Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Work

Chat with other users about all things related to working life on our Work forum.

Original poster

Self employed: cctv filming me ?

21 replies

Lovescience · 01/08/2019 20:36

Hi all , quick background Im a part time self employed cleaner. A customer I have been cleaning for weekly for over 2 months has recently texted me saying on certain dates this month I did not stay for the full amount of hours of the cleaning job and stated specific times I had stayed for on the dates (which don’t add up at all) but any way I’m concerned that I’ve been watched on cameras as one of the customers is an it sercurity person and why would he come up with these random times ? With out me knowing or even consenting to ? And what has he been filming as I’ve used their toilet many times ? I know that’s extreme but the mind wanders ! Now I’ve got nothing to hide as all I’ve done is come and cleaned their house within the time and yes I have finished early sometimes but nothing more then half n hour at the most and then been on my way I think the fact that he Could of been watching me for that whole time without me knowing is concerning me I feel a tad concerned If he’s recorded my image do I have a legal right to say delete it ? And do I have rights to see the footage he’s filmed ? If he has filmed any? Plus I’m not why he’s texting me as I’ve never spoken to him before and set the cleaning up with his wife and even he the meeting before hand with her ? So I’m not sure why all of sudden he’s messaging me and not her if there’s a problem which isn’t even with the cleaning standard? I’m really worried I have other customers with cameras and they have always said oh there’s a camera on the doorbell is that ok ? Or there’s a baby cam in that room don’t worry it doesn’t record you etc they have always let me know which I’ve always been fine with 100% . I would of been fine if he had said at the beginning there’s cameras filming you but it’s the fact nothing was ever said ?

OP posts:
HeadintheiClouds · 01/08/2019 20:39

I imagine he has the camera focused on the entrances to the property (doors and windows) like most people...
He’ll have seen you coming and going, not on the toilet.

theunrivalledjoysofparenting · 01/08/2019 20:39

Sounds like he’s concerned you’ve been working less time than you’re being paid for! Maybe he’s crosser about it than his wife so he’s contacting you?

No idea on the legality of filming, though...

Comefromaway · 01/08/2019 20:40

My dad did something similar. He has cameras at the entrances to his house and he also has a hidden camera in his office which was meant to keep an eye on the teenage grandkids but he suspected the cleaners weren’t doing the amount of time they were charging fir so he checked them and lo and behold, they were leaving early every single week.

hadthesnip2 · 01/08/2019 20:43

Do you charge by the hour or just a set amount to do the job....?? If its hourly & you're billing them for 2 hrs work & only doing 1.5 then no wonder he's pulling you up for it.

Abraid2 · 01/08/2019 20:45

If you have been finishing half an hour early then you are in the wrong and if he is paying by the hour.

Countrylifeornot · 01/08/2019 20:45

It'll be a door camera that's triggered by motion. I have one too, and have let sever cleaners go for not doing the hours I pay for.

MrsGarethSouthgate · 01/08/2019 20:46

I found out my cleaner was taking the piss by the sensors fitted to front and rear doors, that recorded the time she arrived and left.

MrsGarethSouthgate · 01/08/2019 20:48

My point being that there doesn't necessarily have to be CCTV fitted for him to know you haven't kept to your agreed hours.

Oblomov19 · 01/08/2019 20:49

I wouldn't be happy if you were leaving 1/2 an hour early. You could do more cleaning in that 1/2 hour.

adaline · 01/08/2019 20:53

You're being a cheeky fucker to leave half an hour early!

He'll have cameras at the door I would imagine, so he can see you coming and going.

Why do you think it's acceptable to leave after 90 minutes if you're being paid for two hours?

Original poster
Lovescience · 01/08/2019 20:55

No it’s a set amount for the work load because his wife doesn’t want a part of the house doing every week and sometimes the cats need to be fed etc so the workload can change if that makes any sense ? To be fair if I was leaving an hour early I could definitely understand I would be messaging the cleaner and I do believe some take advantage I’ve seen it with my own eyes as well but the fact I haven’t as he’s been in the house many times or us randomly come home and so has his wife as they’ve chatted to me as I’ve cleaned confuses me and the fact when I have finished early I’ve stated to him I’ve finished early is there anything else you want doing ? But thank you all for your reply’s probably over thinking the situation and if he wants to move on then so be it ! Thanks !

OP posts:
GimmieTheCoffeeAndNooneDies · 01/08/2019 20:59

Bit confused, you said you have never spoken to him, then you said you have chatted with him when he randomly comes home? Have I misunderstood?

JenniR29 · 01/08/2019 21:02

I believe under the GDPR regulations you can ask to see any footage they may hold of you by sending a ‘subject access request’. If you do not get to see it within one month you can report them to the information commissioner. You also have the right to be forgotten and any footage destroyed.

Though by doing this you will probably anger your boss and be let go. It might be worth asking informally what evidence they have and if you have been leaving earlier than you should have been make an arrangement to work back the time or pay back the money.

GimmieTheCoffeeAndNooneDies · 01/08/2019 21:06

I am not sure the GDPR applies in these circumstances.

stucknoue · 01/08/2019 21:10

I've just got rid of my cleaner for charging for 2 hours but leaving after 1hr45 - I didn't mind as a one off when her dd was sick but it's continued, if she sometimes stayed over 2 hours, sometimes under that would also be fine if you charge by the hour you should find something else to clean

Comefromaway · 01/08/2019 21:12

GDPR only applies to businesses not private individuals. CCTV laws only apply to cameras pointing away from a private residence.

Cabezona · 01/08/2019 21:46

How can you leave early if it's a set job not an hourly rate? One of you is confused as to what the job entails.

JenniR29 · 01/08/2019 21:51

GDPR does apply if any part of the footage captures you outside the property boundary, might be worth checking to see if you can see any outward pointing cameras.

TheInvestigator · 01/08/2019 21:53

But how can you charge a set amount for the workload when the workload changes? You’ve said the wife doesn’t want the same stuff done every week... so you can’t have priced the job as a whole because the job and workload change. How are you charging them? Is it X amount per thing they want done? Or X amount for all jobs in total? Or X amount for cleaning between y time and z time?

They probably have a camera at the door; that’s so common now and they don’t need to tell you because it just monitors people coming and going from their home. That’s allowed. If you’re leaving early and arriving late then you’re totally in the wrong.

Trickyteens · 01/08/2019 22:24

I had a cleaner who I treated very well, who kept leaving 30 minutes early. I got rid, as who needs that? I felt taken advantage of, as she was well paid, and it wasn't piecework.

swingofthings · 02/08/2019 06:44

You've been caught. Trying to find fault in them catching you is low. Just accept you provided poor business. You're paid by the hour not the job done. Private owners employing cleaners do so because of people like you. Those who do their hours don't care.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread