Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: A & J Owen Window Cleaning on September 14, 2010, 07:58:28 pm

Title: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: A & J Owen Window Cleaning on September 14, 2010, 07:58:28 pm
Had a class one today. Last month the brother of this customer asked us to go and clean her windows (she uses us now and then). He confirmed that she'd be back off holiday on a certain day and that we just needed to drop a text to say we were coming. We turned up, cleaned the windows and left a note. He'd advised that from then on they wanted monthly.

Anyway, turn up today and she's in, carry on and clean the windows and she tries to pay for one lot. We say, did you get the note and she says yes but she's not paying because she didn't want them cleaned whilst she was away (they were done Wed she was back on the Friday)!!! We explain situation ie asked to come and she had never said to not do when not in and and she says I'm still not paying. We say, look we've been asked to clean them you have to pay. In the end, she finally paid up when Alan said politely but firmly that we're running a business here and the work has been done and she has to pay.

Nerve of some people (last but one time she tried to short change us).
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: TomCrowther on September 14, 2010, 08:05:54 pm
People like that really get my back up. It's a total lack of respect and it's the one thing guaranteed to get me going.
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: dazmond on September 14, 2010, 08:10:34 pm
theres a few ex custies who owe me money from years ago.i never forget AND there windows are mingin!!!i got sick of going back and them jumping behind the sofa and refusing to answer the door.

i wrote them off.....but i never forget how much they still owe me.one guy has a 7 series BMW on his drive as well.i warn other windys what their like.



dazmond
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: C-N-C on September 14, 2010, 08:14:03 pm
Kill them...kill them all ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
I hate people like that man....always try it on with my lads to........ they also get off customer's "will you just give that a little clean for me(garage door or bit of facia,expectin free of charge)
But i always go round with the bill or if the guys say a couple of quid,they mostly say"its ok, just leave it then.........people just take us for granted sometime fella ;)
unbeliveable,in it..... ::)
Take care man
Justin ;)
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: Sean Dyer on September 14, 2010, 08:14:19 pm
i know what you mean daz i wrote off about £120 of bad debt a month ago it was really winding me up so i just gave up and posted invoice and see what happens but not stressing anymore  they wont have a window cleaner anytime soon!!

i have learned some lessons and wont be so sympathetic in future will be getting paid much quicker!!
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: C-N-C on September 14, 2010, 08:19:02 pm
Kill them...kill them all ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
I hate people like that man....always try it on with my lads to........ they also get off customer's "will you just give that a little clean for me(garage door or bit of facia,expectin free of charge)
But i always go round with the bill or if the guys say a couple of quid,they mostly say"its ok, just leave it then.........people just take us for granted sometime fella ;)
unbeliveable,in it..... ::)
Take care man
Justin ;)

I had 1 were there front room window was always open & playing load music....got that sick of going.......i opened window,turned music off & looked straight at the man of the house,behind the chair & said"how long you gunna stay there"  he stood up & said how much we owe you mate.....LOL ;D

I have to add,im not like that with all my customers....just the odd 1 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
& i dont go back....
I am glad iv only ever lost £3.00 in 4 years...... ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D  or it might of bin £2.50...carnt remember now ;D ;D ;D

Take care guys & kind regards
Justin ;)
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: dazmond on September 14, 2010, 08:21:59 pm
2 cleans and thats it until payment!so its never a fortune to lose.


i think every window cleaner has to write off bad debts sometimes.luckily for me it doesnt seem to be too often as i can sniff out a messer usually before it even gets to that stage and get paid never to clean their windows again!! ;) ;D ;D


dazmond
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: Ian101 on September 14, 2010, 08:48:22 pm
Got my 1 bad debtor sorted today 2 cleans £20 total .... her fella died abroad in Afghan so didnt hassle her and let it slide for 3 months but paid me today and a tenner on top for todays clean so all ok and felt good to get her back as she was my 2nd ever customer
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: bobby p on September 14, 2010, 08:55:24 pm
i see a messer often-the local postie !     he gave me such a runaround to get my money im sure he was doing it on purpose- this led me to think he is a nut. i saw him today delivering mail and  no eye contact from him
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: weetot on September 14, 2010, 09:02:07 pm
All those custys deserve a concrete overcoat on and chucked off a very tall building into very cold deep water.

I dont put up with these folk anymore, their a pain in the rear. ::)
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: tom2009 on September 14, 2010, 09:09:53 pm
I only do one clean and if they haven't paid they get lots of calls until they do. One the other day said 'It was such a little amount that I forgot' - it was 12 quid!! cheeky tart.
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: NJWindowCleaning on September 14, 2010, 09:22:36 pm
Name and shame them to there fellow neighbours and any other wc in the area.
And they have the cheek to say" I dont know why my window cleaner didnt come back", when he had the same trouble as you.

