Page 2 | Another cleaner thread!

WorkerBee1425 · 2025-10-11T07:46:11+00:00

When we hired our cleaner 10 months ago, she went through exactly what she would do in the 3 hours a week we pay for. The first clean was great, but since then the quality has just gotten worse with some things we agreed on just not getting cleaned. She said there will be things she does on rotation but now she has started to leave early when ‘finished’ so those rotation pieces she would do are suddenly not part of the time we pay. She has cancelled at least 4 times and tried to rearrange a few times (maybe not so bad in ten months?). We pay £22 an hour and it just feels like a rip off at this point. I know good cleaners are hard to find, and overall she is okay and it makes my life easier but do I have the conversation or do I just put up with it or do I just look elsewhere?

Original poster

WorkerBee1425 · 12/10/2025 14:58

TartanMammy · 12/10/2025 13:56

I'm in a similar position, (although paying less than £22ph). She started off great and I was pleased with the standard of the clean but she seems to be cutting corners recently, leaving early or excuses why she can't come.

I had to clean my own house this week as she cancelled at short notice and it's really shown my how much she's been missing, a lot of the areas I cleaned were certainly more than a couple of weeks build up. E.g last time I asked her to give the banister an extra clean as it felt grubby and when I cleaned it this week the underside was covered in stains and build up, clearly over a number of months so she's wiping along the top quickly but not giving a thorough clean. Many examples of things like this I've only discovered when going to clean myself so on the surface it looks ok but when you get up close it's clearly not been cleaned properly in a while.

When we were on holiday she only stayed 45mins (ring door bell). Starting to feel like she's really taking the piss. Reluctant to change cleaner as a new one could be worse! Sometimes she does a good job and she has two little girls and I do like her as a person.

I felt like this a when she last cancelled- grime built up under the taps and mould in the corner of the shower. What’s annoying is how I don’t mind giving the sides a wipe down or the floors a quick hoover/mop, what I actually pay for is all those hidden bits - which we agreed at the start she would do!

OP posts:

cha04 · 12/10/2025 15:14

CityGrownWillow · 12/10/2025 11:58

I've been a self employed cleaner for the last 4 years and I have always taken great pride in each job. I charge £16 ph which I know is different in each area but it does seem on the high side, however that's not what you're questioning.
I totally get that it's a difficult discussion to have but do not forget that you are paying for this service! The cleaner isn't doing it for free, you are the employer.
It of course depends on the cleaner but I've always said to my customers that they can always tell me to do more/less or to focus on other areas or indeed if I'm missing something, I think it's part of the cleaner & customer relationship and it's a shame that you don't have that with your cleaner (not your fault!). I'd be mortified if a customer was disappointed in my work (again, not a dig at you at all!).
If you're like me and don't like confrontation, perhaps leave a note on her next visit just along the lines of "thanks for coming today, is it ok to focus on such and such today please?" Then it takes the pressure off of you?
As for rearranging and cancelling, it's very annoying and actually the reason I'm now giving it up, my health isn't great and I've been rearranging appointments more & more so I feel like I can no longer be reliable and if I can't be perfect I don't wanna do it 😂
There is no shame in getting a new cleaner! Even if you say thanks but we can no longer afford the expense.
I hope at least a bit of that was helpful, I'm a talker! Best wishes

erm no the cleaner is self employed they do not have an employer. £16 is less than minimum wage after you’ve paid all business costs. You don’t seem too confident or knowledgeable in running a business

cha04 · 12/10/2025 15:16

Biggles27 · 12/10/2025 14:09

My parents cleaner is amazing -she was their cleaner, got cancer had to stop - recovered and picked up cleaning again

the last two took the piss. They were a pair, £40 for an hour (£20 each per hour). They did the bare minimum (eg not moving anything to clean under). The agreement was two bathrooms upstairs, downstairs loo, Hoover stairs and clean kitchen Then anytime left over, to make up the two hours, hoover bedrooms, Hoover rooms downstairs, mop hall floor (all things current cleaner on her own did/does)

they’d do bathrooms and not mop the floor or move anything in the bathroom to clean under eg the bottle of bubble bath. Not clean the shower edges - mould built up.

They’d clean the kitchen and move nothing (toaster, kettle etc - nothing heavy or unexpected in a kitchen). Wouldn’t clean the completely flat induction hob in case it got damaged, never mopped the floor or swept it.

Left after 30 to 40 minutes, doing nothing extra so Dad was being done 40 - 60 minutes a week he was paying for

dad kept in touch with old cleaner throughout her treatment and they had coffee and a chat regularly (both parents have had significant cancers too), messaging her supportive messages etc. Just being there for her

she came back to work very part time and Dad was able to get her back - even post breast cancer recovery she’s in a different league to the pair. It was with much relief we gave them notice (Dad paid them a month and told them not to come back)

Dad has agreed that if we ever have to let this one go, we’ll not put up with that crap again

oh current cleaner is £15 an hour and does everything to a high standard - everything gets moved and she even posh folds the loo roll ends 🥰. She getting a good Christmas bonus!

