Carole's Reviews

Transparency is lacking

I was interested in Liza’s profile which appeared first in my search and availability so I sent her a message. She immediately responded and we arranged to meet on the same day. She showed me a reference from her previous employer - the fact it was coffee stained caught my attention. I left it entirely to her to tell me when she would be available after showing her my place. The only constraint she shared with me was a full time employment starting in 5 months which wasn’t a problem for me. After the first visit, she started telling me how busy she was. After the second visit she started to put constraints like not cleaning terrace (which I did not ask for - she actually suggested it but I said I hired a company to do that). Then she sent me a text saying her schedule is full and she couldn’t come anymore before at least a month or two which in her words ‘wouldn’t be any good’. I told her she should be more transparent about her availability and the type of job she does/doesn’t do before taking on a job (hence the one star for ‘communicating’). Her cleaning is ok though she had to be told twice to empty the toilet bin, after cleaning the bathroom. She leaves cleaning stuff on the kitchen floor and the vacuum for me to put away - which is not expected from someone doing her job, let alone causing a hazard for my toddler.

• Overall
• Setting
• Cleanliness
• Food
• Communication

by Carole about Liza on 02/05/2022

Response by Liza on 03/05/2022:

Carol H, introduce herself as a Lebanese journalist during my interview for the job on Friday the 29th April, and that her husband is German. The housekeeper job supposed to be 3 times a week 4 hours each time trying to ruin my reputation in childcare because she didn't get her way. This is my response to her false allegations towards me, my version of truth for those two days working in her household, so people like me can avoid working for her.
After my interview with Carol on Friday the 29th April she took me on. I was supposed to start work on Tuesday morning, however she called me after ten minutes while I was on my way to my other job interview, requesting me to work the next day which was Saturday, explaining her 2 years old daughter is very ill with a cold and fever due to her flat being very dirty and dusty, so I agreed to do it.
Upon my arrival to her flat on day one (Saturday) morning the first thing Carol asked me was to pick up her dirty underwear lying outside her bedroom door and her dirty bra on the staircase towards the patio door which I found odd as my first task, while her dirty lingerie was in my hand, she ask me to also collect other dirty laundry lying all over the floor in her bedroom as well as her daughter clothes in the chair, then told me to bring them to the kitchen, and put them in the washing machine. Since this was my first day working for Carol I ask her to show me how to operate her washing machine, which she did, but leaving a bad taste in my mouth when she told me "watch carefully how I do it so you don't ask me again because I do not have the time to keep showing you how to operate the washing machine." After that Carol told me to focus cleaning the master bedroom, clean the windows, bathroom, and changed the bed covers as well as her daughter's cot and to hoover the carpet throughout from her bedroom, landing, her husband office, and all stairs.All of this I did it in 4 hours without having a break. Before I left her house on Saturday at 13:10pm, I found Carol in the living room sitting down with her daughter and elderly mother, so I asked her to check my work to make sure she's satisfied before I left. Carol responded that she and her husband already did whilst I was hoovering the stairs and that they were both pleased of the high standard of my cleaning. She even said, they could see the difference of their bedroom already bright, airy and very clean. At this stage her husband appeared from his office and stood beside me listening when Carol asking me to work the next day, which was a Sunday, to clean the kitchen. I explained to Carol that I do not work Sunday, but she insists, begging me, and with my soft heart I agreed. Then before I could turned to leave her flat, Carol asked me if I'm single or married so I reminded her that she asked me that yesterday during my interview and so I told her again that I am married with two daughters aged, 29 and 14 year-old. At this point her husband complemented me, saying I look very young to have children, and shared that he has children from a previous even though I never ask. Carol then interjected and ask me if I could travel with them to Germany on July to September to clean their house in black forest in Germany. I told Carol that I cannot, due to my other commitments, and Carol told me to think about it.
Yesterday morning (Sunday) I arrived at their place and the first thing I did was greated the family with "good morning," before heading to the filthy kitchen to begin cleaning, but then Carol change her mind saying leave the kitchen till next time, and focus to clean the living room because of her daughter, suffering a really bad cold and making it worse that the living room is very dusty, which I couldn't disagree. I said no problem, however before I could start taking cleaning stuff to the living room Carol brought me to her bedroom with a tantrum and pointed outside the window and said yesterday you have forgotten to clean the gutter, next she took me to the bathroom where she pick up the toilet bin and said you have also forgetten to replaced the toilet bin bag. I was very surprised for Carol raising her voiced towards me especially this was only the start of my second day. I explained to Carol that cleaning of the gutter is not part of our agreement, nor was it mentions before hand, and told her that everything was in the bathroom yesterday I cleaned it, but I did not replace the bin bag because it was empty. But Carol insisted that it was not empty, so instead of me persisting I apologized and went to cupboard underneath the kitchen sink to look for the toilet bin bag with no lack, so I asked Carol. At this point she took me to her husband office and open one of the drawers and handed me the toilet bin bag and said now you know where they are. I made suggestion to Carol to put the toilet bin bag underneath the kitchen sink keeping my thoughts that its awkward entering her husband office whist he's working to get a toilet bin bag, but she disagree saying she didn't like the smell that's why she kept it there.
