Cleaner adding half an hour each time

[DinoHat]

I have had the same cleaner for over two years, always liked her and she worked so hard initially I have always paid her more than she charged. So she charges £12 p/h and I pay her £15 p/h.
Recommended her to friends when she was starting out - she got around 7 houses from me.

I used to rely on her to tell me how many hours she’d done but noticed lately she is missing bits off, like not cleaning a couple of rooms just tidying them - a few times she’d say she was in a rush today so I accepted that for what it was. Missed her last week and thought that was odd as I’d not been out long and she used to take 3-4 hours. I have CCTV and saw she was at my house 2 hours 11 minutes. That’s pulling on and off the drive so not necessarily working, but to be fair I paid her for 2 hours 20 mins. She text back and said she’d done half an hour longer. Which I know isn’t true.

Same this week - she was here an hour, my DH was home and of course we have CCTV and she added an extra half an hour when she told me- if she’d have asked for fuel money I’d have given it to her. Although was expecting a 3 hour clean. (She had missed bits).

This is obviously intentional - if she wanted to increase her rates I’d accept that. But AIBU to be pissed off shes lying? I thought we got along but feel she’s taking the mick out of my generosity.

Figure out if you want her cleaning for a set period of time for a fixed amount of money or a set amount of jobs / standard of work for a set amount of money. Then have a chat and say what you want. Or Ask her if she wants a list of jobs to do and she always does them or she works for a period of time but no less. And then monitor her. If she doesn't stick to that, bin her, she's taking the Micky.

She's got away with it, you've let her, so she's continuing. Sack her, get a contract cleaner in for a few weeks until you find a new cleaner. Be very explicit with them about your expectations.

Time to get rid. Confront her.

I would leave her a note.

Hi x, can we have a chat as I think we might need to reset expectations so we are both clear on the hours I need you to do and what I expect done. Ideally I would like you here for 3 hours from x-x on x day. If you finish the usual jobs early I can give you a list of extras to fill your time. If you can’t do the full three hours any day I would appreciate it if you could let me know in advance. Just to be totally upfront we can see what time you arrive and leave from the cctv camera. If you feel that you are not being paid properly or if there is a problem I would prefer if we could clear it up by talking. Thanks.

Honestly I wouldn't sack a good cleaner over this.

I'd send her the text suggested upthread showing you know she's been leaving early and asking her to stick to the three hours and clean x y and z.

She's taking the piss, so it's time to be prescriptive.

Yes - I said you were there a little over two hours so I’ve paid you X and she said she was there longer.

I agree. I wouldn’t want a sneaky liar left alone in my home. I used to have two cleaners who worked as a team. They were paid for two hours total. I saw on my one outdoor camera that they were there ONE hour then sat on my porch laughing and smoking.

So you have a cleaner who was reliable and did a good job but something has changed. What is your preferred outcome? Do you want to go back to having same reliable cleaner or change to a new person?
If you want to stay with same cleaner I’d suggest a gentler, more caring approach. Could you be open and say you’ve noticed a change and wondered if there was a problem which you could find a mutual solution to? (Increased hourly rates etc). Or perhaps there is a physical health issue which isn’t as easily fixable.
if you decide to change cleaner, please be kind. There is so much real financial hardship (and shame) at the mo a previously reliable person doesn’t need any further stress.

The cleaner is no longer a good cleaner as she is rushing and not completing much of what is required. She also lied to the OP about how much time she was working for.

Cleaner is self employed so OP cannot sack her, but she can dispense with her services. As the cleaner is Self employed OP does not need to coach her on her duties or send sweet little notes asking if she can pay more for less.

I don't know if it's because it's cleaning, but in no other field of self employment would people be encouraging the person paying to put up with a shoddy job and to "be kind".

Cleaner knows what the job is, knows what good looks like and is continuing to stiff the OP out of money and a clean house. Time to let her go.

Well she definitely does know, but maybe the habit of missing off bits here and there needs a refresh of expectations?

Before sacking her, I would do exactly as the poster that tagged you said. Word for Word.

Yes, you shouldn’t have to repeat it, but sometimes it happens.

This.
but also, because I’m petty I would let all of my friends know.
I would also tell her once I’ve sacked her that I know she lied as I’ve got CCTV and that I would let my friends know.

My cleaner never does the hours I pay her for but she does a 90% job which is the best I've ever got. I've had some truly dreadful cleaners. It's difficult to communicate as she barely speaks English (this may be a ruse so I can't request particular jobs).

I think it’s the embellishment of hours? I.e actually lying that’s the issue.

When she did everything we agreed I paid her for 3.5 hours whether it took her just under 3 or nearer 3.5. So I would have done the same. But slightly different scenario here in that she’s not getting everything done and then still upping her hours for pay.

Yes I know that. But you employ her and I know that in the industry I used to work in, using CCTV to check on an employee is illegal unless you believe a crime has been committed. I completely understand that what she has done is wrong and I think you should sack her, but to cover yourself I wouldn’t mention the CCTV.

IMO OP, the trust is gone and the embellishment of her hours is a complete piss take when you have been a very generous employer. I think it’s time to let her go.

I bet she has taken on too many clients and is cutting corners to fit everyone in, doing a rush job, and feels complacent because she has been with you so long.

I would have a review meeting with her, ask if everything is ok, say you have noticed her short rushed visits and ask why, and say that doesn’t suit you as things are getting missed. Be specific about examples.

Then she will either re-focus and do a good job or agree that she can no longer fit you in.

It will give you a basis to review for a month and if she doesn’t buck up, tell her it isn’t working for you.

Absolutely get rid.

I think it’s only fair you talk to her before you take action and give her a chance to explain. (Any other job in office etc would do this). If she is struggling somehow to do her slot then you can work it out maybe as you say she is generally such a good cleaner and hard to come by.

The key thing is that cleaner is self employed, so it is not like an employment situation. Maybe a chat is worth it though, I just know that all the mental health benefits of having my cleaning done would be negated by having to have performance management chats with the cleaner.

I'd get rid - you will now have the extra task of checking your cctv every day to see if she is being home at about time worked- is this really someone you want in your home? I'd also be letting the people I recommended her to know as well

The OP doesn’t employ her, though. The cleaner is self employed and the OP buys services from her. The relationship is nothing like employer/employee, so the point you’ve made her doesn’t apply in this situation.

But even if this is true, she has committed a crime either fraud or gaining money by deception.

@Namechangedforthisonetoday sorry quoted wrong post

Sorry but I think you were really unfair there. So because she didn’t get chance to do some parts on a couple of occasions, you fired her? And believed your son’s GUESS at how long she’d been there ONCE? Wow. She definitely dodged a bullet, poor woman

It’s a private residence. It’s irrelevant. Thanks for the concern but faux legal advice on Mumsnet is such a bugbear of mine. I don’t need to cover myself. I have not acted improperly.