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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

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Original poster

Cleaner working less time than I pay her for…

37 replies

Teddicus · 07/08/2021 15:35

I have a cleaner who works 2 hours a week. She always turns up at a slightly different time - she’s supposed to start at 10am but sometimes it’s 9.30, sometimes 10.15 … So I never really noticed at first that she wasn’t working a full two hours though I suspected it. But it’s clear now that she normally does 1 hr and 40 mins or so, sometimes a bit less. I haven’t said anything and the house always looks as clean as it did when she first started working for us, but it’s starting to annoy me. Is this normal? Maybe she feels she just works quickly and if I said something, she’d go slower and achieve the same result. Or should I be insisting she works the full 2 hrs…? There’s always more that could be done! Thoughts?

OP posts:

Blossomtoes · 07/08/2021 15:41

It wouldn’t bother me. I pay to have the house cleaned. As long as it’s done to my standards I have zero interest in the length of time it takes. I’m also well aware that good cleaners are as rare as hens’ teeth.

girlmom21 · 07/08/2021 15:42

If you're happy with the cleanliness, I wouldn't mention it.
If there are additional things you'd like her to do, then mention it.

DancesWithTortoises · 07/08/2021 15:42

It wouldn't bother me as long as everything I need done got done.

GameofPhones · 07/08/2021 15:44

Get a cleaner and give yourself an extra job as supervisor/manager.

Cocomade · 07/08/2021 15:45

If you want more done then tell her.
But 1:30/40 wouldn't bother me.
An hour then yes haha
She obviously knows your house well and can get through it.

rookiemere · 07/08/2021 15:45

We had this situation and in the end I figured that if she was able to get the house to a reasonable state of cleanliness in 1hr 40 then I could do it just as well. Turned out I'm not as fast, but it's reasonably clean and we have a robohoover now which saves a lot of time.

Chicchicchicchiclana · 07/08/2021 15:46

It would annoy me too and I don't understand why people aren't bothered by it. If someone has quoted you and is charging you an hourly rate then they should work the hours they have said they will. There is always more cleaning that could be done to make up the hours (cleaning out a couple of cupboards or drawers etc).

Cheesypea · 07/08/2021 15:59

All cleaners do this.

tiredofthisshit21 · 07/08/2021 16:07

@Cheesypea

All cleaners do this.

Mine doesn't. I WFH so I'm here when she cleans and she does exactly the hours I pay her for.

OP I'd find an extra little job for her to do each week to fill the 20 mins.

VaguelyInteresting · 07/08/2021 16:09

You’re paying her to clean your house- why does it matter to you if she does it in 3 hours or 1? Is your house clean?

If yes, then you say nothing.

If no then you say something.

Blossomtoes · 07/08/2021 16:16

cleaning out a couple of cupboards or drawers etc

Who wants a stranger ferreting about in their cupboards and drawers? I certainly don’t.

newmumwithquestions · 07/08/2021 16:19

It did annoy me and it’s one of the reasons we no longer have a cleaner!

Blossomtoes · 07/08/2021 16:21

@newmumwithquestions

It did annoy me and it’s one of the reasons we no longer have a cleaner!

That’s called cutting your nose off to spite your face!

glampingcamper · 07/08/2021 16:24

Maybe suggest something else that she could do - like "if you still have any time left today could you clean the microwave?"

magsbagsfags · 07/08/2021 16:30

@newmumwithquestions

It did annoy me and it’s one of the reasons we no longer have a cleaner!

Same here. I now clean for 2 hours and then then next day but myself something for £40

girlmom21 · 07/08/2021 16:32

I WFH so I'm here when she cleans and she does exactly the hours I pay her for.

So what happens if she's halfway through cleaning something? Does she just leave when her 2 hours are up or would you expect her to finish it?

If you'd expect her to finish it surely she should be able to leave early if appropriate too.

BunnytheFriendlyDragon · 07/08/2021 16:35

I would focus on what she died rather than the time she works.

Horehound · 07/08/2021 16:36

I got a cleaner and she came for first time last week. 2-3 hours for first clean which was more like 3.5 but she stood chatting for a while and so the time crept up to 4 hours.

I don't think PPS are correct saying "as long as everything you wanted done, is done". Because there are alllwaayyyss other things to clean and you're paying her for that time and she isn't working.

Hardbackwriter · 07/08/2021 16:37

@VaguelyInteresting

You’re paying her to clean your house- why does it matter to you if she does it in 3 hours or 1? Is your house clean?

If yes, then you say nothing.

If no then you say something.

But would the cleaner stay longer if that week getting through the usual tasks took longer, say if the house started grubbier than normal? I suspect not - she'd say it was OP's fault it started dirty and she's paid to do two hours, not to finish particular tasks. It's either hourly paid or paid by task, it shouldn't go either way depending on what's in the cleaner's favour!

That said, if you're otherwise happy with the cleaning OP I'd let it go, though it would quietly irk me too.

Original poster

Teddicus · 07/08/2021 18:06

Thanks all. It is quietly irking me because as @Horehound says there is always something else that could be done - and she quoted her fee by the hour. I feel reluctant to bring it up though… probably because I know she’s in all likelihood struggling to make ends meet and speed cleaning to pack more work time into her day. I am happy with the cleaning she does do but there are plenty of extra jobs that only get done when I do them. First world problems I guess!

OP posts:

Chicchicchicchiclana · 07/08/2021 21:58

@Blossomtoes

cleaning out a couple of cupboards or drawers etc

Who wants a stranger ferreting about in their cupboards and drawers? I certainly don’t.

Weird fucking comment! If I have a cleaner coming into my house and seeing us warts and all I certainly wouldn't be embarrassed if she emptied out my cutlery drawer or pan drawer and cleaned it, ditto cupboards under the sink, microwave, medicine cabinet etc.

Horehound · 07/08/2021 22:01

@Blossomtoes

cleaning out a couple of cupboards or drawers etc

Who wants a stranger ferreting about in their cupboards and drawers? I certainly don’t.

Don't worry. You don't ask them to clean up your drawer of butt plugs. Just the flour drawer in the kitchen

Grapewrath · 12/08/2021 07:51

Most cleaners won’t sort out drawers etc they are there to clean, not to tidy
OP if you are happy with the work I wouldn’t bother about the 20 Mins. Likely she charges by the hour so it’s an estimate on time. If you’re worried you’re not getting your money’s worth then maybe task her something else however bear in mind good cleaners are hard to come by and hard to kerp

ohthestruggles · 12/08/2021 10:37

This annoys me too OP. I think I might ask our cleaner to do two hours one week and just a dust, Hoover and bathroom the week after as she leaves early sometimes. Although I don't feel like it's a great standard sometimes. If anyone else has had to have that discussion, how did you do it and how did it go down? I'm so not assertive and she's so lovely!😭

Gardenwalldilema · 12/08/2021 10:51

I've stopped having a cleaner for this reason. 30 minutes of a 2 hour clean is 25% of the agreed time! I was happy to pay £12.50 and hour, but when she left eary her hourly rate was almost £17 an hour, and it just didn't feel worth it.
So now I do my own cleaning and spend the £100 a month on something else, and am not low level annoyed.

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