To wish my cleaner would stop with the reminders?

[JMSA]

I have a cleaner who cleans my flat on a fortnightly basis. Usually I'm at work when she comes, but we've always got on really well on the occasions I've caught her. I'm really considerate and always have my place tidy and ready for her to clean. I'm always flexible and genuinely really appreciate her.
One thing I've genuinely never let her down with is payment. The money will always be transferred on the evening of the day she has come. I've never let her down on this, not once.
Today I bumped into her as she was leaving my place and I was getting home from work. Two hours later, when I was in the middle of making the kids' dinner, there was a message from her asking me to pay. I don't think there's any need for this, when I'm trustworthy and reliable every single time.
I don't set up a standing order because I'd rather just pay on the day she comes. This keeps me right in case she ever has to change day.
AIBU?

All these 'hmph, I have to wait to the end of the month, I get paid in arrears' comments are WHY self employed service providers have to send bloody reminders...

We don't have contracts, we aren't guaranteed to get paid, we get screwed over by arseholes ALL the time, people who don't pay for work we did, or book jobs then cancel last minute meaning we have no time to fill that slot with another job.

Stop comparing the two systems, it isn't the same.

I used to send reminders to everyone I'd seen that day, who hadn't paid in advance or in cash at the time (dog walking) so that would be a single text sent out to three or four people usually.

It isn't personal, it's just a simple thing to increase the likelyhood of being paid promptly for those in roles that can often lead to chasing people for payment. If it pisses you off, pay in advance, in cash on the day or via standing order.

I don't set up a standing order because I'd rather just pay on the day she comes. This keeps me right in case she ever has to change day.

I'm struck by the power play going on here and it makes me feel uncomfortable. It's all about you and your convenience and not hers.

Maybe things are so tight for her, and so many comfortably-off people are lax about paying, that every payment counts? She only works for you twice a month and presumably has dozens of other clients. Maybe she texts them all with the same text.

Is your life really so good that this is something to get wound up enough about to post on MN? I don't have a cleaner but I hear people who've lost their good cleaners complaining at length about the difficulties of finding someone new. Maybe just focus on how lucky you are to have someone who suits you, comes when she says she will and runs a tight ship from the sound of it?

YABU. It takes less than a minute to send a bank transfer via your phone to someone you've already set up as a payee. Either do it when she leaves, or start leaving cash out for her.

In the grand scheme of things, does it really matter? She probably does it to all her clients, or they pay at the time or beforehand. Perhaps she'd be screwed if your money didn't arrive that evening.

My cleaner insists on payment the day before.

I would never pay someone in full in advance for any kind of work to be done. It's just stupid. There is nothing to stop them taking the money and just not doing the work or cancelling last minute. If they decide one week they are leaving the area, they will just clean up and run.

For tradesman or people incurring costs, the way this is managed is to pay a deposit in advance.

If it were me, I'd find another cleaner rather than pay in advance because I would never trust they'd do the work particularly for unskilled jobs. There are lots of cleaners in the world. Sure it may take time to find one recommended and reliable but it's easy enough.

I'm really shocked by how many people on this thread seem willing to pay in full and in advance for a cleaner. It's not like it's a builder who has raw materials to incur costs of in advance.

She is just being professional and likes doing it. Let her have this. Let it go.

It's all about you and your convenience and not hers.

This is the WHOLE point of service industries and service professions. It applies as much to lawyers and accountants as it does to cleaners and gardeners.

It is entirely about the client's convenience because that is the person who you are being paid to serve.

Why do you think people pay for cleaners exactly? 100% for their own convenience.

You’ve just reminded me I’ve not paid the window cleaner from last week. I do always stick on my own ‘late payment charge’ though and apologise. He calls me his Christmas saving bank ☺️
however, if he reminded me and then sent another one two days later that would absolutely be on me and the last thing I’d do would be offended he reminded me, just mortified he had to

Pay her before or as she leaves your house. She might need that money to put food on the table that night. If she’s reliable - set up a standing order or pay her while she’s there.

