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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be so pissed off with cleaner I fear my head may explode?

102 replies

geordieminx · 04/06/2010 19:33

Started back f/t work 4 weeks ago.

Have struggled on for the past few weeks, but eventually decided it was time to get a cleaner, as I am out of the house 12 hours a day, and prefer to spend weekend doing nice things

So, instead of hiring from an advert in the newsagent I contacted a few agencies, had a lady come out on Tuesday to see me - she reckoned 3 hours for the first one, then 2-3 hours every week after that. I said that this was fine, agreed for one of her staff to come in today.

Gets home tonight, so excited about having a sparkly home.

Porch not swept
Bits still on floor
Rug half way up the wall... bits still under rug
Cushions not arranged
Glass on doors not cleaned
hob top not cleaned at all... still has last nights tea on it
None of applicances wiped down
Bin not emptied nor wiped down
No dusting at all -
tv not cleaned
sink not washed.. still bits of food in the plug bit
None of the window sils wiped down
Mirrored wardrobe doors not polished.

The list could go on. It isnt just that things havent been done very well - they havent been done at all. What kind of fool would not even clean the top of the cooker or make the cushions look nice.

As far as I can see she has cleaned the bathroom (well admitedly), and hoovered(ish)

I have spoken with owner of company -she is going to sort it on Monday but tbh I am completely disillusioned with them.

I cant believe anyone would think that it was acceptable to leave a house like this after you were paid to clean it. If it had been me I would have cleaned to a reasonable standard, and then mentioned that it took longer.. not just fucking left it.

Oh and I live in a 3 bed detached with 1 bathroom, so not exactly a mansion. Oh and there is only 3 of us.

Grrrrr

OP posts:
rookiemater · 04/06/2010 20:45

We have had a number of cleaners over the years and it is reasonable to expect there to be a visible difference after 3 hours when one has been.

This is why you pay agency fees, if the cleaner isn't working out then ask them to send a different one, some people just aren't cut out to be cleaners.

Fluffyone · 04/06/2010 20:51

To do a good job of your house I'd say 3 hours for the first few visits, then 2 - 2 and a half hours after that. It would look really, really nice. Glass on doors would probably not get fitted in every week, but they would get done some time in the first couple of weeks, then kept up to scratch from then. Mirrored wardrobe doors, if you mean full floor-ceiling ones, are a bitch to clean and take a while. I have to stand on a stool to reach the top... So they are normally an extra job and not done every week.
I must admit I probably wouldn't empty your bins, I get a bit paranoid about people's recycling habits these days, and half the time they haven't got room in their larger bin and it gets to be a pain in the wotsit.
When you come home after the cleaner has been you should see all your carpets looking nicely spruced up, and things should have a bit of a sparkle about them.
By the way - her vacuum or yours?
So... employ me! I'm so good I never advertise and all my work comes by word of mouth.
Ivestillgotit, they are having a laugh, and I bet you don't get paid much either. Go private, work for nice working people and charge a decent rate.

TheBolter · 04/06/2010 20:53

My cleaner does my house once a week for 3 hours.

She manages the following:

Cleans two bathrooms
Dusts four bedrooms
Dusts two sitting rooms
Cleans kitchen and dining area
Cleans downstairs loo
Cleans utility
Hoovers all floors
Mops all 'hard' floors
Plumps up and arranges the cushions

She is bloody brilliant, I'd hate to lose her. One thing I do though, and she says she like cleaning my house because of this, is run around all week tidying up so for her all surfaces are easy to get to and the house looks like a show home when she's finished. For an hour or two anyway...

I'm really sorry about your experience geordieminx, can understand your disappointment.

Quattrocento · 04/06/2010 20:57

Our cleaner spends either 7 or 8 hours cleaning per week, so 3 hours top to bottom seems low even for a smallish house.

Also I think you made a mistake not recruiting your own cleaner. I think the key to getting your house cleaned to the standard you want is to have a personal relationship, and also to brief him/her properly and completely

Portofino · 04/06/2010 21:01

I'm in the market for a new one, so taking all this on board. So for open plan kitchen/living/dining room, hallway, downstairs loo + 2 beds 2 baths upstairs - (the other bedroom is a playroom) How long?

Fluffyone · 04/06/2010 21:02

Blimey! I've done a 3 bed cottage with bathroom, shower room, lounge, dining room, kitchen with tiled floor in 3 hours today, easy. It gets quicker once I've visited a few times (to be honest, standards improve...). That 3 hours gives me enough time to do inside windows on one floor one week, maybe skirtings another week, so everything stays looking pretty good.

Fluffyone · 04/06/2010 21:05

Portofino, I would say if you're a tidy person that's a 2 - 2 1/2 hour clean. A lot of cleaners will do an extra hour or so on the first visit, so that they can do a really thorough job to get started. In my case I warn people not to expect their windows cleaned, skirtings wiped etc every week, but if they trust me to maintain things they will be pleased with the results.
I'll just add, I charge a bit more in return for doing a really good job and using some initiative! I also provide my own materials and use my own tools. (Most people have crap Dysons and I can't bear them!).

mathanxiety · 04/06/2010 21:05

What she got accomplished might have taken her half an hour.

I think if there was a 'middleman' involved there might have been some information lost in translation, plus the cleaner is probably only getting a fraction of what you're paying, so not too motivated -- why bust your gut for three hours when you're going to be paid very little?

Better to find someone for yourself and communicate clearly. Even if you get the instructions sorted with the agency there's no guarantee you'll get the same person in again next week.

MarshaBrady · 04/06/2010 21:06

Yanbu sounds very annoying.

