Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: benny donnelly on June 17, 2012, 10:00:23 pm

Title: Council estates
Post by: benny donnelly on June 17, 2012, 10:00:23 pm

Just wondering do many of you clean council estates and of you that dont why dont you?

Since starting I wanted to avoid them as just didnt want the hassle, wanted to aim at higher priced work and with the majority of council tenants on benefits I think getting paid would be a problem in some cases.

On Friday i had 3 houses to clean in a large, rough housing estate, I gained them though other customers which was great, now had no problem with them they paid when i cleaned but was only in the estate 30 mins and 2 little scumbags got in the van and were searching in the glove box and legged it away with an ipod and my phone. Ok i should of locked the van but that is that for me no more of these estates for me.
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: roundbuilder on June 17, 2012, 10:07:39 pm
Yea steer clear. Let the tax dodgers and beer boys do those estates. I got no money. Can you come back next Tuesday when I get my dole money. Can I pay twice next time. Used to do my head in.
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: Dean Taberner on June 17, 2012, 10:10:17 pm
There's 1 near to me that are fantastic payers,

To be fair they're 1st generation tenants who've been living there since they were built and are all mainly older folk.

Dean.
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: g.brookes on June 17, 2012, 10:10:34 pm
i think leaving your van unlocked in most places will lead to this sort of thing.  where the doors open?
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: bobby p on June 17, 2012, 10:14:18 pm
i focus on several big  council estates and love every moment im there.    ive not had any bother even when i used to work alone. we stop for lunch in the Community cafe and   the banter is always 1st class-although miserly food portions are served by huge overweight volunteers who no doubt eat the profits  ,but its good if you want to diet

  salt of the earth people live there  
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: dotty on June 17, 2012, 10:26:29 pm
i find that council estae people are better than some of those upper class snobes been a milkman before windows for 20 years worked in moore gate rotherham big 5 bed houses never in most of my work is on council estates and all good payer some leave it on sill okay there are some bad one but you just dump not every body can have glamour rounds i hope people agree with me i think this is discusting shame on you
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: Ronnie Bryce on June 17, 2012, 10:31:16 pm
Window cleaner's slagging off council estates, feck, I swear you could not make it up. I give up.
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: simonr on June 17, 2012, 10:33:01 pm
so you've had problems on 1 estate & now your saying they're all on benefits & thieve, do vote tory as well
i've had as much problem getting paid by  wanna be hyacinths as i have on council estates though to be honest i've never had many  problems getting paid , mebbe thats a northern thing though  ;D
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: richywilts on June 17, 2012, 11:06:36 pm
its tight to tar them all with same brush but my experience is majority are bad payers with the exception of older generation who are lovely and generally pay cash ive dumped 90% of any council work i picked up and it was that bad i wouldnt feel happy selling it on to someone for fear of repurcussions for selling bad work
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: d s windowcleaning on June 17, 2012, 11:10:32 pm
I live on a council estate but own my house , ive got a big round on the same estate THAT PAYS FOR MY HOUSE , i run a VAN AND CAR from the same estate all pay on the day or double up .
PRIVATE ESTATES a diffrent matter these can be the worse payers .
Stuff from vans can be stolen no matter where you are , not everyone on council estates claims benifits ( JUST OUT OF INTREST BENNY HOW LONG YOU BEEN A WINDOW CLEANER ) ?
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: Londoner on June 18, 2012, 07:00:50 am
There are two seperate types of people on council estates. The older people are great, salt of the earth. The newer people are rubbish, 4x4s, chavs, Pikeys, drug dealers and Assylum Seekers. The first type are fairly rapidly being replaced by the second type. I've now lost about 75% of my old girls on the estates.

Council estates used to be brilliant, the best window cleaning you could get. Easy access, easy windows, good payers you could have a laugh with. Not any more
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: Frankybadboy on June 18, 2012, 07:15:10 am
and i tell you that i get more xmas tips of me council estate work than any other place i do ;) :D

me thinks you got your head up your own as s :o :o


Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: Ian101 on June 18, 2012, 08:49:25 am
Council estates are not how they used to be when I was a lad and lived on 1 however some are still ok.

The best clue is the front garden ... if its neat and tidy then you should be ok.

If its got partially dismantled cars with a dead dog lying nearby then prob best advoided.

When I bought a round in Chester it came with some houses in an area called Blacon free of charge ... soon found out why.

Still do a few council houses though and theyre nice easy jobs with payment there and then.

