Should I pay my thiefing cleaners?

[ConnectionError]

So last Wednesday my cleaners, as usual cleaned my house.

They left at 12.30 and I arrived home at 1.00. Everything looks good, clean and orderly.

Yesterday I went to my desk to get my beats air pods and couldn't find them. I send 20 or so minutes looking around for them without success.

This is odd as they are never moved from my desk unless I am walking the dog.

So, I text the cleaning company to ask if the cleaners had seen them: -

"Hi

Could you ask your cleaners if they have seen a pair of beats ear pods when they were here yesterday.
They were on my desk I think!

Thanks"

A couple of immediate replies: -

"Yea will ask"


"I will get back to you as soon as I hear back"


and then an hour or so later: -

"She said they were definitely there she saw them. She is going to check she's not put them in the cloth bag or anything by accident and just check around because she said she does remember seeing them on the table. She's going to check everything when she's home as well as she is at work at the moment. Can you let me know if you find them please"

I then replied :-

"I have been looking since getting home yesterday lunchtime,
Hence the text.
I don’t think they are in the house as my phone would be able to ping them"


A couple of replies : -

"OK yes thats good u can do that. She said they were there and moved them onto the chair so remembers moving them so shes going to look.

There in her cloth bag. So sorry. Just trying to sort out when she can drop them off for you"


I then got them back last night so sent this reply: -

"Yes I have received them, they stink of cigarettes.
I doubt the explanation is the truth, it seems very odd that they could be accidentally be put in a bag etc…
I am sure you will not be surprised that I no longer want you to clean for me, I no longer trust your team.
With regard to the clean yesterday, I will not be paying for this. I am sure you understand the reasons for this decision.
I hope this issue is just a one off, and not something that is endemic to your team.

Best wishes"


To which I received: -

"Yes i totally understand you don't want a clean with us but I don't think this warrants not paying for the 2 hour clean you had at your house This was a genuine mistake and the head phones have been returned to you.
I will cancel your cleans going forward but find it unfair that you aren't paying for the service you have had"


So should I pay them for the 4 hours cleaning that amounts to £52.00?

Before I received the final reply I had decided that if they moaned I would pay and leave negative reviews, but am now not sure.

Any thoughts would be appreciated

[vikingaero]

I would pay the company as that's what was agreed and the service has been carried out.

The "theft" was from the employee and you've sorted the situation by termination.

[The spinner of plates]

For me it would depend on the cleaning!
Fair enough you don't trust them, I wouldn't either... but mistakes also happen.

If the cleaning was good I'd pay them for the cleaning done and sack them for lack of trust / careless mistakes.

[ImDesigner]

Yeah pay them.

[croyde]

£52 for 4 hours! Is that one person?

Only ask as ex wife pays £40 for 2 hours but then it's two people.

So if £10 an hour plus, I might go into business as after all I own 3 Hoovers, a Duster and some cloths.

Semi serious.

[thebraketester]

Tell them to FRO. And then report them for theft.

[steveo3002]

id find it hard to pay a thief

is this something you should report to the police ? just because they brought them back doesnt really make it all good does it? or does it ?

[anonymous-user]

thebraketester said:

Tell them to FRO. And then report them for theft.

I’d love to hear that conversation.

Hello, police? I’d like to report a theft, but I’ve got the stolen item back after I asked the thief if they had accidentally taken it, they said yes, apologised and returned it.

That’s going to be right up there on the urgent list for investigation.

[StuTheGrouch]

I wouldn't be paying. They have wasted enough of your time by you searching for them and having to message the cleaner.

fking liars and thieves!

[Limpet]

Pay it, find a new cleaner and move on.

[AlexIT]

I'm probably a bit of an idiot, but I'd just pay them for the sake of not having to hear from them any more.

[georgeyboy12345]

Offer to pay, but tell them you’ll be reporting them to the police. Or, give them another option whereby you don’t pay and you won’t report them to the police.

[Road2Ruin]

The alleged theft and cleaning are two separate things. Pay for the cleaning. If you choose to do anything about the alleged theft then that's up to you.
Technically the cleaning was done, so payment is due and the company could chase for it.
Re the theft, I wouldn't bother just don't use them again if you don't trust them.

[anonymous-user]

Pay them but contra charge them for the dry cleaning of the cloth bag they come in and £5 per email sent.

[Tyre Smoke]

Pay it.

You cannot prove it was theft, you shouldn't leave a negative review. Unless you have proof a negative review mentioning the theft is libel.

Yes, I know they did it, you know they did it, they know they did it, but you cannot prove it. And theft is intention to permanently deprive, they've returned your property. You have suffered no loss and they should be paid the £52. Morally, probably not, but your house is clean and is it worth arguing over £52?

[Whatsmyname]

Cressida Dick might be twiddling her thumbs at the minute maybe contact her.

In the real world I’d just pay them then fk them off.

[Tyre Smoke]

georgeyboy12345 said:

Offer to pay, but tell them you’ll be reporting them to the police. Or, give them another option whereby you don’t pay and you won’t report them to the police.

Report them for what?

He's suffered no loss. You seriously think the police will get involved?

[S100HP]

croyde said:

£52 for 4 hours! Is that one person?

Only ask as ex wife pays £40 for 2 hours but then it's two people.

So if £10 an hour plus, I might go into business as after all I own 3 Hoovers, a Duster and some cloths.

Semi serious.

You think £10 per hour is too much?

In response to the OP, you should be paying. It may be a genuine error, you don't know either way. They've done the clean, so pay for it.

[StuTheGrouch]

croyde said:

£52 for 4 hours! Is that one person?

Only ask as ex wife pays £40 for 2 hours but then it's two people.

So if £10 an hour plus, I might go into business as after all I own 3 Hoovers, a Duster and some cloths.

Semi serious.

OP says 2 hours elsewhere in the post. £26 per hour doesn't sound unreasonable.

[rallycross]

Put them on eBay with an accurate description

Stolen recovered head phones
One owner before accident cat E
No damage (but Smells a bit like lambert and butler)
Cash or transfer no PayPal or overseas buyer


Will be sold by lunchtime then buy some new ones and pay the cleaning company what ever your feel is a fair amount !