AIBU to pay cleaner half wages if they couldn't get in.

[couchparsnip]

We have a brilliant cleaner who we don't want to lose but I am not sure what the done thing is here and what she would consider fair.
She was due to clean last week while we were on holiday, so we have a key safe so she can get in.

Unfortunately my friend, who was feeding the cat, forgot to replace the key in the safe. So my cleaner arrived but was unable to get in. My friend was at work so couldn't come round with the key.
I need to compensate the cleaner for her wasted time but do I give her the full 3 hrs or 1.5 hours.
She probably spent 15 mins trying to get in and phoning me plus travel time of about 30 mins there and back.
She's employed by an agency and I pay her directly. The agency provides cover if she's sick etc.
Should I cover what she was expecting to earn or just compensate for the wasted time plus a bit extra?

You are being unreasonable - pay her the whole amount
You are not being unreasonable - pay her half

Has anyone found a thread on here from the 2% that say You are NOT been unreasonable?

Full amount. You can't even think of paying a penny less!

You should pay her full amount. She turned up to work, not her fault she couldn't access the property.

Shocking! You do realise the cleaner if she knew in advance could have booked other work, they have no option for that now. It's like people who don't bother cancelling appointments with hairdressers who are baffled why they are charged a cancellation fee or not offered another appointment. If you go to work tomorrow and there is an issue with access and you are sent home. Should they only pay you half pay or worse time wasted via travel etc. I am sure the cleaner would prefer to work and be paid in full than waste their time and not be compensated. Ridiculous to suggest they should just be happy they have a few hours free!

of course you must pay her in full. Things happens.She should not lose valuable money when it was not her fault she could not clean. I would have had a third spare key and given that to her anyway as the neighbour forgetting key was a fifty percent chance of happening. Bite the bullet and pay. And apologise for her wasting her time.

Full amount. Not her fault she couldn’t do her job.

But her whole time was wasted, because she had no way of booking in another job. So, your husband is not wrong in that you need to pay her for her wasted time - it's just that her wasted time = all of the hours she'd booked you in.

You need to pay her the full amount.

How could you possibly blame her and expect her to take half pay? Crazy.

It wasn’t her fault, therefore you should pay, it’s her livelihood.
If you hadn’t respected me by paying me fully and I was offered another place to clean would take it, as I wouldn’t have any loyalty towards you.

Imagine if everyone she worked for did this. They could just change their minds daily after she'd got there and she'd be turned away at the door. She'd be broke. So that's why she'd drop anyone who plays this sort of game. Then they'd be out of a good cleaner due to their own tightness and stupidity.

Is this a serious question because if so I can't imagine how you manage to get through the day if you don't instinctively know the right thing to do! 🙄

Your DH is a dick for thinking you should just pay her half. It shows a sexist attitude towards women's work. Bet he wouldn't think he could just give a plumber half pay if he was waiting outside and couldn't get in.