Should I expect my money back from cleaner?

[Whyhellothere123]

Would love opinion on whether I need to just chalk this up to experience or if I’m within my rights to ask for money back.
Had a new-ish cleaner who came fortnightly. I pay her 2 weeks in advance so at the end of one clean, I pay her for the next one. She’s not reliable at all. She’s moved the clean several times with various excuses which is fine except I spend ages getting the house all tidy the night before / morning of to make sure it’s ready (not easy with 3 kids!) and so it’s pretty frustrating when she doesn’t show.

the last time she cancelled the morning of because she felt sick. Fine that happens. I had to finish work early to clean the house as we had guests arriving the next day and had expected it to be done.

Rearranged for the following week. She doesn’t show at the arranged time, I hear from her an hour later saying her childcare hasn’t arrived but she’s trying to make alternative arrangements. Never hear from her.

the point of having a cleaner (which is a huge luxury for us) is to make life easier and I realised this was just becoming more stress than it’s worth. I told her that rather than rearranging the clean for a 3rd time to transfer that to the next clean and that that would be our last.

I haven’t heard back from her at all. She has £80 of ours for a service which should’ve happened almost 2 weeks ago which she failed to turn up for twice. We have no contract or notice period etc. I would always have wanted to give her more notice but with her no-showing twice I just can’t justify paying her in advance for more cleans with no idea if she’ll show up!
should I insist she either does the time I’ve paid her for, or reimburses me the money - or accept I didn’t make a good choice of cleaner and suck it up to experience? It’s a lot of money for us to lose but equally I don’t want to start a fight with someone in the same town.

She either needs to do the clean or return the money.

Ask for the work of a refund, you don't lose anything from asking. If she does the work don't pay her in advance again md decide whether you want to continue.

How would you insist though? If she doesn't respond your option would be small claims court - are you taking it that far?

I’m confused why you’re paying her upfront. I pay my cleaner when she arrives. YANBU for wanting your money back, but not sure you’ll see it

You would've been better off leaving a note at her next clean, that it was the last. If you've fired her, I doubt she'll be in a rush to book you in.

You may or may not get your money back.

Where did you find her? Can you leave a review/post a warning on local Facebook page etc?

She either needs to pay it back or do the work. Send a short clear message to that effect, with three or four dates that you will be available. If she can’t do any, she needs to pay it back.

Even if you lived in the same town, how is she ever going to repeat that story without looking like an ass!

How did you get yourself in the situation of paying in advance for work?

Unfortunately you've played your hand incorrectly. She was already unreliable, so was unlikely to prioritise your clean when you'd effectively let her know you've already sacked her. And as others have said, there is no reason for paying in advance really. Bank transfer or cash day of is more suitable for all....

If you can stomach it, put a review on local pages to warn others.

Does she have a key to your property?

Now you know why she's asking for money upfront. I wonder how many people she's done this to.

I’ve never paid a cleaner upfront before - always on the day. But I think because she has to arrange childcare to do the clean she needs to know she won’t be messed around (ironic 🤣) so I do see her point that way. However it’s a two way thing - and you need to be reliable on the flip side! I wanted to believe her excuses are genuine and I understand the difficulties childcare brings - but also not at my expense!!

I think the chances of getting your money back are pretty small. Many cleaners live a pretty hand to mouth existence and even if you decided to sue her in the small claims court which would be a hassle for you, she probably would not pay you what she owes.

If she’s unreliable, I’d say the chances of her doing the final clean for you when you’ve told her you won’t be using her again are also really low. Effectively you pay her a clean in hand so she would only turn up if she thought you would be leaving money for her “for next time”.

Sorry you had your fingers burned this time. It’s not the norm to pay in advance in this way so I’d get yourself a new cleaner and just pay them on the day the work is done in the normal way.

She asked for upfront payment? She probably bails a lot. Can you leave a review on whichever website you got her details from? And do you know where she lives so you can threaten small claims if she doesn't pa you back?

She's relying on you giving up and letting her keep the money.

I would message her and ask her which she would prefer to do, either do the clean she has already been paid for or she can return the money. If she ignores you, message again and say you like your money returned or you will have to go down the route of a small claims court. I know it probably wouldn't be worth you doing that but maybe the threat will be enough to get her to return your money. I work for myself as a cleaner and although I do expect to be paid promptly and not have to chase people, I have never expected, nor wanted, to be paid upfront. If she carries on ignoring you I'd leave a review if you can, stating what shes done. Its completely dishonest.

You should ask her to return the money or do the clean, but for your own sanity it's probably best accept that she will do neither despite your efforts
😡 - and obviously I know that unreliable doesn't equal dishonest, but not sure I'd be all that keen on having her back when she knows you're sacking her either really.

Touch wood, my current cleaner is fabulous, but so many flakey ones over the years have ensured that I would never be paying for one up-front (nor giving them keys). Have lost some money myself learning that lesson though, so am not being smug.

I would chalk it up to experience. You can try to get the money back via small claims court.
It's worth googling to see if there are similar reviews for this cleaner as they may be repeating a well established pattern.

I wouldn't let it go that easily. She has effectively stole from you, hand to mouth existence or not. I would definitely warn other people if she was still advertising her services. DO NOT let her away scot free.

This is not how professional, self employed people run their businesses.

Ok I will try one last time and give her a last chance - in reality I won’t go down the small claims route even though I know I could. Truth is I am a little nervous just as she obviously knows my house and where stuff is, and I don’t know who she knows in the town of you know what I mean! I wouldn’t like to find my window smashed because I started an argument over £80.
and I definitely won’t be paying in advance again!!!

I think the chances of getting any money back are slim, even though she clearly does owe you (unless perhaps she is worried about bad feedback/word of mouth) - I’d chalk this one up to experience op!

Why on earth were you paying a stranger in advance, before she proved herself reliable?

All you can do now is ask her to refund her advance wages . Good luck with that.

I hope you got your keys back....

I'm afraid you'll never see your money again. Chalk it up to experience and move on. And please net time for not pay in advance, at all!

She never had keys luckily! She did suggest a few times when trying to rearrange a cancelled clean that it didn’t matter if I wasn’t there as I could leave the keys - but I was at least smart enough to not do that!

my cleaner (her decision) gives me an invoice at the end of each month

I wouldn't let this go. I wouldn't want her to clean again and I would want the money back.

Did she give you a receipt for the advance payment? If so you can get the cash back. If not then there is no proof. In the latter case you should sack her and say that she’s dishonest for not paying you back. Say that every time you see someone asking for a cleaner you will not recommend her by name.

I wouldn't give up - either she cleans or she returns your money.

Just out of interest....£80? How long does she clean for, it seems a heck of a lot of $$ unless she's there for hours and hours. Our cleaner - about an hour and a half if there's two of them, if it's one on her own she's here anything between 2-3 hours. It's always £35 regardless how many of them come.

Just send her a text reminding her that she hasn't rescheduled the clean you paid for and give her times and dates you're available and let her choose. If she doesn't show up and it stresses you to ask for the money, let her go. She sounds unreliable.