Cleaner holiday etiquette

sillygoose

Hi,

This is a sort of cleaner etiquette question.
We have a cleaner pair who come in once a week for a couple of hours. This is an permanent arrangement. We are off on holiday soon for a couple of weeks so there is no point them coming during the 1st week. Is it the done thing to just say we don't need the service that week and not pay them or are you supposed to pay them anyway?

Common sense tells me that you pay for the services you request and get, but a part of just feels bad that they end up with an empty slot and no income. I suppose that given due notice its up to them to find other work on that day?

Experiences welcome.

alwaysonthego_2

I would pay them for the sake of a couple of hours!

Imagine they get offered a better job and stop cleaning for you!

McKneff

If you value her and i presume you do then the nicest thing to do is to pay her
Its only a couple of hours and apart from the good will extended she will feel valued too. Now if she was going on holiday it might be a different matter.

TomsMom

Why not have them come in anyway (if you are happy for them to be in your house when you're not there) and find a job they can do that's not part of their normal routine, but the sort of thing you do once or twice a year? Wipe down paintwork, tiles in bathroom (if fully tiled as they probably wouldn't all be done on a weekly basis), tops of kitchen cabinets, move beds out to vacuum underneath, etc. That way they wont be losing out on their hours and you get a few extra jobs done that normally wouldn't be included.

Amanita_2

I have mine come in anyway. I know she relies on the money and I can always find her some extra jobs to do over and above the usual weekly routine.

sillygoose

TomsMom wrote: »

Why not have them come in anyway (if you are happy for them to be in your house when you're not there) and find a job they can do that's not part of their normal routine, but the sort of thing you do once or twice a year? Wipe down paintwork, tiles in bathroom (if fully tiled as they probably wouldn't all be done on a weekly basis), tops of kitchen cabinets, move beds out to vacuum underneath, etc. That way they wont be losing out on their hours and you get a few extra jobs done that normally wouldn't be included.

I feel this is probably the right thing. They are a business but they are not exactly rolling in it. I think cleaning is quite competitive around here so the rates are cheap, they are always looking for new clients. Actually my wife and I work so they usually do our place while we are not there but I have been extremely fussy in finding and checking them out so no problems there.

Thanks for all opinions!

misgrace

Tomsmum has it spot on, for a few pounds you will have thier gratitiude, and make them feel that they are valued.
IMO, if you have found a cleaner that is good, look after them, as a good, honest reliable cleaner, or any trade for that matter are like gold dust, so its best to look after them.
Again like TM says, get them to do a couple a jobs that they dont normally do, perhaps clean the windows, tops of cupboards etc.

rachbc

Even if you don't find them extra jobs you should pay them - you get paid holidays and its not their choice that you are going away...

Soot2006

I was always told to judge people by the way they treat their servants not by the way they treat their equals.

My parents' cleaning lady is paid the same amount every week, including the 4 weeks she takes off every year. One thing is for sure, whenever my mother comes home after a holiday, she finds a spotless house and a fresh bouquet of roses ...