Clean It Up

UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Ferenc G. on March 09, 2013, 03:54:57 pm

Title: Worst day so far...
Post by: Ferenc G. on March 09, 2013, 03:54:57 pm
Did an EOT for a client yesterday, she used me previously a couple of times, allways paid me as soon as I finished, only did a couple of rooms on both previous occasions.
Turned up yesterday, she left some keys for me, got into the property and found the biggest F`in mess I`ve ever seen. Mud and rubbish everywhere, carpets were black all over. Had no chance to call her as I had no signal there, anyway, the carpets need to be cleaned and the cleaners will deal with the rest I thought. We are talking about 3 double bedrooms, bathroom, stairs+landing and 2 decent size reception rooms. Vacuuming alone took nearly 2 hours it was soooo bad. Did everything as usual when the Airflex suddenly stopped. Vac no2 had gone, tripped the electrics. There goes the profit I thought, wasn`t very happy at this point at all. Just as I prepped the last 2 rooms, an elderly gentleman opened the front door, looked a bit surprised seeing me there, I explained who I am, what I do etc. Then he told me he is the estate manager, he looks after the rented properties as well. Apparently, Mrs Customer did a runner without paying the rent, left some rather serious bills behind and they were unable to contact her. She was supposed to turn up at the estate office to give the keys back but she never did. No I guess I`ll never get paid by her. The estate manager agreed but he also said if I don`t get paid I should contact him and they will sort it out somehow.  :(
Why the hell did she feel it necessary to organise cleaning if she was going to disappear anyway  ???
Title: Re: Worst day so far...
Post by: Neil Jones on March 09, 2013, 04:16:59 pm
Chin up, day off tomorrow, few beers tonight, and a new day on Monday ;D
Title: Re: Worst day so far...
Post by: andy east sussex on March 09, 2013, 05:00:35 pm
theres to much of it happening to all of us cleaners and theres nothing we can do about it aprt from brush it off and pick our selves up again its so sad we do so many favors etc for customers which makes you feel great and there always the odd one which just want to abuse the service we offer
Title: Re: Worst day so far...
Post by: Paul Clapham on March 09, 2013, 05:30:21 pm
EOT = get paid first with cleared funds, or find somebody else to do the job, the only way I do it.
Title: Re: Worst day so far...
Post by: andy east sussex on March 09, 2013, 05:34:14 pm
do you get all customers to pay before you clean for them paul ?
Title: Re: Worst day so far...
Post by: derek west on March 09, 2013, 05:42:28 pm
heres the maths

i do roughly 100 EOT's a year (conservative estimate)

average ticket is around £90

been done over twice in 5 years, £120 and a £75, call it £200 worth.

so 5 (years) x 100 (EOT's) = 500

£200 (money lost) devided by  500 (jobs) = 40p per job. 

so to sum up, for every EOT i do, i should add on 40p to every job to cover the scum bags that rip us off.

Feel better? ;D
Title: Re: Worst day so far...
Post by: Paul Clapham on March 09, 2013, 05:59:07 pm
@ Andy , no just EOT , as in most cases they have moved out the night before and I clean before new people move in , when I am cleaning for home owners I get paid when the job is finished , but if they want me to clean when they are at work and they leave me the key I ask to be paid before hand with cleared funds. 99.9% of people are happy about that.

Title: Re: Worst day so far...
Post by: Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus) on March 09, 2013, 06:23:08 pm
I don't do many EOT, but it's cash only.

If there is any chance that the tenant won't be there on the day then it's a bank transfer in advance.

Doing one on Tuesday, the money is already in the bank.

No money,no clean - one of the pros of running your own business.
Title: Re: Worst day so far...
Post by: Ferenc G. on March 09, 2013, 07:21:00 pm
I do many EOTs, either invoice the agents, or work on a "paid on completion in cash" basis. They need the receipt to prove the cleaning has been done, and they only get one once I got paid. I only trusted this woman because I did work for her previously and she seemed to be ok. Lesson learned.

Quote
Chin up, day off tomorrow, few beers tonight, and a new day on Monday Grin
Advice taken on board  :)
Title: Re: Worst day so far...
Post by: bennymon on March 09, 2013, 08:16:57 pm
Same as Steve cash only  ;)
Title: Re: Worst day so far...
Post by: TN Cleaning Services Ltd on March 09, 2013, 08:41:01 pm
Do you all only do the carpets for end of tenancy cleaning?
Yes i know this is the carpet cleaning section,
But why not do the whole clean yourselves?
I do the entire property including everything.
Tim.
Title: Re: Worst day so far...
Post by: wynne jones on March 09, 2013, 09:36:58 pm
Do you all only do the carpets for end of tenancy cleaning?
Yes i know this is the carpet cleaning section,
But why not do the whole clean yourselves?
I do the entire property including everything.
Tim.

Had to chuckle when I saw your logo. Do you specialise in doing everything then?  ;D
Title: Re: Worst day so far...
Post by: Scott Taylor on March 09, 2013, 10:01:18 pm
Hi guys, what does EOT stand for? I'm new to the game. If you don't ask you'll never know!
Title: Re: Worst day so far...
Post by: AshWhite on March 09, 2013, 10:03:19 pm
End of Tenancy
Title: Re: Worst day so far...
Post by: andy east sussex on March 09, 2013, 10:03:48 pm
end of tenancy
Title: Re: Worst day so far...
Post by: Scott Taylor on March 09, 2013, 10:05:42 pm
Got ya! Cheers guys. So the rule of thumb is get your money upfront off them?
Title: Re: Worst day so far...
Post by: Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus) on March 09, 2013, 10:09:07 pm
The principle being Scott, that you don't know where they're moving to, so if they give you a cheque and it bounces - you're screwed !
Title: Re: Worst day so far...
Post by: Scott Taylor on March 09, 2013, 10:17:21 pm
Cheers. I can imagine it being a nightmare but surely this is rare? I don't take card payments but situations like that would be better to get customers card number before you clean. Like you do when u have a tab at a restaurant and they swipe it. Any advice on card payment methods?
Title: Re: Worst day so far...
Post by: handyal on March 10, 2013, 10:28:07 am
How old is your Airflex and have you had this problem with the second vac before?
Title: Re: Worst day so far...
Post by: Doug Holloway on March 10, 2013, 10:31:46 am
Hi Guys

To put this is context I have never had an eot not pay andf I don't ask for money up front.

Cheers

Doug
Title: Re: Worst day so far...
Post by: maxcampbell on March 10, 2013, 11:47:57 am
And we've had one in twenty years.... Still rankles, though.
Title: Re: Worst day so far...
Post by: Mike Halliday on March 10, 2013, 01:51:03 pm
on the same subject .... who charges to pick up the keys from the estate agent then take them back?

I had an estate agent ask me pick up the keys go view a bedroom carpet to see if it was worth cleaning, then wanted me to pick up the keys a second time after the decorator had been in to go clean it.

she couldn't believe..... "as a local business you are  not willing to do this" her words!!

I told her i was quite willing to do it but it would not be the price quoted on our website ( at the time it listed bedroom carpets  at £55)

Title: Re: Worst day so far...
Post by: Ferenc G. on March 10, 2013, 01:51:43 pm
How old is your Airflex and have you had this problem with the second vac before?
Its about 3 years old, bought it second hand in nearly new condition last year. This is the first problem I ever had with it, I think its down to the condensation in my van. The good thing about the Turbo is if you have a vac down you still have 2, you can finish the job no probs  ;)
I would not replace it for any other portable at this moment. Very reliable and plenty of power. Simply love it!