Should I pay our cleaner while we are on holidays?

[Anonymous]

I don't think you are obligated to pay her, but I always feel bad because I know that my cleaning person has a spot for me and counts on that as part of her income. My compromise would be to have her come weekly to make up for the missed times, or add additional deep cleaning jobs. I really like mine though and want to keep a good relationship.

[Anonymous]

We pay our housecleaner year round. If we are gone for a 4 week period like that I would offer her 2 weeks off and then expect her to come the other 2 weeks and clean. There is always something to clean. On the flip side, when she takes vacation that doesn't correspond with ours (and sometimes she takes extended trips to her home country) she finds someone else to clean for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think you are obligated to pay her, but I always feel bad because I know that my cleaning person has a spot for me and counts on that as part of her income. My compromise would be to have her come weekly to make up for the missed times, or add additional deep cleaning jobs. I really like mine though and want to keep a good relationship.

Ditto. I like the idea of having her come while you're away, or finding other jobs for her to do at another time.

[Anonymous]

We don't. Our woman comes every 2 weeks (but not always)....we vary the day she comes and sometimes we use her less or more. This is not her regular job---she has a non-cleaning job as a manager at a food establish. as well. She's been with us for a few years and we give her a big holiday bonus--but we don't pay her when we don't use her. Now--my nanny was a different story..we paid whenever we were away.

[Anonymous]

We try to strike a balance with our cleaner - generally a few times a year we go away and don't pay her, and few times we have her come and clean anyway.

[Anonymous]

We give our cleaner extra work, deep cleaning the front porch, basement, etc., on weeks that we're traveling and the house doesn't need another regular cleaning.

[Anonymous]

If we are on a regular schedule (ie: every other Friday) then we pay her if we are gone. I figure we have reserved that time in her schedule and still want her to be available when we return. That is how she is different from a hair stylist, dry cleaner, etc. I do like the deep cleaning ideas and may try that in the future as well.

[Anonymous]

Here is the difference between your housekeeper and your drycleaner.

Your housekeeper has a schedule. She dedicates every other Friday to me. Generally speaking, she cannot pick up other clients during that time. So when I go on vacation, we pay her as though she were cleaning. No, this is not technically necessary. But we like her, and can afford it. To those of you who say you can't afford it, bullshit. Tell the truth and say you don't want to afford it. If you can afford to use a regular housekeeper, you can afford to pay her for a week or two when you do not use her. If you can't afford this, you've got big financial issues and shouldn't be using a housekeeper.

It's one thing to say you don't want to pay her, that's your choice. But you can afford it or you shouldn't be using a housekeeper.

[Anonymous]

It's not an affordability issue! It's simply a stupid thing to do! I think I've heard it all now.....Just because you can afford to do it does not mean you pay someone for services NOT RENDERED!
That is just bizarre to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is the difference between your housekeeper and your drycleaner.

Your housekeeper has a schedule. She dedicates every other Friday to me. Generally speaking, she cannot pick up other clients during that time. So when I go on vacation, we pay her as though she were cleaning. No, this is not technically necessary. But we like her, and can afford it. To those of you who say you can't afford it, bullshit. Tell the truth and say you don't want to afford it. If you can afford to use a regular housekeeper, you can afford to pay her for a week or two when you do not use her. If you can't afford this, you've got big financial issues and shouldn't be using a housekeeper.

It's one thing to say you don't want to pay her, that's your choice. But you can afford it or you shouldn't be using a housekeeper.

New poster. Thank you. You are completely right.

I just realized that my cleaner saves a slot for me once a week; if I don't use it, she's undoubtedly out of luck. So I will start paying her or making it up somehow else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If we are on a regular schedule (ie: every other Friday) then we pay her if we are gone. I figure we have reserved that time in her schedule and still want her to be available when we return. That is how she is different from a hair stylist, dry cleaner, etc. I do like the deep cleaning ideas and may try that in the future as well.

Yes. I am 3 posts ahead of yours and that's how I feel. My cleaner will often call to reschedule to fit us in around her day job...which is fine with me since I am flexible. Our days and amounts of when she arrives aren't set and we aren't her primary source of income. In a way---it is more like an occassional babysitter type arrangement..payment for services rendered.

For the people with fixed schedules, fixed personal cleaner, etc...it would be different.

[Anonymous]

We don't. It is enough to afford her when we have her clean much less when she doesn't clean.