Try another cleaner, by recommendation, and go for 3.5 hours.

Portofino · 04/06/2010 21:10

Previously we lived in a 3 bed apartment and I paid someone for 5 hours. The place was sparkling and she did the ironing. Too long?

traceybath · 04/06/2010 21:13

My agency cleaners are fantastic but I do make sure I get the same 2 ladies each time.

I've got a reasonable size 4 bed house and it takes 2 of them a good couple of hours to 'do it'.

But that does include emptying bins etc. And of course they do the cushions on the sofa as they remove them to hoover.

In fact came back from holiday and they'd washed up breakfast stuff left in sink/put away all washing left in basket and even emptied my dishwasher.

So you have definitely been unlucky.

Armi · 04/06/2010 21:21

I've got a four bedroomed house with two bathrooms and a downstairs loo - my cleaner comes for 2 hours a week. She cleans the bathrooms, dusts, hoovers, mops the tiled areas, arranges the cushions (!), cleans the kitchen to within an inch of its life and every week does something extra, for example she cleaned my oven this week and pegged out the washing. She's fab.

Ask for a new cleaner!

PaulineCampbellJones · 04/06/2010 21:50

We had an agency cleaner come for the first time today. 3 hours in a 4 bed with 3 receptions & conservatory. Dusted, hoovered, bins, bathrooms,cushions, even washed the things we couldn't fit in the dishwasher this morning. So I don't think you are expecting too much at all!
Maybe leave a list next time of priority jobs you want doing so it's hard to ignore those things?

GeekOfTheWeek · 04/06/2010 21:59

YANBU at all.

I can thoroughly do our 3 bed/3 bathroom detatched in 3 hours.

Imo the cushions are an issue as the room looks messy if they are not arranged neatly.

snala · 04/06/2010 22:09

Can I ask how much per hour you are all paying for a cleaner please?
DH and I have been talking about possibly having a weekly cleaner.

Fluffyone · 04/06/2010 22:14

You can expect to pay anything from about £6 an hour. Agency cleaners obviously a lot more. I charge £11 an hour. (I know that's high, but I get it and have a waiting list).

ruckyrunt · 04/06/2010 22:15

sorry but you need to talk to the cleaner themselves and not the boss who may not relay the instrctions well - in your case the cleaner has come and posibly doen a really good job at her speed - which is slow...

get someone in and then be there for the first session and get them to do what you want them to do

I had a friend who cleaned for a woman for three mornings a week for three hours - when my mate wasn't clemnaing the woman had anoter woman in for the other three days and agian that was for three hours - sundy no one came to clean..bit extreme

flossielimejuice · 04/06/2010 22:17

I have a 3 bed semi and can make it 'sparkle' in a couple of hours. Three hours uninteruped you are not being unresaonable to except a better job.

LadyBiscuit · 04/06/2010 22:21

I want to know how my cleaner has got through an entire can of pledge in 2 weeks when she's only here 2 hours and there's only a 2 bedroom flat to clean! What does she do with it all?

Sorry, back on topic, she does make it look lovely - changes the sheets, clearly dusts every single surface , washes all the floors, arranges cushions etc

mumto2andnomore · 04/06/2010 22:23

When I first wanted a cleaner I had Molly Maids and they were rubbish, I complained and the lady was very rude so got rid of them. Now I have 2 local ladies who are fab.I would ditch the agency and try someone else. I disagree you are being anal about the cushions I would expect that too, our first cleaner used to hoover round the shoes, now they move them to the side of the room in pairs-just a small thing but makes a big difference to how the house looks.

I pay £40 for 5 bed house.

mummytowillow · 04/06/2010 22:45

Where do you live .... I could do that to perfection in three hours .... I am the master cleaner though!

dilemma456 · 04/06/2010 22:52

Message withdrawn

foureleven · 04/06/2010 22:59

Oh I feel your pain, we had a cleaner like this through an agency. She was o crap and I complained they said I was being unreasonable and it would take 4 hours if I wanted a 'spring clean' as they called it every week...

So I agreed, and went home during the day and peeked through the window at her... she was absent mindedly hoovering the same few feet of carpet whilst staring at a painting on the wall for a good few minutes.

Eurgghhh its so annoying.

I always felt like someone had come round and moved my stuff around a bit and wipes the sides down which to be honest I could do myself in 10 minutes.

anyway, in the end I got a lady who advertised in the paper to come round. She's amazing.. she does the whole house... same size as yours OP.. in 2 hours a week and it GLEAMS!

I would always go private. Agencies are all about getting you to sign a contract and they mostly act like theyre doing you a fovour. My new cleaner takes a genuine pride and (at least acts like) she enjoys making my home nice. Which is what id expect really. Oh and shes half the price!

Anste · 04/06/2010 23:01

I had an agency cleaner ONCE - absolute rubbish. So I found one that a friend recommended and she was brilliant. Some weeks I would have like it 'bottomed cleaned' a bit more and the fancy bits left, but it was all sparkly and a nice clean smell when I got home.

I did leave notes of extra jobs because she was so quick she needed jobs to fill her time until the 3 hours were up! Get rid of the agency and find someone local.

Anste · 04/06/2010 23:02

I had an agency cleaner ONCE - absolute rubbish. So I found one that a friend recommended and she was brilliant. Some weeks I would have like it 'bottomed cleaned' a bit more and the fancy bits left, but it was all sparkly and a nice clean smell when I got home.

I did leave notes of extra jobs because she was so quick she needed jobs to fill her time until the 3 hours were up! Get rid of the agency and find someone local.