Maid flooded house and damaged the laminated floors | ExpatWoman.com
 

Maid flooded house and damaged the laminated floors

310
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 12:18

I am trying to keep my cool but its pretty hard when something like this happens! She left a tap open in her bathroom and when I woke up at 6:30 found the floors soaked at least 1 inch deep. She did not even bother to inform me and I found her in DD's room mopping one corner (quite ineffectively). Both DH and I started sweeping out the water from the room and the passage but it was too late as the water had penetrated the floors and now they look awful as they have expanded and curled out in the corners. :(
What would you do? Should I make her pay for the damages? Estimated cost of replacing the room and passage would be around Dhs3000. Its just so frustrating. What really makes me sad about the whole incident is that she did not even bother calling me out of the room. What if there was a fire? Would she have reacted this way as well? Shuddering at the thought of what can go wrong and how she would react.

271
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 28 January 2011 - 17:10
OMG! I have no words. Maid almost flooded the house again???? I came out of my room to hear water in her bathroom. She was merrily washing her lunch dishes in the kitchen. Amazing! DH is booking her ticket for tomorrow morning now. At this rate she might just drown us all! I don't know whether I should be laughing or crying at this stage. again?! seriously? okay, so i guess your going to ban. so she did it on purpose? I really don't know what to make of the whole thing. Is she doing it on purpose or is she just plain stupid? I really don't know what to say at this stage. I'm an unforgiving person. If one of my sisters/relatives/guests/nanny made this mistake once, I would assume she was doing it to 'test the waters' with me, but I would let it go the first time. The second time something like this happens, we'll need to take the fight outside.
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EW GURU
Latest post on 28 January 2011 - 16:56
Personally after this I wouldn't give her any money to send back with her. Whether it's stupidity (and she must be thick as two planks) or spite/on purpose, she needs to take responsibility for her actions.
310
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 28 January 2011 - 16:52
OMG! I have no words. Maid almost flooded the house again???? I came out of my room to hear water in her bathroom. She was merrily washing her lunch dishes in the kitchen. Amazing! DH is booking her ticket for tomorrow morning now. At this rate she might just drown us all! I don't know whether I should be laughing or crying at this stage. again?! seriously? okay, so i guess your going to ban. so she did it on purpose? I really don't know what to make of the whole thing. Is she doing it on purpose or is she just plain stupid? I really don't know what to say at this stage.
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EW GURU
Latest post on 28 January 2011 - 16:27
Hmm.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 28 January 2011 - 16:12
OMG! I have no words. Maid almost flooded the house again???? I came out of my room to hear water in her bathroom. She was merrily washing her lunch dishes in the kitchen. Amazing! DH is booking her ticket for tomorrow morning now. At this rate she might just drown us all! I don't know whether I should be laughing or crying at this stage. again?! seriously? okay, so i guess your going to ban. so she did it on purpose?
310
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 28 January 2011 - 15:48
OMG! I have no words. Maid almost flooded the house again???? I came out of my room to hear water in her bathroom. She was merrily washing her lunch dishes in the kitchen. Amazing! DH is booking her ticket for tomorrow morning now. At this rate she might just drown us all! I don't know whether I should be laughing or crying at this stage.
310
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 27 January 2011 - 09:10
some really good trolling going on here! thanks guys for that.
3901
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 January 2011 - 08:35
you know what bugs me about the maids here? When you tell them something they did wrong, even if you tell them in a constructive way, they cry. And we are not mean people! It's happened twice to us! If anything we are too flippin nice aka the pushovers. I asked my friend who has a live-in maid (we have one who comes twice a week for a couple hours) and she said her maid cries all the time too when she brings something to her attention that she did wrong, even something small like mopping the floor wrong. 'I'm sorry madam' sobsobsob If I cried everytime a boss gave me a criticism I'd never have a job...is this a defence mechanism or are they just kind of pathetic?!? I wonder how you would cope if you got the same kind of criticism from your boss that you lived with, more or less been giving up your own family for, completely depend on and most likely don't get paid a lot of money from. *LIKE* (how can you mop a floor "wrong" ???) You obviously don't have a maid. LOL !!! after all the horror stories i read on here ??? Put me off for life lol
301
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 22:25
