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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

My cleaner came today and didn't touch the kitchen

69 replies

citygal1986 · 17/02/2023 20:18

AIBU to finish her?

She was meant to be here for 4 hours. She charges £15 ph. Last week I paid her for most of this week (assuming she'd do 4hrs as usual) but I was a tenner short. So I left the £10 out for today.

She arrived and said shall I just do 3 hours and then we're square? I thought to myself, I'd actually paid you £5 too much then but let it go.

She turned up about 11:40. After faffing around talking to me and my kids, going through her diary with me for the next few weeks, she started at 12. She text me (I'd left by this point) at 2:10pm to say she was nearly finished and had done everywhere but would blitz the kitchen for me next week as that's the only room not done.

I have 3 children under 5. They'd all just had lunch. Kitchen was fine but I hadn't hoovered up the crumbs off the floor and hadn't wiped over all the surfaces like I'd usually do because I knew she'd be cleaning it. To say I was raging was an understatement.

I got home and when she says she hadn't got to the kitchen, she really means she hadn't done a thing in it.

I went to see my en-suite and dressing room. Mu dressing room tops definitely hadn't been wiped and my en-suite floor, shower and bath hadn't been touched.

I messaged her back to say sorry perhaps I should have said (?!) but the kitchen is a priority over anywhere else. I asked if she had time to do my bathroom and dressing room to see what she said. She replied with a yes done everywhere else just not your kitchen and I'll do that next week.

A few hours later she text to say maybe I should stay for my usual 4 and not 3 because clearly 3 isn't enough.

Wtf! Firstly three was definitely enough. Secondly which cleaner leaves the kitchen of all places

How would you respond and WWYD?!

OP posts:
BHRK · 17/02/2023 20:21

I’d tell her not to come back, she’s taking the piss. How big is your house? My cleaner does 4 hours at that rate, fairly big 4 bed. Admittedly doesn’t have time for things like skirting and cleaning windows, but does a great job on great many other things. Kitchen,floors and bathrooms are spotless

roses2 · 17/02/2023 20:22

Is she normally better than this? If yes be clear with her next week and ask her to clean x, y and z.

Did she leave 30 minutes earlier.and keep all the money?

DramaLlama20 · 17/02/2023 20:22

Well you messed up in the first place with the money thing - you should have said no sorry that extra tenner was for last week so now we're all square (but you should have paid her properly the week before) then just say now sorry this isn't working for me I need everywhere done each time and I can't let this slide - apologies but I'll have to let you go and find someone else. If she replies again say its quite clear the ensuite wasn't touched etc and then she'll probably just accept it.

Original poster
citygal1986 · 17/02/2023 20:26

@DramaLlama20 No I had over paid her the week before! She's £15ph. Did 4 hours. I left her £110 out, to cover the day she was here and to advance pay for this week. I owed her an extra tenner for this week's one. She ended up working not even 2.5hrs today!

OP posts:
ÉireannachÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ · 17/02/2023 20:27

Wouldn't be paying for her services again

Jammycookiesdough · 17/02/2023 20:32

Does she work for a company or for herself?
I wouldn’t want her back as I’d question her honesty and how thorough she was being in general.

ChrisPPancake · 17/02/2023 20:38

YANBU to not have her back, but "finish her" a bit extreme imo!

Mummyoflittledragon · 17/02/2023 20:45

No I wouldn’t have her back. I have 2 cleaners and they are paid for 4 hours so 2 each. We say hi and have a chat for a few minutes and usually are on the premises for just shy of 4 hours including loading and unloading the car. At the very least, they would be cleaning for 1 hour 45 minutes and occasionally have worked a couple of minutes over the 2 hours.

The job was priced based on 2 hours but they’ve got quicker over time and I don’t ask for much extra, just the occasional bits and bobs. But I’m very happy with the work they do do. Is is perfect? No. However, they respect me and I respect them.

I had a rubbish cleaner, who I kept for too long. She was unreliable and had poor boundaries and the cleaning was not as good as my current ones.

R0ckets · 17/02/2023 20:47

I wouldn't want her back either to be honest. The kitchen and bathrooms are surely the 2 areas you focus on if you think you won't be able to do everything.

Added to that the fact she left so quickly and didn't even make the effort to hoover or wipe the kitchen in the 30 mins he had left would be enough for me to say she isn't welcome again.

