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

I'm staggered this is even a question! Is this a reverse? Noone is that clueless surely?

You should pay her the whole amount. She was counting on the money and had set the time aside, and it's not her fault she couldn't use the time to clean your house.

It’s not that she had the time to herself and not clean that’s the thing to consideration, it’s that she’s not been able to earn anything else in that time.

You pay her the full amount. She turned up to do the job, it was not her fault that the key wasn’t where it should have been. By your booking, she was prevented from doing other work/earning money elsewhere - so you must pay her.

Can't believe you even had to ask especially as you really rate your cleaner and don't want to lose her

PAY HER FULL WAGES DUE

Surely this is a reverse? You pay her the full amount.

Exactly.

Of course you need to pay her…

Definitely the full amount, it was your fault she couldn’t get in, not hers. She shouldn’t miss out on her wages.

I wouldn't be happy if I was an employee and I would be in the right. However, if I was on a zero hours contract I would be resigned to it. Also I would have some free time to look for more work.

Not her fault she couldn't physically clean.

Some people take the fucking biscuit 😡

She's not on a zero hours contract.

Pay her in full and take it out of any money you were going to give your friend for cat sitting.

And how is she supposed to clean someone's house and earn money at that moment in time?

So she's lost wages through no fault of her own and you think half is 'generous'?

Glad I don't work for you

But she didn't. Is OP employing her on a long term contract or paying for services rendered ?

Full amount surely, why are you even asking?

I would assume that OP doesn't have an employment contract with cleaner.

I think in those circumstances it should be the full amount. If I cancel a chiropractor appointment on the day, I have to pay the full £50. It's the same principle.

It's irrelevant. She couldn't render the service.

Of course you pay her the full amount! Frankly you sound awful for even asking this question.

That doesn't mean she can't do the decent thing.

You can't charge your friend!!

Your friend is doing you a favour looking after your cat while you were on holiday, she made a mistake and it's unfortunate, but you can't charge your friend 🙇🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️

@couchparsnip I don't blame you for thinking maybe you didn't need to pay her the full amount as the house wasn't actually cleaned, but it's not her fault she turned up to do the cleaning & couldn't get in. She couldn't really do anything else with the wasted time & she may be relying on the money for bills or food shopping (she might not be either we don't know) but short story is she turned up to work and was unable to work, for reasons well outside of her control so yes, you need to pay her in full!! Apart from that good cleaners are hard as hell to find, so I wouldn't risk piss pissing her off!! (are the cleaners from the same age agency aren't necessarily as good)

Course you don't have to pay the full amount, after all she's only a cleaner...🙄