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.

You can ask the company for a copy of the photos under data protection. It is your property.

1 dog, 4 chihuahuas, and 2 cats here.

I spent an hour hoovering my stairs yesterday and they look the same as your kitchen this morning with cat food, ripped up puppy toys, and random treats scattered around.

Or, you could have provided a more honest solution that she gets a robovac - like one of the two models you have perhaps?

I think the cleaner took the photo to show her boss the state of the house to evidence the fact that it wasn't possible to clean to a high standard within the time allowed - so to protect herself and her job. For that reason, I think it was ok. I feel for you though, living with people who won't clean up after themselves and being heavily pregnant. Something has got to change x

@AngelicKaty

The only people I've called thick, stupid and idiotic are the ones who seem incapable of using the "OP Posts: See all" functionality on MN so write erroneous, irrelevant comments about things that were answered by OP ages ago. There's been another slew of them overnight, so yes, I'm frustrated by their worthless posts
Did nobody teach you that the response to frustration isn't abusive name calling?

What happened to you?

Just chill.

@ChicExpert
mumsnet at its finest.
yes it’s dirty that’s why it’s being cleaned 🤷🏻‍♀️
our has looked like that (ish) after parties the cleaner never commented. I think they are massively unprofessional

separately in terms of helpful advice i REALLY recommend a robot vac like an eufy or similar.
we run ours at night it scoots about while I sleep 💕💕💕 and keeps on top on crumbs and little bits. I LOVE it and it has more than paid for itself
also ANYONE can push a button! Even ME men 😅😅😅

we just upgraded to a mop / vac eufy X10 which is 😍 but if you want to try it out you can get a basic one for £1-200 which is affordable if you can afford a cleaner iyswim!!!

It was four hours for downstairs only and without bathrooms. Also the OP meant window sills, not seals (that typo confused a lot of people).

"Ask" for a "copy"? Er, no. She should write to the agency informing them that the cleaner did not have her consent to take the photos in the first place and demand that all copies (digital and hard copy) are deleted from all their devices and servers as they have no lawful basis for retaining them. And that if they don't confirm they've done this within one month of her request, she'll report them to the ICO for breach of the UK GDPR.

The cleaner sounds like a complete bitch if she spent her time collecting dirt from around the room/house to put into a corner then photograph to shame you!

Most of the effort is in the tidying so I wouldn’t even bother with a cleaner who won’t do that and wants to be paid to do the easy finishing off part and just squirt a bit of cleaning fluid around and do a little wiping and mopping.

I have time to sweep my floors and hoover my stairs every day. Do you know what I don't have? The inclination to do so.

I'll pick up the larger bits while wandering around the house, otherwise, the floors will stay as they are until I can find the energy/inclination to clean them, which is usually on a saturday afternoon unless something truly vile happens between then and now.

OP's floor was not truly vile. It was fairly standard for a large family with pets living in a relatively small house. Going on my own busy house I'd guess that was around 2-3 days worth of mess on the floor, no longer.

@ChicExpert on the rare occassions I do want to keep my floors spotless (which is the road to Hell if you have pets, ime) I don't sweep the entire floor daily, just the messy bits.

Also correct! Haha

I'm perfectly chilled, thanks. You're the one (of that group) who seem determined to post irrelevant comments for the sake of it. 🙄

huh

why is limiting time on mumsnet not an honest solution to the question “how do people find the time to sweep their floor?”

@AngelicKaty you are getting deleted for calling people names. You can’t do that here. You’re laying into posters for what you feel is an attack of the OP, and carrying out the exact same behaviour yourself.

I didn't say that wasn't a solution, but the more honest answer from you to the question "how do people find the time to sweep their floor?” would have been "Oh I don't, I have a robovac that does it for me." Just saying.😊

Which one do you have? Im looking for non expensive one which still works well

I can't afford a robovac. I sometimes descend into madness and start dreaming about spotless floors and robovacs and start driving myself mad sweeping pet hair and random pet associated crap from the floors every 3 seconds but then I come to my senses.

Plus, I'm fairly certain the dog, at least 2 of the chihuahuas, and one of the cats would deem a robovac to be a threat to their lives and would kill it dead. Its corpse would then add to the random pet associated crap scattered around the floors.

If everyone cleaned up after themselves then cleaning companies and cleaners would be out of business

The job description is in the name

I had a cleaner tell me they wouldn’t come back because there was a hair on the bathroom floor.

Please note this was one hair. FFS

I have had cleaners in the past and wouldn’t ever again

They want everything spotless and to be paid.
They don’t seem to realise that if everything is spotless then no one needs their services

@AngelicKaty

Shhhh 🤫breathe

Bingo

This was a horrible experience for you OP, try to put it out of your head. I don't know why people find it so difficult to understand that is the sort she swept together from the entire room.

I've had serious challenges finding cleaners but seem to have struck gold recently.

My view is this now; I'm looking for someone to help me and take the stress away somewhat. That is the main goal. That woman was very nasty and I'd warn everyone you know not to use her.

I've had one comment deleted by MN. "I'm" not being deleted - try not to exaggerate.
I've also received lots of "thanks" because the majority of posters agree with OP that the behaviour of the cleaner and their agency is reprehensible (which was the question she actually asked) and a good chunk of them don't want to read irrelevant comments because some people can't be bothered to read all of OP's posts before commenting.

Yawwwwwwnnn ..... 😴

🤣😂🤣

I think you have been given a ludicrously hard time on this thread OP.

The floor is not bad, in fact especially if that was swept up from various areas it’s not bad at all. What are cleaners actually for if not to help people with this? Four hours is a very reasonable allowance of time.

OP has the right not to rebook. She didn’t complain, all you did was tell the truth when asked, and then get a completely unprofessional response. All they needed to do was say, ok thank you for the feedback. The way they have behaved is unacceptable, I’m not sure I would take it further because it’s hassle you don’t need although I do feel bad for other customers who are having their houses photographed and might be being hassled and argued with just for paying in full but not re booking. Nasty tactics, this company will not build trust and good word of mouth. Discretion and trust are key for this type of company.

You are not being unreasonable to feel a bit upset by this. I would just try to put it behind you and hope you get a decent person next time you look.