A Question about house cleaner.

[lorinick]

A friend of mine is going on vaction for three weeks and gets her home cleaned once a week. She has told her cleaning lady she will not need her for three weeks. The girl was very upset about it. My friend doesn't get why. I think she should pay her for at least one of the weeks. Is person has been with her since she was in college about 11yrs. and nannied for her one child. She only works part time and has her own children. What would you do if you planned to be away that long? IMO it's to long. This girl is there every week and depends on the money as she stated to my friend. She has stated this will be a real hardship for her. I told my friend what I thought, but I was interesed in what you guys think.

[Melaine]

If someone comes every week at a particular time, I would feel obligated to pay her while I was out of town. I might ask if she can make up the missed time before or after the trip, but some how work out so that she is still getting her money.

[lorinick]

If someone comes every week at a particular time, I would feel obligated to pay her while I was out of town. I might ask if she can make up the missed time before or after the trip, but some how work out so that she is still getting her money.

Yes this girl has a key to their home and would be trusted in their home even while they were away. I think df is being cheap and unfair.

[Melaine]

cheap and unfair and probably at risk of losing a very good employee. Speaking as a former nanny/maid, I would have felt angry, unappreciated, and probably looking for another job.

[brittone2]

Could they work out something where the housecleaner (depending on her schedule) could come an extra time or two pre or post-vacation to do some spring cleaning, gardening, or organizing? That way, she'd get the extra pay, but your friend would be getting some benefit for her money vs. just paying the cleaning lady even though she isn't needed (which wouldn't be bad either if they really value her, obviously!)

I would consider seeing if the housecleaner would consider doing stuff like cleaning windows, helping to take down curtains and wash or air out or dry clean, perhaps help tackle an organizing project of some sort...maybe work in the garden if she's physically able to do so, help tackle post-vacation laundry (come an extra day or so when they return?) etc. It would totally depend on their relationship whether or not this would be reasonable to ask, but if appropriate, it seems like a win-win to me?

(eta: I don't think this particular scenario would work for everyone, and if she already works several other days for different families, I'd probably be more inclined to just pay her while gone. I don't have a cleaning person currently, but having an employee that you like and trust is so valuable, it is worth paying for, kwim?)

[Octobermommy]

Hmm, 11 years and she nannied for her, I would probably feel obligated to pay her for the time I was going to be gone. Maybe she can have her do a major project such as organizing closets, pantry etc. and pay her what she would have paid her for just cleaning just before she goes on her trip so that the cleaning lady will still get the money.

[WatchingThemGrow]

Can't she at least send out an email to some friends who don't have a weekly housecleaner and ask if anyone would like to hire her during that time? I know a bunch of my friends who'd LOVE to have someone come clean once/twice but not be committed long term.

I think she should pay her if she's been working with her that long.

[lorinick]

cheap and unfair and probably at risk of losing a very good employee. Speaking as a former nanny/maid, I would have felt angry, unappreciated, and probably looking for another job.

I'm upset myself I know this person she has been to things for her children and social events at their home.

[Melaine]

It is an awkward line of work to be in, because it is so personal. It is easy to feel mistreated, unappreciated and sort of snubbed by your employers. They usually require a lot from you, as far as energy, attitude and flexibility, but offer little in return, in my experience anyway.

[niccig]

I would have her come and work on extra projects if the house didn't need cleaning because no one was in it since the last cleaning. She can do the normal cleaning the first week, then the next 2 visits could be some big spring cleaning projects. Window washing inside and/or out or wall washing come to mind. She could pull everything out of kitchen cabinets and wipe cabinets out etc. I have a tonne of projects that I could use someone for.

[egoldber]

When I had cleaners, they came every other week. If we were on vacation, I left a key with my neighbor who left it for them on their scheduled day. I loved coming home to a clean house! :)

A few times something came up and I had to have them move the day, but we usually re-scheduled to a different time.

