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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Cleaner let cats into living room

648 replies

slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 11:27

Last week she let them into bedroom and luckily I caught it before anything happened. I reminded her and she was very apologetic and promised to be more careful.

This week she has left the living room door open and the cats have gone in and scratched my leather sofa. It’s never had any damage before and I’m gutted.

AIBU to ask to claim on her insurance for a repair, and will I even have any success?

Cleaner let cats into living room
OP posts:
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Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 13:26

Cerealkiller4U · 12/10/2023 13:24

Do you have any proof you told her not to let them into those rooms? Anything in writing??

Show quote history

I have a FB message but it refers to the bedroom only as it's from last week

OP posts:
Barnowlsandbluebells · 12/10/2023 13:28

slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 13:26

I pay her the rate she quoted me?

It's a business, I'm not making any decisions for her! That was also one of the higher rates I was quoted, I'm in the North west.

Show quote history

I'm also in the North West and would be ashamed to pay someone that hourly rate.

margotrose · 12/10/2023 13:28

We've had six cats over the years and between them, they've been known to open doors, get food out of child-locked cupboards, sneak out of the front door, jump out of second floor windows, get up the chimney, get stuck behind the skirting boards and underneath the oven.

If you don't want cats to scratch your furniture or get into your living room, then don't have cats. Even with the best will in the world, accidents happen and people forget.

beethecrackon24995 · 12/10/2023 13:28

My cat goes where she likes but in an attempt to be open to OPs post I was trying to get that due to allergies some people sleep better without cat hair on their bedding. Fwiw I am allergic to cats but mine often sleeps with me.....not ideal but I love her and it makes her happy 😀

Bloom15 · 12/10/2023 13:29

YABU

I know you asked the cleaner to close the door but I don't think it would be an innate thing to close a door when you leave a room for most people. I wouldn't.

So I understand why she would forget

LookItsMeAgain · 12/10/2023 13:29

In answer to your question on whether you would be unreasonable to try to claim of the cleaners insurance for damage that your cats did to your property, I would say that you would be very unreasonable to do this.

You have the cats. You decide which rooms they are/aren't allowed into. You hire the cleaner. It's your responsibility to ensure that the cats are not around when the cleaner is there. It's your responsibility to ensure that the doors to the rooms you don't want the cats to enter are closed when the cleaner is gone before letting the cats back out again to roam around the home.

It sounds like you didn't check which rooms had doors open and which ones didn't but your cats certainly did.

Marblessolveeverything · 12/10/2023 13:29

Why don't you place cats in a locked room when cleaner there. I do think it is a bit of a stretch to keep mind of in door cats when you don't live with them.

It's not her fault and I certainly wouldn't be claiming on her insurance.

Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 13:29

Barnowlsandbluebells · 12/10/2023 13:28

I'm also in the North West and would be ashamed to pay someone that hourly rate.

Show quote history

All the cleaners I've had have quoted between £12.50-£18 per hour. I'm not going to pay more than I'm asked to pay. She is a business owner, she sets the rates.

OP posts:
Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 13:30

beethecrackon24995 · 12/10/2023 13:28

My cat goes where she likes but in an attempt to be open to OPs post I was trying to get that due to allergies some people sleep better without cat hair on their bedding. Fwiw I am allergic to cats but mine often sleeps with me.....not ideal but I love her and it makes her happy 😀

I'd like to have mine in my bedroom but Dh doesn't and I respect that. I sleep in spare room or with DC occasionally and love my furry purring hot water bottles

OP posts:
Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 13:32

LookItsMeAgain · 12/10/2023 13:29

In answer to your question on whether you would be unreasonable to try to claim of the cleaners insurance for damage that your cats did to your property, I would say that you would be very unreasonable to do this.

You have the cats. You decide which rooms they are/aren't allowed into. You hire the cleaner. It's your responsibility to ensure that the cats are not around when the cleaner is there. It's your responsibility to ensure that the doors to the rooms you don't want the cats to enter are closed when the cleaner is gone before letting the cats back out again to roam around the home.

It sounds like you didn't check which rooms had doors open and which ones didn't but your cats certainly did.

You're correct, I didn't. After the situation last week and the reminder I didn't think it would be a problem. I was wrong and should have checked.

It is a shame though as I would have liked to develop that trust as I really want to be able to have the clean when I'm not here.

OP posts:
RideMeSidewaysWasAnother1 · 12/10/2023 13:32

How do you have garden cats? How do they not climb fences and become normal cats? (misses point of thread)

Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 13:32

Marblessolveeverything · 12/10/2023 13:29

Why don't you place cats in a locked room when cleaner there. I do think it is a bit of a stretch to keep mind of in door cats when you don't live with them.

