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?

Yes. It is really hard to find someone though - I’ve put some feelers out today but it’s not easy as I need someone I can feel comfortable around as it’s a lot of hours a week and we have small children etc. I just want to find what I used to have!

Does anyone have any ideas where to advertise as well please?

My cleaner is the same. House is perfect every time - she works her ass off from the moment she arrives and I've even seen her vacuuming around the ceilings. Imo cleaners should leave the house spotless otherwise what's the point of having them! Good luck OP - hope you sort it and find a decent replacement.

Ps I found my cleaner on Facebook - if you have a local group then put a post there (or do a search as someone will probably have asked the same thing already)

Cleaner here, I can do I full 3 bed, 3 bathroom house in 2 hours.
Shes taking the piss OP.

I think that with the amount of couples both working full-time and requiring help, there just aren’t enough good, reliable cleaners out there to fulfil the demand. All of ours (3) have been mediocre for various reasons, and a I’ve resigned myself to the fact that having someone help, albeit not to my standard, is better than me trying to work full-time and do 100% of the house myself.

you don't advertise - otherwise you risk another random piss taker (or worse)

you need to go on a waiting list for a fully booked cleaner with recommendations from people personally known to you and wait for a slot

Try to get recommendations from friends (with clean houses). The hours and rate you are offering are likely to get you rushed to the top of a waiting list. You could separate out the dog walking and childcare if you want.

£18 ph for housekeeper with childcare and pet sitting responsibilities is pretty low.

I would get separate dog walker, childcare and cleaner to get a decent house keeper.

Again - this is what she asked for. I initially just wanted a cleaner for 5 hours 2 days a week. She wanted 8 hours so we discussed the idea of her doing a bit of playing with my toddler (as she was a nanny at some point previously) and walking the dog. She wanted 18£ an hour plus travel. All the agencies I’ve spoken to said this is the going rate tbh for the area I live in.

Hi I do housekeeping at the moment and do 4hrs a day across 4 days I get a lot done in that time including washing/ironing, if your in London message me I have hours available

I had the most brilliant cleaner a couple of years ago. 10 hours per week at £17 ph and the house gleamed plus all ironing done perfectly. However I do feel that she had a real talent/skill/flair in this area which I think is something that is overlooked. Not everyone is good at this - me included!!

If you go for separate people, I have always found excellent child care people by contacting the local Montessori nurseries and seeing if anyone wants extra hours or a second job.

Have messaged

Just a few examples of my downstairs today. She had 7 hours - I didn’t leave DS with her and if you minus 1 hour from her 8 for 30 mins dog walking and 30 mins lunch/breaks that’s 7 hours.

she had done the ironing which I’ve specifically asked her not to do. I don’t need ironing I need a clean house it’s disgusting.

I don’t really need child care it was just vaguely helpful as she wanted to do it to add on hours and had experience. What I really need is a proper cleaner!

That's atrocious. Did you give her her 2 weeks' notice?

Why are you putting up with this?

I don’t think we need to give her notice I’ve just sent her the photos and said this isn’t what I expect from a professional cleaner

Ah great! So she’s not coming back?

She hasn’t replied but the issue is she has my key

Ah. That's a shame.
I don't think you need to have given her notice, but I would have told her when she was there, so you could get the key.

My cleaner cut her own hours down from 2 hours a week to an hour and a half a week, (doesn't do all our bedrooms), but leaves the place wonderfully clean.
The hours she is there, she has really been conning you.

Why don't you ask your colleagues, dh's colleagues, (best of all) your neighbours, and then all your friends if anyone knows anyone ? That's the BEST way to find a cleaner.

I’m really asking everyone I can!

I should and could have told her in person but I’m dreadful with confrontation and the children were there too

Well done op

That is terrible. Don’t give her another chance she has had an amazing opportunity here and has thrown it in your face.

You could look for a mother’s help, they would probably be happy to take on what you need.

Oh and if she wants a reference she will return the key

I always thought a mother’s help was a lot more relaxed re cleaning eg they just do general tidying.

She’s come back saying she overlooked the examples in the photos because she was tidying the children’s toys (for 7 hours?!) and she wants to come and fix it this week.