Window Cleaning Issues - Canvassing, pole systems, pricing, problems, etc.
COUNCIL ESTATES?Posted by wrighty (wrighty), 6 February 2004
HIi,
Does anybody have any council estates on their round and what is your opinion towards these customers. I am not being a snob or have anything against people who live in council houses but I want my money for the work I do without me getting nasty as this will offend.
What do you think?
CraigPosted by jontydog (jontydog), 6 February 2004
All my work is on one Council Estate and the majority of customers are fine but i am starting to find I am getting paid less and less. That is the only problem I have. As I have never learned to drive I can't really entertain doing other areas.Posted by wrighty (wrighty), 6 February 2004
Jonty,
How much do you charge them and for what house types?
What area are you in?
CraigPosted by Rob_B (Rob_B), 6 February 2004
obviously there are two kinds of council estates.
Just stay away from the area that resmbles the bronx where the council have dumped all the young couples who don't want to work and are waiting for their giros to come through the door.
As for the other council estates they should be fine. I have cleaned on them before and not had many problems.
I have had just as many rich big houses that are none payers.Posted by Majestic (Majestic), 6 February 2004
There are good payers and bad payers on every street, what I do is when I get a new customer I tell them that I will only clean the windows without getting paid twice , then they have to find another window cleaner,that way if you do have trouble getting paid you are only loosing the money from 2 cleans . I find that the worst payers are the flash houses , most people on estates are ok they know that you are trying to earn a livingPosted by mickeyfat (VGC), 6 February 2004
no probs here ..some take 4/5 months!!!!!!!!!!!!!
but its ok when they pay in the end!!!its only the odd few that do this so its cool to do a house and then get a £25 cheque of them...by the way they have never bounced!!!Posted by simonb (simonb), 6 February 2004
The only prob with council is lots of small houses = lots of ladder work. Go for the older estates with older tenants. They usually appreciate a good window cleanerPosted by paul (paul), 6 February 2004
give council estates to clean anytime you always get your money but always get the odd one who messes you about but least you get tips of these customers its very rare we get one of the richer clients except for a doctor at xmas just gone got me a £50.00 bottle of champagne dident like it though 
Posted by Londoner (Londoner), 6 February 2004
Paul If you get any more £50 bottles of Champagne you don't want give me a call.
A lot of so called council estates round London are not Council at all because The houses were sold in the 80s under the right to buy schemes. My friend bought his Mum and Dads House for £15 grand. Now worth a quarter of a million.
The danger there is that a lot of houses are rented out and people come and go. You knock for your money and a stranger answers the door and tells you to F- offf.Posted by WavieDavie (WavieDavie), 6 February 2004
You knock for your money and a stranger answers the door
This is where you slip into super-salesman mode . . .
YOU Oh yeah, she'd mentioned she was moving out soon. She said she'd recommend us to you, and to just keep doing them. Did she not leave one of our cards (show one) like this in the kitchen?
HIM Don't know what you're on about, mate.
YOU There's obviously been a misunderstanding somewhere, she's probably forgotten to mention it to you amongst all the stuff she had to organise for the move. Oh well . . . How about we give you the first clean free? (cos it looked like you were getting bumped anyway!)
HIM Oh you are wunnerful - I'll tell all my friends, get you to do my work's windows and let you marry my sister that owns a pub! - or words to that effect!Posted by jontydog (jontydog), 6 February 2004
Wrighty my prices vary from 2-50 for bungalows and 3-50/ 4-00 for most 2/3 bedroom houses to 6-00 for 1 house with a conservatory. I am in Cheshire by the way.
After going collecting in the pouring rain tonight I don't feel as bitter most paid up 
Just felt good to get it all off me chest Posted by Silly_Philly (Silly Philly), 6 February 2004
When I think of council estates, for some reason the words
"BARGE POLE"
come to mind.
SillyPosted by wrighty (wrighty), 6 February 2004
where abouts in cheshire are you I'm in St Helens and we won tonight in the first rugby league warm up against Salford if anyones interested.
score: 20 - 10 for the Saints
Come on lads
Craig 
Posted by g_griffin (g_griffin), 6 February 2004
I do a St Helens players (won`t say who 
) parents windows and they live on a council estate.
Gerry.Posted by wrighty (wrighty), 7 February 2004
where r u from Gerry. My lad is 8 in 2 weeks and he has trained and met all the first team squad - very promising talent - he even met the head coach again last night and had a photo with him.
CraigPosted by g_griffin (g_griffin), 8 February 2004
Craig,
Sorry for late reply but if I said Warriors you would know where I`m from. 
I do watch a bit of rugby league (proper rugby) on telly but I don`t go much now.
My dad gets the RL papers as well, so I`ll keep a look out for your sons name and hope he goes all the way.
It`ll be a change having a home grown Saints player, as half your team are from you know where.
Gerry.Posted by wrighty (wrighty), 8 February 2004
Nice to meet you pieater lol.
It is great to speak to someone more local than London no offence to southeners cos your all ok here but it is nice to be able to relate and have someone to get advice off who is local.
Lets hope we beat Wigan in April. Keep smiling and all the best.
Craig Posted by g_griffin (g_griffin), 9 February 2004
Craig,
My sister lived in St.Helens for a few years when she worked at Pilks. My mate also lived there for years but they both saw the light and came back. My dad used to watch Saints when Wigan played away so the rivalry in my family isn`t too bitter. Saying that though I think he watched them hoping they`d lose .
I`ll give you any help I can but I`m not sure how useful it will be, especially about pricing. This forum has made me realise that mine are shockingly low.
Anyway, good luck with your sons career and I`ll keep a look out. I presume his surname is Wright, isn`t it ?
Gerry.Posted by taffy_2 (taffy_2), 9 February 2004
there's nothing wrong with council houses they are the type that work hard to try and get some sort of respectable living style and you always get a cup of tea Posted by simonb (simonb), 9 February 2004
Lots of shiners live on council estatesPosted by wrighty (wrighty), 9 February 2004
Hand on heart when my mum and dad divorced I ended up on a council estate in an area dogs go around in threes. I have done well so far because of my young family and determination to succeed. I have worked hard for what I have and I just wanted your opinions about council estates because when you get used to nice big houses when you go to some estates it doesn't really influence me to canvass it. The reason I asked as I put an add in the local paper for help on my rounds and I got a call from a lady who wants her windows cleaning and her sisters as they say their estate needs a cleaner and would appreciate a good window cleaner.
So do you think I should do it?
If I lived on an estate like that I wouldn't think twice but I am used to my surroundings and I have cold feet so please telll me your opinions.
CraigPosted by sc (sc), 9 February 2004
Whenever somebody says to me that there isn't a window cleaner in there area it normally turns out that they are the only house that doesn't have one.
And whenever somebody has a window cleaner they always think he must clean every single house in the area.
Don't put any faith in what they say. But i'd still do it, you can't stereotype a whole estate. There may be some bad customers, but you can weed them out and eventually end up with a good round. I prefer doing smaller houses, they aren't as tight with there money even though they don't have much.
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