I have to let my house cleaner go.. how to do this?

[Anonymous]

Fire her in person- get the key. Before you fire here be easy breazy so she won't make a copy of the key. Get the key from her when you fire her- make up $$$ whatever, say good bye.

[Anonymous]

Ideally, you would have brought up the poor performance well before this.
When you first noticed the quality of service slipping, you should have stepped in right that moment and said "Don't forget to clean X and Y before you leave" or "You missed Z." If you missed it in the moment, address it the next time you see her: "Last week, you forgot X and Y, please make sure you pay extra attention to them today and from now on. I've left a list of tasks with instructions, please finish everything." Hopefully, that would have headed things off from the start.

Same with the undesirable behavior of her popping in and doing an unwanted service and then expecting payment. The first time that happened, it should have been shut down. Her key privileges revoked and stating either you must be home or she must receive text or phone permission before the service, or she will not be paid, would be warranted.

If it slipped further, you can decide if she warrants a second chance or not.

Second Chance script: "Has something happened lately? I've noticed you're increasingly distracted, rushing, and cutting corners. We can try to resolve whatever problem is causing this, but I need to see you doing a complete and thorough job from here on."
Then talk about if a different schedule time or providing a list of tasks might help, if she needs you to show her the exact way you like things done again, or if the issue is personal, but temporary.
Don't offer more money. Remember that you hired a housekeeper to make your life easier, not more difficult. She's not your friend and not your employee: she's a service provider. Also, you cannot solve anything happening outside of your house. You can't do a single dang thing about her family, finances, or loved ones, so don't try. Do make it clear that, while you're sympathetic, if she doesn't improve back to normal standards within the month, her services will be canceled. Do not offer this option if you think she wouldn't handle it well. It'd probably be a good idea to get your key back at this point; she can earn it back later.

Nope script:
"I'm very sorry, but due to the decline in quality, I'm going to have to cancel my standing appointment,"
"I'm not comfortable with [you dropping by my house and cleaning while I'm not there/ going through my things], so please cancel my cleaning service,"
"Please take me off the calendar, I need to cancel my scheduled cleanings from now on."
"This week/ next week will be the last time I need cleaning services, thank you for the past X months."
Feel free to text this instead of saying it in person. You can include directions on what she can do with any keys she has, such as her leaving them in the mailbox. Have the locks changed if she responds poorly or fails to return the keys. You don't need to offer severance/ bonus pay of any kind if you've given ample lead up that her job is in danger if she doesn't improve and she failed to do so, but you can offer 2 weeks pay if you feel the situation warrants it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ideally, you would have brought up the poor performance well before this.
When you first noticed the quality of service slipping, you should have stepped in right that moment and said "Don't forget to clean X and Y before you leave" or "You missed Z." If you missed it in the moment, address it the next time you see her: "Last week, you forgot X and Y, please make sure you pay extra attention to them today and from now on. I've left a list of tasks with instructions, please finish everything." Hopefully, that would have headed things off from the start.

Same with the undesirable behavior of her popping in and doing an unwanted service and then expecting payment. The first time that happened, it should have been shut down. Her key privileges revoked and stating either you must be home or she must receive text or phone permission before the service, or she will not be paid, would be warranted.

If it slipped further, you can decide if she warrants a second chance or not.

Second Chance script: "Has something happened lately? I've noticed you're increasingly distracted, rushing, and cutting corners. We can try to resolve whatever problem is causing this, but I need to see you doing a complete and thorough job from here on."
Then talk about if a different schedule time or providing a list of tasks might help, if she needs you to show her the exact way you like things done again, or if the issue is personal, but temporary.
Don't offer more money. Remember that you hired a housekeeper to make your life easier, not more difficult. She's not your friend and not your employee: she's a service provider. Also, you cannot solve anything happening outside of your house. You can't do a single dang thing about her family, finances, or loved ones, so don't try. Do make it clear that, while you're sympathetic, if she doesn't improve back to normal standards within the month, her services will be canceled. Do not offer this option if you think she wouldn't handle it well. It'd probably be a good idea to get your key back at this point; she can earn it back later.

Nope script:
"I'm very sorry, but due to the decline in quality, I'm going to have to cancel my standing appointment,"
"I'm not comfortable with [you dropping by my house and cleaning while I'm not there/ going through my things], so please cancel my cleaning service,"
"Please take me off the calendar, I need to cancel my scheduled cleanings from now on."
"This week/ next week will be the last time I need cleaning services, thank you for the past X months."
Feel free to text this instead of saying it in person. You can include directions on what she can do with any keys she has, such as her leaving them in the mailbox. Have the locks changed if she responds poorly or fails to return the keys. You don't need to offer severance/ bonus pay of any kind if you've given ample lead up that her job is in danger if she doesn't improve and she failed to do so, but you can offer 2 weeks pay if you feel the situation warrants it.

Hey dummy, this post is from 2011.

[Anonymous]

How are so many grown-ups not able to have a direct conversation?? How do you get through life??

I just let our housekeeper go and you just open your mouth and say the words. Don't go deeper into reasons unless she wants to know (which she probably doesn't).

"Larla, here is payment for the next two weeks. We no longer need you to come and clean our house anymore. Thanks for what you have done and good luck."

[Anonymous]

I think weird things happens in the home when a cleaning person is present. I don’t think anyone wants to clean up after anyone else that they don’t truly care about, even if they are being paid for it. I’ve experienced and heard of many little malicious things that cleaning people do. I will try to avoid it like the plague. Fortunately both of my grandmothers taught me how to clean as a child so I’m not dependent on such a thing. Good Luck & beware !

[Anonymous]

I don’t understand how folks hire people and have a list of complaints they never share with the person to whom you are paying your hard earned money .
How TF do you find someone i your house and say nothing??
You mean to tell me her cleaning has been subpar and you said nothing but still paid her??? I don’t get people like that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OMG. It is so hard to fire a housekeeper.

I had a housekeeper that started to do a horrible job. I moved and just didn’t tell her the new address. I have fired many people, even nannies. A housekeeper? Forget it. There’s no way to do it well. Fake a financial issue. Fake an illness. I won’t judge you.

Really???

[Anonymous]

My saying I no longer require someone's services is not a bogus reason or a lie, and it's all that's needed. "Your services are no longer needed, thanks, bye."

[Anonymous]

Call her and tell her that she is unreliable and that you are terminating her employment.

[Anonymous]

this is from 2011....this is from 2011....this is from 2011....this is from 2011....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But what do you say?

I say, don't revive a 6 year old thread! This one's from 2011. Doing a search on firing your house cleaner?

You know maybe they did, and wanted to discuss it. If the thread date isn't something you can handle it's probably best to just move on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:this is from 2011....this is from 2011....this is from 2011....this is from 2011....

This seemed really clever when you typed it out huh?

Big deal, there is obviously still discussion to be had. On the actual topic this is partly why we go through an agency. If we aren't happy with an individual cleaner they do the "firing" for us.

[Anonymous]

As a cleaning person, I want to know if I've done something wrong. If someone doesn't want me to come back, I'm certainly not going to try and stay. But I would like to know so I can avoid whatever it is with other clients.