Thanks everyone. Didn't expect so many replies!
Nothing was agreed re payment or reminders. She has also never requested cash. It would be a PITA, due to the uneven amount, but I'd absolutely do it if that was her preference.
I'll try to pay even more promptly in future, but I work in a school and it's hard to get on my phone.
This is a mild irritation and nothing more. I like her and am happy with her work. I just didn't consider the reminders necessary when I've always paid on the same day/evening.

On the other hand it would be really easy for someone NOT to pay the cleaner for their work. They would have to go to small claims court and would it be worth the time and effort for £20?

You seem to be implying cleaners are less trustworthy than the people they clean for.

I'm with you on this. My cleaner used to do this and it would really irk me. She's now ex-cleaner - not for this reason but many other ways she was annoying.

Of course it hasn't been just the once

Service professions paying minimal wages, eh? (As if most cleaners have considered their options — law, maybe or medicine or, I know, cleaning!)

Paid to serve? Get back to the 19th century with your upstairs-downstairs attitudes.

Anyone lucky enough to have a reliable, competent cleaner should treasure them, because then perhaps they won't dump you when someone else is prepared to pay £2ph hour more for your slot in the schedule.

Alright, why not include such pertinent info? You'd think after the first time you'd catch on something wasn't right. It's you not paying her in a timely manner.

On the other hand it would be really easy for someone NOT to pay the cleaner for their work. They would have to go to small claims court and would it be worth the time and effort for £20?

You seem to be implying cleaners are less trustworthy than the people they clean for.

It's much easier for the person doing the work to get paid after the event than it is for an advanced payer to recover it from a manual worker.

At a very basic level, the worker can ask for cash payment there and then when the work is finished and refuse to leave until they are paid. Obviously small claims is an option but again its easier for the unpaid to claim - not least because they have the address of the place where the services were provided. & the address also leaves the non-payer open to the heavies coming round (I say that tongue in cheek but you know what I mean - they literally know where you live.

On the other hand, how many people would be sure that they had the correct name and address of their cleaner - and if they moved/ran off, you'd never be able to get that money back.

It will be automated. Stop being precious

My cleaner is a single mum, lovely girl does a good job. I pay her on a Thursday (she does Tuesday and Thursday ). I don’t do direct debt because she often does little extras for me so some weeks I owe her more.

about 6 months ago as she was going it seemed like an after thought ?, she said “ you’ll send me the money in a bit ? ‘ I said oh yes of course.

move on an hour and I was in Tesco she was there at the checkout with her 2 little ones , her shopping came to her pay almost to the penny, I couldn’t help but notice as I was at the checkout behind her chatting to the children. She had bought basic food for a few days, it was obvious she needed her pay to feed the children.

i know I sound , oh I know how I sound. But I honestly never realised that money was so very tight for her.

i asked if she would like cash, said it was easier for me and I just leave it in an envelope for her.

Paid to serve? Get back to the 19th century with your upstairs-downstairs attitudes.

Nope. Sorry. I am a professional and it is how I view my own service. I am literally being paid to serve my clients. It is what I do . I am providing a professional skilled service. The client's convenience is how a professional business is a success.

Annoying? Sure. Should you do something about it? Nah.

Unless she sends all her messages with kisses and clients' names, I can guarantee it's not automated. Stop being presumptuous.

I used to run a cleaning company - small scale but did invoicing and on the box etc. Everybody - except the businesses would pay by leaving cash. Otherwise they would get a monthly invoice from myself and customers only ever were contacted by email

Could you agree to leave the money out on the days they visit?

I didn't intend to

I’ve just posted about me cleaner, and I really hadn’t thought about her waiting fir me to pay her so she could go shopping, maybe this is why your cleaner asks, not that she doesn’t trust you to pay, more she needs it

Is it inconceivable for you that she may have absolutely no money when she reminds you - and is waiting to go out to do a food shop?

That is how many people have to live - get a payment, spend it, have nothing till the next payment. No money reserve in the bank, nothing.

Do you really think everyone is like you financially?