I hate it when the customers say its us window cleaners, when its not!!
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: Nigel Lee on September 14, 2010, 10:00:28 pm
I am extremely laid back with collecting don't even worry until they owe 3 months.  The vast majority will drop it round or send a cheque.  Saves a lot of time that way.  After that period I drop in a SAE on the 4th clean.  I have been at it years so this works for me.  You get to know who you can trust.  The odd one I keep on a tight rope, but I only keep customers like that if its big money.

More often the not you will sum up who is a good risk very quickly after a few years on the job.
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: d s windowcleaning on September 14, 2010, 10:22:43 pm
Name and shame them to there fellow neighbours and any other wc in the area.
And they have the cheek to say" I dont know why my window cleaner didnt come back", when he had the same trouble as you.

I hate it when the customers say its us window cleaners, when its not!!
thats the best way to go .
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: Paul Coleman on September 14, 2010, 11:10:32 pm
theres a few ex custies who owe me money from years ago.i never forget AND there windows are mingin!!!i got sick of going back and them jumping behind the sofa and refusing to answer the door.

i wrote them off.....but i never forget how much they still owe me.one guy has a 7 series BMW on his drive as well.i warn other windys what their like.



dazmond

I have a few who I couldn't be bothered to chase a good few years ago.  One of them even forgot me and asked me for a service two or three years after I gave her up.  I refused and I told her why.  She didn't even remember it was me who did the cleaning until I told her.
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: Crystal-clear on September 14, 2010, 11:46:46 pm
i had a total not a very nice person the other day too.

Do the first clean ,(dirtiest windows ever) get paid everyone is happy do the 2nd clean leave my slip and self addressed envo with the child minder.

he didnt send cheque so i call 1 day before the 3rd clean (mind you this guy probably has a 400k pad)

No answer left message just saying hello , etc , didnt get your cheque for last month was it maybe lost in post. at midnight he texts bck saying

"dont clean windows at" thats it.... no sorry i would like to cancel ill pay you for last time nothing ,

so i call bck no answer leave a message ...
he then texts me back saying stop the attitude and a whole load of crap how there is nothing i can do... i have signed nothing basically he knew what he was doing , i said price once per month he said yes just to get the clean then cancel and now will not pay..

I think all 1st cleans need to be charged double to keep you away from these kind of idiots

but then the problem is you charge good people 2x which i wouldnt wana do , but i dont know wat els i can do , maybe make a contract?will people sign it?

then again this case doesn't happen so often 
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: R.M. Window Cleaning on September 15, 2010, 12:43:18 am
I think a section on here so all the honest wc can put the address of bad payers so we no where not to go so we dont keep getting screwed over!!!!!!!!!
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: richard jagger on September 15, 2010, 04:18:11 am
R M been saying it for years.
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: gewindows on September 15, 2010, 08:28:27 am
I think a section on here so all the honest wc can put the address of bad payers so we no where not to go so we dont keep getting screwed over!!!!!!!!!

Why have it on here.

Sort it out yourself.

Cheap and cheerful website with that facility will cost you about  £5 a month.

I look forward to it.
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: mark mann on September 15, 2010, 08:36:07 am
Kill them...kill them all ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
I hate people like that man....always try it on with my lads to........ they also get off customer's "will you just give that a little clean for me(garage door or bit of facia,expectin free of charge)
But i always go round with the bill or if the guys say a couple of quid,they mostly say"its ok, just leave it then.........people just take us for granted sometime fella ;)
unbeliveable,in it..... ::)
Take care man
Justin ;)

love it yeah - had many people say similar things thinking it takes just a minute when in fact it can add another 20minutes to the job and likewise now saying its an extra couple of quid or a fiver and guess what ..they say leave it then..lol
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: Craig 72 on September 15, 2010, 05:52:44 pm
i had a total not a very nice person the other day too.

Do the first clean ,(dirtiest windows ever) get paid everyone is happy do the 2nd clean leave my slip and self addressed envo with the child minder.

he didnt send cheque so i call 1 day before the 3rd clean (mind you this guy probably has a 400k pad)

No answer left message just saying hello , etc , didnt get your cheque for last month was it maybe lost in post. at midnight he texts bck saying

"dont clean windows at" thats it.... no sorry i would like to cancel ill pay you for last time nothing ,

so i call bck no answer leave a message ...
he then texts me back saying stop the attitude and a whole load of crap how there is nothing i can do... i have signed nothing basically he knew what he was doing , i said price once per month he said yes just to get the clean then cancel and now will not pay..