During my time cleaning the living room I could hear Carol fighting with her husband above the living room, at that time her mother who cannot speak English was sitting down in the sofa with their two years old daughter look at me shaking her head as if to say this is how they are.
Half way through my cleaning Carol appeared outside the living room door shouting at me and said forget finishing the living room, go and clean the kitchen instead. I panic and came down the ladder from cleaning the window, and rushed picking up the cleaning detergent from the floor, as well as the hoover and ladder and move to the kitchen. As I entered the kitchen Carol followed me a minute or two later and said she changed her mind, "go back to the living room and finished it, hurry up," she said.
After I completed my 4 hours cleaning as agreed, Carol sent me to wash her plastic flowers and vase in the bathroom, but I reminded her that my 4 hours has now ended, but she ignored what I said, and repeated to bring the flowers in one of the bathroom to clean it then after that she sent me to hoover her daughter's soft teddies and wiped with wet cloth the other toys. After working an extra 30 minutes, Carol told me to come back in the evening to collect my payment, giving me a reason she didn't have the time to go to the bank. I was not happy that I have to make another journey to her place later in the day to collect my money, but I had no choice other than to agree.
At 15:17pm I sent Carol a text message that I will come around 18:30pm to collect my payment which she responded "ok"
I arrived at her apartment exactly 18:30pm, however it took her an hour to give me the money, asking me to work the next day which is bank holiday Monday and said "I want you to clean the patio, the door leading to the patio, window between the staircase, my daughter's room and my mother's bathroom."
I explained to Carol the job I accepted was supposed to start next week, but now she wanted me to work every day which was not what I agreed with in the first place. I told Carol face to face that I do not work on any bank holidays, or Sunday because that my time to spent with my family but I did it as a favour to come on Sunday which was yesterday, Carol look unhappy when I refused coming to her place (Monday bank holiday) at this stage her husband appeared in the kitchen with black eye and handed me my money for four hours instead of 4.5 hours, but I didn't complained, and thanking him. Carol was shocked looking at her husband and said "what happened to your eye" then took him to see himself in the mirror in the landing area and continue asking him what happened to his eye, but her husband did not responded to Carol questions as if she was talking to a break wall. In that moment I began to feel uncomfortable and told Carol I must go then she turned her attention back to me and complemented me of how bright and clean their living room which made me feel proud that she recognised the high standard of my cleaning. Carol then said to me before I exit the door "maybe in a month's time I'll add duties for you to look after my daughter," but I did not replied. I just wanted to leave her home.
During those two days working for Carol, I maintain my professionalism even though in day two her behaviour its like Jekyll and Hyde. After seeing her husband last night having a black eye, it resulting me to have concerns about my safety in her household and made my decision not to return on Tuesday and advice her to find someone who has free time to work for her, yet I keep my opinions to myself not wanting to insult her, but having read her review it has left me no choice but to depend myself with facts.
Day two I stopped for two minute to hydrate and power snack, yet the two minutes I spent eating grapes, Carol told me I need to work a further two minute to compensate for stopping, and at that time she made a horrible comment stating all Filipinos working in the Middle East get abused by their employers which I took as treat and went straight back to work.
Carol trying to ruin my credibility, but I won't let her. If my cleaning to her home wasn't to a high standard then why would she want to hire me 7days a week and asking me to travel with them to Germany to clean their house there? She even said yesterday "My husband and I want to hire you, Liza as a full time housekeeper and a nanny to our daughter" But I declined her offer, telling Carol that I already make a commitment for September to a loving couple with children, but then she was intrigued asking me information about the couple I'm going to work for and so I told her I cannot disclosed my other employers private life which she was not happy with my answers.
Once again if I did not met Carol expectation of cleanliness, setting, communication, food as she claimed which is another false allegations then why would told me not to come back.
The truth is I have exceeded Carol expectations of hygiene, cleanliness, etc and this why she's giving me a bad reviews because I did not gave her her way of me coming back to work on bank holiday Monday and to work 7 days that she wanted. Her text messages on my phone proof otherwise that she begs me to continue working for her, but I refused to returned after her treatment of me yesterday (Sunday)
Overall no one deserves to be treated the way Carol did to me, and in front of her mother and two years old daughter. I deserve respect just the way I respect all my employers I work with.