Cleaner dilemma - what would you do?

I ran my own cleaning company for many years and had 17 clients all of which had their particular needs and some were very vulnerable.
In over 20 years I missed twelve days, I had young children and sick relative I also looked after but. And this is a big but…your clients come first.
Without an income, my family suffered, so whatever crops up you deal with it and soldier on. Some days I finished at 7 pm but it was necessary.
When I finally hung up my dusters several of my ladies gave me a large retirement gratuity which really shocked me but was very much appreciated…they told me I was better than family as I never let them down. I was sad to retire but I always gave them my best and only charged a fair price. I have a cleaner now who hoovers strips the bed ( doesn’t remake it or put the laundry on) and she’s off. Not really what I did or expect as a service.
You ARE paying for a service after all! There’s a fine line between being kind-hearted and taking the p*ss.

Keep her poor woman it’s so hard working around children

I have had cleaners who brought children with them, and wouldn't do it again. It was in the days when my own children were young, and I thought it wouldn't matter. It did.

Inevitably my children's toys were played with, and sometimes got broken, and I ended up feeding them all, which messed up my meal planning. I'm not sure that the children liked accompanying their parents either. As it worked out, though, my current cleaner used to come here with her mum, who has since retired. She managed to squeeze me in when I was looking for someone, as she remembered me, so it's all worked out for the best. She does have children, but her mum looks after them in the holidays or if they are off school sick.

I think in your circumstances I would ask her what she thinks should happen on the days she can't make it. Obviously a child in hospital is a different matter, but there may be a way round the school holidays situation if she knows how annoying it is for you when she can't make it.

Keep her and let her bring the little boy when she needs to, personally i would love it, children brighten the day and unless he is a holy terror i cant see the problem really

Some cleaning companies do one off cleans, so perhaps you could see if you can find one for the occasions when the delays are too long for you.

I would let her go, either she can do the job or can't , it's never going to improve, find someone else you can do the job requested and paid for

Don’t go to agencies ..

Why not?
My cleaner has come to me via an agency for the last 15 years. She’s a star.
If she’s on holiday or, very rarely, ill, I have the choice of having someone else or doing the cleaning myself.
If I go on holiday I just let the agency owner know in good time, she finds alternative work for my cleaner and I don’t have to pay.
Yes it’s more expensive than cash in hand, but I’m more comfortable knowing that employers’ National insurance contributions are being paid & when my cleaner retires, she’ll be entitled to a full state pension.

Having worked as a cleaner with a young daughter the school holidays were often a problem. I was very lucky in that the people I cleaned for would allow me to bring her.They loved to see her and her them and actually become part of our family coming to birthdays, Christmas dinner and life long friendships. This was 30 years ago and I was very lucky.

Stick with her, good cleaners are hard to come by. Talk to your alternate weeks friend, see if any compromises there. Seems hard you are always landed with the bad days. Could she just pop in and change sheets? But stick with her one way or another.

If you can afford it, why not try and find a cleaner to work alternate weeks with your current cleaner, then when she’s not available you could ask the second cleaner if she could step in.

In your place, I would long since have started looking for another cleaner.

It does not matter how nice she is, or that some of the reasons she cancells are those we all can understand and sympathise with.

The bottom line is that your home is not being cleaned to your satisfaction, and as you cannot do it yourself, you have to have a cleaner you can rely on to come on the days arranged, or if she has to cancel, to come the day after.

Get a bigger company to do it and pay for the overheads of them having admin and contingency.

Luckygirl3

Hang on to her.

Unless there are nights of wild passion going on the bed can wait 4 weeks!

Unlikely and my memory isn't that good

Thanks everyone, lots of different ideas and opinions. I'm going to see if she comes in 2 weeks time and then make a decision. I can live with that and it's fairer on her.

I would give it 6 months and then review. This gives you a chance to see what her baseline norm is. It also means you can let yourself off the angsting for a bit. Meanwhile keep your eyes open for anyone who could do a bit of adhoc work....for example the bed. There are sometimes cleaners/ practical types who could do with a bit extra work.

I remember going with my Mum to work in school nursery
Goodness, that's wat happens when you get interrupted by someone asking questions halfway through typing a sentence!

No, my mother did not work in a school nursery. I went with her to work during school nursery holidays.

The child would presumably have to accompany his mother on all her jobs each day, which would be very boring for him.

petra

cornergran

I’d also wondered about the child accompanying your cleaner in holidays. Worth suggesting? She may not want to ask.

If you’re really worried about your bed is there a local agency that does one off appointments? There are several here. Probably expensive though.

Overall I think I’d stick with your cleaner and try to work around the school holidays by trialling a visit with her son. If it doesn’t work out you can re-think then.

Seriously 🤦🏼‍♀️ Have you had a 6 year old ?

I remember going with my Mum to work in school nursery when I was about four! I really enjoyed myself, but it wasn't in someone's house 😁

cornergran

I’d also wondered about the child accompanying your cleaner in holidays. Worth suggesting? She may not want to ask.

If you’re really worried about your bed is there a local agency that does one off appointments? There are several here. Probably expensive though.

Overall I think I’d stick with your cleaner and try to work around the school holidays by trialling a visit with her son. If it doesn’t work out you can re-think then.

Seriously 🤦🏼‍♀️ Have you had a 6 year old ?

Luckygirl3

Hang on to her.

Unless there are nights of wild passion going on the bed can wait 4 weeks!

😁

I'm assuming it's a double or larger. Sleep one side of the bed for two weeks, the other side the other two weeks! Can you manage to change the pillow cases?

I would suggest she brings her little boy with her in the holidays, but not the dog.

If you have a TV it won't harm him to watch children's TV for a couple of hours, do some crayoning etc., nothing too messy when he's with you.

I hope her little boy is recovering.

Hang on to her.

Unless there are nights of wild passion going on the bed can wait 4 weeks!

Exactly Elowen. This is why it appeals to our daughter. She just loves coming home on a Friday teatime to a clean house! She’s not interested in knowing who does it. It’s a very efficient service and extremely reliable with no awkward conversations about expectations or personal difficulties.

The only way to avoid the no shows is to use a company as there cannot be any cover when a self employed cleaner has time off.

My mother-in-law's cleaner is paid by bank transfer.
I'm sure not all cleaners are cash payments.

And that has the benefit of no cash payments which may not be declared.