to expect cleaner to arrive without husband and 10 month old son?

[charleymouse]

Okay, house is a disaster area. I am a slovenly wench who needs all the help she can get.

Last week I succumbed and asked an agency to pop out and give a quote for cleaning. The chap reckoned three hours a week would do it. £6.50 per hour direct to cleaner and £3.00 per hour monthly direct debit to franchise. Lady who would do cleaning is in his car outside as he has just been to show her another job and should she come in straight away or aarange another time. She popped in and I showed her round, how to work things (vacuum cleaner etc) and where cleaning things were kept.

Agreed to this and signed up for first clean last Thursday pm. Cleaner arrived with husband and ten month old son in pram. They waited outside for 3 hours. Did ask them in as felt awful but it was a nice day and they pootled about and played in the garden. She explained they were going out after she had finished.

She did an okay job and I showed her all the things I expected her to do (except mop the floors throughout which I had explained at first visit I wanted) She did not mop floors in ensuite or bathroom. She had vacuum cleaner on carpet setting when vacuuming oak floors and I had to show her/explain again how to change the setting (or will scratch floors). I am assuming English is her second language as she has a very strong accent (I am crap with accents) so I assumed I had not made myself clear in instructions.

I asked her to finish 15 minutes early as had to collect DH but gave her the full amount + 50p. (had no change) and drove her and her family back in to town centre.

Arranged for same time today (pm) as DD on half days at school. But she would prefer am after settling in sessions, fine I am okay with that. She rang up an hour and half ago asking could she go now and who was in house? Difficult over phone due to strong accent as I usually try to lip read a bit if people have strong accents.

AIBU to think this is odd after we had arranged pm and now I am panicking I have told someone I hardly know my house is empty. Realise I may be paranoid and was burgled years ago and it still bothers me now.

WWYD? I also think it odd the franchisee did not ring up after she had been to check if all was okay. Should I ring them. Bit unsure of the etiquette here and do not want to upset anyone.

Please advise.

[MoonTheLoon]

You're making a lot of assumptions there Bathsheba.

[Bathsheba]

And so are you....

You are amking the assumption that because YOU happily go to stangers houses that everyone should...and they are wrong not to.

You have no idea if she has previously had a horrible experience of whatever kind that has made her nervous

Or if her "reading" English is good enough to navigate her way around the OP's local bus system..

Or he might be some sort of horrible controlling Dh that insists on going everywhere with her - or he might have insisted because he is genuinely fearful for her because he adores her so much and couldn't live with himself if something went wrong..

There might be all SORTS of reasons that they, as a family, felt more comfortable with him being there on this first visit (and he hasn't been there on susbesquent ones so they must be happy enough).

As I've said, it doesn't sound as if they did anything untoward to MAKE the OP feel uncomfortable -they weren;t making a nuisance of themselves, and I suspect the OP was uncomfortable ANYWAY at this new cleaner being in her house.

[brimfull]

maybe they are homeless and have no where to go during the day

assumed you would be out and they could sit in your house while she cleaned it

not a problem really

but I think it's odd to bring husband and baby to work.

[BethNoire]

ggirl I did wonder if they were in B&B accomodation

I wouldn't go into a house alone first time- I used to until someones schizophrenic ex DH was there waiting for me with knife. I was lucky because IO knew him from school and could back out and run- work has d mys chedukle but expected me back in an hour. COuld have been toolate.

Now, I know cleaning is very different- my whole job was about vulnerable famillies. But it is a risk- a small one that can be mitigated but a risk nonetheless.

But you know- I reckon the B&B is mroe likely, and ultimately- it's a street, he can be there if he wants

[Thingiebob]

The cleaner didn't 'bring her husband and child to work with her'. They accompanied her on the journey and waited outside. It was the OP who invited them into play in the garden. There is a multitude of reasons why a husband would want to be nearby on his wife's first day of work.

[Tombliboobs]

Charleymouse, A you can gather from my 1st post, I didn't think the points in your Op were serious enough to do anything about, but I would not be happy at all that the agency had lied to me about how long your cleaner had been working for them. In fact I would be

You mentioned a 3 month contract, I am sure that if you pointed out that they had in fact lied to you and you would be happy to tell anyone you came across that they had lied, then he may possibly wave the contract.

[Tombliboobs]

That should be waive

[pigletmania]

Charleymouse why dont you ask for a change of cleaner as you do not sound entirely happy. I would if i were you, they are mean to eliviate stress not contribute to it. Gosh i wish that dh would pay for a cleaner for me it would certianly eleviate most of my stress lol