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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

for not wanting to pay?

13 replies

chipsandcheeses · 06/10/2022 17:31

Recently moved house and asked the company that has been cleaning for us for years to do an end of tenancy clean for us.
Quoted £300, its a biggish house so I thought it was probably right.
On the day two ladies turn up. One of them 'cleans' downstairs and leaves after 3 hours. The other one does upstairs and stays about 6 hours. On inspection the downstairs is left completely uncleaned, floors not swept or mopped, dirt still everywhere, in kitchen only cleaned the counters (not top of cupboards or inside drawers, extractor fan, etc)
I complain to the owner of the company and the second lady stays for another hour to put it right.
After she leaves, and closer inspection again, turns out she has only done floors. So kitchen still not fully clean. Upstairs walls are also not cleaned, doors and door frames left with dust, cobwebs around the beams (it's an old house) and shelves with dust.
After I complain again the owner offers to come the next day (when new tenants are supposed to arrive) or money off.
I agree to money off, as it is too late and me and my mum have already began to put things right.
She send bill for £270 (so £30 off the original quote). I say this is still too much and say will be more comfortable with a bill closer to £200 - This would mean I am paying £20 an hour for the time spent in the house.
Owner lady says she was £270 and threatens to take me to Small Claims Court.
Am I being unreasonable for holding back payment and actually wanting to go to Small Claims Court?

PS-I have pictures and videos of the dirt and a message from her saying cleaning was unacceptable.

OP posts:
KeepOutingMyselfAnotherNameChange · 06/10/2022 18:05

Yanbu at all.

EfficientDynamics · 06/10/2022 18:18

Tell her you'll be leaving reviews online and posting the photos as proof

She'll soon pipe down

GoneBeserk · 06/10/2022 18:31

Call her bluff. She won't take you to court when the work wasnt completed. An end-of-tenancy clean is about as thorough as it gets, IME.

gettingolderandgrumpier · 06/10/2022 18:39

I’m more curious what they were doing all that time if the floors still clean and dirt after several hours .
i mean was it not enough time ?

FarmerRefuted · 06/10/2022 18:43

Tell her that £200 is more than generous and that you'll see her in court if she so insists. Be sure to post the photos and a review to her FB page, Yell, etc too. 10 to 1 you'll never hear from her about court.

girlmom21 · 06/10/2022 18:50

Let her take you to court. She's lucky to get £200. They haven't done what they agreed.

WomanStanleyWoman2 · 06/10/2022 19:48

Tell her she can accept the £200 or go ahead with her threat of court action and see how far she gets. She’s most
likely bluffing.

Dustsheet · 06/10/2022 19:53

Outrageous cheeky fuckers!! She’d be lucky to get £30 from me, never mind £200.

How many hours work did they actually do? Minus the hassle and time you spent complaining charged at the same rate they charge. That would be generous.

chipsandcheeses · 06/10/2022 20:01

Unfortunately she only has a defunct Facebook page and website, not really an online presence.
Truth is I don’t want to ruin her business, just don’t want to be ripped off.
I’d say combined they were there for 10 hrs.
I know she pays her girls £10 an hour and charges clients £15, so she is hardly out of pocket with £200.
I also asked for a detailed invoice so I could see where she was getting the £270 figure from but she promptly refused.

OP posts:
Noellu · 06/10/2022 20:06

You have a right to an invoice before you pay a bill.
Say she won’t get a penny without a detailed invoice and then query it and offer £200. If she’s still refusing, say you will certainly be making people aware of the terrible job her ladies have done as you’d hate for anyone to be as disappointed as you have been.

SavingsThreads · 06/10/2022 20:38

If they were there ten hours and she charges 15 an hour then surely it's £150?

Sewwhatmrmagpie · 06/10/2022 21:21

Pay the £200 if you're happy with that, you'll not hear from her again.

3rdtimeisacharm · 06/10/2022 21:25

It'll cost her FAR more than £70 to take you to small claims court! Stand firm on the £200

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