I think all 1st cleans need to be charged double to keep you away from these kind of idiots

This bloke needs a size 10 in his gonads.What a total pratt.Not even having the balls to give you the brush of in person.I had an interesting one the other day.A bloke came out and tried to pay some of his bill with an old 50p.When I explained that it wasn't legal tender he just said,'well thats all you're effing getting'.Then he acted all flabbergasted when I said I wouldn't be back.You can't help but get wound up when things like that happen.My blood was well and truly up,if he was a bit younger I think I would have kicked off with him.These idiots treat us like little odd job lads out for pocket money.
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: A & J Owen Window Cleaning on September 15, 2010, 05:58:41 pm
We've got one other customer who owes us some only about £20 quid but it's the principle. She's been told no more clean until she pays and as it's quite close to home we are going to keep turning up - we copped one on a sunday morning once, she was trying to make a quick escape but we caught her!

Alan don't do it very often but he did once park his car behind the owner of the house and stayed there until he paid up - fortunately he wanted to go out so Alan was only there 20 mins. ;D
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: scud on September 15, 2010, 06:08:31 pm
  I have one owes me £33, I do every house on the estate, about 40 houses total. I can park my van and 11 houses around hers, so I park it over the end of her drive for nearly 3 hours.

  She still hasn't had the guts to ask me to move it as she knows it's going to cost her £33 plus interest.
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: tom2009 on September 15, 2010, 06:09:59 pm
  I have one owes me £33, I do every house on the estate, about 40 houses total. I can park my van and 11 houses around hers, so I park it over the end of her drive for nearly 3 hours.

  She still hasn't had the guts to ask me to move it as she knows it's going to cost her £33 plus interest.
  ;D 8) I like yer style!
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: Jack Wallace on September 15, 2010, 06:37:07 pm
I used to get wound up by bad debt, but not anymore.
I chase it for a while then write it off as my time is more valuable elsewhere.

I just send them the following letter then write it off and forget it. If any money comes in it’s a bonus, if not I am sure they sweat for a day or two.



Dear Sir / Madame

Despite numerous attempts at recovery your debt for our services remains outstanding,
This will be my final request at recovery personally.
 
If this debt is not cleared within 7 days I am left with no choice but to refer it to Her majesty’s court service.
Alternatively we may pass the debt on to a recovery agency, the £75 cost incurred by passing it on will be charged to your account.
Please note: Interest will be charged from the date the debt became due as set out in the Late Payment of Commercial Debt Act 1998.
Additionally we also report any outstanding arrears with credit reference agencies 28 days after the date of this letter, which may affect your ability to obtain credit in the future.

Current outstanding debt £xxx

If you wish to discuss this matter personally please do not hesitate to contact me,



Yours sincerely.

Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: Jack Wallace on September 15, 2010, 06:40:55 pm
PS.  so far this particular version of the letter has 100% sucess rate. Its got to the point where I enjoy sending it out to see the response.  ;D (only 3 times though)

Does that make me wierd? ha ha
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: A & J Owen Window Cleaning on September 15, 2010, 07:16:21 pm
Love the letter. £20 debtor just paid up - Alan waited outside his house and wouldn't go until he paid. He's promised to pay on time next time. Alan's told him in future we'll text night before for money to go under mat or they don't get done. We do rest in road so it's no bother either way :)
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: Sapphire Window Cleaning on September 15, 2010, 07:48:35 pm
We got paid from one customer 2 weeks ago for a clean way back in February. then 3 days later asked if we can clean their windows.
I won't mind doing them as long as I get the money before Christmas!



Matt
Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: Crystal-clear on September 15, 2010, 09:18:50 pm
We've got one other customer who owes us some only about £20 quid but it's the principle. She's been told no more clean until she pays and as it's quite close to home we are going to keep turning up - we copped one on a sunday morning once, she was trying to make a quick escape but we caught her!

Alan don't do it very often but he did once park his car behind the owner of the house and stayed there until he paid up - fortunately he wanted to go out so Alan was only there 20 mins. ;D

lol thats brilliant i wish i would do something like that hahahah

Title: Re: customer trying to get out of paying!
Post by: Crystal-clear on September 15, 2010, 09:25:56 pm
PS.  so far this particular version of the letter has 100% sucess rate. Its got to the point where I enjoy sending it out to see the response.  ;D (only 3 times though)

Does that make me wierd? ha ha

Nice letter mate

But if one of those bad people didnt wana pay you have no contract? you couldnt really take them to court could you;? i get it thou by not chasing them it aint worth it i learnt that a long long time ago.

I must have written off £500 by now writting off work in the north is standard practise ! its what you need to deal with :)