Cleaner was due in afternoon, showed up a 8 am before I could tidy my things. Mentioned this. Also, told if I didn’t want them in my room, close the door.
Groceries, a gift, and a small electronic went missing. Found the gift under a bunch of recycling in the bin, the groceries in the bin, and still looking for the last item.
They went in my room even though the door was shut.
Anyone else have this sort of things happen. I am sure it was unintentionall, but annoying because I followed instructions, and they should only remove what is in the bins.
That does sound unusual, I’d absolutely expect people to either respect a closed door or at the very least ask before throwing away someone else’s belongings. Even if it wasn’t intentional, it crossed a line.
In your place, I’d be very direct and ask the homeowners to please check with the cleaners. You already found two of your things in the trash, so it’s not unreasonable to assume the missing device might have ended up there as well.
Excellent advice. I’ve got a cleaner here who is a minimalist. She was thrilled to think because some rooms hadn’t been used by me they didn’t need attention. We have had dry weather and dust storms
( Calima) so a good deal of dusting is required. I’ve been asked to relay cleaning instructions as the owners are still abroad.. I’ve kept the dog on the balcony so she can get the place sorted.. dog is missing his bed and toys during this temporary banishment. We are together but as he shows.. I have my toy with me..
I’ve helped the cleaner by putting dining chairs up and putting all my stuff on the double bed so she can concentrate on the floors. She’s paid for 3 hours’ work so I’ve suggested windows need doing too!
Calima calamity!
Yes I never realized the cleaner here was meant to do 3 hours.. she slinked off without me realizing.. but I made sure she at least dusted and did all the floors thoroughly.. she asked immediately if the lady of the house was at home yet!’
Some cleaners certainly take liberties when there isn’t someone to check up on them..
I make sure I make it as easy as possible to clean around my things but I hate to see Home Owners short changed like this. I lifted up the dining chairs and moved to the balcony with the dog so she could get on more easily but out of sight.. disappointing to see. Yet had I taken the dog out whilst she was there it would have been even more cursory. Hired help seems a misnomer.
I’ve previously seen reviews from other sitters when cleaners have moved stuff, etc., so I try to not leave anything of mine to let anyone move.
When doing sits with cleaners, they usually have the key to the front door, but I tend to greet them and let them know if I don’t want them cleaning my quarters. Or I’ve taped a sign on the door in the past.
I usually put away my stuff so that even if they opened the door to my guest quarters, they’d have no reason to go through my belongings. Like things go into my baggage (which I then close), drawers or closet space left for my use, or such. And I often stay in the room with the pets if I happen to be telecommuting. Or at least I’m in one of the rooms and we trade off once they’re done cleaning another room.
I’ve done the above in the U.S. and U.K. and haven’t encountered any issues. There was a U.S. sit where I handed off to another sitter and then days later got a text from her, asking whether I’d broken X. I hadn’t, but it turned out that the cleaner had during her sit. The host was relaxed about it, and they’d had the same cleaner for 20+ years. So I got off lucky and learned to avoid split sits for that and other reasons. It was the first sit I accepted (and had been offered it unsolicited), so I didn’t know better. But I continue to consider hosts carefully and look for ones who are easygoing and seem reasonable, gauging whether they’d be good partners if something went sideways. If not, I pass on the sit.
I’ve just done a split sit and was uneasy about it but it was so smooth! The sitters kept me on WhatsApp and were really helpful with comments as I went along.. it was so positive we are staying in contact. It’s lovely meeting a lesser spotted sitter of five stars! Be Proud!
Like I said before, I just don’t like anyone being in the house while we’re there. It’s happened twice so far that cleaners came during a sit. One time it was in a converted Methodist church where we stayed in a separate wing that the cleaners didn’t enter at all. The other time, the cleaner was so rude that I made sure it was the last time she came while we were there – she was trying to tell us what to do so she could apparently take it easy the next times.
I hope you feel a bit better about the situation now.