Your biggest problem is laminated flooring. Not nice under the best circumstances ... maybe she did you a favor? :D LOL Perhaps she did not even realise laminate is not proper wood - in many countries you tip an bucket of water on a wooden floor and scrub Indeed... some of those modern laminates look "almost" wood like rather than nasty plastic... "almost". Frankly I think the maid has done a very gracious act and spared the OP being stuck with ghastly (in terms of appearance and seemingly practicality) flooring, now is a good excuse to change it. Can maids get given awards for heroic actions rather than just "BBB"?? ;)
384
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 22:05
Your biggest problem is laminated flooring. Not nice under the best circumstances ... maybe she did you a favor? :D LOL Perhaps she did not even realise laminate is not proper wood - in many countries you tip an bucket of water on a wooden floor and scrub
301
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 21:48
Jeez I didn't think my sympathy with the posters on this thread could get any less.... (this is not directed at the previous poster, marycatherine)
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 21:45
I'm not being facetious, but have you actually shown her (as in a demo) what exactly you want done? I've had to do that with maids, they didn't understand the words, but understood the demo., You have to do this at regular intervals..;)
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 21:40
So why has it got to this point - she should have been shown the door long ago
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 21:30
I'm not being facetious, but have you actually shown her (as in a demo) what exactly you want done? I've had to do that with maids, they didn't understand the words, but understood the demo., Oh yes, done that so many many times...........but some just prefer to do it their own way.........and if pulled up, tears are the easiest option. Meh.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 21:28
I had maids for 19 years, but haven't for the last year - in that time I have : broken the iron, blown up the kettle, broken about 12 wine glasses, dented the car, left a McD's coke container in the car that marked the interior; that's just to mention just a few things off the top of my head. I have common sense and concern for my belongings - **** happens. If you can't afford to replace the floor put down something cheaper. In the great scheme of things 3000 dhs is peanits.
1759
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 21:24
I'm not being facetious, but have you actually shown her (as in a demo) what exactly you want done? I've had to do that with maids, they didn't understand the words, but understood the demo.,
1340
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 21:18
you know what bugs me about the maids here? When you tell them something they did wrong, even if you tell them in a constructive way, they cry. And we are not mean people! It's happened twice to us! If anything we are too flippin nice aka the pushovers. I asked my friend who has a live-in maid (we have one who comes twice a week for a couple hours) and she said her maid cries all the time too when she brings something to her attention that she did wrong, even something small like mopping the floor wrong. 'I'm sorry madam' sobsobsob If I cried everytime a boss gave me a criticism I'd never have a job...is this a defence mechanism or are they just kind of pathetic?!? I wonder how you would cope if you got the same kind of criticism from your boss that you lived with, more or less been giving up your own family for, completely depend on and most likely don't get paid a lot of money from. *LIKE* (how can you mop a floor "wrong" ???) You obviously don't have a maid.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 21:14
she doesn't use hot water...she fills the bucket only about 1/4 of the way full, and never changes the water. All we suggested was to please use hot water, fill the bucket more, and change the water at least once or twice...I hardly call it an excuse to cry!
3901
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 21:02
you know what bugs me about the maids here? When you tell them something they did wrong, even if you tell them in a constructive way, they cry. And we are not mean people! It's happened twice to us! If anything we are too flippin nice aka the pushovers. I asked my friend who has a live-in maid (we have one who comes twice a week for a couple hours) and she said her maid cries all the time too when she brings something to her attention that she did wrong, even something small like mopping the floor wrong. 'I'm sorry madam' sobsobsob If I cried everytime a boss gave me a criticism I'd never have a job...is this a defence mechanism or are they just kind of pathetic?!? I wonder how you would cope if you got the same kind of criticism from your boss that you lived with, more or less been giving up your own family for, completely depend on and most likely don't get paid a lot of money from. *LIKE* (how can you mop a floor "wrong" ???)
324
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 20:37
you know what bugs me about the maids here? When you tell them something they did wrong, even if you tell them in a constructive way, they cry. And we are not mean people! It's happened twice to us! If anything we are too flippin nice aka the pushovers. I asked my friend who has a live-in maid (we have one who comes twice a week for a couple hours) and she said her maid cries all the time too when she brings something to her attention that she did wrong, even something small like mopping the floor wrong. 'I'm sorry madam' sobsobsob If I cried everytime a boss gave me a criticism I'd never have a job...is this a defence mechanism or are they just kind of pathetic?!? I wonder how you would cope if you got the same kind of criticism from your boss that you lived with, more or less been giving up your own family for, completely depend on and most likely don't get paid a lot of money from.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 20:33
