# Problem with my cleaner - help needed!



## sallywags (Jun 27, 2005)

I am a very fussy lady when it comes to cleaners, and am on my 3rd already as the first two were, frankly, rubbish!!  However, when this one came round to assess and quote, I was quite clear what i hadn't been happy about previously, and what i particularly wanted doing.  She gave me a pretty high quote, but figured that as i had been fairly prescriptive and told her i wanted high standards (i can do a cr*p job myself!!) then i had to put up with the quote.

It has been a little hit and miss, but tbh i have stuck it out to see how she goes (and i don't want to be without a cleaner again!!).

I was cleaning after dinner yesterday in the kitchen, and realised that my stainless steel hob has been cleaned with a scouring pad, and is scratched to bits! It's completely trashed.

Now, to some degree it doesn't really matter, as we are getting a new kitchen fitted in the next few weeks - but I was planning on selling the applicances (they are only just over a year old, as we put them in hoping to sell the house - but failed, so now upgrading to a full new kitchen).  I definitely won't be able to sell the hob as 'excellent condition' now, and dont think i'll get more than a few quid for it.

Also - there is no way i want her anywhere near my brand new hob when i get it!!

I spoke to her on the phone just now, and she said that she didn't clean it with a scourer 'this time' - so when i asked if she had previously, she said yes!! i was horrified - although i am not sure how i missed it before, (probably cos i made the time to give it a good polish up yesterday) but clearly it has been scoured, and she has done it!  i would never clean stainless steel with a metal scourer - and she has admitted that she has!

what would you do?!


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

If I were to be paying high prices out, I'd expect a good service! Surely any experienced cleaner would be aware that hobs + scourers do not mix! I am only a part time housewife and I know this  

I personally would not pay her, to reimburse yourself for the hob. The Hob is one of my pet phobias in my kitchen! I am constantly checking for scratches!

xxx


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## sallywags (Jun 27, 2005)

Unfortunately I have already paid, as i leave her a cheque


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Can you cancel the cheque?


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## brownowl23 (Jan 3, 2006)

bill her for it. If shes the decent cleaner that she made out she should know how to clean a hob!


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## annacameron (Dec 16, 2008)

well I pay 10 pounds an hour and have to remind her to dust so I am not the best person to ask!

good luck!


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## clairelh1 (Sep 8, 2004)

Sorry if this is asking the obvious.  Does she have insurance as part of her services?  A lot of cleaners are insured against damage/breakages that they incur whilst working in your property, if she has, then put in a claim against her (or however it works).  If not, find out how she'd go about reimbursing someone for a general breakage,  and start discussions that way.  

C
x


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## sallywags (Jun 27, 2005)

She has agreed to come round and look at it - which i am happy as i will make sure i am here.  I will try to get off her what i would have sold it for 2nd hand.  I don't think i trust her to come back again tbh, and if she does, i will certainly not pay her in advance again!! 

She doesn't charge by the hour - she charges per job, and if it takes longer one week she will stay, but obviously if it is not too bad she gets it done quicker.  I still think she is expensive, but if she did what she promised, it would be worth it!!

Claire - i'm not sure, but i would like to think so. I will see what she has to say for herself when she comes round here!


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Keep us posted hon


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## brownowl23 (Jan 3, 2006)

I had a cleaner once, or rather Dh had had the cleaner before I moved in. He didnt hoover the floro all over he only hoovered the fluff and bits up from the floor. I used to have to hoover again once he had been. He used to beleach tea cups (eewwwww and I dont drink Tea!) and he barely did naything that I could see.

I got so fed up I left a note asking if he could kindly use my dyson as I have asthma and two long haired cats so it was important to hoover well and I considered that my dyson did the best job. He got the huff and resigned the same day. Seems he couldnt be bothered to stay if he had to do some real work.


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## Serafena (Dec 4, 2002)

Although I didn't have any particular "incident" as you have with your hob, I have come to the conclusion that NO cleaners do it as well as you'd do yourself!!

I pestered DH for us to go halves on a well-known cleaning company coming in once a fortnight at a cost of £50 each time to do a thorough clean - well the second time they'd been I had to complain as it didn't appear they had done much, then the next four times I had them, every time there was "something" not done - I wouldn't mind but in the sales spiel I was told "We start at the top with the light fittings and dust the ceiling then move down the walls, cleaning as we go and finally end up with the floors where we will move everything to clean properly....."

 is what I say to THAT!!! 

So I ended up letting them go and now DH and I spend a couple of hours every two Saturdays, me upstairs, him downstairs, doing a really thorough clean which is much better and FREE!!!! 

Jen xx

ps I would just like to point out that I do also do a spruce up in between our thorough cleans!!!!


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## jessiejay (Aug 5, 2005)

Hi,
I've worked for 15 years as a cleaner, and I think that if you are doing the job properly you should earn a good wage, it's hard work, and of course you don't get sick pay or holiday pay. So what you charge has to take that into account. Having said that Noone has ever complained about my work, and i have been trusted with keys and alarm codes, some of my clients have gone away for 6 weeks or more and requested that i go in while they are away. Sometimes the things people ask you to do are appalling. I've had to clean up cat poo. Iron husbands underwear. Remove mushrooms growing in mouldy bathrooms etc. But i always do a thorough job. Having said that and getting back to the subject, occasionally accidents happen, I have broken things, if you move every ornament etc to dust eventually there will be a mishap, but as all you ladies have said, cleaning a stainless steel hob with a scourer is a definite no no. I wouldn't imagine your cleaner has insurance. I would say that is rare for someone working on their own, and obviously there is an element of risk in getting someone else to do things for you, but i think you could at least expect her to contribute 1 or 2 weeks wages towards the damage done. I would offer that myself personally if i felt i had damaged something important. Even an honest up front apology would be a good start. Hope you can sort things out amicably,
JJ


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## sallywags (Jun 27, 2005)

Jen - that is what we used to do, but as dh is away all week, i resented spending half of our weekends cleaning!  Also, unfortunatley due to the state of my pelvis, i am very limited to what i can do - i can't even empty the kitchen bin, and i'm not allowed to lift the hoover!!  We do clean in between though!

JJ - i absolutely agree that being a cleaner can be an unpleasant job, and i don't resent paying her - if she actually did it properly!! (as i mentioned earlier there are issues, but they have been overshadowed by the hob!!) She is also a 'business', and has staff that work for her - but as i had the 'boss' doing my house, i felt quite confident that she was going to do a good job!!  I would like to think , given that she has others working under her business name she should have insurance!!


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