I need help firing my cleaning girl!

[luvmy10]

I have been cleaning for people for about 3 years now and I only go for $12.50 an hour and I work 3 hours a day 6 days a week. I have been dismissed once and I was told that I was "no longer needed." I think that is the safest, less painful way that way they aren't really sure what the reason is.

I clean 10 different houses all week and I absolutely love it (I love to clean everyone elses house but mine always seems a mess) LOL. I always throw in extra things like notes thanking whomever I am cleaning for, for the job.

 

[c1atsite]

Originally Posted by Luvmy10

I have been cleaning for people for about 3 years now and I only go for $12.50 an hour and I work 3 hours a day 6 days a week. I have been dismissed once and I was told that I was "no longer needed." I think that is the safest, less painful way that way they aren't really sure what the reason is.

I clean 10 different houses all week and I absolutely love it (I love to clean everyone elses house but mine always seems a mess) LOL. I always throw in extra things like notes thanking whomever I am cleaning for, for the job.

I once met a young man from Turkey who cleaned homes. I said Oh, your house must be really neat and clean. He said no, it's not, it's really messy because he doesn't want to clean after cleaning all day. I guess he had demanding clients who made him tired.

Me, I clean my apartment myself. Gloves are the key for me. With 'em - wonderful

- Without 'em - I dread cleaning.

So I buy 3 different types here

 

[mrblanche]

Just by the by, HR experts say that when you call someone in to fire them, you should tell them immediately that's what you're doing. Don't beat around the bush. It doesn't help, it just leads to unpleasant scenes.

 

[otto]

This thread has brought to mind some cleaning stories of my own. There was this guy, lived alone in a huge warehouse type home with his hairdresser shop attached. He had a cleaning person but was looking for something better as the service did not do all the things he asked, plus he would come home to find a newspaper and cigarette butts either on his table or in his trash.

It was a very difficult job, but I did a great job for him, and really wanted the gig, but he decided I was too expensive and stayed with the service he was complaining about.

Then there was this lady.... When I asked her what happened to her last person she said the "girl was sweet, but was more interested in tidying up and organizing, and not so hot on the cleaning". I assured her MY service was all about the heavy cleaning, not straightening her piles of stuff.

After doing her house once I decided I didn't want the job. Three levels, four bathrooms, tons of rooms, clutter every where. I had to move clutter to clean, then put the clutter back. It wasn't dirty, but I don't skimp, you know I'm there to clean and I clean whether it looks like it needs it or not.

I called her and told her I wasn't going to take her on, I had another gig I was putting in the time slot and she wailed and begged and said even if I only came once a month, I came so highly recommended and she was desperate for someone trustworthy and good. I told her if I was only coming once a month I would have to charge more since the work would be heavier, she agreed to it.

Well I still really didn't like the job, and every month when it was her day I dreaded it. I don't know why except that I didn't really care for the woman personally, though she wasn't there when I was cleaning, I had to go to her office to be paid, and I hated that.

One day when I went to collect my fee she dressed me down. She didn't state that she would like to discuss some things with me, she just kind of lit into me like I was a minimum wage peon there to do her bidding, (not that she should treat ANYONE like that) I know her whole office staff heard her. Something about being APPALLED at how I left personal items scattered around.

I listened and thanked her for telling me what she was unhappy with. I don't think well on my feet so I didn't say any more than that.

What she was unhappy about was that I never "tidied up" her personal messes. Piles of jewelry scattered across the dresser, piles of personal papers, clothing piled on chairs, that kind of stuff. She used a wedding invitation that had been sitting on a coffee table as an example, wanting to know why I didn't move the invitation to somewhere else. Now I was clear in the beginning that I was there to deep clean, not pick up her messes, how do I know where she wants her personal papers and other items to go?

I gave it some thought for a few days, then called her (got her voice mail, yay) and told her the job was not working out as my services did not include tidying up her personal items, and that I would not be returning. That was a big chunk of money to give up every month but I never regretted it.

 

[natalie_ca]

Whoa!!! Talk about nasty!!!!

I sent her the following:

This is hard for me to say, but I've been giving it alot of thought for some weeks now.

Our arrangement isn't working out anymore. When I approached you about cleaning, I wanted someone here for 3 hours each week. I said I would pay $15.00/hour for a minimum of 3 hours, or $45.00. Somewhere along the line confusion set in and I didn't have the courage to speak up and talk to you about it and the 3 hour minimum that I am paying for, turned into a regular routine of 60 to 90 minutes. And as a result things aren't getting done that I want done, and what is being done isn't to a standard that I expect.

I won't get into nit-picky detail, but the worse offense is with the vacuuming. I have bad allergies and there is a reason I had asked for the floors and furniture to be vacuumed. For a while now I've been noticing a return of my asthma/allergy symptoms in the house, and I found out why when I saw you sweeping the floor and using a lint brush on my furniture instead of the vacuum. The broom is throwing dust up into the air that later settles onto things, and the cat dander is not being cleaned out of the fabric. I know you are having problems with your back and that is likely why you stopped vacuuming. However, it's a task that I need done on a weekly basis.

I have found someone else and she starts next week.

I wish you well and happiness.

I won't post her whole reply, because like I said, it was nasty. Her font was bold, black, block letters about so BIG and she said that no one should be a slave, just doing the dirty work. And that she is extremely happy, and has new clients. That's the nice stuff.

I sent her an email back saying that I'm sorry she felt a need to be nasty, and to please drop off my keys into my mail box slot.

Wow! Just wow!

 

[otto]

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

Whoa!!! Talk about nasty!!!!

I sent her the following:



I won't post her whole reply, because like I said, it was nasty. Her font was bold, black, block letters about so BIG and she said that no one should be a slave, just doing the dirty work. And that she is extremely happy, and has new clients. That's the nice stuff.

I sent her an email back saying that I'm sorry she felt a need to be nasty, and to please drop off my keys into my mail box slot.

Wow! Just wow!

Change your locks.

 

[natalie_ca]

Originally Posted by otto

Change your locks.

Whatever else she may be, she is trustworthy. I've accidentally left money on my desk, and it was still there when I got home. I seriously doubt that she would do anything like come into my home and take things or vandalize the place.

I think she's just upset and lashing out at me because she lost an easy job that paid way more than she is making working for the government doing homecare cleaning.

 

[essayons89]

Her comment about "no one should be a slave" is rich, especially when she was being paid $15 per hour for her services (as poor as they were). If she operates like this with all of her clients I don't see her being in business very long.

 

[cheylink]

She definitely wasn't working out, and her reaction just confirms your feelings. You can't trust anyone so defensive, a smart person listens and walks away willing to change......

 

[natalie_ca]

Originally Posted by Essayons89

Her comment about "no one should be a slave" is rich, especially when she was being paid $15 per hour for her services (as poor as they were). If she operates like this with all of her clients I don't see her being in business very long.

Yeah. Some slave! I gave her $100.00 at Christmas, plus I spent about $50.00 on her birthday (December 24th). I've offered to take her to Celebrations Dinner Theater (Tickets are about $50.00 each) on more than one occasion, plus I gave her a whole bunch of small appliances including a stereo, when I was going through my home and spring cleaning a couple months back.

I thought I was quite nice to her. It bugs me that she was so nasty to me. I'm going to leave it be and I'll get over it, but sheesh!