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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Employer to lock me up for breaking her lamp vase because I didn't have money to pay

31 replies

Yiyecstgd · 07/08/2016 12:40

Started working as a cleaner in a really huge house with rich owner's- the wife a full time mum. She says the whole house takes only 2 hours to thoroughly clean which I found was a lie since I couldn't even finish downstairs of the house in 3 hour's especially with her faulty hoover, the second day i was able to finish the ground floor before heading upstairs to hoover, while looking for a place to plug the hoover it tumbled over hitting her antique lamp vase and broke it, the lamp still worked but the vase was broken, I immediately called her mother in-law to the scene and apologised, she wasn't too mad just said I should tell whenever things like that occur, the wife got back and I told her and she said I had to pay for the whole lamp £120, I wasn't too pleased because I told her before starting the job I had nothing and hers was a 2hr work which I spent nearly 3 hrs doing, that was the £6.50 an hour, how do I pay that up? And knowing the hoover was faulty it's not rocket science it was bound to happen again, would I keep working for her all my life to keep replacing her misplaced antique? If it was that expensive why keep it in such a place?and since I broke only the vase why tell me to pay all the £120, well I was asked to pay ASAP else she'll call the police on me sending threatening texts i didn't have money to reply her so went on WhatsApp to reply, later that night my friend helped in clearing the debt and I never stepped my foot in her home again as I felt her actions where cruel. Did I do the right thing paying up or should I have taken it to court

OP posts:
GrumpyMcGrumpFace · 07/08/2016 15:09

it all sounds very upsetting. Like you say, a learning experience. I hope you find a much better job - conditions and pay! - very soon. Good luck x

LaurieFairyCake · 07/08/2016 15:13

You've been massively exploited by a bully. Flowers

Yiyecstgd · 07/08/2016 20:57

Yes you're right I didn't grow up here lived here with my parents for just about 6 years, few months before my 18 but no I'm not on student visas,visiting or any of those things you mentioned, and about the fear and naivety (not really) as I said earlier something trivia of this sort happened to a family member and it got out of control the reason I just have in but, now already reported to gumtree to prevent other's from falling into the same trap, someone worked for her before me and spoiled the hoover I guess she left for similar reasons don't know

OP posts:
Atenco · 08/08/2016 00:29

Well done for reporting her to gumtree! And good luck in your new job

joeythenutter · 08/08/2016 16:09

Something tells me you were working cash in hand, not legally and that is why she could pay the amount she did. The minimum wage is £7.20 per hour. She was exploiting your not knowing of how things work. Do your research before going to get a job in future.

roomonmybroom · 08/08/2016 16:16

Well next time Yiye come and ask MN first Grin
But no you should not have paid, accidents happen and if she was too tight to go through an agency where there would be insurance for this sort of things, well thats her tough luck and she should suck it up.
FWIW my cleaner has broken 2 items in the past 2 years, and she does have insurance but they were of no great value (one was very sentimental though) and I just put it down to "these things happen"

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