ask her to fill the rest of the time doing other jobs you need doing. That's the fairest way to deal with this

Is there anything she could have cleaned that she didn't?

Ultimately if she's doing the work in 2 hours fair play to her. You might find you're paying another cleaner 3 hours and they take the full 3 hours and still don't finish the tasks.