Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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 12:31

mrsbyers · 12/10/2023 12:23

Is the photo the extent of the damage ? A bit of leather cream will really improve that

It is yes. I'll get DH to snip threads and put cream on in first instance . Thank you

OP posts:
FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 12/10/2023 12:32

I’d sack her. We didn’t allow the Bengal into the lounge for this reason.

It’s not hard to shut the door behind you.

Iwantcakeeveryday · 12/10/2023 12:32

No you should not ask to claim on her insurance, I doubt it would be covered for YOUR cats. I have trained my cats not to scratch our sofa and they don't. If I hadn't, I would get one of the many options for a scratch pad cover on the corners. Problem solved.
Your cleaner is there to clean, she hasn't forgotten or made a mistake regarding that role so I think you're being a little OTT to get worried there might be other things she is missing.

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

WhyDoIFancyGeneHunt · 12/10/2023 12:19

Can we have pictures of the cats please?

My wee boys

Cleaner let cats into living room
Cleaner let cats into living room
OP posts:
SauronsArsehole · 12/10/2023 12:32

slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 11:41

I'm not asking her to herd or stop the cats

I'm asking her to shut doors of a room after she has exited it

She could close the doors, sure.

but if your cats are nervous and hide there’s a strong possibility the cats could sneak in without her noticing and she could inadvertently lock them in your living room.

you have three options here. The cats are locked into the garage whilst the cleaner is here. You release them when the cleaner has left.

you lock the living room and bedroom and clean those rooms yourself. Guaranteeing those rooms remain cat free.

OR you accept your cats are sneaky fuckers and can’t be hearded by a stranger and accept your cats will damage your stuff and your cleaner will clean your house.

Megifer · 12/10/2023 12:33

slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 12:25

@rwalker thank you

@Megifer you suggested I'd sue my mum for helping me. Hardly a joke or funny. And I've been pretty well criticised here so not sure why you'd think your comments would some how stand out as lighthearted.

I didn't mean them to be lighthearted tbh, but I didn't mean them cause as much upset as they did either considering some of the other posts about your cat arrangement (which I think is fine tbh) I am genuinely sorry I'm just having a cranky arse day as I am actually dealing with someone trying to claim off my house insurance for something absolutely ridiculous.

Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 12:33

OccultOctopus · 12/10/2023 12:27

I was on a work call when she left so didn't check it was closed, not that I'd have thought to given she was asked last week

Sorry OP but I think checking is exactly the thing you need to do. Keeping your animals out of rooms may be something you can ask but isn't something you can then just expect.

As the impact of failure is great (damage to furniture) then you should check after anyone else has been in the house/opening doors etc.

No you cannot claim this on her insurance. You may be able to claim on your own.

I agree

I'm disappointed I can't have her here without me here though.

She will lose income when I'm out or away. And we will lose a much needed clean

OP posts:
Wakeywake · 12/10/2023 12:34

I'm with you in that it's the cleaner's fault. But I doubt the insurance would cover this scenario. Maybe lock the cats in a separate room when the cleaner comes. I sympathise, my cleaner let my (outdoors tramp) cat out when he was supposed to stay in after an operation, I was furious.

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

FuzzyPuffling · 12/10/2023 12:28

If you're so worried about the economy, buy a new sofa and support sofa makers.

Team cats.

Why should I have to? Firstly it's a repair situation, secondly a clean helps my life far more than a new sofa. Thirdly getting rid of a one year old sofa is hardly good for the environment and fourthly I'm not worried but for some reason I needed to justify having a cleaner

OP posts:
Pretendthatwearedead · 12/10/2023 12:35

You have house cats that aren't even allowed in all of the house!

You want your cleaner to pay for damage your cats did!

You could always ask her. You'll need to find a new cleaner.

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

Mari9999 · 12/10/2023 12:29

@slithytoveisascientist
Why not just crate or kennel your cat on the day that the cleaner comes?

I've never done this bar for transport needs, I think keeping them in with me should work

OP posts:
OhDoSitDownAndShutUp · 12/10/2023 12:35

slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 11:36

If she let them out the house due to leaving front door open (which she has been asked not to do) would that also be my fault for having house cats?

