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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

cleaner wants extra money

97 replies

scrubdaddy · 05/05/2023 15:36

I own an Airbnb.

I have a cleaner... we agreed on a set price per clean, which she makes out most of the time because the cleans are usually anywhere from 6 to 8 hours. The set fee means I pay her 10 hours per clean. She hasn't been the greatest at checking inventory and cleaning inside kitchen cabinets, making sure pots and pans are scrubbed clean and everything is put in it's place and I have to constantly remind her.

Anyway, she has been with me going on 2 years. We originally agreed on a set fee and that would include the oven and gas bbq grill. She recently, about a year ago, had a baby so she dropped all her other clients and she has only cleaned for me... We also got a second cleaner to fill in.

Her husband is a handyman and works all the time, but doesn't offer her money to manage groceries and personal shopping so I understand she feels uncomfortable asking him. It's just not been her way. She has always worked hard and always had her own money. This last clean only took her 6.5 hours, but at some point while she was cleaning the oven, texted me a picture and said she needed to charge me £40.00 extra because the oven required so much scrubbing. I didn't respond with anything other than wow!

I have a hard time with people trying to get more dollars out of me for frivolous things when I am already paying them more than I should. I don't want to make her feel bad, or create an uncomfortable situation between us. I'm not the best diplomat because I tend to be frank and honest. I'm looking for help in the best way to communicate to her that I don't feel she should be charging me £40 extra dollars when I'm already paying her 10 hours for a 6.5 hour clean. Please any suggestions???

I can just pay her the extra £40.00, but I don't want her to look at me as a cash cow whenever she needs money and start charging me for things I'm already paying her for. I don't want to start resenting her.

AIBU to say no to her?

OP posts:
MinnieGirl · 05/05/2023 15:39

She’s being a CF
I would reply saying ovens can be hard work but you pay her for 10 hours when she only does 6.5 hours so you won’t be paying any extra.

You say she’s not that diligent…. So if she moans then look for someone else.

Sartre · 05/05/2023 15:41

She’s taking you for a ride now you’re her only source of income, don’t let her do this. If you pay her this extra fee she’s going to keep asking for more each time. I suggest you find a new cleaner ASAP.

Inthesamesinkingboat · 05/05/2023 15:42

Has she had any pay review in 2 years?

I would probably say that I pay you x per hour for 10 hours if you go over that then I am happy to pay. If you would like a pay review we can look at that separately along with the number of hours I contract for

Original poster
scrubdaddy · 05/05/2023 15:42

Sorry, I used to live in Canada so I always accidentally say dollars instead of pounds. I obviously meant pounds.

OP posts:
Original poster
scrubdaddy · 05/05/2023 15:44

Inthesamesinkingboat · 05/05/2023 15:42

Has she had any pay review in 2 years?

I would probably say that I pay you x per hour for 10 hours if you go over that then I am happy to pay. If you would like a pay review we can look at that separately along with the number of hours I contract for

Thank you for your reply
No pay review in 2 years no

OP posts:
OnlyFoolsnMothers · 05/05/2023 15:44

I’d probably pay it as a one off and then reinstate the hours and what’s expected etc

Clymene · 05/05/2023 15:44

How much are you paying her per hour if you think what you pay her is equivalent to 10 hours' pay?

LauraNicolaides · 05/05/2023 15:45

Are you prepared to find another cleaner and do you think they will do the work for less than she wants? If so just say no.

Luckydip1 · 05/05/2023 15:46

It is confusing that you pay for more hours than she works. I would reset the arrangement and start afresh. In the meantime line up an alternative cleaner as a plan B. Good luck.

Original poster
scrubdaddy · 05/05/2023 15:46

Clymene · 05/05/2023 15:44

How much are you paying her per hour if you think what you pay her is equivalent to 10 hours' pay?

13.07 an hour

OP posts:
Original poster
scrubdaddy · 05/05/2023 15:47

scrubdaddy · 05/05/2023 15:46

13.07 an hour

Show quote history

Based in London

OP posts:
Addicted2Kale · 05/05/2023 15:48

The price is the price. You have the option to say no. So do it.

Livinghappy · 05/05/2023 15:49

Are you sure you both agree the set rate is 10 hours? Oven cleaning is usually a separate charge so I suspect this is where she is coming from.

Do you pay her minimum wage x 10 per clean or more per hour?

Beaverbridge · 05/05/2023 15:50

Shes not being unreasonable. I was a domestic cleaner and ovens and inside glass was an additional job. Oven cleaner professionals use strong chemicals.

Sorryyoufeelthatway · 05/05/2023 15:52

£13 per hour is peanuts in london for 6 or 10 hours.
You realise there has been crazy inflation in the last few years right?

Hire a professional oven cleaning company- will cost you more than double.

Nevermind31 · 05/05/2023 15:52

Pay her 6.5 x hourly rate plus the extra charge, and tell her if she wants to take out certain things if the contracted price you will need to arrange this - plus you’ll only pay for hours worked.

CuteCillian · 05/05/2023 15:53

£13 ph is not enough for London... or many places. Are you giving cash?

Clymene · 05/05/2023 15:55

That is nowhere near enough, especially in London.

TheGoogleMum · 05/05/2023 15:56

You say she agreed to include oven clean in the price so it shouldn't be an extra charge. Most cleaners do charge for oven cleaning separately (cheapest i found a couple years ago was £45). Maybe it's time to renegotiate

JuneOsborne · 05/05/2023 15:57

£13 is cheap.

If you don't want to pay her for 10 hours and only pay her for the work done, discuss that with her.

If she wants to charge extra for the oven, that needs discussing.

If you think the oven should be included because she had 3.5 hours pay that she didn't actually clean for, that needs discussing.

I'd go back to the drawing board with her.

Lavendersquare · 05/05/2023 15:58

@scrubdaddy wow! £13.07ph is very cheap, I'm in Wales where wages are lower and I pay my cleaner £15ph. I would be expecting to pay £20+ ph in London. Time to review your pay arrangements if you want to keep her.

Original poster
scrubdaddy · 05/05/2023 16:01

CuteCillian · 05/05/2023 15:53

£13 ph is not enough for London... or many places. Are you giving cash?

yes in cash

OP posts:
Original poster
scrubdaddy · 05/05/2023 16:01

Fair enough, thank you for your replies. I didn't know the wage was this low and hadn't thought of the price of living rising either.

OP posts:
whirlyhead · 05/05/2023 16:02

£17 an hour up here in the north-west (cash) £13 is very, very cheap!

cstaff · 05/05/2023 16:03

But if the op is paying 130 and the cleaner is doing between 6 to 7 hours then that is £20 an hour roughly.