Hi there, we have a cleaner who comes in once a week and who I pay by standing order. I always ask sitters whether they are happy for her to come in while they are sitting, if they are then she comes in as normal and I pay her as normal, after all it’s our house she’s cleaning… If they would prefer her not to come in then she’s just come an extra day before or after the sit instead.
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We have had several sits where there has been a weekly housekeeper. We do try to stay out of their way, but appreciate all that they do. I think it would be unfair to interrupt someones livelihood. The HO has always paid.
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Isn’t the cleaner also cleaning up after the pet(s)? Imagine trying to assess how much time a cleaning service spent cleaning up after a person vs. the HO"s pets, and divvying it up. 
I recently acquired a cat after several years of not having a pet. Suddenly, there’s a lot more garbage to deal with, plus fur sticking to the toilet seat (I keep it closed–how?) and bits of food to pick out of baseboards.
Could the cleaner use the time to do jobs such as window cleaning, vacuuming drapes, thoroughly cleaning skirting boards etc which I assume only usually get done sporadically? After all it is not the HO nor the pets who has been using the bathroom etc in the past week.
Like everyone else, we’ve had cleaners at a few sits and the HO has always paid for it.
We’ve usually been given an option to have the cleaner or not, but we’ve always accepted it, particularly after one home owner pointed out that their cleaner relies on the income so it would be nice if we kept them employed while the homeowner was on vacation.
I should also mention that we told them they didn’t have to clean our bedroom or bathroom and they could use that time to catch up on other things.
Side note: If I was expected to pay for it, I would decline the service because I’m perfectly happy to to the cleaning myself when I housesit.
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Ive found that if the cleaner comes in before the sit they dont do it properly .As a cleaner most of my life i can say there are some terrible cleaners around who take advantage .
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I have been on sits where a cleaner has come in and the owner has always paid. I have been quite happy for the cleaner not to come at all, as have not felt needed. Sometimes though they have come in after owners have left and have cleaned rooms I am not using, such as owners bedrooms, where changing beds and doing laundry etc. as well as downstairs reception rooms I am not using. I do not feel you should ever ask a house sitter to pay for your cleaner. You could always cancel for the time the housesitter is there if you prefer.
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Hi @Glendac welcome to our Community Forum thank you for joining, as an expat who lived overseas for more than 25 years had help at home and cleaners on sits as well as other help and service personnel levels of service vary so much … I guess that’s the same for every walk of life.
I hope you enjoy the forum and exploring the other conversations that are happening …
Welcome again.
Angela and the Team
Thank you ,must admit enjoying reading this 
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Thanks - can’t believe I got so many responses. It’s a useful resource though.