Cleaner drank the juice, ate the salmon and charged her phone

[Shadow743]

I have a cleaner who has been coming for 2hrs a week for approx a year. She is unreliable, often texting the day before with a wide selection of reasons as to why she can't make it, and she doesn't always do a great job. I've been thinking about getting rid of her for a while but I have a lot of guilt around having a cleaner in the first place, as it feels like such a luxury and I feel like a bit of a snob for having one. I've come home whilst she's been there before and seen her charging her devices, noticed that the cordial seems to have been drunk and a couple of weeks ago, I'm sure (but can't be 100% certain) that she finished of the smoked salmon from the fridge. Today, my kids marked a line on the juice bottles as a little experiment and lo and behold, I've come home to find not only has she drunk the cordial, she's finished it AND put the empty bottle on the top of the bin.
Am I being unreasonable to be furious and feel like she's taking the mick now or am I overreacting to some minor issues which I should overlook because a little bit of juice and a little bit of electricity here and there won't kill me???

You should let your cleaner go if her work is not good, and she is unreliable. Give her a week's wages and a card in which you very mildly note that her work is not up to standard as it may help her to up her game in future. Regarding the phone-charging, and helping herself to a drink and the smoked salmon - you are over-reacting. I've always told my cleaners to make coffee/tea and/or help themselves to cold drinks and cookies, turn on the air conditioning, etc. and would assume that they'd charge their phones. I've never had a problem with their eating anything from the fridge, but would politely ask them not to do that. I felt very uncomfortable indeed reading that your kids had marked the bottle. You are setting a very bad example for them. My parents always had a cleaner and we were taught to respect them as much as everyone else - why wouldn't we?

Having a cleaner doesn't make you a snob; it is a luxury, but I always had one when I had a very demanding job and had no guilt about it. If you pay someone well and treat them well there is no reason to feel guilty. It is a job. I'd say respectfully that your problem is that you think that a cleaner is your inferior, and, frankly, that is snobbish.

You should get rid of her for being shit at her job but not for charging her phone and the juice, that’s just mean.

Thing is that OP is not 100% that cleaner ate the salmon..i think she's looking for excuses to sack her because OP hasnt the courage to do it so she's looking for a case load to sack her with. If she does bad job sack her crikey..not the cowardly but this this this...maybe.

You are absolutely entitled to feel aggrieved.
She is an employee, in a position of trust, in your home. Not a guest.
By all means, of course, make it clear what refreshments she is welcome to. Leave a small snack if you feel you want to. But helping herself?
No way!
She is only working 2 hours? Hardly needs much during that amount of time!

Are you that hard up that you can't afford juice, but you can afford a cleaner. Get a grip.

I cleaned homes for years! Ive been accused of stealing wine, a bible, cassette tapes, meat from a fridge and breaking stuff. The trouble is the cleaner is the go to person to blame if anything gets broken or goes missing. Very annoying! I would happily charge my phone. Not take food or drinks. No without permission.

She probably left the empty bottle out so you’d know you’d run out of it.

There are some employment rules, even if you just have someone a few hours. How much does it cost to make the people who work for you comfortable, feel that they are wanted, and doing a good job?

Most people don’t get free food and drink at work.

You got your kids to spy on the cleaner?

Obviously if she is unreliable you ought to get rid of her.

There’s nothing wrong with her drinking squash or charging her phone - it’s normal for a workplace. If you don’t want her using a specific item then tell her.

I have no idea why having a cleaner would make you a snob.

You seem.. a bit odd.

True, but they should get breaks, and how much does it cost to give refreshments? I am disabled, and have carers and cleaners and I would deny them nothing. I only buy individual packs of drinks and food for them. In the past decade I have had just 4 different care people.

Most people do get free tea and coffee, and squash isn’t unusual either.

I don’t think the OP has a clue if this woman ate the salmon or not, but perhaps she can get her kid to booby trap it for next time.

It’s not even juice, it’s bloody squash..

YABVU to involve your children.

Having a cleaner does not make you a snob.
Encouraging your children to monitor said cleaner’s juice intake does.

You were talking about employment rules. OP has a self-employed contractor in her house for two hours at a time. Rules do not entitled them to breaks, free food and drink, or a charging spot for their phone.

Yes, these are nice things to provide, but they aren’t requirements and they shouldn’t be taken without permission. OP is contracting her cleaner on terms the cleaner is at liberty to set, if the cleaner doesn’t think the terms and conditions are generous enough she should be asking for what she feels is needed or appropriate or finding other customers, not simply taking.

The phrase “I would deny them nothing” is a little worrying. They are doing a job, they should do it well and providing things like drinks can certainly help people feel more loyal, but I hope they don’t abuse your generosity.

I wouldn’t have a problem with her charging her phone. Having a drink would be fine if I’d offered refreshments or told her to help herself (which I probably would). Bit cheeky to just take without being offered though! Food is a different matter, I’d be annoyed if she was taking food from the fridge.

The cleaner is not an employee.

She is a self-employed provider of a service, just as a plumber or painter or electrician or hedge trimmer would be.

Would you let your plumber help himself from the fridge?

You sound fun

Every place I’ve ever worked has had free tea and coffee and no problem with charging a phone?

She’s obviously a wrong ‘un. I think you should call the police.

Charging a phone has not been a problem anywhere for me but tea and coffee has been very varied.

That’s poor.

Every job I’ve ever done from admin when I was in my early to 20s to my senior role now has provided free tea, coffee and come to think of it, squash!

I've worked in schools for 25 years.

I have never had free tea and coffee.

Get the chip off your shoulder. If you need a cleaner you need a cleaner. Get rid of the one you have. Engage the services of an agency, or come up with a clear contract for one you find privately. Encourage your kids to be respectful of whoever you take on. The idea of involving them in monitoring actions etc doesn’t sit right.