Not sure how to handle this...

[meriad]

Since July I've had a lovely lady called Bobbie come to my house twice a week for an hour to dust and vacuum. It's all because of a dust mite allergy so when I advertised for someone I specifically focused on vacuuming and dusting only... Now, mad cat lady and gadget geek that I am I have three little wifi cameras in the house so I can keep an eye on my cats and know for a fact that Bobbie isn't spending the full hour at the house, sometimes it's only 30 mins or even a bit less. Last week when I was visiting Jan and Grumpy she was meant to come 3x in that week as she'd missed one day the week prior but again - because of the camera's - I know she only turned up once on the Friday (well she did turn up another time but not even 10 mins). So the house was clean when I got home and had it not been for the camera's I'd not have known.

Anyway I'm not sure how to approach this because I'm not sure Bobbie knows I have the camera's. They're very obvious and she picks them up to dust under them but I'm not sure she's aware what they are and I've never told her. So I don't think I can at this point say I have the camera's and know she's not been doing what she should be - I've had a quick google and it seems that one has to make people aware of cameras Does anyone know?

I like Bobbie, she's a really lovely person and more important to me she is very fond of my cats and will always give whichever ones are in when she arrives a fuss and a treat (which I leave out for her). That is a hugely important thing to me so I'd really like to make this work but not quite sure how.

Sigh..... I hate situations like this; really don't sit well with me as I detest confronting people

[Ally]

Hmmm yes tricky.

How about casually saying that a neighbour has mentioned seeing Bobbie 'popping in and out' and you could then say, 'you are spending the full amount of time there, aren't you?' type of thing.

Make out the neighbour is a bit nosy and was wondering who this person was?

[lissie]

Is the house clean when you get home Ria?
If so I wouldn't worry too much.
Perhaps she is a fast worker who does as much in half an hour as someone
else would in an hour.
You might get a replacement who dislikes cats and ignores them.

All the best in whatever you decide to do.xx

[jenniren]

Hmmm really difficult Ria. Seems a shame to lose her if she's actually getting the job done, but on the other hand you're obviously paying well over the odds given the time she actually spends cleaning.

Wish I could say something that would actually help

[Kaz]

How about "Oh, I forgot to mention, the cat cameras need a careful dust, now and again.. "

Then she's aware she's being filmed AND that she needs to up her game.

[JoM]

It is tricky Ria, and although I'm not sure if there's a legal requirement to inform people that they're being filmed in a domestic situation perhaps as a courtesy they should be informed.

Is there a way to put a warning sticker on your door or window, where she could see it when she enters the flat? Also tell her that you have cameras installed, tell her that they're to allow you to keep an eye on the cats but you feel you should inform her due to data protection or privacy or whatever.

[saundra]

Good idea jo in a tricky situation

[meriad]

Thank you everyone - Jo good idea re the data protection thing esp as this whole GDPR is a fairly new law so I can always use that

Lissie, yes she is a fast worker and I'd say it's done to 80% of what could be done .... I do have a number of shelves that I wouldn't expect anyone else but me to dust because they're not easily reachable (I have to climb on my bed for one and on the dining table for the other so...) But it's little things like the laundry basket that doesn't get moved off the wall to be dusted behind and the fact that realistically she could do something else (ie clean the bathroom) if she has the extra time.

But definitely know I need to say something somehow

thanks xxx

[miasmum]

You do need to let her know you have cameras I think. We have cameras at Luke's and have a duty to let the staff know and they only show Luke's head on his pillow.

There are different laws surrounding being filmed in a public place, eg shopping centre than in your place of work, which is basically where she is.

If she doing what you ask her to do then I would cut her hours down, but if she isnt then you need to tackle it, but I am not sure you can use the cameras if she didnt know. Once she knows you can

[TheOstrich]

Sometimes it's a case of "better the Devil you know" …. as one or two others have said, if you let her go, any replacement could be a lot worse.