[crystal.clear]

i had been doing this woman's windows for two months. i priced £15 and she said fine. after two months she hadn't sent the money on so i stopped doing them and knocked everytime i was passing but no answer. been going on about 6 months now and still no money.  Today i was working in the road and i saw another window cleaner knocking at her door so i went over and had a word.  He told me she owed him three lots and wont answer his calls or door.  i just feel like going round and smashing her windows.

[aztec]

know the feeling mate
i bet if she went a month without her boss paying her she would kick up a fuss though!
how about writing a nice letter to her demanding the money or court action will be taken that usually does the trick mate

[ronaldo]

Had this happen to me before, just went back and launched some eggs up them, maybe not the right thing to do and neither did it get my money back but the satisfaction i got was worth more than what the fool owed me.

[macc]

Get an old applicater sleeve, nice & wet & applicate her windows & frames with dirty water. 

You wont get paid but you will feel a lot better. 

[windows_chepstow]

i had been doing this woman's windows for two months. i priced £15 and she said fine. after two months she hadn't sent the money on so i stopped doing them and knocked everytime i was passing but no answer. been going on about 6 months now and still no money.  Today i was working in the road and i saw another window cleaner knocking at her door so i went over and had a word.  He told me she owed him three lots and wont answer his calls or door.  i just feel like going round and smashing her windows.

If you work each month in the close vicinity, just keep knocking and leaving notes.  I've done this and my 'customer' got sick of it before I did, and a cheque was eventually received.

Just keep doing it, even if it takes two years; persistance pays off; and each time you do it, it's got to wind them up a little bit more; so enjoy the challenge and the 'wind up' factor involved.

If it's not on your round; don't go out your way; take Ronaldo's or Macc's advice and put the dirt back.

[Richy L]

i had a customer like this. I cleaned his windows three times without payment.(i usually only clean twice without payment) but he ensured me would pay for it all next time.

I called back there time and time again! i mean litterally about 12 times, but with no luck. in the end i just gave up. I could even see him hide and duck by the window once!!!

I just decided to bite the bullet and accept that i had lost the money. The total for the three cleans was only £15.

In the end i was putting so much time into calling back, and it got me so annoyed when i went there and he wouldnt answer even though he was blatently in, i just stopped calling.

i tried a few different things, knocking continuosly, leaving notes, even threatening court action. Once i was with one of my mates, a big guy, and we went up to the house together, but still nothing.

sometimes, its just not worth the hastle!!

[windows_chepstow]

I just decided to bite the bullet and accept that i had lost the money. The total for the three cleans was only £15.

But don't you think it's more than just the money involved here?

Normally, when people say, 'It's not the money, it's the principle', it's usually the money; every time.

But in our job where the odd arrogant idiot might try to look down on us, you sort of feel, 'This guy is taking the p)ss out of me here', which spurs you on to be strict with your terms and conditions; common-sense applying though.

I know the account Leekson's is talking about, and this happened at least a year ago; probably more.  It probably still rankles him for him to mention it.

I'm still cross about bad customers I've had from four years ago when I first started up.

Do you think to get 'closure' we've got to get revenge?

[EasyClean]

I agree with Tosh- 'Persistency pays off'. I tell the bad payer to their face that if they refuse to pay that I will have the great pleasure of waking them very early every Sunday morning until I'm finally paid. I'm a very early riser on Sunday mornings so it's no skin off my nose and I love the look on their face when I see them peering through the windows on a Sunday morning. Failure cannot live with persistency!

[window pain]

i think that all legitimate window cleaners should pay into a fund to deal with bad payers with the money raised we should puchase a helicopter gun ship complete with heat seeking missiles the next time someone dosn't want to pay you simply ring a freephone number, and then go around to their gaff, and ask for your money with the helicopter hovering overhead they're bound to pay up. p.s. i'm being serious.

[Richy L]

Yeah i agree with what you are saying tosh about its the principle, but there surely comes a time when it might be better to forget about it.
The customer, well, ex-customer, i am talking about would not open the door to me, and i couldnt knock on the windows when i collected as he lives in a flat. I think he was a bit of a wierdo actually, you know when someone gives you that impression.

But you're right tosh it does get to me now, and i still would love to egg his windows!

[Richy L]

sounds good window pain!

Where do i sign?

[Roy Harding]

A friend of mine used to do dept collecting.

Once he went up the garden path with a can of petrol, he kocked the door and when thay open it he put his foot into the door way and poured petrol over there door step while he puffed on a big cigar. He then took the cigar out of his mouth and said you owe x amount to my  friend, pay up now or you no what will happen.

This guy has been in for armed robbery Abh Gbh and is not to be messed about, He got the monney.

By the way he was collecting for someone else not me.

Roy

[Majestic]

I would post a SAE through her door and a note telling her she owes for her window cleaning. If I got it ok, if not it was only 2 cleans could of been more. I think every window cleaner has had this happen to them .

[S_RICHARDSON]

Isn't there a law against not paying us money owed by our work. If there is then i'd be straight round with the people of the law and giving them a warnig not o mess with us again!!

Only joking, but don't  it just get right up your grill when you get customers like this!!

[Helen]

crystal, why not get together with this other cleaner and go round together. united we stand and all that seriously it is not worth losing sleep over, but yes there is a principle to it all. Just had court papers sent thru to one who owed £23.50, that worked landed on her doorstep with the extra £30 application to court cost and now she has paid £53.50....expensive wc for her!!! will we clean hers again?....yes but only if she is in and pays at time of clean. This came down to principle as she was in when we called on a few occassions and didn't answer, had e-mails sent and texts by mobile and letter sent. her name has already been passed to other wc's in that area!!!

[dai]

If you don't pay for a taxi, yu have taken a percunary advantage and can get done for it. Why is it not the same for us? DAI

[bluesteve]

im sure many of us would like to know, how do you go about applying for a court order or whatever it is for non paying customers?

[RAHomeServices]

small claims court pay your £30 and let law take over

[supernova77]

im sure many of us would like to know, how do you go about applying for a court order or whatever it is for non paying customers?

You can do it all online >> http://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk

Andy

[bluesteve]

cheers andy ,
 that looks the dogs b******s  what if the amount is less than what they owe you , do you charge them £30?