My new cleaner has hacked me off ! Am I being unreasonable ?

[Scatterbrain]

Just wondered what you all thought about this !

As some of you know I have just gone back to work full time and was delighted to find a cleaner with vacancies. I was very sensible and followed up her references - all of which were excellent.

So - she came today for the first time and I am so pissed off that I couldn't even answer the phone to her when she rang tonight !

OK - first problem - she brings her two children with her - one is no problem being only 10 months but the other little one if 2.5 and although she said at her interview that he stayed in the playpen (!) was wandering around picking up all my dd's toys when I left them !

When I came home the whole place was a mess - curtains disarrayed, furniture back in wrong places, loads of stuff moved, even my huge rug was left at a weird angle. The stands had been taken off my photos on the window sill and one stand has still not been found ! Toys were all piled up on the table - I know she couldn't stop her ds touching them - but she could have made an effort to tidy them up !

Then to top it all - a sink full of sodden filthy cloths ! She had used every single cloth I own (many !) and just left them in the sink for me to deal with.

And then the note - saying she hadn't managed to get upstairs (in 4 hours !!!) as she had had so much to do downstairs !

Am I being unreasonable ?

Horrid way to sack someone.

How would you like it? She's probably doing her best, it just doesn't suit your needs, thats all.

Ah,ok then!
Would have been ok if she had had the same attention to detail in other areas using a 1/5th of the time eh/

I've never had acleaner,mainly because I really couldn't trust anyone to clean as well as me.
How sadi s that??

Moondog, I'm a totally rubbish cleaner, and would far rather get paid for something I'm good at (and enjoy doing) , then pay someone else to do the jobs I hate.

I presume you're joking Easy ??

I WANT A CLEANER!!! I really really do. DH is pretty c**p and when both of us are working it is a pain. I ma trying to find a system that works for us all, that doesn't feel like I am left with it all, but where he doesn't fel I am constantly nagging him.

What does anyone think about suggesting to him that we both spend at least 15 mins EVERY DAY doing housework. eg a ROOM each (quick tidy, dust, hoover) or Kitchen (hoover and clean floors) this would be over and above general chores like filling/emptying dishwasher/washing machine, wiping down kitchne sufaces.

I think if I put it to him that ALL he needs do is 15 mins a day, and to choose one specific job to do, then I will stop feeling so resentful.

I am hoping that he will have hoovered the kitchen today, as when I left the hoover was in the doorway and glitter was on the floor, I just didn't get time. What's the betting the hoover is still there when I get home? He didn't need to be at work until 12 today, so had a few extra hours.

I'd have sacked her, but not by text!

No I'm not joking.

Okay, she can't do the job you want, but thats no reason to treat her like a piece of sh*t. I presume she's trying to get cleaning work cos she needs money, and she brings the kids cos she has no childcare.
If your employer treated you like this when you have tried your best (even if it wasn't good enough), I'm sure you would complain.
She desrves a proper explanation of why it hasn't worked out, so she doesn't make the same mistake again.

And I would pay the hour (what 6 or 7 quid) to avoid unpleasantness.

Or did you think something else I said was a joke.

Steady on....

Scatterbrain - go through a Cleaning Agency for your replacement cleaner. You will pay a bit more but it is worth it (standards assured)

Why is texting her treating her like a piece of shit ? All our correspondence has been by text - she said she prefers it as her English is not too good !

I won't pay her the extra hour - I don't even know if she did do 5 hours - anyway she was contracted (verbally) to do 4 - so if she did 5 - more fool her.

Now - I have wasted enough time on her and don't have to explain myself to you - so I'm off ! Thanks for the support by the way !

I think you are right scatterbrain. Ridiculous to ask for money for working an extra hour you didn't ask her to work. My cleaner comes for three hours and does upstairs and down. It's not surgically clean but everything is clear, clean and tidy so I can relax.

It just seemed a bit curt to me - like dumping someone by text (although realise you weren't snogging her!). I didn't realise that all your correspondence was by text though.

And agree not to pay her the extra hour - sounds like you've spent longer explaining to her how to do the job, so you should charge her

HMC - don't bank on getting standards assured through an agency. I used to use Molly Maid but had to sack them because they were crap and tried to rip me off, having repeatedly ignored most of our instructions, and resulting in our stone floors needing resealing to name but one problem!

I don't think I would have sacked by text and also would probably pay the extra hour, a. to be kind and b. to avoid arguments.

I can see she was bad but I don't understand the kids thing? Not the second time anyway. I used to bring dd to clean for my parents and although it was difficult I still managed to do a good and thorough job.

Scatterbrain, I think those who thought sending a txt was a bit off didn't realsie that she preffered communicating by txt. I didn't post earlier as I felt you had been a bit off for this very reason. However it makes sense if all communication was done this way. BTW I wouldn't have paid the extra hour, but I wouldn't have stopped her kids watching TV. So I am in the middle a bit.

Anyway I STILL WANT A CLEANER

Definitely right to sack her - she had her second chance.

not at allunreasonable!