Abusive cleaner took pics of my home

[ChicExpert]

My lovely self employed cleaner went back to her own country. New cleaner started this week. House is tidy but dirty floor and surfaces, needs a good vacuum/mop/wiping up. We hire 4 hours a week for a deep clean of the downstairs(kitchen dining living room)/hallway and stairs. Standard 3 bed house in London with kitchen extension, takes me 2 hours to do but pay for 4 so the job gets done properly.

New cleaner came and in 4 hours couldn't clean what we asked which is just vacuum/mop and wipe down all surfaces. Had to ask her to clean individual window seals as she didn't and when she left I noticed the living room window seal wasnt cleaned. She broke my glass chopping board and didn't say anything and left chemicals in the oven which I told her not to clean. Last cleaner was able to wipe the skirting boards and didn't leave a spec of dirt in corners, this cleaner left many areas dirty.

I said nothing and thought I won't hire again. The company messaged me why I don't want to hire again and I said I wasn't happy with the clean nothing else.

I then get very abusive messages and pictures of my floor being dirty saying my house is disgusting. Didn't get to respond before I was blocked by the company.

AIBU? I feel completely violated and want to complain some how. She took photos of my home without permission.

Don't even know what to do now and feel uncomfortable using another cleaner. Husband says I'm over reacting :( am I?

FYI I've added a photo of my home before the cleaner came. Floors are clearly dirty but the kitchen is tidy/needs wipe down.

Yes but if it is in that state it takes a lot longer to do any given part, the op wants the bloody window seals cleaned. I’ve never asked a cleaner to do that. And I’ve never left my home in that condition. If she wants that deep clean she’s needing a fuck ton more than 4 hours.

No but I don't imagine the cleaner expected it to be dirtier than the outside pavements.

I don't think the floor is the issue...it would have to be swept or hoovered regardless. The problem is that deep cleans take a very long time....far longer than most people expect. I assume you expected a lot because you mention window seals.

Also, the first clean at a new house takes far longer anyway because it's dirtier and there's no routine in place.

How can you live like that? That’s seriously grim. What are you doing that a floor even gets like that?? When I wipe my surfaces if there are crumbs I wipe them into the cloth … not onto the floor. I have a cleaner 5 hrs a week for a 3 floor / 4 bed townhouse. She needs that time to clean a normal amount of dust etc. Not that.
id be embarrassed and spend my time speaking to the multi generational people in my home about how not to treat the floor like a bin. I couldn’t walk across a floor like that. Get a Dyson handheld fgs.

Maybe time for the family to step up, stop being a mug. Are they able bodied. How old are they all.

this is one of the photos she sent

i reckon the others just be even worse!!

most of us do a tidy up BEFORE the cleaner comes so objective filth isn’t lying around. How can you live like that?

FYI I did give a list of instructions as I wasn't home when she came. The floors were still dirty (not as dirty as the photo) when she had finished. But for 4 hour work it wasn't as clean as it usually is with my other cleaner

I think some of you are being unfair on the OP. Six people could easily leave that amount of debris on a kitchen floor rushing making breakfast. Four hours is a reasonable enough time for a professional to do a fairly thorough clean.

I’d feel mortified OP

6 toddlers

No, I don't think 4 hours was enough, if even the floors are like that, I'm thinking - what's the bathroom like?
Maybe the last cleaner was exceptional.
Who knows.
Just hire someone else.

and wanted to make sure it was tidy before she came as I wasn't home

This is your “tidy”?

Your other cleaner must have been super woman. No wonder she said she was off to Yemen ,,,

clean up after yourselves, if someone drops something on the floor they clean it up, not just leave it for the cleaner. If your home is in that condition and you even want thr window seals cleaned you need at least 8 hours.

I'm thinking - what's the bathroom like?

Don’t even go there

☹️

That's why a cleaner is there! To clean! A vacuum will sort that out and shouldn't be any more work than a light amount of crumbs. Taking photos of the ops house is a big violation and op you have every right to feel aggrieved.

That floor is awful
Window seals aren't within a standard clean to me and if my floor was in that state it seems odd to fuss about window seals
I suspect the poor cleaner walked into an absolutely filthy house

I think the role of the cleaner has changed. Back when I found one for my late parents, she came via recommendation not an agency.
She did a set amount of hours and within that time would do anything required within reason.
When my mum died and it was just my dad I really needed her help. She ironed, helped him put up Christmas decorations I even remember her helping in the garden. She did ironing and she was just brilliant.
Now agency cleaning is a different ballgame. I am really lucky I have two lovely ladies who come and do an hour, so it’s two in total. However, they don’t do things like windows, skirting boards. Anything above basics is not included.
One thing they do say is that they don’t judge family homes - they clean student residences and the horror stories there are immense.
So please don’t judge OP for her floor not everyone is Mrs Hinch.
I would be really upset OP but it’s trial and error, I think.
I was so, sad when my dad’s cleaner retired after he passed away. I really trusted her in the family home. The last few months he was in bed, we didn’t really need her, but I asked her to come and of course paid her. I can remember popping in and they were sitting playing cards and my dad was roaring his head off laughing. So can I just say to all the cleaners on MN (because I see some post) the best ones become family members, and just use initiative and get to know what you need help with.

this photo was presumably the best of the photos the cleaner sent

@SaulHudsonDavidJones would i be correct in thinking you do not have a regular cleaner?

Adults lol and a kid, if everyone cleaned I wouldn't need a cleaner.

Buy one of those vacuum and mop all in one robots.

Honestly, that is minging.

cleaned?

You just need them to not treat the house like a dump for a start