26/08/2026
**Things I've learned the hard way, a Christmas tale**
Last Christmas, another cleaner couldn't fit all her Airbnb changeovers in.
I helped, then helped again, and helped a little bit more, anyone who knows me will know I hate saying no, I always want to help others.
Two weeks before Christmas, I'd covered over £500 of her work. Work that the property owners most likely paid her for.
Then she turned into a ghost 👻
Weeks of chasing, finally got me half the money, plus a message full of, I'm so sorry and, I'll pay every penny I promise.
It's now nearly September. Still no money. Still a ghost 👻
So here's what that taught me, the hard way
Here’s what I’ve taken from it, I’m not anyone’s free safety net. Helping people is in my nature, but I’m not a charity, and I’m not here to be taken for a mug because I’ve got a good heart. If you can’t pay what you owe, don’t waste my time apologising instead.
We're building something with actual standards, fair employment, quality cleaning, with customer service at the heart of it all.
Part of that growth is learning who deserves your trust, and who's just banking on you being too nice to chase it.
Lesson learned! Stand on your standards🫡
