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.

@SchoolTripDrama, son mentioned to me how long she was there on first occasion as he had seen her coming at same time he started practice paper, then he heard her car leaving and looked at clock as he thought he would only have 1/2 hour left but saw he had well over an hour. After that I asked him to monitor her coming and going for 2 -3 weeks as he was home on study leave and only went in for exams. She left over half and hour and once almost an hour early each time. So not a single time but 5 times in a row leaving a few jobs not completed. I did not ask her why as she would just have lied to me. I just told her she was no longer required and paid her 1 week in lieu as agreed when she started job. I now suspect she probably did this throughout the time she worked for me. I paid her the rate she asked for £14ph. She was self employed but I still paid her half pay on 4 holiday weeks each year. I paid her a Xmas bonus of £100 each year. I felt she betrayed my trust. She could have asked for pay rise which I would have paid an extra £1 per hour, instead she decided to leave early every time she came as usually no one there to monitor her coming and goings, until son on study leave. His room on 2nd floor extension and cleaner never went up to his floor. She would not have know he was home from college.

It is almost impossible to find a decent cleaner who will work the full time they are being paid for imo. I have tried many over the years and most have caused more stress and frustration then they are worth. I feel your pain OP.

Standards have slipped for whatever reason-maybe she has taken on too much or maybe she is just fed up in her job.
Cleaning is hard and monotonous after all.
She's got away with it a few times so will continue to do so because she probably thinks you won't notice/mind.
I would definitely speak to her,just say you want her work the agreed hours as you know she isn't always and to clean to her original standards
Once you do I'm sure she will buck up.

She’s taking you for a mug because you pay over her rate and give her bonuses.

Sack her, get another one and pay them appropriately.

Her dishonesty has destroyed your trust in her. Which is fully understandable.

Having someone you distrust in your home is always going to be uncomfortable and something you don't have to facilitate.

I guess the question is which causes you the most discomfort or stress?; continuing to employ someone who lies to you and effectively is stealing from you, or taking action to employ someone else and deal with some initial early anxiety around whether they will do a good job.

OP is not an employer, and the cleaner is not an employee. She's a self employed contractor and OP is her customer.

Just like you're not an employer if you have a plumber come to service your boiler or Openreach come to connect you to fibre broadband!

I've had such a hard time finding a decent cleaner.

My current one is only okay if I'm honest.

Right at the beginning she charged me for four hours cleaning (two people for one hour every two weeks), but the second person turned up 20 mins late and left when the hour was up, both times! Then she made me feel that I was being petty when I said I wanted the full time I'm paying for!

And she's still the best I've found so I keep her.

Get rid and find a new cleaner. She's took advantage. Didn't help really you paying her more than should of got

I think you were very kind to pay her more etc.
I am a cleaner and several clients either pay me more(their choice)or pay me hol pay etc..those sam ones are the ones who will make me cups of tea,cake and talk to me like an actual human being not some one below them who comes to scrub their toilets!
Those clients I in turn look after-i will always fit them in over Christmas,I will do little extras without being asked.
Your cleaner should be doing the same.

Thanks EllieBelli she used to do all that and I have always treated her with respect. I wouldn’t go as far to say we’re friends but I always offer her a drink (and insist) and have a chat with her about her family.

@SeaWitchly it definitely is hard to find someone. The good ones seem to use it as a stop gap for something else too! I don’t understand what’s difficult about cleaning, I quite like it when I have the time to devote to it.

Cleaning is ok if you enjoy it,though not everyone is good at it-some people just don't notice little things.
I can walk into a room and spot what needs cleaning whereas someone else wouldn't see past the hoovering or dusting.
However I would call it hard work rushing from one house to the next,no time for proper breaks and cleaning practically none stop for 7 hrs a day.thats difficult!
Maybe she is just feeling the burn,I know I am.

@ellebelli i appreciate that - that’s working life though isn’t it?

And when she told you incorrect times did you not reply back, I think you must be mistaken as I can see that you arrived at x and left at x time. Try it and See what she says then.