https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 06 May 2026 13:48:26 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cleaning-lady-paid-hourly-left-early#post-2299366 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 13:07:11 +0000 erinbaderin 2299366@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks, everybody, especially for the reassurance that I'm not the only one who'd be annoyed by this. </p> <p>@Freckles: I like this idea a lot (as opposed to my email idea) because I can kind of pick and choose what I'd like done when - like, the windowsills don't need to be wiped down that often but the backsplash could use a wipe all the time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cleaning-lady-paid-hourly-left-early#post-2299354 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 13:02:40 +0000 snowjewelz 2299354@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's def not dumb for sure! If I am spending my hard earned money on this service, I expect to not get ripped off! Hopefully with the clear communication, they won't feel like there's nothing left to do and leave! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cleaning-lady-paid-hourly-left-early#post-2299350 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 13:00:04 +0000 lamariniere 2299350@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Freckles: I like this idea. I tell my cleaning lady that she can leave once she has finished, even if she is finished early and so far I haven't had any problems. </p> <p>In your situation I would email a list of tasks, say that you expect that every task is completed and if they are ALL done, you don't mind if they leave early. And conversely, if they don't have enough time to complete the list, they can make those items a priority the next time they come. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cleaning-lady-paid-hourly-left-early#post-2299276 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 12:02:54 +0000 mrbee 2299276@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like the idea of the list mentioned above! It could even be a checklist that they check off items on... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cleaning-lady-paid-hourly-left-early#post-2299262 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 11:54:51 +0000 BadgerMom 2299262@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do they come at a set time? What about writing a note with the extra items that says, "If you finish with all the usual tasks before 2pm, please work on the following filler items..."? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cleaning-lady-paid-hourly-left-early#post-2299231 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 11:33:05 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2299231@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@erinbaderin: how you worded that is what I would have said too but I really like the suggestion from @Freckles: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cleaning-lady-paid-hourly-left-early#post-2299225 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 11:27:28 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2299225@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wouldn't mention they left early. Next time they come I would try to schedule to be there again and write the check accordingly to the time they spent. Or leave a note of the additional items you want completed that they don't normally do. Wether or not they finish early again at least you know your dollar went further on a cleaner house. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cleaning-lady-paid-hourly-left-early#post-2299211 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 11:18:15 +0000 WinterBee 2299211@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@erinbaderin: Agree with PP, I would absolutely send an e-mail/mention it in some way. You are paying for that time and I wouldn't like it either.<br /> What if that's a regular occurrence? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cleaning-lady-paid-hourly-left-early#post-2299203 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 11:15:05 +0000 Freckles 2299203@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wouldn't mention that they left early.</p> <p>I would have a list of everything you want done (in priority) and ask them if they can make sure everything is done on the list in the 3 hour time allotted. Say that the items are listed according to priority so if 1-2 things can't be done, then that's fine. I wouldn't say "if you have time".</p> <p>I've had really annoying experiences with cleaning teams and I found that a list eliminates any confusion on expectations. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cleaning-lady-paid-hourly-left-early#post-2299193 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 11:09:50 +0000 jetsa 2299193@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would definitely send that or pay them less. You paid for that time! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/cleaning-lady-paid-hourly-left-early#post-2299184 Wed, 23 Sep 2015 11:01:27 +0000 erinbaderin 2299184@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This feels like such an obnoxious question, so apologies in advance.</p> <p>We have a couple who comes in every other week to clean our house. They used to come in for an hour and a half (two people, so three hours total) and we recently upped it to two hours because we got our basement finished and wanted them to start cleaning it too. It's a set hourly price so we just leave them a cheque.</p> <p>Yesterday I was working from home when they came, and I noticed that they both left 15 minutes early. Which I know is not a huge deal in the grand scheme of thing but that's an extra half hour of cleaning that they could have done, and it's not like there was nothing left to do - they don't clean the windows, wipe the windowsills, wipe the baseboards, mop, etc. </p> <p>How would you handle it? I'm really non-confrontational and again, I feel dumb about making a big deal out of a half hour of time, but if I'm going to be paying for that time....I was thinking I might send an email saying "here's a list of things that could be done on a semi-regular basis if you ever have any extra time". Is that too passive? Should I just let it go? </p>