Your biggest problem is laminated flooring. Not nice under the best circumstances ... maybe she did you a favor? :D Have been wondering when someone was going to bring this up. :)
301
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 20:32
Your biggest problem is laminated flooring. Not nice under the best circumstances ... maybe she did you a favor? :D LMAO :)
1238
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 20:26
Your biggest problem is laminated flooring. Not nice under the best circumstances ... maybe she did you a favor? :D
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 20:24
If you truly believe she is doing this maliciously or passive aggressively or carelessly or is just plain stupid. Then go straight to the BBB - deducting the damage from her wages is not going to engender cheerful and proactive cooperation in future. I have had a maid who fried my entire house's electrical panel with trying to clean up the outdoor patio (the panel was outside) the day before I returned from summer vacation, (fridge is dry, water is dry and no AC after a 27 hour journey). I truly believe she didn't know any better and I never thought to tell her not to hose down the walls (where the panel was located. I guess I take the road of there but for the grace of god go I - If I were perfect I would be someplace else making a **** of a lot more money. I've been in the GCC for 11+ years, I'm not perfect yet, I don't expect it from my employees - if she doesn't learn from her mistakes, that's another story. If you don't learn from her making the same mistake over and over - who's not learning here?
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 19:13
My DD did this, well into early adulthood, any criticsim, no matter how mild, constructive or warranted, generated floods........it's very effective. It used to drive me crazy when she was younger.........because inevitably it made resolving issues impossible. And it is the same with so many maids, waterworks over the slightest thing, and really, it's nothing to do with fearing for a job, it's just easier to blub, than take any kind of responsibility for their actions.......or even taking instruction on board. Often, I suspect, it's just another form of "Lalala ... I can't hear you........."
301
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 18:44
you know what bugs me about the maids here? When you tell them something they did wrong, even if you tell them in a constructive way, they cry. And we are not mean people! It's happened twice to us! If anything we are too flippin nice aka the pushovers. I asked my friend who has a live-in maid (we have one who comes twice a week for a couple hours) and she said her maid cries all the time too when she brings something to her attention that she did wrong, even something small like mopping the floor wrong. 'I'm sorry madam' sobsobsob If I cried everytime a boss gave me a criticism I'd never have a job...is this a defence mechanism or are they just kind of pathetic?!? I think it is a cultural thing and find your comment insensitive. They are also probably a lot more vulnerable in terms of job security than most of us and also need the job more than most of us. Also, the way I see some people speaking to their maids here frankly I would be in tears. <em>edited by dubai71 on 26/01/2011</em>
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 18:26
you know what bugs me about the maids here? When you tell them something they did wrong, even if you tell them in a constructive way, they cry. And we are not mean people! It's happened twice to us! If anything we are too flippin nice aka the pushovers. I asked my friend who has a live-in maid (we have one who comes twice a week for a couple hours) and she said her maid cries all the time too when she brings something to her attention that she did wrong, even something small like mopping the floor wrong. 'I'm sorry madam' sobsobsob If I cried everytime a boss gave me a criticism I'd never have a job...is this a defence mechanism or are they just kind of pathetic?!?
3901
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 18:13
well i think the OP should be applauded for having a floor you can't drip anything on AND a DS.... (unless of course by DS she meant nintendo game...) Trust EW ladies to disect even the floors that we have in our homes? i think we all should live in mud huts with sand floors now. excellent idea !! and the insurance will be dirt cheap :)
310
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 18:11
well i think the OP should be applauded for having a floor you can't drip anything on AND a DS.... (unless of course by DS she meant nintendo game...) Trust EW ladies to disect even the floors that we have in our homes? i think we all should live in mud huts with sand floors now.
3901
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 26 January 2011 - 18:07
well i think the OP should be applauded for having a floor you can't drip anything on AND a DS.... (unless of course by DS she meant nintendo game...)
 
 

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