AIBU in thinking that cleaners who get any sort of Xmas gift from their clients are very fortunate?

[Rosa1211]

I'm a cleaner, have long-standing clients, some of whom I've visited for over ten years. I hope that I'm valued as a good worker ( I'm told so ), yet only a very small percentage of my folk give a little extra indicative of the coming season. I'm ok with this as for the most part I don't think it occurs to them! Also of course, it's their choice. Do any other cleaners have a different view to this?

I view it as a way to keep her happy and carry on cleaning for us rather than appreciation. She’s self-employed so sets her own rate.

We have a one hour clean a week so pay a bonus equivalent to one hour plus a nice bottle of something usually

We have cut backs elsewhere to afford her but she's invaluable and so worth it and we want her to feel appreciated

also our cleaner is a friend in a sense she’s worked for us for 5 years. She has a lot on as a single parent and I’m not saying she deserves more/works harder than say us but I think it’s kind.

also she’s brilliant so could have filled my slot ten times over!

We give our cleaner one day off and pay double and give a bottle of vodka and a box of chocolates
She is a brilliant cleaner

I always give a bonus and some biscuits to my cleaner.

I was thinking the opposite, maybe it's a dying habit (sadly). My parents always gave something to the cleaner, to mum's hairdresser, a tip for the postman etc. So I've been brought up to do that too although don't have a cleaner now.

I'm a dog walker and got a gift and/or cash bonus off every single one of my regular clients this year, the same as every year.

I don't expect it but I feel so, so appreciated when it happens!

We've always paid our cleaner an extra weeks pay plus a hamper. And something for her children. She's an absolute treasure. We pay her holidays too and through COVID lockdown. Various alarm issues, complicated cat scenarios ( one isn't allowed outside) etc would make it a challenge to find someone else

She gets us some little treats every year. Homemade cakes, fruit gin etc

She's not our friend as we hardly ever see her. But she makes our lives so much easier and I think it's important to recognise that.

This!

I don’t have a cleaner but do use a couple of businesses that are set up in the same way. They have sent me Christmas gifts to say thank you for the custom. It would seem weird to give them gifts back.

I used to give my cleaner some of the Christmas baking I did: sweets or biscuits. I had a cleaner because I’m disabled and struggle to clean, and scrimped and saved in other areas of life to afford it - unfortunately our cleaner moved and now even scrimping and saving won’t get near enough to pay for a cleaner, and I can barely keep my health and a sanitary home.

I remember chatting with my cleaner about Christmas and she talked about gifts she was getting her son: she was spending more than twice what I was for the whole family. Of course I guess she prioritised getting her son gifts with her money and I prioritised hiring her!

Especially after that conversation, I always felt that cash would look mean with the amount I could afford: maybe £10-15 in a good year. Whereas as I cook from scratch a lot the baking would be a small amount (eg a portion of a bag of sugar and some milk for the sweets). And because I had a cleaner I had the energy to bake (now that’s a pipe dream…). I hoped giving something I put effort into showed I appreciated her rather than what seemed a small amount of money compared to what I was already paying her (and struggling to raise). OP and other cleaners on the thread: was I right? Would £10 look like I was taking the piss, or would you appreciate that amount? Would you appreciate home baking better, or prefer a small amount of cash? (I did check on what she/her family could eat)

That's because you're a woman.

If you were a tradie, you'd have women falling over themselves to put the kettle on, make you brekkie, tea, etc. when you show up to do a job.

You’d be surprised. Some clients don’t even offer a single drink even if they have someone there all day.

I am a cleaner and usually get about a weeks pay extra at Christmas and it is very much appreciated. I have received some awful presents from (ex) clients, (old pot porri or a half dead plant). I would rather they hadn't bothered to be honest. But as most clients provide me tea and biscuits whilst working I always buy them some biscuits at Christmas. Any well thought out gift is appreciated to be honest 😊

When I had a cleaner, I used to give her a extra weeks money for Christmas. I also give the binmen a crate of beer and a chocolate variety box, plus £5 each.

I now have a Nanny Housekeeper, and as I got a bonus I'm giving her one too, some free time off, plus a basket of Christmas goodies to have with her family. She's trusted with my precious DC, house and a bank card for house expenditure, it's such a personal relationship so in my view it makes sense to treat her very very well. I don't think she expects it, but no doubt she will appreciate it.

This country couldn't run without those who work in service roles, and I'm very grateful that a lot of people do.

For a poster who asked, the comments were personal about me.

You cannot record anyone on camera without their consent. I have been with this client for years and had only recently found a camera. Not on. I switched it off each time before I started.

I have been working as a cleaner for a number of years, and never had any complaints. Those who are nasty to me without justification get sacked.

It is nice to know that all the hard work any cleaner puts in is seen and appreciated. It does not have to cost the earth.

Bit irrelevant as she doesn’t want tea, brekkie etc. She wants gifts.

And generally you offer a tradesperson tea or drinks because they are there all day. If I had a cleaner at my home all day I’d offer them tea/show them where the kettle was also. Not breakfast because I’m not running a cafe.

Mine are all elderly and only one out of the six gives me a week's wages, the others all give chocolates, so ditto. I'm happy and grateful to receive anything but am often agog at the numerous threads on here at Christmas by posters who have cleaners and who very generously give a week's wages plus chocolates, or more (how lovely) so it must be standard practice my lovely clients obviously missed the memo .

You are doing a job and getting paid for it, yet are feeling hard done by because they aren’t giving you extra. That’s called being greedy.

Rubbish. You're just being miserable.

How's it greedy? She was just asking , she wasnt throwing all her toys out of the pram. I think it's a fair question and it's obvious there's huge inconsistency in approach probably due to a mixture of different levels of wealth and different attitudes rather than anything the op is doing wrong

While lovely and I'm sure much appreciated, I think it's a bit different if you are in a very different financial situation to the service workers involved. Nowadays, people may have a cleaner because they are elderly or disabled, my DGM has one once a fortnight. In that situation a card and some chocolates is more appropriate.

I gave my cleaner an extra week’s pay, but I’m American. We don’t have a bottle culture here.

Anyone I know who has a cleaner gives them up to their normal wage (so if paid £40/week, they give them that). I also added a bottle of something. Cleaners have a particular relationship to their employers - they are in their home cleaning their mess!

I have a cleaner once a month. He puts in about four hours work and I pay him $100 for that. I plan to give him an extra $25 as a Christmas bonus.

You cannot record anyone on camera without their consent.

This is not true. If it was there would be no security cameras, no filming of sporting events, no filming of festivals, no news reports etc etc.

A cleaner comes into your house every week, often when you are not there, and is trusted around around all your personal possessions. There aren't many jobs that require the same level of trustworthiness. A Christmas bonus is not a tip, it's recognition of a job well done (and for the public sector workers who complain they don't get bonuses remember that you have a very generous pension - bonuses often can't be put in a pension - and generous sick pay and maternity pay).

We gave some chocolates and a cash tip for Christmas