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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
AliceOlive · 12/10/2023 12:05

slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 11:59

This is my fear plus what other instructions are going ignored / forgotten

Using the wrong product on my floor could easily damage it and I'm putting a lot of trust in her.

Show quote history

Agreed. It's a simple instruction that she either forgot or ignored. How long has she been cleaning your house?

I wouldn't tell her to claim insurance, just end it.

Our cleaners occasionally break things, forget to clean rooms, do a poor job on certain areas sometimes and I don't care a bit. But I can trust them with my pets and that is what matters to me most.

Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 12:05

@Gerrataere kids are brilliant with doors
They've followed the living room rule since birth basically.

It's always bebe a cat free room.

First for babies crawling and being on the floor so keeping it as clean as possible.

Partly because my in laws got a dog 5 years ago and when they visit the dog is in the living room away from the cats.

And when we got the sofa to help the sofa as well!

It's always worked never been an issue.

For this cleaner it is.

OP posts:
Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 12:05

GonnaGetGoingReturns · 12/10/2023 12:00

I’ve had cats most of my adult life. They generally should be outdoor cats.

If you don’t want them in another room then have a lockable room for them and put them in there. Don’t put this on your cleaner to sort out.

So yes, YABU.

When we adopted them they had to be indoor cats. They use our garden though.

OP posts:
Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 12:06

@Megifer why be such a bitch?

Claiming off business insurance is hardly unusual or anything like what you are implying I'd do to MY MUM

OP posts:
GonnaGetGoingReturns · 12/10/2023 12:07

slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 12:01

It's clear
The cats aren't there when she cleans

She left the door open when she left
Cats walked in
Had a scratching party
Also ate my flowers which will mean vomit later

I agree I need to lock them away

I'm disappointed though as was hoping to build up to cleaners being able to come when I'm away or out and that won't be possible due to lack of trust

Show quote history

For me in my experience with cats, yes they hide when they hear/see hoovers and come out when it’s quiet, so is probably what’s happened, so not your cleaners fault.

I learned the hard way with my last cat who ate flowers in vases to not have flowers or on windowsill but not where they could reach them, eg on a table. You have to do this with cats sometimes, pre-empt what they’re going to do.

StillWantingADog · 12/10/2023 12:07

I think if you ring up the insurance company they may laugh at you

I think it's quite odd to have cats and not accept that they scratch stuff and that you don't let them in your lounge. If you don't like the fact that cats scratch - don't have cats!

Fullfatandfortyplus · 12/10/2023 12:07

Poor cats

Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 12:07

fearfuloffluff · 12/10/2023 12:00

Thank you will look at getting installed x

OP posts:
ActDottie · 12/10/2023 12:07

They’re your cats and your responsibility. No one elses. She’s a cleaner not a cat sitter!!

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

Theforeverhome · 12/10/2023 12:02

I have 4 cats and 2 rooms with leather sofas that the cats are not allowed into because we know, and accept, that they can do damage (and they have the run of the rest of the house and a cat flap to roam as they wish just like OP) and I would be majorly pissed off if a cleaner were to leave a door open into those rooms when I had made clear my expectations.

I once had a cat sitter who had a nosey around (which she had no reason to do) and locked two of the cats in one of these rooms for several hours. Whilst the sofas weren’t damaged, the carpets were pulled up. I didn’t claim against her insurance but I did fire her.

Thank you this thread has been really upsetting and I'm glad I'm not totally alone

OP posts:
Stepbystepfan · 12/10/2023 12:08

Wow! You have been given a hard time OP. I actually agree with you and think your cleaner needs to claim on her insurance. If it was the first it had happened then fair enough but it’s the second time. She needs to accept responsibility.

Guiltyfeethavegotnorhythm0 · 12/10/2023 12:08

This is mental it's not the cleaners job to manage your cats ! They're your pets !

GonnaGetGoingReturns · 12/10/2023 12:08

AliceOlive · 12/10/2023 12:05

Agreed. It's a simple instruction that she either forgot or ignored. How long has she been cleaning your house?

I wouldn't tell her to claim insurance, just end it.

Our cleaners occasionally break things, forget to clean rooms, do a poor job on certain areas sometimes and I don't care a bit. But I can trust them with my pets and that is what matters to me most.

Show quote history

So you’d end a contract with a perfectly good cleaner over this?

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

@Gerrataere the kids have wooden beds so the cats can't / don't hurt them

Also they have never had an issue with it

It's like shutting the loo door when in there, you just know to do it

Kids don't really use the living room since they got older as no consoles or TV in there, they tend to be in kitchen or dining room which we use as a den

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

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 12/10/2023 12:05

Hardly any insurance policies will cover accidental damage specifically by pets, precisely because they are unpredictable. Unless you bought a special extended policy?

I didn't, maybe I'm not covered then.

OP posts:
Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 12:11

@AliceOlive about 3 months with about 8 cleans

OP posts:
Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 12:11

Our previous cleaner retired and she was wonderful, it's been so hard ever since. Thought we'd cracked it with this new one but seems not.

OP posts:
catmothertes1 · 12/10/2023 12:12

I cannot imagine having cats(or dogs) and not allowing them in the living room.

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

@GonnaGetGoingReturns

Yes i preempt it by only having flowers and plants in the spaces the cats aren't allowed in and by asking the cleaner to close door after she has been in

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

Guiltyfeethavegotnorhythm0 · 12/10/2023 12:08

This is mental it's not the cleaners job to manage your cats ! They're your pets !

She doesn't have anything to do with cats

Just closing a door

A door that she has been asked to close

That was closed when she arrived

OP posts:
Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 12:14

catmothertes1 · 12/10/2023 12:12

I cannot imagine having cats(or dogs) and not allowing them in the living room.

Study with me
Bed with kids
Bed with kids
Spare bedroom
Dining room (den set up) with us all
Kitchen with us all
Garage (basically their space)

They aren't hard done by

OP posts:
FuzzyPuffling · 12/10/2023 12:15

Here's a thought - do your own cleaning, then none of this will be a problem in future.

Megifer · 12/10/2023 12:16

slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 12:06

@Megifer why be such a bitch?

Claiming off business insurance is hardly unusual or anything like what you are implying I'd do to MY MUM

Am I? I thought I was just being a bit of a knob because of your bizarre attitude but I guess bitch might fit too.

Have you never had someone take the piss out of you a bit?

NonMiDispiace · 12/10/2023 12:17

Shut the blasted animals in the garage while she’s there, I assume she doesn’t clean in there?

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

@GonnaGetGoingReturns

Regardless of fault

It's a fair question

What other instructions are being forgotten or ignored

Is there a risk of other damage or cats escaping

I've never asked this cleaner to keep windows closed (i will now)

Nothing stopping her opening one, me not knowing, and the cat getting out onto a main road and getting run over

Many if you would say that would be my fault

Do I want to risk it? No.

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