Cleaner leaving 30-45 mins early

[MyWiseBiscuit]

I’ve had a cleaner for 5 weeks. First week she did a great job, then second week asked if it’s ok to leave (10 mins early). Everything was done so I said yes. The last 2 weeks she’s left 45 mins early and then 30 mins early and the time I’m paying for is 2.5hrs. Didn’t ask just left.

What she did looked ok (not amazing) but things got left (cup marks on coffee tables, dusty skirting boards, few bits on kitchen floor, kitchen cupboards had a few food splashes. It’s like she’s rushing so she can leave as early as she likes. I ended up spending 30mins finishing after she’d done. Like the main things were done but details missing and I’m so annoyed she’s leaving so early.

After the initial 45mins early leave I gave her an extra job the next time, but all she did was then did a worse job on the other areas to leave 30mins early! I’m not going to quibble over 5-10 mins but 30-45 mins feels a lot.

what do I do? Find someone else or tackle it? I hate confrontation and it’s a lot of trust having someone in your home and relies on a positive relationship (always the worry if you upset them they’ll do something to your tooth brush). I also don’t feel great knowing they are in my home but not staying the whole time I’m paying them for which makes me question their integrity

if I do tackle, what do I say?
thanks

I pay my cleaner £30 a week. Sometimes she’s there an hour, sometimes 1.5

i think that’s ok

This is why I don’t have cleaners anymore either. I’ve tried private and agencies. The agencies were worse. Foreign non English speakers who couldn’t give a fuck. Leaving early happens everytime or they they do a great first clean and then progressively get worse.

That’s up to you but she’s taking the piss out of you. You’re paying for 2 hours. Why are you happy with just one?

I'm on my last good nerve with ours.

One of the best things i can say about her is she doesnt steal... it's pretty depressing.

The main reason i keep her to avoid arguing with my DH about cleaning..if i didnt have a 3 and 1 yr old i wpuldnt fucking bother I'd just do and "bill him his half" (my hourly rste is significantly higher than £18)

thank you. Yes I think a list is the way to go. Should I try a different cleaner?

I’ve tried 1 agency and they were awful. Fixed my price and stayed for 4 hours but missed whole areas.

So she’s not doing a good clean and not doing the full hours - the question is not should you get rid of her it’s why are you still employing her.

i did domestic cleaning when the kids were young and I never left early - even the old lady who had me doing 2 hours on her immaculate flat every week 10am til 12 everytime

pay by the hour and only pay for the hours they do

Should you try a different cleaner? Well yes, as you have been told multiple times!

The problem with a list every week is that it’s yet another chore! By the time you’ve gone round the house picking up on little jobs and then writing them up you may as well tackle some of them yourself!

It’s a bit like expecting your boss to rewrite your job description every week. Surely there must be some cleaners out there who have initiative, like there are in every field?

And before anyone asks, the reason I have hired one in the past is I am useless at the job myself. I can spend ages tidying or cleaning and it looks no better. This is why I couldn’t go into that line of work! So I really do respect anyone who can do a decent job in this field. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just competent.

I would say next time she comes ‘Hi Sarah, all well? Much colder today isn’t it? Right, just to confirm, I have you till 2pm today don’t I? So after you’ve done the usual stuff, can you take the stuff off the dresser and give that a good dust? And the shower screen needs a good go. Rather than leave earlier after the basics are done, I want to make use of you while I’ve got you so maybe do jobs that need doing once in a while, like cleaning the oven, under the sofa, sorting airing cupboard. Just give me a knock if you run out of jobs and I’ll be sure to find something, ha ha! Sound ok?

I had a cleaner for years and there were jobs that she did a couple of times a year after she’d done the main bits. See what she says, if she’s still buggering off early and leaving rings on the coffee table - I’d get rid.

OP the fact she’s buggering off early when she lives round the corner makes her even more of a CF.

She is being unreasonable .If you worked in a shop or office would you leave 30 mins earlier? of course not! Just say "Hi Jane,just to say sorry not really working out no" explanation needed

Stop leaving the money out for her. Stop paying cash. Record her hours then send her a bank transfer for the exact time she is there.

If I pay someone to do X hours, then I would expect them to work those hours. Likewise, if I asked a cleaner to clean the house to a certain standard, and that person did just that, I would not mind if it took them 45 minutes or 4.5 hours.

If you are paying your cleaner for her time, insist she works it - or leaves.

Ditch. She's taking the Mickey......
In 10+ years of having the same amazing cleaner, we've never had an issue with leaving early. If anything she'll go the extra mile and stay a little bit longer....
She also house sits when we're away.

Just deduct 30 mins pay and pay when she leaves. Just say you assume this is ok as she is leaving early

Well that is a bit silly @opencecilgee

Do you have anyone local for seeking recommendations? If not an agency is probably a safer bet.

Honestly I’ve sometimes paid cash, sometimes cheques in the old days, these days bank transfer is the norm. Someone insisting on cash then scuttling off 30-45 minutes early, right under your nose and in the very first weeks is not going to get any better. Even if you don’t like managing people that is what you have to do when you contract someone in for work - its better for both of you.

Before the next one starts practice the conversation you need to have when not happy with work or time, otherwise you risk having the same issues. That gives the cleaner an opportunity to explain and change things where its simply a misunderstanding and leaves everyone clear on expectations.

Thank you. I must admit I’ve never had another have the gall to leave this early (5-10 mins here or there isn’t something I worry about)

My cleaner started doing this so I only paid her for the time she did. After 3 weeks, she started staying the whole time and the job was done properly.

I didn't have a conversation with her, just paid her less. I even did it down to the penny.

Thank you yes that’s very true. When I say I don’t like managing people I mean I expect to pay for a service and get it rather than training someone to do their job (if you see what I mean). I’m reassured to see that people are saying get someone new because I’d rather that then spend weeks micro managing someone

Did you only pay her after she’d left? It’s hard when I need to work as I’d rather trust an adult to do their job job they have agreed to do. Was there any ill feeling when you did that? Sounds like it did the trick though

I only ever pay my cleaners after they leave. I am also very up front with having a Ring doorbell.

In my experience, cleaners take the absolute piss and will take a mile, if given an inch.

If she had messaged me regards to paying her less, I would have told her why, but she didn't so I didn't mention it.

You could have given your bathroom a deep clean in the time you’ve invested on this thread!

Haha very true

Why would it be unreasonable to have a problem with her leaving early if she isn’t doing her job?