I would love to have a round of quality council houses but they are a dying breed ... the old dears leave/die/sheletered accom and replaced with asylum seekers / chavs .... best advoided.
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: dazmond on June 18, 2012, 08:59:30 am
who leaves their phone and ipod in their van when working round the back of a house anyway?not me thats for sure! ;D ;D

do i clean council estates?no not anymore!!the ones near me i sold on.ive got to say most were good payers but very cheap work,lots of dog crap and generally not that pleasant to work in.

i prefer the leafy suburbs and more affluent areas just for the sheer absence of dog muck,nice cars to admire and even nicer women to ogle!!plus higher prices for work.

its true some of the older people on these estates were very friendly respectful customers but likes been said the chavs spoil it as well as the drug dealers and alcoholics!! ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: Ian101 on June 18, 2012, 09:01:48 am
who leaves their phone and ipod in their van when working round the back of a house anyway?not me thats for sure! ;D ;D

do i clean council estates?no not anymore!!the ones near me i sold on.ive got to say most were good payers but very cheap work,lots of dog crap and generally not that pleasant to work in.

i prefer the leafy suburbs and more affluent areas just for the sheer absence of dog muck,nice cars to admire and even nicer women to ogle!!plus higher prices for work.

its true some of the older people on these estates were very friendly respectful customers but likes been said the chavs spoil it as well as the drug dealers and alcoholics!! ;D ;D ;D

you sold all you compact £6 to £7 ??  :o
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: Ian101 on June 18, 2012, 09:03:56 am


 only in the estate 30 mins and 2 little scumbags got in the van and were searching in the glove box and legged it away with an ipod and my phone.

sounds like you had a lucky escape ... the one I lived on they would have had your van as well  :o

Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: Paul Coleman on June 18, 2012, 09:24:27 am

Just wondering do many of you clean council estates and of you that dont why dont you?

Since starting I wanted to avoid them as just didnt want the hassle, wanted to aim at higher priced work and with the majority of council tenants on benefits I think getting paid would be a problem in some cases.

On Friday i had 3 houses to clean in a large, rough housing estate, I gained them though other customers which was great, now had no problem with them they paid when i cleaned but was only in the estate 30 mins and 2 little scumbags got in the van and were searching in the glove box and legged it away with an ipod and my phone. Ok i should of locked the van but that is that for me no more of these estates for me.

I do very little on council estates these days.  It's not snobbery as I live on a council estate myself in a flat that was bought from the council.
The reason I tend to avoid is that, at one time, it was mostly older people with a good sense of values when it came to paying their bills.  Over the years, council properties have become harder to get and only people at the very lowest end of the income scale get them.  Again, not snobbery, but why work in areas where the prices are tighter if you don't have to.
Another issue locally is that many of these estates (including where I live) have had resident only parking schemes imposed.  So it's much easier to get a ticket.  Also, in a neighbouring town, many restrictions have been imposed due to holidaymakers street parking in order to avoid extortionate parking fees (I'm near Gatwick Airport).
Even in the areas where there is no such restriction, parking is more difficult to find.  It was easier when using ladders as I could walk around with it but with WFP I need to park closer.
Many of these houses around here were built as terraces with no rear access except through the house.
So a number of reasons why it's not good business sense for me to supply the service in such areas.  Snobbery is not one of them.
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: H S and Son on June 18, 2012, 09:24:57 am
I don't. Because I don't.
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: ben M on June 18, 2012, 12:32:20 pm
I don't. Because I don't.
  ;D ;D
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: Dave Willis on June 18, 2012, 01:30:52 pm
I don't touch 'em. Customers are too ugly.
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: sham33 on June 18, 2012, 01:51:39 pm
I don't touch 'em. Customers are too ugly.

(http://imgur.com/tCp90.gif)
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: Small but perfectley formed on June 18, 2012, 03:03:08 pm
I find that a lot of new housing estates are my worst payers upto their necks in debt keeping up with jones
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: dazmond on June 18, 2012, 06:06:19 pm
ian i sold some work over 5 years ago on the council estates near me but NO!i havent sold my compact PRIVATE estate work!! ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;Dgood bread and butter work and most good payers too!! ;) ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: Lee Gilroy on June 18, 2012, 06:14:30 pm

Just wondering do many of you clean council estates and of you that dont why dont you?

Since starting I wanted to avoid them as just didnt want the hassle, wanted to aim at higher priced work and with the majority of council tenants on benefits I think getting paid would be a problem in some cases.