Edited

I should hope so on £15!! That’s almost slave labour! You should be embarrassed to pay someone so little.

Biggles27 · 12/10/2025 15:26

cha04 · 12/10/2025 15:16

I should hope so on £15!! That’s almost slave labour! You should be embarrassed to pay someone so little.

Show quote history

Around here that’s good money for a cleaner (£12.50 is the going rate) - we live in one of the poorest parts of the uk with massive unemployment where a 3 bed house is under £125000) and she’s paid what she’s asks for and lastly she’s not my cleaner - nothing to do with me! She’s paid out of attendance allowance by two pensioners on state pension and attendance allowance

Biggles27 · 12/10/2025 15:30

weclive in a poor area!

Welshmonster · 12/10/2025 15:41

Fairyliz · 11/10/2025 08:50

£22 an hour! Blimey where do you live op? I’m retired and looking for a bit of extra money; I will do it for £10 an hour cash in hand.
No experience of being a paid cleaner but I have had my own property for 40 years and kept it clean with three children making a mess.
Sorry that’s not terribly helpful. Pull her up on it, the same way you would someone in the office not doing all of the tasks they are supposed to.

By the time you have paid tax, NI, insurance, petrol and cleaning products you won’t have much of that £10 an hour left.

Welshmonster · 12/10/2025 15:51

You need to tell her that you’ve noticed. You are paying for a service. Give chance to improve but if not then let go.

round my way cleaners are £25 an hour so I expect things to be clean. We have a mad tidy up the night before cleaner comes so surfaces are clear to be cleaned.

we haven’t got a cleaner at the moment as I’ve changed jobs and paid significantly less but have more time so I can clean my own house now.

I’ve tried various ones and a team of three came and were just chatting and one spent about 10 mins putting the toilet roll into a bow! Didn’t invite them back.

best one we had was an older lady and she didn’t stop for the entire time. Wish we could have her all the time but cleaning is such a physically demanding job that you don’t have same energy later in life.

ask friends locally for recommendations and dump them if nothing changes

cha04 · 12/10/2025 17:53

Biggles27 · 12/10/2025 15:26

Around here that’s good money for a cleaner (£12.50 is the going rate) - we live in one of the poorest parts of the uk with massive unemployment where a 3 bed house is under £125000) and she’s paid what she’s asks for and lastly she’s not my cleaner - nothing to do with me! She’s paid out of attendance allowance by two pensioners on state pension and attendance allowance

Show quote history

shocking the poor women is making less than minimum wage after costs.

CityGrownWillow · 12/10/2025 18:09

cha04 · 12/10/2025 15:14

erm no the cleaner is self employed they do not have an employer. £16 is less than minimum wage after you’ve paid all business costs. You don’t seem too confident or knowledgeable in running a business

Show quote history

That's a good point, I'll hold my hands up and say that she isn't the employer. But she is hiring the cleaner to do a job and it should be done properly. OP is well within her rights to tell the cleaner what she wants is what I was getting at.
As for your comment about how I ran my business, how presumptuous and rude of you. The cost of cleaners differ greatly depending on where in the country you are, if they use their own products, how much their insurance is and their other costs. It has absolutely nothing to do with you how much I charged, I did very well and had great customer relationships. Not that I should have to explain it to you.

LindorDoubleChoc · 12/10/2025 18:28

I don't know why you are even asking. She is not doing the job as agreed. Speak to her about it or let her go. It really is that simple!

Blackberryandcherry · 12/10/2025 18:34

I had a similar situation a while back. Good cleaners are notoriously hard to find so we couldn’t decide what to do for ages. We used to pay her for 2 hours, and she’d sometimes stay no longer than an hour and the cleaning was sloppy.

I think you need to find another cleaner. If you are paying by the hour then she shouldn’t be finishing early, and there are always little jobs she could find to do, never mind the additional jobs you have asked her to do on rotation.

I’d just replace her as the trust is already gone.

FiredFromACannon · 12/10/2025 18:38

I wouldn’t accept leaving early, if you’re paying by the hour she should be doing the full time, I don’t believe there’s nothing she could find to clean in a normal house even if it’s just the inside of kitchen cupboards or polishing picture frames.

I’ve just hired my first cleaner and she was working hard for the full three hours, I had to tell her to stop and leave the shower for next time or I think she would’ve kept going! I went through an agency so if there is a problem I could change cleaners without it being awkward. £19 an hour including the agency fee.

NC3276 · 12/10/2025 18:41

Ours was more flakey but was only £12.50 an hour. Our next one was £15 and that’s the max I would pay

redrattenchair · 12/10/2025 18:52

Going through an agency has really helped when it comes to awkward feedback. I just swap over cleaner when they start to take the piss.