I don't know what I would do about someone who typically came every week. I might have them come, but this time do things they don't typically do, more deep cleaning type things. This would be a good time because they wouldn't need to do the basic cleaning since no one has been home.

I wonder if perhaps your friend is having financial troubles she doesn't want to share with you?

[lizajane]

i agree with PP. if she can afford someone once/week all the time, then it seems she could afford to pay the house cleaner to do some extra projects. even if just baseboards and cabinet organization.

another idea would be to find some friends who can't pay someone regularly but who could pay for a one time cleaning and could "borrow" her time slot.

[lorinick]

There is plenty she could have her do. They are leaving three days after she is was there. And they are messy people. And the worse thing is they could afford to pay her something. This girl is a mother of two and only cleans for three families all together. But I can't amagine when I was working if the doctor I worked for said I'm slow this month so I'm only going to need you two days a week instead of three and I can't pay you.

[wellyes]

She has told her cleaning lady she will not need her for three weeks. The girl was very upset about it. My friend doesn't get why.
Does your friend not get a paycheck? I can't believe she really doesn't understand the problem. She probably gets paid vacation - most people do (even service professionals like day care providers) while cleaning persons do not. To not get a paid vacation AND not get paid while your client is on vacation --- that stinks.

I love the suggestion earlier that the house cleaner could tackle a special project or two while the family's on vacation. Or failing that, at least offer 50% compensation.

Otherwise the cleaning lady would be smart to drop them as a client as she searches for more reliable business.

[lorinick]

When I had cleaners, they came every other week. If we were on vacation, I left a key with my neighbor who left it for them on their scheduled day. I loved coming home to a clean house! :)

A few times something came up and I had to have them move the day, but we usually re-scheduled to a different time.

I don't know what I would do about someone who typically came every week. I might have them come, but this time do things they don't typically do, more deep cleaning type things. This would be a good time because they wouldn't need to do the basic cleaning since no one has been home.

I wonder if perhaps your friend is having financial troubles she doesn't want to share with you?


My friend always complains about money, and always has. But her and her dh drive Mercades cars and can afford a cleaning person weekly and go to Europe with there three children. Something I couldn't afford. Times are tuff for all but for this person it's worse than it is for them. I'm sure.

[sste]

In the initial year we had our housecleaner, we had her make up hours when we were gone on vacation or in some cases we didn't pay her for a week here and there. After that period, when it became clear she would be a long-term employee (and part of our support system!), we have always paid her when we are gone on vacation. Sometimes we have her rearrange our books and knick-knacks which she is brilliant at; usually we just pay her and tell her to enjoy the week.

This is just me, but my DH and I went without holiday gifts to each other this year so we could afford to give our nanny and our housekeeper the holiday bonuses they deserved and to pay them when we were out of town for the holidays.

[kristenk]

Someone comes in to clean for us every other week. If we're going to be gone on our scheduled day, I ask either my MIL or my neighbor to let the cleaner in and am thrilled with having a clean house to come back to.

I understand that 3 cleaning sessions is probably a lot, but it seems as if you can afford to have someone clean every week, you can afford to pay for it.

In your friend's situation, especially with such a trusted person, I'd try to come up with something for the cleaner to do while we're away that normally doesn't get done. Baseboards, ceiling fans, cleaning windows, etc. I would ask the person to spend the normal amount of time they'd spend, but just spend it doing other things that needed to be done.

I imagine that your friend would have a problem if, out of the blue, the cleaner told that she wasn't going to clean for 3 weeks, but then she'd be back to work the 4th week.

[geochick]

A devoted and good employee should be compensated if your friend wants this employee to continue working for her when she returns.

I used to be a housekeeper/nanny in college. My employers LOVED me. If they went away for more than a week, they always had me come and work on other stuff (cleaning the pool house, cleaning windows, refrigerator, taking care of the dog, picking up the laundry, turning lights on or off, etc.) while they were away, or they'd pay me for the time they were gone. They knew I was surviving on my work money. They knew if I wasn't making money with them, I'd be out finding new sources of income.