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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:
Thread gallery
5
Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 17:01

Fynoderee · 12/10/2023 16:58

The problem is, the cleaner could say she did close that door, that the cat got in another time.
And I suspect most insurance - whether yours or hers - will exclude cover for any damage caused by pets.

The ring doorbell shows it closed when she entered and open when she left.

The ring is attached to our front door and when the front door is opened it's opposite to the living room door

Before I'm accused of privacy invasion

Cleaner has now said she forgot. Hasn't tried to blame me. Has also said she can't guarantee she will shut the doors so we've agreed I'll put cats in with me and always be home

OP posts:
Fynoderee · 12/10/2023 17:07

Ok
What did she say about pursuing a claim on her insurance?

5plus5makes10 · 12/10/2023 17:08

@VenusClapTrap ah she’s a beauty and most definitely looks like the boss of the household!

Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 17:08

Fynoderee · 12/10/2023 17:07

Ok
What did she say about pursuing a claim on her insurance?

What makes you think I've mentioned it given my MANY responses on this thread saying I wouldn't be and I was BU?

Don't be a wind up it's pathetic

OP posts:
Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 17:09

5plus5makes10 · 12/10/2023 16:52

My god @slithytoveisascientist you’ve unleashed a beast by having the audacity to have nice things and pay (a very good rate up north) a cleaner. Here is a photo of my vomiting/furniture scratching/ mouse catching diva ( think of all the mice and birds lives you have saved by cat proofing your garden)

Beautiful cat

OP posts:
Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 17:09

VenusClapTrap · 12/10/2023 16:58

Oh well if we’re sharing cat photos, 5plus5 then here is my sofa vomiter, utterly unrepentant on the sofa she spoilt. (And once again, the blanket has been moved and is not in full protection mode, sigh)

Awww beautiful and not at all sorry!

OP posts:
ginasevern · 12/10/2023 17:12

@slithytoveisascientist

If the question is should you make the cleaner pay either through her insurance or our of her own pocket I would say a definite no. It isn't something that I would do or most of the people I know who have cleaners. I do think that if you have animals (I always have) then the buck stops with the owner unless the employee's job is to specifically look after them. I would also be very concerned that the cleaner might be unkind to the cats in your absence if you were to make her pay up. So if you do pursue this, I would look for another cleaner. As for access to rooms, I can understand the bedroom but not the sitting room. That's usually the place for a cat cuddle on the sofa and so I personally wouldn't buy an expensive leather one.

Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 17:13

ginasevern · 12/10/2023 17:12

@slithytoveisascientist

If the question is should you make the cleaner pay either through her insurance or our of her own pocket I would say a definite no. It isn't something that I would do or most of the people I know who have cleaners. I do think that if you have animals (I always have) then the buck stops with the owner unless the employee's job is to specifically look after them. I would also be very concerned that the cleaner might be unkind to the cats in your absence if you were to make her pay up. So if you do pursue this, I would look for another cleaner. As for access to rooms, I can understand the bedroom but not the sitting room. That's usually the place for a cat cuddle on the sofa and so I personally wouldn't buy an expensive leather one.

We cuddle in den on sofa
And in spare bed
And kids beds
And chair in kitchen
And seat in hall

It would have been her business insurance but I'm not going to as IWBU

OP posts:
ginasevern · 12/10/2023 17:15

@slithytoveisascientist

Fair enough. I was really more concerned that your cleaner might be nasty to the cats if you asked her for money!

BungleandGeorge · 12/10/2023 17:27

I don’t think her insurance will pay out as you own the cats who caused the damage. I doubt it’s worth claiming on your own for such minor damage either. But yes it sounds like she left the door open for an extended period rather than just opened it and they ran in so she was careless. She also could have approached you for help removing them as you were in the property.
I do think that if you have pets you can expect some damage and leather sofas are a really bad choice with cats around! Cats naturally scratch and want entry to anywhere the door is shut, it’s just cat nature!

JustWimpy · 12/10/2023 17:30

It's very easy for people reading to just say that you shouldn't care that your new sofa is ruined. As if everyone has £2k or so to cough up for another one. Your cleaner obviously doesn't give a toss about damage to your home, so I'd get rid of her. Trying to claim on her insurance could be tricky as your cats did the damage rather than herself, even if it was her fault.

It's unlikely your own insurance will pay for the replacement as pet damage is often an exclusion. Check your policy in case it's under accidental damage. Plenty of people exclude their cats from one room in the house if it has leather furniture. A few seconds and it's ruined.