Ys, they're your cats, and your fault they're being kept indoors. Cats are meant to climb and roam (and I believe should have fresh air).

Cat owner of many cats over 42 years (all allowed outside during the day)

MsSquiz · 12/10/2023 12:35

slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 11:36

If she let them out the house due to leaving front door open (which she has been asked not to do) would that also be my fault for having house cats?

Yes!

I have 2 house cats and they are safely kept in 1 room while the cleaner is here (she doesn't clean that room) because it's not her job to police where my cats go! She's there to clean, not pet sit!

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

Wetblanket78 · 12/10/2023 12:29

Why bother having cat's if you don't want them in the living room? Every cat I've had they like to be with their family.

They are with us

Sleeping with my son

With all of us in den

Me working

Living room isn't really used much

OP posts:
Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 12:36

@SauronsArsehole they don't come out when she is here I promise they don't sneak in.

The door was left open.

OP posts:
SabrinaThwaite · 12/10/2023 12:37

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

Hope your flowers are cat safe.

MrTiddlesTheCat · 12/10/2023 12:38

Buy 'auto-close' fittings for the doors you don't want to be left open. Problem solved!

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

Ok @Megifer sorry for calling you a bitch.

I didn't expect such vitriol on this thread I just wanted help to make decision.

To clarify it's not the cleaners house insurance it's her business insurance which she showed me a copy of when she took me on as a client

OP posts:
ttacticall · 12/10/2023 12:38

@slithytoveisascientist

Very many plants and flowers are extremely poisonous to cats. I seriously hope your cats will be ok.

And I agree with the previous posters. It's your job to keep your cats safe, not that of anyone else.

Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 12:39

Pretendthatwearedead · 12/10/2023 12:35

You have house cats that aren't even allowed in all of the house!

You want your cleaner to pay for damage your cats did!

You could always ask her. You'll need to find a new cleaner.

No, the business insurance for accidental damage. But I've been corrected on that.

Is it ok to have house cats in a 3 bed 1 reception house? Plus garden and garage? That's what my cats have.

OP posts:
Original poster
slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 12:40

@OhDoSitDownAndShutUp that's what the enclosed garden is for not the front door into busy road

OP posts:
jays · 12/10/2023 12:40

All I can say is that whilst I agree, if you give instructions to use a specific cleaning solution or to wash clothes on certain settings, these are all conscious actions and can be written even. It can be genuinely difficult to remember to close interior doors because it’s something we do on autopilot. I also think when you’re a pet owner you get really used of making sure windows aren’t open or doors are closed etc to Kaye sure cats don’t escape but I can imagine I’d you don’t have pets then you’ve just not lived like that it’s really hard to rem because it’s such an unconscious action. That’s all I mean.

wildlifeWalker · 12/10/2023 12:40

slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 11:39

They didn't sneak in

Door was wide open

They aren't around when she is cleaning they hate the noise

Does no one think she should have kept the door shut when asked?

Why not keep the cats in your office with you on cleaner days? Surely it's only a couple of hours?

That way she can concentrate on her job rather than worrying about keeping your cats in the right place.

Herding cats is a nightmare!

Megifer · 12/10/2023 12:41

slithytoveisascientist · 12/10/2023 12:38

Ok @Megifer sorry for calling you a bitch.

I didn't expect such vitriol on this thread I just wanted help to make decision.

To clarify it's not the cleaners house insurance it's her business insurance which she showed me a copy of when she took me on as a client

💐

AlphaBravoGamma · 12/10/2023 12:41

Our cleaner is on a final warning for, amongst other things, mopping & using the wrong cleaner on a wooden floor when she was told to never mop it, leaving a door open into a room that the cats aren't allowed into unsupervised, leaving windows open, and shutting a cat in a room - the cat was in there for 10 hours.

The cats have managed to claw and ruin a leather sofa and quite a lot of lower level wallpaper despite having at least one scratching post in each room and on the landing & hallway. I thought early on that there's no point fretting about it & to have the place redecorated just before we sell it!

OP, will anyone who comes to your house care that the sofa has scratches on it? You probably will but does it really matter in the long term? If the cleaner is doing things that puts the cats at risk, then give her a warning or just sack her.