To not pay cleaner in full?

[Cheesybroccoli]

I hired a cleaner at the end of last year for a fortnightly clean via a cleaning company. The actual cleaner keeps changing due to staff leaving, so I seem to have a new cleaner every time which is frustrating but I appreciate this can’t be helped.

A new cleaner came yesterday and all seemed well until I went up to the bathroom, the glass shower screen hadn’t been touched and was still covered in water marks and the tiles hadn’t been wiped down, with a blob of shower gel foam still on it. Everything else in the bathroom was clean, including the shower taps, so it was odd that it was missed.

I spoke to the woman who owns the company and brought it to her attention who said she would speak to the cleaner. However, she’s still invoiced me for the full amount. DH thinks I shouldn’t pay in full since the job wasn’t completed properly, but I feel awkward asking for a discount. What would you do in this situation?

Sounds like they timed out.

If everything else was done to a reasonable standard I'd just ask for consistency of who they send as it always takes longer in an unfamiliar house.

@Mulledjuice this was my thoughts originally, however I’ve since had a response to say the cleaner got distracted because the second cleaner couldn’t open the vacuum cleaner so she forgot where she was up to. Plus it’s only a small 2 bed semi

Sounds like small things. Surely you’d just just wipe up the shower gel up yourself after showering? Or are you not cleaning up after yourself at all?

@Asparename the shower gel was DH yesterday morning, which yes he should have washed down after but didn’t…wiping the tiles and the glass shower screen is pretty much the entirety of the shower though…so she basically didn’t clean the shower. Not sure i’d class that as a small thing?

If the shower had been cleaned would you be happy ?
yes … Yabu
no …. Get another cleaner

I would say "I understand the cleaner got distracted but the shower area wasn't cleaned and so can you come back to me with an adjusted invoice. Thanks"

Why are you not wiping the shower down after using it? Even my 6 year old knows to do that!

If it’s a one off oversight where usually they are very good then no, you shouldn’t be asking for a discount… very petty in my opinion, you’ve given the feedback and I’m sure they’ll take more care next time.

That seems something fairly minimal missed, I wouldn't expect to reduce payment.

How many rooms did she clean and how much did it cost ?

I wouldn't expect a discount as a one off (realistically, how much could it possibly be worth) but I'd be extremely fucked off if paid a cleaner and still had to clean the shower. So I'd respond saying you will pay in full but are disappointed and will bear the response in mind.

I don't always manage to fully clean the shower after each use but then I am slightly busier than a 6 year old. A bit of shower gel left on the day the cleaner is coming is no big deal.

Because she hires a cleaner to do that 🤷🏻‍♀️

It depends on the terms of your contract. If you pay them x amount for x hours then you can’t try to pay less because the shower wasn’t cleaned. If the arrangement is that you pay a fixed sum for the house to be cleaned top to bottom (which I would have thought is incredibly unlikely) then yes you could ask for part of the cost off to reflect the unfulfilled part of the contract. It doesn’t seem like much of a big deal to not have cleaned the shower on one occasion and I think it’s cheeky to try to get money off. If it really bothers you that much, just ask for a different cleaner next time.

You would find it easier and better value to get your own cleaner. She would take a couple of weeks to get used to house but would be fine after that. If the agency keep changing cleaners weekly, they will be slower and will miss stuff. Please don’t think that because you use an agency, all staff have been vetted and referenced. Very often they’re not.

Do you pay them for how much they clean or how many hours they spend cleaning?

Seriously? How much would you expect off for that minor infringement?

Completely unprofessional.

I'd pay up and then tell the owner that you won't be needing them again as they don't do the job properly and it's a different cleaner each time.

At that turnover I expect they aren't being vetted properly.

I agree with this. You can then have proper dialogue and build an understanding with the person who cleans your home. I'd hate having a different person each time.

I dont

You absolutely can't ask for a discount for such a minor thing, have a word with yourself and stop being ridiculous.

Agreed- it's much better. The odd week they can't come is nothing compared to having the same person every week, who you communicate with directly and get to know.

I wouldn't knock anything off for a couple of small jobs undone. She probably ran out of time.

I would pay in full but possible look for a new company that is a bit more consistent with their cleaners.

Were they there the full time expected?

There's always one. 😂

I am a believer in the idea that a mistake once is no big deal, repeated mistakes IS.

So, fine, she messed up. A bit irritating, definitely, and worth flagging. But. not te end of th eworld. I'd agree that not doing the shower door is on the edge of being more serious in the same vein as cleaners forgetting to vacuum/mop or leaving the sink dirty.

However, if this happens consistently, then you'd have the right to complain/withhold payment.