Why’s it so hard to find a good honest cleaner?

[EyesOpenWide]

I’m really flexible and pay well - at least I think it’s good pay - £14 an hour, North West, if that makes a difference.

Third cleaner in two years, she’s supposed to be here 5 hours a week. I paid her over Christmas and told her to take the week off, I bought her a lovely Christmas and birthday gift and again paid her when she wanted her birthday week off.

All I want is someone who will turn up on the day we agree (any day of the week, and I don’t mind what time), and work the actual amount of hours they’re getting paid for.

As usual started off ok, but she is now arriving late/getting off early, billing me for full hours and when I’ve pulled her up about it she says she thought we’d be happy paying a set fee for the job, no matter how long it took her . Didn’t think to ask us or discuss it with us, she just decided that.

Why would I pay her for 5 hours when she’s apparently doing it in 3 hours? Nobody gives me £28 a week for doing nothing.

The quality of cleaning has also deteriorated and I’m yet again at the point of needing to leave a list of exactly what should be done in each room each week. I can find plenty of stuff to keep her here for a full 5 hours.

And I think she’s nicking some cleaning products and loo roll ffs

Where am I going wrong? I think maybe I’m too over friendly from the start. Where can I find a good cleaner?

I think personal recommendation is the only way.
My cleaner never advertises and has more than enough people, as she is so good.

I've given up with one off private cleaners and now pay through the nose for a cleaning company to send two girls to blitz the house.

Like you, I got too friendly, got embroiled in their families and private lives - and all I really wanted was a clean house!

Yeah I’m thinking I’ll have to bite the bullet and pay an agency.

Our house is very open spaced and clutter free so although it’s a big house it’s a relatively easy job and cleaners seem to think they’re onto a good thing, which then turns into taking the piss.

I’d happily pay up to £18 an hour for someone
excellent, consistent, and who I could really trust, I hate having to micro manage and point out stuff they’ve stopped doing that needs to be done weekly - basic stuff like “please mop the whole kitchen floor, not just wipe the patches of visible dirt” .

OP I’ll meet you halfway, I’ll do it for £16 p/h!
I’m a cleaner, NW. And take pride in my work!

Seriously though I do think cleaners can get complacent and also it’s really easy to miss things that haven’t been pointed out to start with.

I usually find though that there’s a settling in period where I learn what the client wants and which things are most important to them, then I focus on those as a priority.

I hate to tell you this but agencies are no better although occasionally they send you a replacement cleaner if the first one is sick/on holiday.

It also goes against my instinct but stand offish and professional (not rude!) gets the best results. Don’t be mates. Don’t do casual chit chat. Be really clear about the requirements. Pick up immediately any issues firmly but politely.

Never expect more than is reasonable never accept anything less either.

It’s joyless but it is the only strategy that I find works (at least some of the time).

Recommendation not agency for sure

I’ve finally found a brilliant one after a few no shows or early leavers, so nice to not feel annoyed and trust her

My cleaner is lovely, totally honest etc. Hardworking, doesn't stop when she's here.
BUT she has no attention to detail and isn't very thorough. I'm completely stuck.

Totally with you on this. I have had so many cleaners in the last 7 years it's become a joke amongst friends. Jobs not done properly, items damaged, leaving early, stealing... I've got to the point that I don't think I'm at all fussy anymore just want someone trustworthy and does an ok job!

Feel your pain op. On our third cleaning company and I'm pretty sure they're shafting us. 3 here for an hour supposedly, charge 36 quid and I'm pretty sure they aren't here for that long. I bet it's not even 3 of them. They didn't even clean the loos last time they were here.

They constantly cancel/switch times too. Often last minute 😡

My friend uses them too and said the same.

Can't be arsed to look for another one at the mo. Will sort it in the summer hols I think...

I don't want to toot my own horn but I'm a really good cleaner and I hear ya on your concerns. I work for an agency and don't think that going through an agency makes for better cleaners, it doesn't.

When I took a month off for an injury (broken arm) all my clients had replacement cleaners sent to them and none of them where happy with the standard. It seems a good honest cleaner is particularly hard to find.

I've known cleaners before to just not show up to clients, it's baffling to me. Like don't these people want the work?! Ive never cancelled on a client and always try to give as much notice as I can for holidays etc.

I've just realised that I need to up my rate!

In my limited experience ...

Tried agency. Three cleaners. First one excellent - she quit the company. Second one meh - reduced hours and we lost her. Third not good.

Found someone on Facebook with good reviews. Excellent.

I wouldn't use an agency again unless desperate.