Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Cleaner left 40 minutes early because I wasn't home

357 replies

Scarletthoo2 · 18/04/2023 14:23

Our cleaner only did 1 hour and 20 minutes when I pay her for 2 hours. She doesn't realise I have a ring doorbell and majority of the time I'm working from home so I know when she arrives and leaves. However, I'm away for work and she is aware of that. I caught her arriving at 11:33 and leaving at 12:53. I'm obviously really pissed off about it. Do I mention it to her and let her know I can see her or just send her half of the money? She left 40 minutes early.

OP posts:
McKenzieFriend001 · 18/04/2023 14:24

Send equivalent amount of money for 1hr20; sending half wouldn't be appropriate.

Don't expect them to come back.

lokienji · 18/04/2023 14:25

Was 2hrs of work done in 1hr 20 minutes though? Depends how clean your house looks when you get home. I’d send the full amount for now and not invite her back if it’s not done to standard

purpleme12 · 18/04/2023 14:25

God it's so awkward isn't it.
So many people have ring doorbells now you'd think people wouldn't do it

gamerchick · 18/04/2023 14:25

Message her you understand if she had an emergency and had to leave early and would she be going back to finish.

Allywill · 18/04/2023 14:27

i think there is maybe another issue to consider- her leaving early is one thing but was your house cleaned satisfactorily or not? i.e did she leave when there were other jobs she could have done or had everything been completed?

Reallybadidea · 18/04/2023 14:27

lokienji · 18/04/2023 14:25

Was 2hrs of work done in 1hr 20 minutes though? Depends how clean your house looks when you get home. I’d send the full amount for now and not invite her back if it’s not done to standard

Does your employer pay you by task or by the hour?

It's not ok OP. Trust is crucial with a cleaner and unless it turns out there are some extenuating circumstances like needing to pick up a sick child, I wouldn't want her back.

LilyAndTheKing · 18/04/2023 14:27

You've assumed that she left early because she thought she'd get away with it. Could be any number of reasons why. The trust has gone so I'd suggest you get a new cleaner. I wouldn't come back to clean for you if you didn't pay the amount I'd asked for.

Irritateandunreasonable · 18/04/2023 14:27

Wait to see what she’s done first & if she’s good. Could take a shit cleaner 3 hours to do the same. Does she definitely charge by the hour not job? If you’re happy with her service I wouldn’t rock the boat.

if she’s done considerably less pay her accordingly.

Irritateandunreasonable · 18/04/2023 14:28

Reallybadidea · 18/04/2023 14:27

Does your employer pay you by task or by the hour?

It's not ok OP. Trust is crucial with a cleaner and unless it turns out there are some extenuating circumstances like needing to pick up a sick child, I wouldn't want her back.

Show quote history

Some cleaners do charge by the job though. It’s not uncommon when self employed at am.

Reallybadidea · 18/04/2023 14:30

But if that was the case presumably the OP wouldn't have an issue with it because the cleaner wasn't leaving early?

Bluebells1970 · 18/04/2023 14:31

I'd just politely ask if everything was OK as your doorbell notified you that she'd left early? And leave it at that.

Dulra · 18/04/2023 14:31

See what's she's done in that time. If it's the usual pay as normal. Paying cleaner by the hour doesn't make sense, anyone I've ever had quotes on size of house and what you want done never by the hour. I'd prefer someone efficient to do it in 1.5 hours rather then someone slow taking 3

Mortimercat · 18/04/2023 14:31

lokienji · 18/04/2023 14:25

Was 2hrs of work done in 1hr 20 minutes though? Depends how clean your house looks when you get home. I’d send the full amount for now and not invite her back if it’s not done to standard

How can two hours of work be done in 1hr 20? That makes no sense. 🧐. She is paid for two hours and should be working for two hours, getting done as much as possible in those two hours.

Original poster
Scarletthoo2 · 18/04/2023 15:34

Im abroad, so I can't go and visit home and check myself!!! Really not sure how to go about it

OP posts:
WhineWhineWhineWINE · 18/04/2023 15:36

What Bluebells said 👆

Xrays · 18/04/2023 15:36

gamerchick · 18/04/2023 14:25

Message her you understand if she had an emergency and had to leave early and would she be going back to finish.

I’d do this. Lets her know you know without being aggressive - if you want her to stay.

Glitterblue · 18/04/2023 15:39

I think I’d message her and saying you’d had a notification that she’d left early and you wanted to check everything was ok. Then she will know you get notified and if there WAS an issue rather than her just taking advantage of you being away, she can tell you.

Folicacidtablets · 18/04/2023 15:39

Just work out the amount per min and pay her exactly from the moment the door opens to the time it closes

This is what we did with a poor timekeeper it was amazingly effective

Teeheehee1579 · 18/04/2023 15:43

I can’t believe people are saying as long as the Jon is as done ok then it’s ok for her to leave early (well I can on mumsnet). There is always something extra that she could be doing - a cupboard, a more thorough clean of a room. Whatever. The fact when you are there she stays but went early knowing you were not speaks volumes. Paid by the hour; not by the job as most cleaners are. Personally I would say that you had notification from your camera to say she left early - is she intending to go back and if so when it shall you just pay for the shorter clean? Then get shot.

Cosyblankets · 18/04/2023 15:43

gamerchick · 18/04/2023 14:25

Message her you understand if she had an emergency and had to leave early and would she be going back to finish.

This

TempNCforthis · 18/04/2023 15:45

I wouldn't be able to trust her again. I'd send a message saying, "Was everything OK at the house today?" If she just says yes, I'd say you noticed she left very early and wondered why she hadn't said anything.

VincentVaguer · 18/04/2023 15:45

I'd message her saying Hi I saw you left early today and just wondered if you were going back to do the other 40 mins later in the week? Hope everything is Ok, OP.

fruitbrewhaha · 18/04/2023 15:47

I find it incredibly hard to believe she couldn’t find another 40 mins worth of cleaning. She could have hoovered under the sofa, wiped the skirtings, cleaned out the fridge, oven, windows etc.

Mitchumforthewin · 18/04/2023 15:48

Def ask first - she’ll then know you’re onto her and won’t do it again. She might have had a genuine reason to go early - 40 mins is taking the piss a bit otherwise. I used to work as a cleaner and would never have done that - maybe 10 mins if everything was immaculate but not 40.

jannier · 18/04/2023 15:49

Hi I see you left early on......I hope that everything is okay. I've adjusted your payment accordingly