On Friday i had 3 houses to clean in a large, rough housing estate, I gained them though other customers which was great, now had no problem with them they paid when i cleaned but was only in the estate 30 mins and 2 little scumbags got in the van and were searching in the glove box and legged it away with an ipod and my phone. Ok i should of locked the van but that is that for me no more of these estates for me.

I do very little on council estates these days.  It's not snobbery as I live on a council estate myself in a flat that was bought from the council.
The reason I tend to avoid is that, at one time, it was mostly older people with a good sense of values when it came to paying their bills.  Over the years, council properties have become harder to get and only people at the very lowest end of the income scale get them.  Again, not snobbery, but why work in areas where the prices are tighter if you don't have to.
Another issue locally is that many of these estates (including where I live) have had resident only parking schemes imposed.  So it's much easier to get a ticket.  Also, in a neighbouring town, many restrictions have been imposed due to holidaymakers street parking in order to avoid extortionate parking fees (I'm near Gatwick Airport).
Even in the areas where there is no such restriction, parking is more difficult to find.  It was easier when using ladders as I could walk around with it but with WFP I need to park closer.
Many of these houses around here were built as terraces with no rear access except through the house.
So a number of reasons why it's not good business sense for me to supply the service in such areas.  Snobbery is not one of them.


Paul have you heard on a few estates in Crawley there are a couple of blokes cleaning windows for £2.50 per house and £3.50 if you have a Conservatory.
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: A & J Owen Window Cleaning on June 18, 2012, 07:05:50 pm
 ;D ;D
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: C o z y on June 18, 2012, 07:10:59 pm
well get hold of them, and sub them to do your round, and then you go and create more rounds...


They get the wage they want... You get the difference between their price and yours, without doing any work and the custy's get their windows cleaned.

Every one's a winner....

That's a proper businessman  ;D
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: weetot on June 18, 2012, 07:24:37 pm
Window cleaner's slagging off council estates, feck, I swear you could not make it up. I give up.

 ;D
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: mikecam on June 18, 2012, 08:33:59 pm
who leaves their phone and ipod in their van when working round the back of a house anyway?not me thats for sure! ;D ;D


No one who comes from a council estate thats for sure !!!
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: mlscontractcleaner on June 18, 2012, 08:46:17 pm
Some of my worst payers are stuck up big house owners up to their armpits in debt; I do lots of council work, flats and houses and apart from the odd tit who I drop I have no problems at all.

I've never known window cleaners to be so snobby; good job surgeons are happy to treat any one or we'd be f*$^%d!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: G Griffin on June 18, 2012, 08:57:22 pm
but they wont though will they??

They will not treat or operate on you if you are obese

neither if you smoke.

Not true.
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: dotty on June 18, 2012, 09:27:35 pm
sounds like weve got a race row what do you wont to do then join a army like hicker did and get all people that live on council estates rounderd up and took to consentrion camps and gas them and then knock there house down and build 4 bed houses get 2012 van wih a man with blue eyes and blonde hair for me some people make u sick
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: geefree on June 18, 2012, 10:21:48 pm
If you want to run around for your money, and have them come up with a million excuses , clean em
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: G Griffin on June 18, 2012, 11:40:25 pm
I haven't the time to clean council estates. I'm far too busy making generalisations and stereotyping people  ;).
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: Londoner on June 19, 2012, 07:34:51 am
The old girls in my council old peoples flats are among the best customers I have. But I'm down from 34 to 20 now. All the new ones don't want to have their windows cleaned. (or don't want to pay ).
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: dazmond on June 19, 2012, 07:46:57 am
there is nothing wrong with council estate work.work is work.if you are getting paid and happy then thats all that matters!i sold mine because they were underpriced and a few bad payers here and there.someones gotta clean them!!the 3 lads that work the estate near me are good lads.100% trad.

regards


dazmond
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: Ian101 on June 19, 2012, 08:07:05 am
I haven't the time to clean council estates. I'm far too busy making generalisations and stereotyping people  ;).

 ;D
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: AuRavelling79 on June 19, 2012, 08:40:50 am
The old girls in my council old peoples flats are among the best customers I have. But I'm down from 34 to 20 now. All the new ones don't want to have their windows cleaned. (or don't want to pay ).

I've noticed this too - and "they" have lowered the age limit of incoming folk into sheltered flats.

When trad I had 14 out of 20 flats. Now it's five.
Title: Re: Council estates
Post by: weetot on June 19, 2012, 05:23:27 pm
I haven't the time to clean council estates. I'm far too busy making generalisations and stereotyping people  ;).

 ;D