It's not her fault and I certainly wouldn't be claiming on her insurance.

Yes I'll be putting them with me as the cleaner doesn't do my study.

OP posts:
InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 12/10/2023 13:34

You're being ridiculous of course, but in addition you are highly unlikely to be able to claim this on ANY home insurance policy. Most do not cover pet damage. The only ones that do are the extra policies that are sold with the furniture at an additional exorbitant cost. Just cut off the ragged bits and stick some black polish on it, like everyone else does

Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 13:34

RideMeSidewaysWasAnother1 · 12/10/2023 13:32

How do you have garden cats? How do they not climb fences and become normal cats? (misses point of thread)

when we moved in there was deterrent on top of fence
when we replaced the fence (without deterrent) they never tried, plus
they are getting old and dont jump much
they like it when we are out there with them otherwise its just a few sniffs and back into the warmth

OP posts:
FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 12/10/2023 13:35

@slithytoveisascientist Its mumsnet, champagne socialists are everywhere on here. They have no idea what the minimum wage & their so working class even the family dog wears a flat cap.

They all pay their cleaner £30hr and don’t mind their homes being damaged because “Socialism”

Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 13:35

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 12/10/2023 13:34

You're being ridiculous of course, but in addition you are highly unlikely to be able to claim this on ANY home insurance policy. Most do not cover pet damage. The only ones that do are the extra policies that are sold with the furniture at an additional exorbitant cost. Just cut off the ragged bits and stick some black polish on it, like everyone else does

point taken but it's blue! I might be making it slightly worse with black polish...

OP posts:
thecatsthecats · 12/10/2023 13:36

RideMeSidewaysWasAnother1 · 12/10/2023 13:32

How do you have garden cats? How do they not climb fences and become normal cats? (misses point of thread)

For us, we always adopt old cats. Or very stupid ones.

Our 14yo chonkboy has hoofed himself up the 6ft fence once, got scared, now just satisfies himself with howling and pissing around the perimeter daily.

beethecrackon24995 · 12/10/2023 13:37

My cat only goes in the garden (pg) but it has high bushes/fences and she has daft little legs. She's a useless jumper and doubt she'd last long in the great wide world that exists beyond..

VenusClapTrap · 12/10/2023 13:37

On the one hand I sympathise; we waited till the dc were past the primary years and invested in a very expensive pair of sofas. Total splurge. Love them. We have a slightly vomitty old cat though, so I keep blankets over the sofas when not in use, just in case.

When we came back from holiday the house sitter casually mentioned that the cat had done a huge vomit right in the middle of the sofa. She’d wiped it up, but it had left quite a mark. I asked if it had gone through the blanket, she said no, the blanket ‘had been moved’.

At first I was upset, but then realised it really, really doesn’t matter in the scheme of things. It’s just a sofa, and I love my cat and could never ban her from sitting in the lounge with us on an evening. That’s kind of the point of having a cat? On your knee, cosy on an evening?

But back to the op. You have lost your trust in the cleaner so you need to find a new one. That’s the bottom line. In the meantime, you’ve got your temporary solution of keeping the cats in the study with you. You could also put a post-it on the lounge door with KEEP THIS DOOR CLOSED on it. I’m a professional cat sitter, and one house I visit has such a sign on a door - not that I’ve ever opened it!

Finally, I have to say, I’m appalled on behalf of your cats that they’re not allowed in your lounge but a visiting dog is. The ultimate betrayal…

Twiglets1 · 12/10/2023 13:37

She can’t claim on her insurance, that’s ridiculous.

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 12/10/2023 13:37

point taken but it's blue! I might be making it slightly worse with black polish...

Ah Grin. True- blue polish perhaps?

WhyDoIFancyGeneHunt · 12/10/2023 13:38

slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 12:32

My wee boys

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😻😻😻

Thank you OP. Beautiful boys. Black cats are the best 🖤.

margotrose · 12/10/2023 13:39

RideMeSidewaysWasAnother1 · 12/10/2023 13:32

How do you have garden cats? How do they not climb fences and become normal cats? (misses point of thread)

You can get cat-proof fencing - it kind of angles in so that the cats can't jump out, and other cats can't jump in. Not cheap though!

KombuchaKalling · 12/10/2023 13:39

Fireisland · 12/10/2023 11:30

She's bringing her cats with her to work and they've damaged your home? Yes, she should claim on her insurance.

100%. She needs to be a more responsible cat owner!

Hibiscrubbed · 12/10/2023 13:39

Fireisland · 12/10/2023 11:30

She's bringing her cats with her to work and they've damaged your home? Yes, she should claim on her insurance.

😂😂😂 you little tease.