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Original poster

Message from Cleaner

43 replies

sunandrose · 29/04/2020 13:48

Just had a message from our cleaner to say if we’re happy then her company has said they can start back again.

What’s going on? Surely this breaks lockdown rules!

OP posts:

SpudsAreLife84 · 29/04/2020 15:32

It's not mixing households! Same as when the nanny comes to look after the children whilst me and DH both go to work.

goshdarnitjanet · 29/04/2020 15:35

So a hairdresser can go to work...as long as she is two metres from her client? Does that mean hairdressers can stay open to sell products?

No - because the guidelines say all retail with notable exceptions – these closures include clothing and electronics stores; hair, beauty and nail salons; and outdoor and indoor markets, excluding food markets Which is pretty clear that a hairdressers should close and cannot be open to sell products

Original poster

sunandrose · 29/04/2020 15:36

@hotdog44 I agree, it’s not essential although I’m obviously missing it! We do still pay though as her income is obviously essential and I’d like the company to survive so that we can continue to use them when this is all over...

OP posts:

heidbuttsupper · 29/04/2020 15:39

I kept my cleaner on as I go out when she is in

hotdog44 · 29/04/2020 15:47

@sunandrose Exactly , and when this is all over we will all be back , I’m guessing as it’s a company they need the income , not saying I don’t but obviously they have staff and more clients than myself !

ViciousJackdaw · 29/04/2020 16:19

So a hairdresser can go to work...as long as she is two metres from her client?

Unless your hairdresser is an orangutan, I have no idea how that would work.

WorraLiberty · 29/04/2020 16:23

It’s not really an essential at this current time and I am a cleaner myself!

What does being essential have to do with anything?

If you choose not to work or you've been furloughed, fair enough but you don't have to be doing a job that's deemed essential by anyone.

SpudsAreLife84 · 29/04/2020 16:24

@ViciousJackdaw brilliant hahaha!

HalloHalloHallo · 29/04/2020 17:08

I read the guidelines as emergency work like a broken boiler or something would need a tradesperson to come into your home. If you're allowing your cleaner into your home then I don't know why you wouldn't allow friends and family with the same guidelines that they are well and don't show symptoms and stay 2m apart. A person in your home is just as risky as a person in your home.

At the end of the day the guidelines are not being enforced and people can and do do whatever they want.

WorraLiberty · 29/04/2020 17:17

At the end of the day the guidelines are not being enforced and people can and do do whatever they want.

This is because people are interpreting them to suit themselves.

I've lost count of the amount of people who apparently can't see a difference between inviting a trades person into their home and inviting family and friends.

Clue - one will be taking a very slight risk to do their job, keeping a roof over their heads, the bills paid and the economy going because they can't do that from home.

The other will be taking a very slight risk to do something they can do from home - ie chat on the telephone or by other means of communication.

BeforeIPutOnMyMakeup · 29/04/2020 17:35

@HalloHalloHallo the government cannot legislate for all situations.

There are people who aren't able to clean their home themselves. I know a few people like this but luckily for them they have a relation or a close friend who has taken over doing their cleaning for them. So while this mixing households, the mixing is minimal plus this counts as caring for someone and is so is exempt under the guidance.

This also helps explain why cleaners like carers and tradesmen are in an exempt group of people who are allowed to work in your home.

HalloHalloHallo · 29/04/2020 17:39

This is because people are interpreting them to suit themselves.

One could argue that that is what you are doing.

Clue - one will be taking a very slight risk to do their job, keeping a roof over their heads, the bills paid and the economy going because they can't do that from home. The other will be taking a very slight risk to do something they can do from home - ie chat on the telephone or by other means of communication.

The Clue is 'taking a very slight risk' whether for financial gain or mental health reasons or whatever other reason people imagine up to suit them. If two consenting people (whatever their job title or relation) are willing to take that very slight risk then it's down to them.

I'm not going to argue with you. If you want someone coming into your home that's your choice, but you can hardly say cleaners are 'keeping the economy going' If cleaners have the choice to keep their job in order to 'keep a roof over their heads and pay their bills' then people in other occupations should be given the same choice.

bestbefore · 29/04/2020 17:45

and @BeforeIPutOnMyMakeup I think in the cases on this thread most people would say their cleaner is a "nice to have" not something they technically can't do themselves. Certainly no one has said they NEED to have a cleaner. I know my parents know of elderly / disabled friends whose cleaners are still going as it's necessity for the health of the friend, for example.

BeforeIPutOnMyMakeup · 29/04/2020 17:53

@HalloHalloHallo have you worked out by now that life doesn't work like that?

The government has worked out to minimise risk for the entire population only certain people can go out to work by not letting certain businesses stay open.

Rhianna1980 · 29/04/2020 18:18

Sounds Like my worst nightmare, someone who has been in dozens of house holds in the last week, comes round and touches every single item in my house, so I will have to go round disinfecting everything after the cleaner. I might as well clean the place and save the money.

WorraLiberty · 29/04/2020 18:35

If two consenting people (whatever their job title or relation) are willing to take that very slight risk then it's down to them.

Not since we went into lockdown it isn't?

If cleaners have the choice to keep their job in order to 'keep a roof over their heads and pay their bills' then people in other occupations should be given the same choice.

Again, anyone can go out to work if they can't work from home and haven't been furloughed.

Northernsoullover · 29/04/2020 18:49

I'm a cleaner and 80% of my clients cancelled me. I'm furloughed at the moment so I'm not in immediate financial dire straits but some a few of my clients would have me. But its not worth it for me. I don't know what they do, or whether they have been coughing and sneezing around the house before I get there.

Original poster

sunandrose · 30/04/2020 13:17

This morning I had a message from the lovely cleaner to say that her agency have got back in touch to say that she can only start back up again if clients are out of the house ie at work.
So that won’t work for us anyway as I’ve 2 little ones and DH is WFH. I must say, like lots on this thread, I didn’t feel overly comfortable with it anyway. I just hope other people are still paying her, like we are.

OP posts:

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