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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be a bit annoyed that my cleaner made herself a cuppa?

544 replies

kwaker5 · 19/08/2009 20:01

Have had a cleaner for about 8 weeks. On first visit I offered her a cuppa as I was having one but she declined and said she always brought her own drinks with her [pointed to cool bag].

I usually let her in and clear off with the DCs while she's there but last week I came back a bit earlier than normal and noticed she'd made herself a brew.

I'm not really pissed off but it's niggling at me. Isn't there and unwritten rule that they shouldn't go in your cupboards/drawers?

OP posts:
kittywise · 20/08/2009 17:35

with great success

Thunderduck · 20/08/2009 17:36

Stop it. You're embarrassing me with your flattery.

serendippity · 20/08/2009 17:38

Kitty, as I have said before: Who the hell do you think you are to decree when it is a reasonable time to drink a cup of tea??
I thought you were mad before, but now you saying it is "lazy behaviour" I am angry as well.
I have a cup of tea every hour (as I have also said before but you may have not have seen) whilst I am cleaning my house, I enjoy it and it makes me feel motivated. I'm sure even people that are empolyed to clean can feel like that as well.

kittywise · 20/08/2009 17:38

credit where it's due thunderduck, credit where it's due

Thunderduck · 20/08/2009 17:39

Are you always this charming?

kittywise · 20/08/2009 17:41

well serendipity, you can do what you like in your own house. You are not being paid to drink cups of tea are you?

TheFallenMadonna · 20/08/2009 17:42

Well, actually, my employer tells me when it is reasonable for me to have a cup of tea. And yes, I have to go sometimes for 4 and a half hours without refreshment !

I wouldn't think it was necessary to impose the same restrictions on my cleaner though...

loobylu3 · 20/08/2009 17:42

Kitty, I'm sure your ex-cleaner is v hardworking and perhaps she prefers water to tea!
I find the remarks about British laziness and tea making v funny. My DH is from a country with a v strong work ethic, no benefit system, where a large % of the population employ domestic servants (who are paid a tiny salary). However, he is the first to offer our cleaner or any tradespeople a drink. He is just considerate and well mannered!

kittywise · 20/08/2009 17:42

depends

serendippity · 20/08/2009 17:44

Cleaning is a job you are being for, yes I agree.
5 minutes to boil a kettle- could be getting on with something else while it's boiling
15 mins for tea to cool- still running around doing your bidding in the meantime.
About ooh half a second per sip...? inbetween doing the job she is being paid to do?
Perhaps you should deduct the loss of cleaning from her wages eh?

kittywise · 20/08/2009 17:47

I haven't imposed any restrictions on anyone though!

I am fortunate enough not to have employed the kind of people, apart from one, who make themselves cups of tea when they are only working for three hours.

My ex cleaner gave her perspective of the lazy British attitude to work as someone who is not British and has lived in the country about 6 years.

She thinks the British work ethic is very poor generally

Thunderduck · 20/08/2009 17:49

I hope she was cleaning while she answered your question.

TheFallenMadonna · 20/08/2009 17:52

I didn't say you had though kitty. Please take the time to read my post properly

Wouyld you seriously begrudge the time spent drinking a cuppa? Not really. Would you offer to make one if you were there at the same time as your cleaner? If you were making one for yourself?

serendippity · 20/08/2009 17:52

did you ignore my point entirly on purpose kitty?

NonGratisAnusDailyMail · 20/08/2009 17:52

TD, I have had the pleasure of happening upon Kittywise on MN before. Tis true, she is always this charming

kittywise · 20/08/2009 17:53

no I wouldn't!

iceagethree · 20/08/2009 17:54

would these people he's offering a drink to be the same people he is employing on a tiny salary, lubylu?

i do exactly the same thing and I still think kitty is right

i offer builders tea, i make a tray and serve it two or three times a day and i buy nice biscuits especially for them

i would let a cleaner in my house for a two to three hours have a cup of tea "on the go"

i offer repair men and women tea, i offer a drink to just about anyone who comes to the house

AND I STILL THINK KITTY IS RIGHT

TheFallenMadonna · 20/08/2009 17:54

That's a bit unkind really I think. What about a gasfitter or a builder?

NonGratisAnusDailyMail · 20/08/2009 17:54
kittywise · 20/08/2009 17:54

serendipity, I didn't realise you had a point.

I am only this charming to special people

loobylu3 · 20/08/2009 17:55

I don't really want to discuss the British work ethic as I don't think that has anything to do with this.
What is laughable is that someone who seems to have spent most of the day mumsnetting is preaching about laziness/ poor work ethic!
Poor OP, btw, this thread has got really out of hand!

CloudDragon · 20/08/2009 17:56

I was a cleaner for about 5 years part-time. And it is very hard work if you want to do it well and as a perfectionist I did.

I found I needed a break about every hour for about 5 minutes to really be totally effective.

Kittywise i would have quit working for you as I would have found your attitude appalling.

and in my head your toothbrush would have been mistaken for the loo brush (a far more common event then any one who employs staff at home would like to think)

iceagethree · 20/08/2009 17:56

wonders in the hope of making further assumptions, this time of racism I guess

kittywise · 20/08/2009 17:56

she's Hungarian does that help you?

Thunderduck · 20/08/2009 17:58

It's nice to know that we're special isn't it Nongratis.