Tiredofwhataboutery · 12/10/2025 19:04

Biggles27 · 12/10/2025 15:26

Around here that’s good money for a cleaner (£12.50 is the going rate) - we live in one of the poorest parts of the uk with massive unemployment where a 3 bed house is under £125000) and she’s paid what she’s asks for and lastly she’s not my cleaner - nothing to do with me! She’s paid out of attendance allowance by two pensioners on state pension and attendance allowance

Show quote history

Maybe 12.50 is perhaps the going rate if you are working longer hours or cash in hand? Thing is if you are going to pay your insurance, holiday pay, NI contributions then aid be surprised if you were making minimum wage at £15 ph before you consider time between jobs.

Biggles27 · 12/10/2025 20:04

cha04 · 12/10/2025 17:53

shocking the poor women is making less than minimum wage after costs.

Show quote history

She is paid what she charges. How is that shocking. You’re sounding like they’re forcing her to work for that money. If she wants more - she can put her price up and again SHES NOT MY CLEANER. She sets the price - I literally cannot work out why you keep having a go at me over something that is nothing to do with me 🤷‍♂️

Biggles27 · 12/10/2025 20:06

Tiredofwhataboutery · 12/10/2025 19:04

Maybe 12.50 is perhaps the going rate if you are working longer hours or cash in hand? Thing is if you are going to pay your insurance, holiday pay, NI contributions then aid be surprised if you were making minimum wage at £15 ph before you consider time between jobs.

Show quote history

I have no idea - I only know that from the local Facebook group when people are looking for cleaners. I have never employed one - ever

cha04 · 12/10/2025 20:15

Biggles27 · 12/10/2025 20:04

She is paid what she charges. How is that shocking. You’re sounding like they’re forcing her to work for that money. If she wants more - she can put her price up and again SHES NOT MY CLEANER. She sets the price - I literally cannot work out why you keep having a go at me over something that is nothing to do with me 🤷‍♂️

Show quote history

Jesus call down. I’m simply stating how awful it is she’s working for so little.

Blackberryandcherry · 12/10/2025 21:12

I also forgot to add that my current cleaner is also £22 an hour and she is amazing. Our previous was £15 an hour. I think £22 an hour is actually quite a lot (for our area), and I’d be extremely resentful if I felt like she was cutting corners at that price.

Theslummymummy · 12/10/2025 21:26

Why are those the two options? Why not discuss it with them?

TartanMammy · 12/10/2025 21:29

WorkerBee1425 · 12/10/2025 14:58

I felt like this a when she last cancelled- grime built up under the taps and mould in the corner of the shower. What’s annoying is how I don’t mind giving the sides a wipe down or the floors a quick hoover/mop, what I actually pay for is all those hidden bits - which we agreed at the start she would do!

Show quote history

Yes! I always hoover a couple of times in between cleans, and wipe the bathrooms and kitchen surfaces daily. My is tidy and organised so it should be pretty easy to clean.

I really need to bite the bullet and find someone new. Having a cleaner is a real luxury for us, we're not wealthy but we're time poor so it really gave me back some precious time for other things.

Thunderpants88 · 13/10/2025 04:48

Welshmonster · 12/10/2025 15:41

By the time you have paid tax, NI, insurance, petrol and cleaning products you won’t have much of that £10 an hour left.

Show quote history

You are projecting here. My cleaner is £15 per hour, she lives less than a mile away and uses our cleaning products, cloths and equipment. Try establishing the circumstances before declaring someone is underpaid.
Also our cleaner was £13.50 PH last year and put up her price to. £15ph. I’m not going to pay her more than she charges others or more than what she’s asked for.

Tiredofwhataboutery · 13/10/2025 05:05

Biggles27 · 12/10/2025 20:06

I have no idea - I only know that from the local Facebook group when people are looking for cleaners. I have never employed one - ever

Show quote history

Fair enough. I do think with cleaners people tend to compare the hourly rate with an employed person. If you add in things like statutory holiday pay 12%, minimum pension 3% then the hourly rate is £14 something then NI, covering sick pay for yourself, business expenses. The cost to an employer of paying someone min wage is more like £16-17ph.

Confessionsofa40yrold · 13/10/2025 06:07

Just leave her a note. Dear so and so. Please could you do this this and this today as I’ve noticed they’ve been a bit neglected lately.

She’ll either step up or she won’t.
If she doesn’t, bin her off.

redrattenchair · 13/10/2025 07:55

Tiredofwhataboutery · 13/10/2025 05:05

Fair enough. I do think with cleaners people tend to compare the hourly rate with an employed person. If you add in things like statutory holiday pay 12%, minimum pension 3% then the hourly rate is £14 something then NI, covering sick pay for yourself, business expenses. The cost to an employer of paying someone min wage is more like £16-17ph.

Show quote history

That’s true - the cost of employing people goes well beyond their hourly rate, but it’s no surprise that people don’t get this.