Cleaner Broke Something or Did a Poor Job? What to Do in Ireland

Photograph the damage or the problem, write down what happened while it is fresh, and raise it with the cleaner or company in writing as soon as you can. If you hired a business, it must provide the service with reasonable care and skill, and should normally get a chance to put things right.

Accidents happen in every home, and most cleaners will tell you straight away if something breaks. How it is resolved depends on who you hired and what was agreed.

First steps, whatever happened

• Take clear photos of the damage, or of the areas that were not cleaned
• Write down the date, the time of the visit and what you noticed
• Find your agreed task list, booking confirmation or messages
• Keep any broken pieces, receipts or valuations for the item
• Raise it in writing (email or text) so there is a record

Stay calm and factual. "The glass shelf in the bathroom is cracked, photo attached, can we talk about how to sort it?" gets a far better response than an accusation.

Who you hired changes your options

You hired	Your main route	Useful source
A cleaning company	Consumer rights; the company's complaints process and its public liability insurance	CCPC service rights
A self-employed cleaner	Consumer rights against them as a business; their insurance if they have it	CCPC service rights
A cleaner you employ directly	Employment law; your own home insurance	WRC code of practice

If you are not sure which applies, our guide to cleaning companies vs independent cleaners explains the difference.

If something was broken or damaged

With a company or self-employed cleaner

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022, a business must provide a service with reasonable care and skill and use suitable materials. Damage caused by carelessness, such as using an abrasive pad on a delicate surface, falls short of that.

1. Tell the business in writing with photos, and ask how it will put it right.
2. Ask whether it will claim on its public liability insurance, which is the cover for damage to third parties' property. Our cleaner insurance guide explains how this works.
3. Agree a remedy: repair, replacement, or a contribution towards it.

Small accidents, like a chipped mug, are often sorted with a conversation. For anything valuable, keep it in writing.

With a cleaner you employ directly

Here you are the employer, not a customer. You cannot simply dock their pay: the WRC code of practice notes that deductions for breakages must comply with wage legislation. Talk to your home insurer about the damage, and get advice from the Workplace Relations Commission before making any deduction.

If the clean was poor

A disappointing clean is usually the easiest problem to fix if you handle it well.

Check it against what was agreed. Was the oven on the task list, or was it an extra? Was the time enough for everything you wanted? A cleaner booked for two hours in a large home will not get to everything; see how long a house clean takes.

Raise it promptly and specifically. Name the rooms and tasks, attach photos, and refer to the checklist.

Give the business a chance to fix it. The CCPC's guidance on remedies says you should normally let the business put things right free of charge, within a reasonable time and without significant inconvenience to you. That usually means a return visit to redo the missed areas.

If it cannot or will not fix it, a proportionate price reduction or ending the contract may be available. Serious problems that cannot be put right can justify ending it immediately.

Finishing the job does not take away your rights. The CCPC is clear that completion alone does not remove rights concerning poor workmanship.

A message you can adapt

Hi, thanks for coming on Tuesday. A few things on our agreed list were not done: the shower screen still has limescale, the kitchen floor was not mopped, and the bins were not emptied. Photos attached. Could you come back to sort these, or let me know what you suggest? Thanks.

If something has gone missing

This is the hardest situation, because it can damage trust quickly. Go carefully.

1. Search properly first. Cleaners move things to clean under and behind them. Check drawers, presses, under furniture, the laundry basket and the bins.
2. Ask, do not accuse. "I can't find my watch, it was on the bedside table. Did you move it by any chance?" Often the item turns up.
3. If you used a company, tell it in writing. It should have a process for this, and may involve its insurer.
4. If you have good reason to believe something was stolen, you can report it to the Gardaí. Tell your home insurer too.

To avoid this situation altogether, put cash, jewellery and documents away before visits. Our guide to giving your cleaner a key covers valuables and access.

Cancelling a booking

If you booked online or the contract was made away from the business's premises, you usually have a cooling-off period: generally 14 days for distance and off-premises contracts, and 30 days for unsolicited home visits and qualifying trader excursions.

If you asked the business to start during the cooling-off period and then cancel, you may have to pay proportionately for the work already supplied.

Preventing problems next time

• Agree a written task list with priorities in order
• Point out delicate surfaces and items on the first visit (natural stone, antique furniture, a special vase)
• Say which products to use or avoid; vinegar, for example, can damage natural stone and hardwood finishes
• Ask the cleaner to tell you straight away if anything breaks, and thank them when they do

Before you hire again, run through the 20 questions to ask a cleaner, including what happens when something goes wrong. You can find cleaners by county here.