Jewelspun · 12/10/2023 17:33

The woman has come to do her job in your home. It's your duty to secure your pets whilst she goes about her work.

horseyhorsey17 · 12/10/2023 17:44

VenusClapTrap · 12/10/2023 16:52

Posting on AIBU is inviting all and sundry to judge you, not just for whatever you are posting, but as a person, with your every moral called into question. You will be called despicable. You will be reviled. You will be called a scarlet woman. Even if you're just posting something really innocuous about pasta

Oh yes indeed. I once posted an AIBU about my husband cooking pasta by putting it into cold water then turning on the gas, instead of putting the pasta into the water once it’s boiling. I was told I was a controlling arsehole who should be grateful he was cooking, and on the other hand that I should LTB for his crimes against pasta.

Hahahaha! I posted about whether I should talk to my neighbour about what to do about their vine dropping grapes into my garden, which I was worried about as I have dogs, and was told I was a feckless twat for having dogs at all. And also very entitled, for some reason.

jannier · 12/10/2023 17:48

slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 11:49

Cleaner owns a company and I pay £17.50'an hour she is not on a pittance.

After costs that's minimum wage per hour especially if it's a business

Zebedee55 · 12/10/2023 17:49

Leather sofas + cats = a problem in waiting.

You can only really have one or the other.

And, no, of course you can't claim on her insurance.🙄

Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 17:55

@jannier she needs to organise her business better then it's not for me to set her rates.

And costs of 33% turnover is not a good margin for a cleaning business, I supply all materials so her costs must be limited to travel and insurance. I doubt that costs £6.50 an hour.

OP posts:
Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 17:56

Zebedee55 · 12/10/2023 17:49

Leather sofas + cats = a problem in waiting.

You can only really have one or the other.

And, no, of course you can't claim on her insurance.🙄

It's been fine for a year. Closing the door has worked really well to prevent the cats going in.

OP posts:
Hibiscrubbed · 12/10/2023 19:11

Some (most) posters on this thread have been absolutely mental.

BlueYonder57 · 12/10/2023 19:14

slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 17:56

It's been fine for a year. Closing the door has worked really well to prevent the cats going in.

Show quote history

I have a solution. Do your own cleaning.

Cats are destructive, and they are selfish. I like cats, but it's still true. If your leather and other wonderfully attractive surfaces are loved by the cats... you should have chosen either no cats or no attractive ( expensive) surfaces.

I doubt you'll have a cleaner soon anyway. And you'll never win a legal claim on insurance based on the actions of cats.

Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 19:38

@BlueYonder57 she hasn't sacked me yet for asking her to keep the door closed

OP posts:
ButterMyParsnip · 12/10/2023 19:58

I won't pile on because you've had so much but I'll just mention that next time you could get insurance for the sofa. We bought ours from Oak Furniture Land and the insurance was something like 10% of the purchase price. They cover damage from pets. They replaced our sofa when one cat went missing and the other kept weeing on her sleeping spot on the sofa (apparently comforting herself by mixing their smells together).

Also, how on earth did you train two cats to accept two closed doors in the house? We have to leave ours open. The Maine coon still throws a morning tantrum because the door to the cupboard under the stairs is locked.

Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 20:03

ButterMyParsnip · 12/10/2023 19:58

I won't pile on because you've had so much but I'll just mention that next time you could get insurance for the sofa. We bought ours from Oak Furniture Land and the insurance was something like 10% of the purchase price. They cover damage from pets. They replaced our sofa when one cat went missing and the other kept weeing on her sleeping spot on the sofa (apparently comforting herself by mixing their smells together).

Also, how on earth did you train two cats to accept two closed doors in the house? We have to leave ours open. The Maine coon still throws a morning tantrum because the door to the cupboard under the stairs is locked.

Good question! They always have someone with them if they choose and their preferred person is my son, so don't tend to bother if I'm in the living room watching desperate housewives of an evening

OP posts:
Fynoderee · 12/10/2023 20:49

Not trying to wind you up.
I thought you had discussed it with her now that you’d spoken to her.

You’ve had crap off others. I haven’t given you any crap or gone off topic. I’m sticking to the original post query in the post. However, take it as you will.

Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 20:56

Fynoderee · 12/10/2023 20:49

Not trying to wind you up.
I thought you had discussed it with her now that you’d spoken to her.

You’ve had crap off others. I haven’t given you any crap or gone off topic. I’m sticking to the original post query in the post. However, take it as you will.

Edited

Fair enough, sorry. Over sensitive

OP posts:
Frequency · 12/10/2023 21:28

This thread is bizarre, especially the insinuation by some that OP's children are "poor" because they must close a door.

What's cruel or difficult about closing doors?

In my family/social circle it's considered impolite to leave doors open. We'd always be called back "to close the bloody door" or be accused of living in a barn/letting in the cold if we left a door open.