Don't people have any consideration?

[Rkayne]

I posted a thread a couple of weeks ago (Just need to moan) about my cleaner repeatedly not turning up and getting angry when I said someting to her. Well I got loads of advice and support from all the mumsnetters and just wanted to post this follow up.

I thought we'd sorted everything out - she was always really friendly, never told me she was unhappy or anything. I honestly just thought she was having problems with her family adn that was the only reason she kept canceling on me. Well this morning, out of the blue, her HUSBAND phones up to say she's quit!!!!

I seriously don't understand what is wrong with people. She knows I'm 7 months pregnant and really need the help adn she didn't even have the courtesy to a)phone me herself adn b)give me even a little bit of notice to get someone else. I don't know, maybe I'm just too nice but I would never do that to someone.

batters, Get a cleaner, I want one too because I do not have the time to tidy properly, DH says 'no' so thats that. saying that I do not work and spend a lot of time on mumsnet

Yep, go for it Batters, get any help that you can find and can afford. It is good for the economy!

So living in Yorkshire I could probably expect to get a basic cleaning (ie no windows, laundry etc) of the entire house for £20 I suppose. Its very tempting....

My advice to all mums is get a cleaner. I don't care if you are a stay at home mum or not. We all work and we all do it well. I would give up any other luxury I have to keep my cleaner. Now that I have her I will never live without one and firmly informed my dh of that.

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Is that £1 an hour - wow ?

I'm too embarrassed and ashamed of my filthy flat to have a cleaner. It just doesn't seem reasonable to expect anyone else to clean it up, even for money! Having said that, I think that if you feel that having a cleaner would make a big difference to you you should go for it, Batters, and certainly the mumsnet hive seem very clear that it's a life-saver.
I think some posters've been a bit mean to joben, though p'raps that was because her post was in turn a bit unsympathetic to Rkayne! I do agree with her that Rkayne's ex-cleaner may have had personal reasons for quitting and even if she didn't this doesn't make her evil incarnate of the worst kind IMO. Personally, I just don't think you can always expect perfect commitment and responsiblity to employers from people who are paid to do your dirty work- it's just not motivating work for most people, which is why we want to pay others to do it for us, I suppose. But I guess that's why I'd be such a shite employer if I had a cleaner- low expectations and a social guilt complex do not a good employer of a cleaner make, I suspect.

mororcco - couldn't you have soaked them in water, bleach and salt? Don't mean that to sound like I'm getting at you but I've had to do it loads of times in the past and it usually works - on natural fibres anyway!

My feelings exactly scummy about a cleaner. I would never feel comfortable expecting someone else to clean my pit.

Not sure I can justify a cleaner. I am about to move into a 2 bed apartment which is mainly open plan with wooden floors - quick wipe with the swifter and it'll be done. BUT someone to my ironing - yes please!!!!

Rkayne - I think you're right. It is inconsiderate and very unprofessional, even if she has problems at home. I can't just phone my school up and say, sorry not coming in anymore,can I? Doubt mopst employers would be impressed in ANY job.

i dont mind the ironing so much but is the putting the ironed clothes away that i will like someone to do it for me,they just go on a chair for 2 days then ill take them upstairs and leave them on top of a chest then on my bed and then dh kicks them on the floor until i finally put them away more creased than when they came out of the drier

Yes, get a cleaner. I had one pre-children when I was working 6 days a week, and she was fantastic. I used to be a cleaner-cum-nanny to supplement my student grant (those were the days), so I see both sides. I tried to get one again last autumn, but it was a disaster very similar to rkayne's. I'm on the lookout for another now.

We pay £6.50 an hour, cleaning and ironing. Four bed house takes 3 hours to clean, to include, kitchen floor and work surfaces, 2 bathrooms and 1 cloakroom, and dust and hoover whole house. Ironing (2 adults, 4 kids) takes 3 1/2 hours a week.
Wouldn't be without my cleaner/ironer. First employed one when pregnant and sooo tired. But kept her on. I'm a sahm but find domestic chores boring compared to stimulating discussions on mumsnet, reading newspapers, daydreaming, even looking after the children and if I didn't have my "ironer" I would have to spend half my evenings ironing.

I use an ironing service occasionally. Trouble is, I resent lugging the great big load to and from ....... there's just no pleasing me.

Edgarcat - is that really £1 per hour???????

Another big vote for a cleaner - I've had one for years and would never be without. I soon get over my reservation of having a stranger in the house and being embarrased about the mess! Life is too short to spend precious spare time with your hands down a toilet. I pay £7 / hour in central London via an agency (interesting, my cleaners have always been Polish too).

I had the same experience as Rkayne. Except mine just didn't bother to turn up. I really need a cleaner as ds1 is terrified of the hoover so it needs to be done when he is at nursery, but I have a hundred and one other jobs to do when he is there as well.

My mum put me in contact with someone she had known for years, and she is brilliant. The house is spotless (after she's been - it's a tip before), she looks after ds2 if I need to to pop out, she has some great gossip. All for 20 pounds for three hours.

I forgot to add, for security reasons in my previous flat I only gave the cleaner the key to one of the two locks on the front door. On "cleaner" days I didn't lock the second one (both were proper insurance-approved locks) so she could gain access, but on other days she would not have been able to get in. Unfortunately in my current flat both locks use the same key.

Why feel guilty about having a cleaner? There are even reasons to feel good about it Not only will you end up with a clean house and more time fro yourself but a good cleaner no doubt takes pride in their work and needs to make a living too.... you don't need to feel guilty about providing honest employment and a livlihood for someone. (We used to clear up before our cleaner came in so that she wouldn't realise what pigs we were ... anyone else do that?)

We have a new Lithuanian cleaner, who came recommended to me, she is expensive but not only does she clean ( now I know the toilet bowl is meant to be white ) but she re-organises things. Last week, she re-ordered the living room bookshelves so that all the books were in descending height order. Everything she touches looks so good that I have started to be tidier.... now that has to be money well spent.

Yes, sjs, I've done that. It makes sense to tidy up a bit because then they get to spend more time actually cleaning and it lasts longer. My experiences as a cleaner always force me to give the loo a bit of a once over, as there's no need for someone else to have to deal with that.
It can be quite a pleasant job, especially if you're allowed to have the radio on. Having said that, I wouldn't like to return to it now - far too energetic for my dissipated current self.

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