Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: poleman on November 06, 2011, 06:23:34 pm
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getting loads of house customers not paying after I have sent a letter out to them...
I normal use http://www.thomashiggins.com/ for my commercial customers if they don't pay but its for commercial customers ONLY
whats the best legal road to go down to get my money for work carried out!
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Small claims , just send a copy of the paperwork , normally gets them ,
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i find knockin their door works best, i keep going back no matter what it costs in time and effort , if the lights are on you know theyre in and once been paid drop them
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let them get to 2 cleans, then stop, till payment received
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let them get to 2 cleans, then stop, till payment received
do this
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Kill them and their wee doggy!!!
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getting loads of house customers not paying after I have sent a letter out to them...
I normal use http://www.thomashiggins.com/ for my commercial customers if they don't pay but its for commercial customers ONLY
whats the best legal road to go down to get my money for work carried out!
I've given this advice a dozen times and been shot at a dozen times, so here goes again.
Write to them and threaten legal action, then if they still don't pay you ... forget it and move on.
If you take them to the Small Claims, then what happens if they decide to defend it? You are stuck taking at least half a day off and spending time preparing for the case. It's simply not worth it; you're better off spending the time cleaning windows. You've found out (for the cost of one clean) that the customer isn't worth having, which is pretty cheap information.
Life's short; don't waste it chasing money you earn every twenty minutes.
Vin
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Knock until u get paid then drop em or write it off and move on ... Anything u write off is tax deductable. Time is money.
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Give em some hassle ,
Threaten small claims , always gets a reaction , why let em walk over you ,
You don't have to go through with the small claims , if your going to drop them anyways , just send out a standard letter with the paperwork , you dont have to go through with it ,
I like the link to Thomas higgins lol , nice one , may use in the future ,
Don't get up tight , get even ;D
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I disagree with walking away, but I would knock every time I'm passing, and a couples of notes each slightly more tetchy than the last has always worked for me.
Then once your paid, dump them and tell any of their neighbours that you do why you dumped them. ;D
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getting loads of house customers not paying after I have sent a letter out to them...
I normal use http://www.thomashiggins.com/ for my commercial customers if they don't pay but its for commercial customers ONLY
whats the best legal road to go down to get my money for work carried out
I use the same company for commercial and still use them for houses sending out the letters even go to the extent of sending out court action to houses never had a problem.
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getting loads of house customers not paying after I have sent a letter out to them...
I normal use http://www.thomashiggins.com/ for my commercial customers if they don't pay but its for commercial customers ONLY
whats the best legal road to go down to get my money for work carried out!
I've given this advice a dozen times and been shot at a dozen times, so here goes again.
Write to them and threaten legal action, then if they still don't pay you ... forget it and move on.
If you take them to the Small Claims, then what happens if they decide to defend it? You are stuck taking at least half a day off and spending time preparing for the case. It's simply not worth it; you're better off spending the time cleaning windows. You've found out (for the cost of one clean) that the customer isn't worth having, which is pretty cheap information.
Life's short; don't waste it chasing money you earn every twenty minutes.
Vin
I agree you shouldn't lose any sleep over non payers, but it's because most windys 'can't be bothered' that these rat bags think Oh he's only a window cleaner he won't do anything about it.
Aren't you just reinforcing some peoples (incorrect) view that w/cleaners are a bit lazy and feckless and not very bright?
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getting loads of house customers not paying after I have sent a letter out to them...
I normal use http://www.thomashiggins.com/ for my commercial customers if they don't pay but its for commercial customers ONLY
whats the best legal road to go down to get my money for work carried out
I use the same company for commercial and still use them for houses sending out the letters even go to the extent of sending out court action to houses never had a problem.
NOW that is interesting! as its only about £3 to send out a legal letter from Thomas Higgins, will try this once I have sent my final let before action and see if that works!
I should add that I spend evenings doing paper (invoices, work sheets) so chasing non payers is not a problem!
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I was stiffed by a 'first clean customer' last Friday. She immediately became a 'never again'. I was fuming at the time, but as I clean her neighbour's windows across the road every week, I will get the last laugh.
John
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If they don't pay and you know you won't ever see the money, do a free clean. If they aren't satisfied with the results after the manky old brush has accidentally been dropped a few times into the mud, they are welcome to take you to small claims.
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I agree you shouldn't lose any sleep over non payers, but it's because most windys 'can't be bothered' that these rat bags think Oh he's only a window cleaner he won't do anything about it.
Aren't you just reinforcing some peoples (incorrect) view that w/cleaners are a bit lazy and feckless and not very bright?
I can see what you're saying but I simply don't care what they think, as I'm off somewhere else cleaning windows for someone who does pay.
Vin
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;D call me old fashioned but if you highlight the amount owed on first slip then if not payed write it in red pen this still has a good result for smalish amounts if still not payed drop it
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The part that bugs me the most about these type of customers, Is in the back of your mind you sometimes think that there a good explanation why you cant seem to get the money e.g away, hospital or aggrievement of some kind.
So your try your utmost to get the customer to contact you,by leaving them a hand written note or even having a letter by post.
After all this!!!
I would be happy with a call,letter or email saying we are not happy and will not pay.
Easy,,,,, but no they do not give any response at all, so the effort you have used seems a waste of time.
I might try thomas higgins myself.
Dave