Cleaners - any advice?

Penny-Pincher!!

If he told you before you moved in together that he wasn't going to help etc, then at least he was honest with you. If he wants you to play "wife" with the household duties, then would he pay towards the cleaner?

Does he have high standards to the way you clean and particular about everything being in its place? If he is, then he sounds very controlling and I personally wouldn't tolerate it.

If he expects you to be constantly cleaning, then a cleaner really won't be the answer. He has to learn that being in a relationship is 2 way, especially with you both working full-time. Do you do all the cooking too?

There are ways to make things easier and keep the house clean and tidy, but you would need a strict rota and be willing to devote 15-20 minutes a day each.

I have used a cleaner for the last few years, although I don't have one atm and have paid between £8-£15ph. I'm disabled and pretty much bed bound. Having a thorough clean regular means that OH doesn't have to worry about doing it and he just keeps on top in-between. TBH though, we are tidy and the kitchen is always spotless unless he's cooking dinner. Our bedroom is more cluttered than I like as I have to keep medications out, a sharps box which is massive, nurses folder, machines, pillow lift, gloves, anti-bac pump, hospital letters etc all out. I had a quote from Merry Maids last week and they wanted £60 a clean:eek::eek::eek:...and I only have a 2 bed semi. Nearly had a heart attack! Their reasoning is that they price a job and not per hour. So they may only be here 45 minutes between the 2 of them. Currently looking for a new one, but i am fussy:o

Hope you get some kind of balance.

PP
xx

londonsurrey

I don't recommend MM. They quoted me by the job too - £150.

The woman who gave the quote dropped off two young girls. One of them dropped and ruined her expensive mobile in a bucket of water, and complained that she'd just done the same thing a fortnight ago, which gives some indication as to how much she could be using the phone on the job.

I was promised a deep clean, including tops of cupboards, etc.
They stayed for three hours, which works out to £25 per man hour worked.

After they left, I discovered all kinds of things that weren't done, including the tops of cupboards. The woman wasn't interested in putting things right.

I would say that although they claim to quote "by the job, not the hour", in view of what was left undone, and the fact that girls left bang on the dot after three hours, I am hard pushed to believe them.

I now have a word of mouth recommended cleaner who is MUCH cheaper, has been with me for several years, and is an absolute gem.

Penny-Pincher!!

londonsurrey wrote: »

I don't recommend MM. They quoted me by the job too - £150.

The woman who gave the quote dropped off two young girls. One of them dropped and ruined her expensive mobile in a bucket of water, and complained that she'd just done the same thing a fortnight ago, which gives some indication as to how much she could be using the phone on the job.

I was promised a deep clean, including tops of cupboards, etc.
They stayed for three hours, which works out to £25 per man hour worked.

After they left, I discovered all kinds of things that weren't done, including the tops of cupboards. The woman wasn't interested in putting things right.

I would say that although they claim to quote "by the job, not the hour", in view of what was left undone, and the fact that girls left bang on the dot after three hours, I am hard pushed to believe them.

I now have a word of mouth recommended cleaner who is MUCH cheaper, has been with me for several years, and is an absolute gem.

Don't worry, I wouldn't go with that price anyway, but thanks for the feedback. Sounds like a horrid company! She kept saying that they have a guarantee and if anything isn't done properly/missed, then they will come back. I argued (politely) that with it being only a 2 bed semi, nothing should be missed or not done properly! I used a company a few years back which was brilliant and paid £15ph for a 2hr clean...there were 2 of them, so done in a hour, but rarely was anything missed or not done to a high standard. Unfortunately, she met someone and moved abroad:(...shes still in contact now and she's happy with kids now too.

I have someones number that Ive been given, so just need to make a date.

KateLiana27

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

I don't like cleaning, I am happy with that and I pay for someone to do it for me. Cleaning, not tidying [before anyone asks]. Are you saying that I am inconsiderate and that my OH needs to get a better partner?

Not at all, because you're paying someone to do it! Ergo, you're a keeper

If you refused to do it but insisted your OH does, or that she pay out of her own pocket to get someone else to (as seems to be case with the OP), then yes, I'd be telling your OH, she could do better...

ETA: I just hate the attitude that all men are lazy man-children who can't take care of themselves. Not true.

gettingready

I have done few hours of cleaning for other people earlier in the year. Price was £10 per hour and included an awful lot of tidying up before I could even start cleaning. One house - a mum with a baby that just started walking. Extremely messy, was messing up whatever I cleaned pretty much instantly (both her and the baby) and it was a nightmare. 4 hours, 2 times per week so 8 hours per week. Frankly, with her lifestyle she needed someone 24/7 picking up after her and the baby. 4 bed house, 1 bathroom, extra loo downstairs, large kitchen and 2 reception rooms....


Rigth now I would love to have a cleaner myself but with my 4 cats and a dog - would need someone pretty much every day and can not afford it..

But I do agree that if someone can pay for a cleaner and free up their own time - great time saving...

belfastgirl23

I used merry maids once too and was not impressed. Couldn't tell the difference tbh. And the def didn't do what I would have classed as a deep clean.

Sambucus_Nigra

KateLiana27 wrote: »

Not at all, because you're paying someone to do it! Ergo, you're a keeper

If you refused to do it but insisted your OH does, or that she pay out of her own pocket to get someone else to (as seems to be case with the OP), then yes, I'd be telling your OH, she could do better...

ETA: I just hate the attitude that all men are lazy man-children who can't take care of themselves. Not true.

I am a she. OH is a he. I deliberately did not use any gender terms to see what assumptions you were making.

Errata

Personally I'd send the BF back home to his mum and ask her to teach him some civilised behaviour and that a meaningful relationship means sharing more than just body fluids.
The property appears to be quite small, but even so it will take more than an hour a week to clean it as the OP suggests. Perhaps her mum could give her some advice on a) how long cleaning takes to do b) how to housetrain the person you live with c) how to find an honest reliable cleaner.

themull1

If my property was that small, i would be embarrassed to hire a cleaner!

KateLiana27

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

I am a she. OH is a he. I deliberately did not use any gender terms to see what assumptions you were making.

Same applies. You're an adult, you don't want to do an adult job (clean up after yourself) so you pay someone else to do it out of your own pocket. Great. No problem, no issue.

With the greatest respect Sambucus, I'm suffering from terrible morning sickness and come on here for a bit of distraction and relief, so I'd appreciate if you could please leave me alone for now.