Should I have paid my cleaner when she was unwell?

[JMSA]

I have a cleaner who comes to my flat for 3 hours every fortnight. She's great and I value her. Always pay on time, always have the place tidy for her (as to leave it messy would be disrespectful), always give her a lovely Christmas present, am flexible with her, always realistic in my expectations, etc.
She let me know on the day of the clean that she wouldn't be able to come this week. She wasn't feeling well. Obviously I told her not to worry, to rest up and get well soon. I also messaged her the following day, to check on her (not with a view to the cleaning, purely out of concern!). She didn't reply. I didn't pay her for the missed clean and I'm wondering if she's annoyed at this.
It goes without saying that I would have her over another time, at her convenience and whenever she feels better. But I have to wait until my usual slot a fortnight later, as she doesn't do this. Naturally I have to clean the place myself in that case, as it can't wait another two weeks.
Should I have paid her, or is it part and parcel of being self-employed?

Thanks again everyone. I'm feeling a bit more reassured.

We're not sociable with each other and have never met up. There's really nothing messy about it.

I don't pay if my cleaner cancels, but if we cancel her for sickness etc, I'll pay her.

No I don't. She is very apologetic because it is usually a last minute cancellation, but there is no expectation on her part that she would be paid.

I wouldn't as she may decide to be ill more often. Giving her the chance to do it another time is fair enough

I think the previous poster was trying to explain that you only feel conflicted about payment because the cleaner is someone you 'know' to some degree. If you'd arranged for a plumber who you'd never met before to come and fix your shower but they cancelled as they were ill, you wouldn't even consider paying them. The previous poster wasn't suggesting you've made the situation messy.

@Chonk
Aah, yes, I see what you mean. Thanks for that.

And love your username. It's my nickname for my 23 year old

I’m on fence. Clearly no legal requirement to do so but I would pay my cleaner if unwell the odd week. Just seems like the right thing to do.

I pay my cleaner if she cancels, but she has only done so once in 18 months.

She's great, and I think it's a small price to pay to support her when ill.

I'm a cleaner and no I don't expect to be paid if I'm unwell or if my client is and has to cancel, we try and reschedule for the same week or do extra the next time. Don't worry about it

she is self employed so no. She hasn't replied because a, she may be feeling ill still or b she had other plans and used illness as an excuse and will feel guilty

either way ignore it and carry on as before.

Fair enough. I can see both sides. If I were one of the 'my cleaner has cancelled once in 5 years' brigade, then I would pay. But she has cancelled a few times in the couple of years she has worked for me - not ridiculously so, but definitely more than once or twice - so where do you draw the line, I guess.

No obligation to pay her, but good cleaners are hard to come by and personally I’d consider giving her a bit extra next time she visits to keep the goodwill

No of course not. One of the pitfalls of being self employed.

So if your hairdresser cancelled through illness would you still pay her?

Well, no, but I don't tend to see her every fortnight.

She's ill! That's why she didn't reply! Give her a few days and all will be fine.

No, because I am self employed, which it appears this cleaner is.

If you booked a man to mend your broken fence, and he cancelled as he was ill, would you still pay him? Then pay him again when he came and fixed it?

I am very generous to my cleaner. I pay over the odds, and for 2 weeks over Xmas when she doesn't clean. But even I don't pay when she is not well.

I don't know what the answer is but I'd hope she can come another time to do the clean and then you'll pay her but with regards to the text she may just not want to text with you when she's off sick. If she's you're cleaner presumably you're not also friends?

Have you paid her the other times.
If so, she may have expected you would do that this time.
I agree it's not good to set up that expectation

No but I asked mine to come another time that week. Usually she comes every 2 weeks. That way she didn’t miss out and our place was clean too.

How strange.

If people want cleaners, then they are going to.be self employed.
People need self employed people.

Yes I would and I have. I also paid when it was covid and she couldn’t come. Why? Because cleaners aren’t exactly rolling in it and it’s the right thing to do. No you don’t have to but if this is her job and she has been with you for a long time why don’t you value her enough to cover her when she is I’ll?

I’m sure I’ll be in the minority and that’s fine.