Cleaner issues

[Shane---Craig0]

We recently got back to hosting after a break of a couple of years. 

We hired a new cleaner and well.. We regret our choice. 

We’ve had a constant stream of complaints about dusting, cobwebs, general cleaning, linens and consumables not being re stocked. 

THEN start of this month her husband txted mine at 12am with let’s say.. CRAZY inappropriate sexual advances. 

We had to continue with her until the end of this month before our new more expensive cleaner starts. 

Just before Christmas we got a txt that our Christmas guests had only been left with three towels for a party of four for three days. They found the rest wet in the washer. 

This was the last straw and we canceled her clean in the 26th. We just can’t trust her with guest anymore. 

My problem and questions follow. 

She now wants $150 as a “late cancelation fee” for the day she didn’t clean. 

We’ve refused. She’s never mentioned a last minuet cancelation fee or that being her policy.

She’s now threatening to complain to Airbnb about bot being paid this fee that she’s suddenly made up. 

We could just pay her off but that makes me so angry. 

will Airbnb get involved in this? I know they always side with guests now but will they do the same with my relationship and dispute with an independent contractor? 

How would you guys resolve this? My husband offered her a token of $75 (I hated that too) as a cancelation fee but she demands the full price of the clean. $150. 

Help me see this from the outside. 

[Helen3]

Depends on what it says in your contract with the cleaner. @Shane---Craig0 

what were her references like ?

personally in your situation  I would have terminated her contract after her second clean that you received complains about rather than letting her carry on even if that meant I was paying twice to ensure my guests had a positive experience. 

[Shane---Craig0]

We signed no contract. My area is a vacation rental hot zone and the good cleaners have a wait list/aren’t available. We’ve hired a cleaner with glowing references and paying extra for her to travel as she doesn’t usually service our area. 

We thought with a little encouragement, coaching she would get there. I don’t expect everyone to instantly be 100% coming into a new place. 

[Helen3]

Oh dear. Personally I wouldn't work with a contractor  without a contract

......then you don't have a leg to stand  contractually but neither does she 😀 @Shane---Craig0  (I'm not familiar with laws in your country so do check) 

[Shane---Craig0]

Great advice. Thank you. I’ll check in about this with the next lady. 

[Eddie409]

Hello, 

My partner and I have been hosting for almost 15 years on Airbnb with more than 65 listings and hundreds of 5 star reviews to date and we have never paid someone for cleaning work that they did not do. That’s just saying that they should get paid whether they do the job or not. Absolutely not! Plus if you have text messages to prove the sexual advances that her husband made you can send them to Airbnb wether or not they complained about not getting paid for a cancellation, and they would surely side with you.