Cleaner situation please advise

[Tospyornottospy]

Hello everyone - just wanted a bit of advice on the following. Sorry for long post just want to be thorough.

we’ve had a cleaner for 9 months. She does 2 full days (as per her request), 8am-4pm. So 2 x 8 hour days. She was recommended to us via a friend of hers and was previously also a nanny, so for her 8 hours the initial agreement was:

1. for 1-2 hours (broken up) to watch 2 year old whilst I’m running errands/cooking etc
2. take dog for 30 min walk
3. do a little bit of ironing (about 30 mins worth)

so there was 4-5 hours left to clean 2 x a week a 5 bed house (2 bedrooms aren’t used so need very little focus). House is always very tidy. After a few months it became clear she was extremely slow as the ironing that took me 30 mins max was taking 90 mins, so I asked her to drop the ironing and spend more time on the house.

the issue is it’s very unclear to me what she’s actually doing. Surfaces are covered in dust, windows are not clean, under furniture not hoovered etc, mould in parts of the bathroom, mirrors smudged. I’ve pointed these things out various times and they are solved the next time but then not done again.

I feel the hours she is doing are enough for the house to be clean clean but maybe i am
Expecting too much? We pay 18£ an hour plus her travel so it’s not nothing.

our previous cleaner kept the house much cleaner than this in less time and sadly she moved away.

also, DS went upstairs to get a top during the holidays and told me she was just sitting down up there. He’s 7 so could just be bollocks but im not sure how to handle. Sometimes there isn’t a lot of noise up there when im downstairs but i cant really go and stand over here and it’s awkward to keep bringing it up. On the other hand she’s very sweet and the children love her.

what do i do? Speak to her again? Let her go? Get a nanny cam to confirm if she’s actually working up there? Am I expecting too much?

You’re paying her almost £300 a week plus travel and the house isn’t clean enough? Why is this carrying on?! How did you find her, is she through an agency?

That’s an obscene amount of money to not be satisfied with the level of cleaning. I’d give her a week to up her game or she’s gone and you find someone else.

I think I would just let her go and try again. My cleaner does my similar size house in 3.5hrs - I think that’s fast, but I think 4-5hrs is more than enough. At the moment you’re paying a lot for nothing.

For that amount of time and money I'd be expecting the house to be spotless when she leaves! You're not being unreasonable.

More money than sense 🤣

Time for her to go.
16 hours a week and the house is dirty would be a deal breaker from me, especially at £18/hr + travel.

You'll get lots of people interested in yhe role if you advertise, or use an agency, which would probably cost similar.

I’ve been letting it carry on as it’s so hard to find someone decent and she’s at least doing the basics/helping with toddler which is giving me a break. But I am starting to get increasingly irritated when I look around my house and see cobwebs and dust etc.

i am not sure if she’s just very slow or actually taking the piss as she will do helpful things like organise the fridge/cupboard but then there’s clearly stuff not cleaned well or at all. Im
really really really shit at communicating this sort of thing it’s mortifying and I feel we have spoken to her a few times now.

Gosh. We had a woman do four hours a week in a single x bedroom house and she managed to keep it in shape and do my husband's ironing. She wasn't perfect, but if she had three times the amount of time I'd be expecting to be able to eat off the floors!
Did you give her a complete list of what you needed doing every week? Sometimes you really have to spell it out.
As for speed, I have had super efficient cleaners (trained in a hotel) and others that always seem to be moving but don't get as much done.
In an 8 hour day she is certainly allowed to sit down, have a break/eat lunch, but if the time your son saw her was her 'active time' then yes that's not good.
I think you should write up a comprehensive list of what you want doing. Go through it with her then give her another couple weeks.

I wasn’t sure if my expectations were too high!

Sorry should read 'six bedroom'

You are giving her too many hours. Also she’s not a good cleaner.

Get rid and get someone who can actually clean and set some boundaries around what you actually want done. Cleaning should be absolutely possible in 4 hours ( mine does the whole 5 bed house including changing beds, washing and ironing the bedding and other ironing in 4 hours).

Oh God get rid. You are soft and she knows it. Don’t be fooled by her sweet manner, she’s taking the piss.

You are paying her in the region of £1200 per month for 2 days work. She’s taking the fucking piss. I’d get rid of her with minimum necessary notice.

As a cleaner, it must be beneficial to have 2x8hr days for one client rather than travelling anbout between jobs / organising them etc. She’s taking the absolute piss. You have tried to address the standard of her cleaning but she still takes the piss.

she knows she’s taking the piss. I’d tell her you have financial issues and have to let her go. Seems like you not having a cleaner for a month will make fuck all difference to your house.

I think it's probably a bit of her being a bit slow and a bit of her taking the piss. And I don't think it will ever really change. Perhaps as a last chance you could give her an itemized list of specifically what needs doing. At some point you'll have to have a bit of a firm talk I'm a afraid.

She requested that number of hours as she travels in from quite far - that’s why we agreed she could fill the time with dog and helping with DC.

do I have a discussion with her in the meantime or is it a lost cause if it’s been 9 months of this? I do feel like catching her on camera if she is actually just sitting down upstairs as DS said because I think that would be such a huge pisstake! I think I’ll reach out to an agency instead

IMO it's really unethical to film someone without their knowledge so don't do that. You don't really need to anyway, you know that she's not doing everything you've asked her to do and is doable in the time she has.

Ok I think that’s fair - I know I’m unreasonable I guess it just matters to me if she’s having me on or just slow

It is a lost cause.
There is no way it takes that many hours to keep a normal house clean.

Get a cleaner for 4 hours a week and separate out the childcare.
Maybe get a student or a 6th former to be a 'mother's help' in the afternoon 3x a week. It sounds as if you are there, but just needing someone to play with your little one for a bit.

The fact you've pointed out bits she's missed and then she still doesn't do them means she's just crap. And the ironing shouldn't be taking 3x as long. Just politely let her go. No need to give a reason other than it's not working out.
Then start a fresh. Have a clear set of instructions for each room with a checklist if that helps, at least initially when they first start so they know what is expected.

It doesn’t actually matter either way, she’s not good enough for the job so just get rid of her and go through an agency then they can deal with the person if you have any issues.

Ok thanks everyone - this has been quite clear that it’s not too much cleaning for the time!

No, don’t waste anymore time. Just giver 2 weeks notice and be done with this albatross.

Agencies can also take the piss.
my friend caught her 2 agency cleaners clocking in and out using the alarm system for 1hr20mins and charging for a 3 hour 2 person visit.

you need a personal, local recommendation and to go on a waiting list.

cleaning is a job that requires trust and good skills and there are significant risks. My db went into hospital and told his cleaner to take £120 cash for her pay from a drawer. Well she cleaned out that drawer of cash (£450) and buggered off permanently.

i prefer to keep my house a bit skanky than to risk any of the stuff on this thread.

Just pay her the notice - don’t have her work it. You shouldn’t let someone dishonest back into your house.

Where do you live?
I would kill for those hours and that rate

If you intend to keep her on the best thing to take back control is to make lists. Itemise everything you expect her to do and tell her to tick everything off.

Personally I’d let her go, a cleaner is there to make things easier for you.