Am I being a total cow?

[Rugrats2020]

Our cleaner just messaged cancelling our clean today because it’s going to be 26 here (which is a hell of a lot better than the 30 it’s been the last few days)

She then said that going forward, she won’t be working at all if the temp is over 25.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I completely get its physical work and there is no way I’d have expected her to work the last couple of days, but my worry is it genuinely hasn’t been below 25 degrees here for weeks and this could go on all summer.

I replied re today saying okay but if she’d rather work (and not lose out on the money) I’m more than happy for her to do half of what she normally does, or just whatever she can do if she wants to sit down for regular breaks etc. I always make her drinks if I’m here or tell her to help herself to drinks etc when we’re not. It’s a 2 hour slot. She messaged back saying thanks but she won’t be working at all if it’s over 25 degrees.

I had quite a major operation 2 weeks ago (which she knows about) and could really have done with her not cancelling today (as I said, if it was really hot like the last few days I wouldn’t have expected her to come)

I’m now wondering whether to look for another cleaner, but then does that make me a total cow? I get on pretty well with my cleaner and apart from cancelling a lot, she does a good job when she is here and I’d feel really guilty letting her go but I cannot see these summers of ours getting any better in terms of these ‘heatwaves’ where we live, it’s been like this for the last 4 summers now. I
doibt I’ll see her much more this summer if she’s going to stick to her 25 degree rule?

She can choose this if she wants, but if she cancels a lot anyway, then you can choose a different cleaner.
It's a business relationship.

No you're not being a cow..this is a professional relationship. You are paying for a service which she doesn't want to provide over a particular temperature. I think you were really reasonable to offer her reduced hours, plenty of drinks etc..

Ultimately she's self employed and can set her own terms. That doesn't mean you have to accept them though. I'd look elsewhere.

I'm a cleaner and haven't had a day off during the heatwaves. It's been hard but I think cancelling every time it's over 25 is pretty ridiculous

A temp of 25 outside, depending on the house/rooms can easily be over 30 inside.

Invest in A/C if you believe where you live will carry on experiencing these sort of temps.

I can sympathise with her - just hoovering the stairs at the moment is a sweaty task! She is probably feeling ill with the heat if she is refusing to work above 25c.

You would be pretty heartless if you ditched her just for this reason.

Neither of you are being unreasonable. She doesn’t have to work in certain conditions if she doesn’t want to and you don’t have to keep her on as a cleaner if you don’t want to.

I work outdoors in this heat and it is properly grim. I have a cut off in place for the animals but I do also need to think about my own welfare too.

No I totally appreciate that. We really don’t like these temps though so all our curtains and blinds are kept shut and fans are on, we have one of those portable aircon units set up in 2 of the rooms (only one of which she cleans though) the house temperature generally isn’t that bad/ unbearable.

In fairness, other posters are correct, she’s self employed, she’s her own boss and it’s totally her prerogative if she doesn’t wish to work when it’s above 25 degrees, I’m just worried that these hot summers are here to stay and not sure I want to be without a cleaner for the summer each year!

The thing you also have to remember is your home is just one of many - it’s the constant physical work in hot weather that’s exhausting.

It’s a professional relationship, if you are not happy with her availability, then perfectly reasonable to want to find another cleaner

I wouldn’t want to clean a house above 25 degrees but I’d also find another cleaner who is prepared to do so. Her choice not to want to work in certain temperatures, your choice to find someone else who does.

I’d message her and give her the chance to change her mind then I’d give her notice if she still didn’t want to do it. These are the usual summer temperatures now so you’re facing lots of gaps in cleaning if you just suck this up.

This is a business arrangement, it’s got to work for both parties.

I was thinking about this the other day because coming back from an early dog walk , to get out in the cool , I saw a couple of cleaners leaving a nearby house at 7.30.
Seemed really sensible, but it would depend how flexible you both were.

No, you aren't a cow
I'd look for a new cleaner.

I was going to suggest the same. Depends if she's full time or just has a few clients as to whether that would work, but early mornings shouldn't be a horrendous temperature.

You're not being a cow OP. But cleaning houses is probably the work I'd least like to be doing in the heat.

Sheesht, she should try working in a school. The temperature is unreal!

Unfortunately I’ve just had to let my cleaner go. Nothing to do with the heat, but she was cancelling me on average every second week, and more often than not on the actual day!
So in my experience, it doesn’t get any better with flaky cleaners and you’d be better getting a new one irrespective of the weather.
YANBU.

She doesn’t feel guilty about letting you down despite knowing that you’re recovering from a major operation so you have no need to feel guilty about ditching her. She is a business owner providing a service, not a charity.

No not a cow.
You've gone above and beyond in what you've offered in order to make things easier for her, I'm sure that a lot of people wouldn't care.
You want a service that she can't provide.
You have to look elsewhere.

Sometimes neither person is being unreasonable.

It's a bit like when two people divorce because one wants sex and the other is no longer interested.

The person is absolutely not being unreasonable by not wanting sex anymore but the other person is also not being unreasonable by saying I'm out because of it.

Not every situation has to have a good and bad guy.

Find another cleaner.

@Rugrats2020 25 degrees is a pretty standard summer temperature. I’d understand and be sympathetic if she’d said 30.

She has every right to set her own T&Cs but if they don’t work for you also, you have every right to choose a different cleaner.

After all you need a job doing.

She can't be needing the money that badly if she doesn't want to work in the summer. It's absolutely her right, and the beauty of being self-employed and pick your own terms.

You would be absolutely fine to employ someone else of course! Why wouldn't you.

Find another cleaner. Youve said she isnt reliable even when its cooler

Don't be as soft as a cap, OP.

Text her today and tell her that her services are no longer required. How horrible-she knows you have had an operation-give her a well deserved kick up the arse.

How will it harm you? Even if you can't get another cleaner immediately, you're no worse off because you wouldn't have one anyway.

If a few of her clients do this-and they should-she will have plenty of time to re-consider and if she does come back and you want her, set some new terms like a price reduction.

A good job everyone doesn't take her attitude.
She is entitled to take her attitude but actions have consequences and you hold the cards.

If you don't think it is too hot to clean then maybe once you have recovered you will find it easy enough to do your own cleaning.

You need someone now, she is not available. Hire someone else. You can go to her again if you’re not happy.
Just hire one as a one off to start with.

Cleanerr here...wouldn't occur to me to cancel because of the heat!

She can choose when she wants to work, you can choose to use a service provider that is more reliable.

I don’t think finding someone else would make you a cow at all

I would get a new cleaner. She sounds lazy, unreliable and ridiculous. 25 really isn’t that hot -before anyone asks l do have a physical job, wear a uniform that makes me hot and work in all weathers