Maid service --- everything out of it's place

If you could have maid service and when you returned home and can't find anything where you put it would you call the cops first,or go after the maid thinking they took something of yours?

dejolane

Neither. Just because you can't find it, it does not necessarily mean it was stolen. I'd ask the maid first where she kept everything before accusing her of theft. 

yayi said:

Neither. Just because you can't find it, it does not necessarily mean it was stolen. I'd ask the maid first where she kept everything before accusing her of theft. 

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Definitely, and to ask with tact, not sound like she's being accused

Is this just a random question, because you said in this thread how you would like maid service?

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/255128/question-of-the-day-friday-february-22

I wouldn't leave a maid alone in my home.  I would be there while she was doing the cleaning.
 

Wouldn't like to leave anyone alone in my house. I couldn't imagine having maid service. I'd probably want to clean the house before the maid came so that she wouldn't think I was sloppy.

I used to work with a guy who gave his wife a year of cleaning service as part of her Christmas present.  Every week she would clean the house the night before the cleaning lady was scheduled.  She didn't want her to see her house dirty or cluttered.

I don't have anything worth stealing! :lol3: But I wouldn't mind having someone come in once a week to vacuum and mop and clean the bathroom and kitchen. I wouldn't want more cleaning than that, really. But I also wouldn't want someone in my house without me, just in case they'd let the cats out. And I would feel awkward being home while they cleaned---if I had time to be home for a few hours, I wouldn't need cleaning help, I'd be cleaning the house myself! So. . .probably not going to happen .

I have friends who clean and they say it is super awkward to have the homeowner around, unless he/she is in the home office or something like that. Otherwise they feel obligated to make conversation and it really slows them down.

I agree that if you couldn't find something after having a cleaning person in, you'd want to call them to ask when they put things, and not just assume they were dishonest. That would get you put on a blacklist real quick (all the cleaners know who they DON'T want to clean for! :tongue2.

First of all, I never leave someone alone in my house until I know them well enough to trust them with my cats and my possessions. If it got to that point the first thing I would do is ask the maid where she put things away. I would not jump to the conclusion that my things had been stolen.

Willowy said:

I have friends who clean and they say it is super awkward to have the homeowner around, unless he/she is in the home office or something like that. Otherwise they feel obligated to make conversation and it really slows them down.

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My mother had someone come in to clean every two weeks for a number of years because she was physically not able to do it herself. As far as I know she never left the house while the cleaning lady was there, even when it was a friend she trusted. She had several different people through the years and she definitely preferred the ones who didn't try to carry on a conversation. She felt they accomplished more and did a better job than the chatty ones.

Well, sure, but just think about trying to clean while someone else (your "boss", no less!) Is watching you! I'm not sure I could do it, honestly. I would probably chatter nervously whether I wanted to or not. But then I'm definitely not cut out for making a living by cleaning anything, so hopefully it's a moot point :tongue2:.

I'd love to have somebody come in, maybe once every two weeks or so, just to do things like clean the bathroom, wash the kitchen floor and bathroom floors, etc. Wash the windows, things like that.

But I'd have to be here......it's not the stealing; we don't have anything worth taking. I'm worried about her accidentally letting a cat get outside.

And I'd have to clean before she got here, too; I don't want her to think we live like pigs! (We don't, we really don't. But things do get cluttered from time to time.)

Willowy said:

Well, sure, but just think about trying to clean while someone else (your "boss", no less!) Is watching you! I'm not sure I could do it, honestly. I would probably chatter nervously whether I wanted to or not. But then I'm definitely not cut out for making a living by cleaning anything, so hopefully it's a moot point :tongue2:.

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They aren't your boss. If you are cleaning, you are providing a service. You are a contractor, you are your own boss (unless you work for a cleaning service of course)

When I used to clean, I did have one woman who wanted to be my boss. She had gone through quite a few cleaners by the time I met with her. I soon found out why. She wanted to treat me like some menial lower than dirt worker. My services were very expensive and came highly recommended. I could pick and chose my clients, and I didn't need someone who would try to humiliate me in front of her office staff to make herself feel big. I don't mind complaints, I want to know if someone is not happy and why, so I can fix it. But, talk to me in the home where I provide the service, or call me on the phone, don't ask me to come to your place of business and "discipline" me in front of your office staff, LOL.

I, too, preferred an empty house, but if the client stayed home I discouraged talk. I wasn't there to socialize, I was there to clean. I don't want to be carrying on a conversation as I crawl along your floor cleaning your baseboards. Nor do I want to babysit while you "run to the store". Nor do I want to "let the dog out if she cries, and make sure she doesn't run away" while you "step out for a minute".

Oh well. I could go on. But...the point is, if you hire a cleaning service, be specific and up front about what you are hiring for. And the person providing the service should be just as specific. Then there is less chance of misunderstandings later.

Check references, that's the best way to ease your mind about stealing. I have had a few who would do obvious "set ups". One lady, I did her laundry as a special service, and she would stick $20 bills into the dryer now and then, to see if I was honest.

Another periodically left a pile of small bills and change in a back bedroom that didn't get used.

:lol3: