Am I out of touch or is this poor professionalism?

[cleanormean]

Took on a fortnightly cleaner at the beginning of the year, agreed she'd do Tuesdays. Never had a cleaner before but with a toddler and both parents working full time with no external childcare, it's become an unmanageable ask to keep on top of the house to a standard we're satisfied with. However there are a number of things I think are quite unprofessional, but I'd like some other perspectives to confirm whether or not they are reasonable to raise:

1. She doesn't inform us of what time she is coming until approximately 10pm the night before, it's never a consistent time and we have no say in the timing. It either works or we go without

2. She brings a helper (or two), however in the 8 or so visits we've had so far, it's almost never been the same people. One week it was two teenage girls, and another week she didn't come herself but sent two strangers in her place. This is not a cleaning agency, this is a sole trader who brings people she knows/friends who are looking for some cash in hand work

3. We live in a very hard water area and thus our toilet bowl gets quite a lot of limescale build up. This is never cleaned and nothing is ever put down to help remove the limescale, so the toilet doesn't look at though it's been cleaned after the visit

4. Hoovering and mopping of the hard floors downstairs is only done in the areas people walk, i.e. under the breakfast bar or in the corners by the cabinets are always left untouched. Similar story for the (easily accessible) corners of carpeted rooms

5. Kitchen cupboard doors aren't wiped despite any obvious marks

6. We have a double sink, and they will not lift up the chrome draining insert to clean the actual sink underneath (neither do they clean the insert)

7. We have patio doors with blinds, if the blinds are still halfway down (due to being overlooked by neighbours), only the bottom half of the window is cleaned

8. Lightswitch faces are dusted but shelves (with a single ornament on) aren't

9. They do not clean the shelf that our toiletries sit on within the shower, despite removing all of the toiletries beforehand

10. They don't appear to vacuum bathrooms

The agreement was bathrooms, kitchen, downstairs floors vacuumed and mopped, carpets vacuumed, dusting and internal glass. Our house is immaculately tidy for when they arrive so there are zero obstacles for them to have to work around. They are here for 75 minutes and we pay £50 (in Leicestershire).

We have previously highlighted bits that appeared to have been missed and were told it was accidental, however the quality of the cleaning has not improved despite the price having increased by £5 since we took them on.

Are our expectations too high or is (at least some of) this as unprofessional as it feels like it is?

You are not being unreasonable.
The work you want done is not being done
The work that is done is not being done to an acceptable standard.
But what would worry me most is the random people she is bringing into your home. You have no idea who these people are. You know nothing about them.Your contract is with her.
How does this work as regards insurance?
I would be looking for someone else.

They don't sound great OP. Have you given them an actual list of tasks you want them to carry out? Some people need telling specifically what needs to be done in each room rather than just stating bathroom or kitchen as they're not able to use their initiative (not a dig at cleaners specifically just some people in general!) Different people doesn't surprise me particularly - are they all insured - cash in hand may indicate they are not. If I was you, I'd be looking around for a new cleaner and use an actual business or someone that comes highly recommended. That said, it is so difficult to find reliable cleaners - I struggle with this too for my holiday let.

Nope - next!

Looks like it's time to find a different cleaner

Shit cleaning is one thing that can maybe be addressed but no way on the random helpers

I would find someone else just based on her bringing randoms into your home. They could be anybody!

id want someone doing regular cleaning job to be at least 2 out of 3..
be very reliable timing/comms wise
very trustworthy in house
Very good at cleaning

my current cleaner misses the odd bit but she’s very reliable/trustworthy so I live with it. Also think that you hardly ever get someone who cleans as you would or better.

No-this is not reasonable. 75 minutes isn’t long though-is that 75 minutes with 2 people ie 2.5h? I have a cleaner for 4h per week and there no way she can clean my windows on that time. Everything else you’ve said is unreasonable of your cleaner. Especially times and random people coming-i wouldn’t accept this .they won’t be insured and could be any random person.

sack her

I have said YABU because you ate not managing them properly. Give them rules and a work list, if they don't stick to it try the next company.

Sounds lazy and not very good at cleaning. Points 2-10 - YADNBU
Not sure about point 1 as I've not had a cleaner and unsure how it works.

Yep I would be looking for a new cleaner @cleanormean

None of this is acceptable- bin her

Ours come at the same time every week and if they were going to do something different they'd give us one week notice. It's always one of two people. One regular one and one that stands in for holidays. The regular one is better at it. We're not in whilst they clean so the warning isn't even necessary.

They're from a local, well recommended, company and they clean loads of flats in the area.

You need new Clener, about your toilet I had same problem with hard water, I use all expensive cleaning products never helped. Then I start using this everyday when toilets have been used all problem gone now I'm still using it.

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having thought about it - does she have a key? have these people she's sent had access to your key? I would sack her as I said, I would also change the locks

I could let a couple of these issues slide but overall I don't think this is a good enough package.

If the bigger issue is the quality of clean I think you could probably address this with a chat. But I don't think her unorthodox style is likely to change so if those issues are bothering you, I think you need a new cleaner.

Thank you all, I'm glad I'm not just being pedantic and having unrealistic expectations. We will be discontinuing our services with her but I am seriously considering asking for either a partial refund or for her to come and complete the things she's missed (I have since found more - inside of the bath still has limescale, mirrors in the bedroom are either dusty/have fingerprints on). Would some sort of rectification or compensation be unreasonable to ask for?

More hassle than it's worth

That sounds like too much hassle. Cut your losses and get someone else.

My current cleaner is fab, we love her BUT I have had some really bad ones.
Just get rid of this one, she isnt cleaning properly and I wouldnt want any random person coming to do it anyway.
Dont bother asking her to come back and do anything just look for someone else

If she has a key, change the locks!

She is massively taking the piss. I’d be furious at the random people being let into my house. I’m a private person and my cleaner will be someone I have interviewed, researched extensively and be dbs checked and insured. I’m employing HER, not her mates and family who feel like coming into my house to earn a few quid. No wonder they’re all doing a shit job. She’d be fired for that immediately. However, I’m not sure what sort of compensation you’re after. She’s not caused you any damage or monetary loss. If your employees shit then you sack them and find a new one. You don’t try and sue them out of annoyance, you’ll get nowhere

Pick your battles. Not worth it.

Legally if someone is self employed they can get someone else to do the job. This is the difference between an employee and someone you contract to do some work for you.
I realise in practice it often does not work like that, but legally she is within her rights to do what she is doing.