Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Original poster

to be annoyed that my cleaner has been using my PC without asking?

124 replies

LaDiDaDi · 01/02/2010 16:32

Today I came home and, after looking on mumsnet, went to go on facebook. I noticed that the email address on the log in page is my cleaner's. She must have been on my PC on facebook when she was here cleaning.

Now usually I really like my cleaner, I give her 20 pounds a week for around 2 hours work, she is friendly and if I'm in then we have a chat. When I had ds recently she brought him a lovely gift and if I ask her to do some more hours, paid for obv., then she tries to fit them in. BUT, I'm a bit annoyed about this, I don't think that she should have been on my PC without permission.

AIBU? If not should I say something or just make sure that my PC log in is passworded and not mention it?

OP posts:

scottishmummy · 02/02/2010 00:01

when she as on fb is irrespective.unauthorised pc use,breach trust

Kitkatqueen · 02/02/2010 00:01

It'd cross the line for me. I wouldn't immediatly sack her or anything "extreme" but I would carefully check her browsing history and any recently accesed files to see what she had been up to, I use online banking and it shows the time and date of the last log in. I would feel the need to check everything over and put a password on the system. If she just been on fb then I might not even say anything, but if she had looked at anything else I would speak to her about it, I would also tell my friend who she cleans for too.

It is a breech of trust.

scottishmummy · 02/02/2010 00:04

get any keys and spares off her,consider change locks

Mumcentreplus · 02/02/2010 00:16

I dunno...depends how much I like her ...but then I'm probably no good with the 'help'

gtamom · 02/02/2010 04:28

My friend used to work at a cleaning agency. One of the cleaners would do stuff they were not allowed to do, bed reading the clients journal for one. My friend no longer works there, but I would fire her if it were me, sorry, but my pc is like going through my desk, bank statements and so on, out of bounds.

ChippingIn · 02/02/2010 05:22

I would be extremely pissed off. My laptop is personal (financial, photos, journal etc) and I don't let anyone in under my login (have a guest log in for anyone else who wants to use it). Sometimes it's 'logged out' and sometimes it's just running. In my home, this shouldn't be an issue.

However, nice people & good cleaners are hard to come by, so I would check through the history (the proper one, not just the favourites/history) to see what she had accessed and what time etc. If it was a quick check on her facebook, then I would always password it before she came, if she had looked at anything else, I would be telling her that I didn't need her anymore - if she asked why, then I would tell her.

IvaNighSpare · 02/02/2010 06:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

IvaNighSpare · 02/02/2010 06:17

bugger-posted on wrong thread!

itwasntme · 02/02/2010 06:43

She should have checked with you first.

But....she has known you for a long time and the PC was left on. If you feel that what is on your C is private, you should have switched it off - it's like leaving your diary open really.

This is really not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. I cannot believe some of the over-reactions I am seeing on here... changing the locks?! That's insane!

Just make sure you switch your computer off next time you go out... and password protect it.

And please don't sack her for goodness sake.

upandrunning · 02/02/2010 07:26

She should have been able to trust her not to use it, switched on or not. The highest level of trust is needed for people who work in the home. It's not that crap a job -- there are some requirements, and trust is the main requirement. So if that's gone, what's left?

People don't have the same boundaries though. She's obviously got different boundaries to you, however well you get on.

If you get on as well as you say, you should react as it comes -- which with me would be pretty cross. And if you're worried about her reaction to your reaction then you don't trust her, and if you don't trust her, there's no point in employing her any more.

Kathyjelly · 02/02/2010 08:19

This could be a major problem. For example, if someone downloads illegal porn to your computer and puts it on a memory stick, you will be unaware of it but the police will come knocking at your door.

Ditto for internet money laundering, internet bullying and any number of other criminal acts.

That's quite apart from any confidential information you might have on your pc that could be used to steal your identity.

I am not suggesting for a second that your cleaner is doing anything of these things but she needs to understand that her actions are not ok and you really need to put an inactivity password on your pc.

strawberrycalpol · 02/02/2010 09:52

Really people come on, the main issue for me would be - did she do her job? If the house is clean, then yes it's a little cheeky but a sacking offence, really?