Summersummersun · 17/02/2023 20:49

My cleaner came today and used a racial slur 😢I’m going to have to get rid of her.

Eastereggsboxedupready · 17/02/2023 20:52

Ask her to clarify what she did actually get done today...

Staffielove23 · 17/02/2023 22:01

Some cleaners are really not good. I think it’s seen as a job that anyone can so to earn abit of extra cash but it actually requires good attention to detail and a thorough approach. I had a terrible one that would leave early and not touch the toilet as it looked clean to her. I’ve given up on cleaners, I’m better off doing it myself to my own standard.

mynamesnotMa · 17/02/2023 22:11

I'd give her the benefit of the doubt. She has said she Will do it next time.

C4tastrophe · 18/02/2023 07:33

To be honest, why are you messing her about with the money?
You know how much to pay her, how can you be ‘short’? Shows a level of disrespect.

WiIson · 18/02/2023 07:36

She overpaid her, not underpaid her.

Id bin her off op.

CrapBucket · 18/02/2023 07:39

You didn't have the right money and you haven't made it clear what you did and didn't want/expect. And whatever time you spend going through diaries and chatting, is on the clock. I do a cleaning job and if my client spends ages chatting at the start she will then say skip x room to account for that. I finish at the same time regardless.

Led9519 · 18/02/2023 07:42

sounds like quite a few miscommunications. I’d see how she gets on next time she comes and ask her to do her normal 4 hours and the whole house. If it’s rubbish let her go.

WiIson · 18/02/2023 07:43

The op paid her the majority in advance the week before?

Am I missing something here 😕

C4tastrophe · 18/02/2023 07:46

WiIson · 18/02/2023 07:36

She overpaid her, not underpaid her.

Id bin her off op.

Ah I see now.
Last week paid nearly ‘double’ in advance for this week.
However, there are more methods of payment than cash to keep things accurate.

CrystalCoco · 18/02/2023 07:52

ChrisPPancake · 17/02/2023 20:38

YANBU to not have her back, but "finish her" a bit extreme imo!

I laughed when I read that too!

Go OP, finish her! 😂

MBappse · 18/02/2023 07:55

Also.... you don't need to clean the kitchen for the cleaner to be able to clean it.... that's nuts!

sixfoot · 18/02/2023 07:56

Mummyoflittledragon · 17/02/2023 20:45

No I wouldn’t have her back. I have 2 cleaners and they are paid for 4 hours so 2 each. We say hi and have a chat for a few minutes and usually are on the premises for just shy of 4 hours including loading and unloading the car. At the very least, they would be cleaning for 1 hour 45 minutes and occasionally have worked a couple of minutes over the 2 hours.

The job was priced based on 2 hours but they’ve got quicker over time and I don’t ask for much extra, just the occasional bits and bobs. But I’m very happy with the work they do do. Is is perfect? No. However, they respect me and I respect them.

I had a rubbish cleaner, who I kept for too long. She was unreliable and had poor boundaries and the cleaning was not as good as my current ones.

I could have written this, including the old cleaner with poor boundaries.

ime once stuff like this starts happening there’s no recovering. Let her go and find someone else.

airey · 18/02/2023 07:58

Staffielove23 · 17/02/2023 22:01

Some cleaners are really not good. I think it’s seen as a job that anyone can so to earn abit of extra cash but it actually requires good attention to detail and a thorough approach. I had a terrible one that would leave early and not touch the toilet as it looked clean to her. I’ve given up on cleaners, I’m better off doing it myself to my own standard.

Also had this expereince

But concluded that I prefer having someone regularly visit and do the bulk of things, which allows me to fuss around with my particular wishes after they’ve gone, but it only takes me 30 mins or so.

my cleaner is rubbish at cleaning bathroom tiles so I’ve given up on that and just do it myself. But she’s pretty good at most other things. On balance I love having her as it takes the pressure off me and my home is more of a sanctuary rather than simply a place of hard labour!!

Calvinlookingforhobbes · 18/02/2023 08:02

I think it’s about the money. Had to told her her pay last time would be 25% short? This is not a crisis though but you need to establish better communication with her.

Bigpinktrain · 18/02/2023 08:07

I have a wonderful lady who has been with us for years, but I do feel like she is as rare as gold dust.
If anyone is in East London I will happily recommend her!

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