Holiday let cleaning

[twiglet59]

We run a holiday let clean in a rural area and managed to find a cleaner who has working for us for 8 months. Since it has picked up during this season we have had four bad reviews pretty much one after the other. I did speak to her about it to check it was her cleaning as she had mentioned that she may get her daughter to help. She said she was cleaning and said she couldn't understand why they were complaining. I let it go for the first few times as you do sometimes get people that can complain. After the second one I went over to change a few things around in the place. I then did a deep clean also. There are areas where you can she she does leave not cleaning up under sofas, beds under, around the toilet the edge of the shower. Looks like she is in a rush. Also spoke to my neighbour and he said that she does not stay for very long. She also sometimes brings her children along with her and cannot see that she would be cleaning for two hours with young children with her. Would you give her another chance.

I’d see if I could get another cleaner and if I could, I’d switch.
If it’s really hard to get someone, I’d be much more specific about everything she needs to do and check up more often.

She gets paid for three hours £18 an hour. Two hours to clean and one hour for laundry. It's not always easy to get over there as it is 120 mile round trip.

Do you give her a checklist?

If I was giving her another chance then I'd want her to phone when she arrives and leaves, and to send you photos of the problem areas.

There's a high chance she wouldn't like that though, so what are your options for getting someone to replace her?

How big is it?
As a reference our 2 bedroom let which is around 70m2 takes me 3hrs min alone. That’s me working at full pelt. Usually I take more like 5 hrs or dh helps if guests back to back.

Laundry takes me longer. I do run laundry whilst cleaning but it’s not finished after 3hrs ( we live on site and laundry area not in apartment so that’s fine). Then it’s takes me another 90ish minutes to iron all bedding also.

I pull everything out, clean under beds every time, headboards, skirting, windows, kitchen and bathroom, 4 beds on and off (two per room). I run everything in kitchen through dishwasher, clean kitchen drawers every time. Plus all other general stuff. I also have large balcony and terrace to sweep, clean tables, bbq etc (planting/ weeding is done when gaps between guests)

We usually get a 10/10 for cleanliness on booking. We have 9.3 overall rating ( usually lose point for location as we are at top of hill - but I can’t change that and guests know on booking)

How old are the children?
If under 5 I don't see how she cleans to a professional standard with them there.
That combined with the low standard and possible lack of time would be enough for me to get rid of her

I would be fine with kids there. Cleaners are paid for just few hours so it’s probably hard to afford or find childcare. But it’s likely to take even longer so I would expect her to need 4 hrs to do 3hrs work.

I know when I have my own (4 year old), it takes longer, but it’s far easier than when he was a baby as he can just play, follow me or watch iPad

Cleaner here.
how big is the accommodation? How many beds need to be changed?
Two hours isn’t much time. This is my absolute minimum cleaning time for regular weekly clients. For holiday accommodation where there could be overflowing bins, dirty dishes, this isn’t long at all.

Also, 1 hour for laundry isn’t long when you take into account, washing, pegging, ironing, folding. Does it all go in one load? Is it washed onsite?

Get a different cleaner. I think it's an absolute nerve when cleaners do this. I had a cleaner who did this years ago. I had to entertain her pesky 3 year old. I would rather have cleaned. Agency cleaners might be better in your case.

3 hours is not long enough for a changeover clean. It’s not the same as a cleaner coming over once a week. Every drawer needs to be cleaned. 6 hours minimum and usually £120.

I used to have a holiday let and clean for other people and my reviews tended to have the word immaculate in there somewhere. Four hours for a 3 bed was pretty standard though. Then laundry would be sent away separately. I did iron my own sometimes and that was a good two-three hour job. I think possibly you are underestimating the amount of time needed combined with her being pretty poor at cleaning. £28 quid an hour sounds high but actually if you are self employed and considering travel time it’s min wage really. I used to charge a good bit more and that was pre covid.

Sorry £18 £28 would be awesome 🤩

It's only 50m2. I have cleaned it easily myself properly in two hours and she does not have far to travel only a 5 minute drive. She cleans the laundry in her home and there is one double and two small singles to change.

so Many people have complained to me that cleaners start out great then standards slip especially with absentee holiday let owners.

Your choices are give her another go. Find someone else. do it yourself.

£18 is cheap for laundry, I assume there are towels / tea towels too? No way can you get everything washed / dried / ironed in an hour.

An hour for laundry is impossible. Even our 60 quick wash is 50mins, so basically 1hr min per load. I don’t wash lower than 60 for apartment stuff.
Thats:
x2 loads bedding
x3 loads towels and white thin dressing gowns
x1 coloured beach towels
X1 tea towels, oven gloves, cleaning clothes, etc

So 7hrs of washing machine. 5hrs of tumble dryer, and I hang the thin hamman beach towels and last lid on airer outside to dry. This takes me a full day, starting some whilst cleaning and finishing the rest later in evening. Ironing bedding is extra time next day usually. Theres absolutely no way to wash and iron all bedding and towels etc from a 2 bed in 1 hr.

I would prob change it to 3 hrs actual cleaning. Then give her a fixed rate for washing and ironing everything, not per hour (as it’s hard to calculate as your loading, waiting, hanging, swapping over).
As a reference when I looked it would cost me €48 to get local laundry place to just do the bedding (washed and ironed). That’s why I do it myself. So maybe €35 extra for laundry if she’s washing and ironing at her own home

Its also why I have min 5 night stay, as any less isn’t worth it as it takes almost 2 days worth of cleaning, washing and ironing per guest