She wanted to look at her information on your computer, unless you are fabulously interesting or she is a brilliant IT hacker and fraudster (either under deep cover or v unsuccessful to date)I doubt she really cares about any of your stuff.

Anyone invited into my house as a friend or cleaner etc would be welcome, if they asked to use my computer, phone, kettle, knickers etc. Close friends/family wouldn't have to ask.

I would either leave it and hide laptop or offer for her to use your computer after she's finished.

littletree · 02/02/2010 10:23

YANBU. Perhaps she thinks because you are nice and easy going that you wouldn't mind. Set some boundaries. It may be uncomfortable bringing it up but you would be more uncomfortable if she did it again because you didn't say anything!

saintlydamemrsturnip · 02/02/2010 10:33

Im with aitch. It personally wouldn't bother me although I might think it a bit cheeky. If I cared enough I'd password protect my computer for the future.

It presumably hasn't occurred to the cleaner than she might 'install a keylogger'. I'd be suspicious of the guy I called to fix my washing machine diving onto my computer, but not someone I trusted enough to clean my home.

I'm with the dp (sensible man).

saintlydamemrsturnip · 02/02/2010 10:36

I would be stunned if someone wanted to wade through the crap on my computer. Photos? Why one earth would someone want to bore themselves with that? Letters of complaint - ditto. Letters to hospital consultants - ditto.

I think anyone would find their FB account a lot more interesting. As for the money laundering and downloading of illegal porn..... well I wouldn't be employing someone I thought capable of that!

AitchTwoOhOneOh · 02/02/2010 11:11

true what dp says, imo, if you trust her not to rifle through your desk drawers and look at bills etc, then i don't see this as being so different. she could snoop all she wants if you're not in, rifle through your photo albums, your filing system, whatever. presumably you think she isn't, though, so why would she do it on the computer?

Fibilou · 02/02/2010 11:12

"but can't the cleaner take a break in the two hours? it's tiring work. "

Why ? Not many workers would get a break working only for 2 hours. Housekeepers in a hotel certainly wouldn't.

AitchTwoOhOneOh · 02/02/2010 11:15

yes, but why not? they're self-employed, alone in the house, why wouldn't they sit down for a cuppa half-way through, so long as they're getting done what needs to be done. they are adults, you know.

btw housekeepers in hotels are a massively abused set of workers, so not your finest rebuttal there.

Fibilou · 02/02/2010 11:19

My point was that you can manage perfectly well without a break in two hours.

And I don't need a lecture about working conditions in hotels, I worked in them for 15 years.

AitchTwoOhOneOh · 02/02/2010 11:28

it wasn't a lecture, your example of hotel cleaning is simply not a good one. it's referred to as a slave trade in this Time Out article, and there have been recent exposes on the BBC

for the record, however, i don't think i said that she should be entitled to take a break, just that she should be able to if she wants to.

if she's self-employed, alone in the house, being paid for 2 hours and getting all her jobs done, what does it matter if she's taking a break? if her job takes longer as a result it's her time she's wasting, not anyone else's.

gorionine · 02/02/2010 11:29

I do not have a cleaner but:

-I would not have a problem at all with my cleaner having a cuppa or two while working, I do it myself when I clean my house. I would not even mind her having the radio or tv on while cleaning or ironing.

-I would seriously be ennoyed at her using my computer without asking first and would certainly not think about passwording my home computer purely for the reason I would totally not imagine anyone using it without asking.

now trying on my knickers, well put i=t that way with my "a la Briridget Jones" old granny underwear contents i am not sure anyione would be tempted, and if so, probably no morethan once!

I do not think I would fire her, unless other issues, but would have serious word and would give her a warning.

upandrunning · 02/02/2010 12:09

This thread shows it's just about boundaries. People have different boundaries. If you feel uncomfortable making the boundaries I think it means you don't trust the person who's working for you.

It's not a sackable offence but if you don't like it you really need to tell her and not be scared of her! If you can't do that and you think she'll take umbrage ..it's not a good workng relationship.

HopeForTheBestExpectTheWorst · 02/02/2010 16:22

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn on request of the poster.

AuntieMaggie · 02/02/2010 16:26

OMG I would be furious - I would consider this an invasion of privacy.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Swipe left for the next trending thread