Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: kaz and pete on August 08, 2013, 10:40:46 pm
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did a ladies windows last week and an hour later she rings and says that I have scratched one window, had a look and there were a load of scratches and not sure how I could have caused them but said that if she think I did it get a quote and we would contact our insurance, the quote has come through with just the price no size or any other type of dimensions, told the glass company she contacted that I need a lot more details and they were really funny about it but said they would send me the new quote with all details, rang and told the lady that I needed three more quotes and she is really angry and said that she will only use the window company that she contacted as they are the best and no one else will do and that she wants my insurance details and wants to tell them that she will only use this specific company, what she does not realise is that I will go with the cheapest quote, thought she was a pain in the first place now I know she is,
what do you lads think
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If it's one pane of window,probably the one opens,and downstairs one then... 99 percent it's the previous owners cat scratched that.
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Your first mistake was to admit liability.
How could you have possibly made so many scratches on the glass!!
Too late now so I suggest you contact your insurer and explain the situation.
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I remember a local window cleaner was accused of scratching a load of windows on a local pub (about a mile from where I live). I took a nosy and there was no possible way he could've made these type of scratches.
At first he admitted liability, but then he just walked away.
I would suggest, if you're sure you didn't do them, to just walk away too.
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Also you have to remember your reputation is on the line, as you have admitted to scratching the glass, she may tell others.
Roy
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I doubt whether you insurance will cover damage to the glass. I know mine doesn't.
I would tell her it has nothing to do with you. If you were scratching windows you would have known about it before now.
If you are committed to sorting it out and your insurance does cover it, pass the details to your insurance and let them sort it out. They will organise the work to be done using their approved trades people.
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did a ladies windows last week and an hour later she rings and says that I have scratched one window, had a look and there were a load of scratches and not sure how I could have caused them but said that if she think I did it get a quote and we would contact our insurance, the quote has come through with just the price no size or any other type of dimensions, told the glass company she contacted that I need a lot more details and they were really funny about it but said they would send me the new quote with all details, rang and told the lady that I needed three more quotes and she is really angry and said that she will only use the window company that she contacted as they are the best and no one else will do and that she wants my insurance details and wants to tell them that she will only use this specific company, what she does not realise is that I will go with the cheapest quote, thought she was a pain in the first place now I know she is,
what do you lads think
The onus should be on the client to prove to you or an insurance company that you caused the scratches. It is more likely that they were already present (perhaps from cats or decorators/builders) and cleaning with pure water has cleaned them out properly and allow the light to catch them so they are more visible.
It is very rare for a water-fed pole brush to be able to cause multiple scratches. I would go back and explain that upon reflection it is highly unlikely that this was caused by yourself.
If you want any more input on this please drop me an email on alex@agardiner.co.uk
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It could be from grit on your brush or something on the glass that you have moved around. Scratches can easily appear or seem to just after the window cleaner has been due to the scrutiny AFTER they are cleaned, they may have been there for ages.
Offer to demonstrate that under normal situations it just won't happen.
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It could be from grit on your brush or something on the glass that you have moved around. Scratches can easily appear or seem to just after the window cleaner has been due to the scrutiny AFTER they are cleaned, they may have been there for ages.
Offer to demonstrate that under normal situations it just won't happen.
Ah yes, he forgot to mention that he previously used it to brush the sand in on his newly block paved drive ::)roll
Small amounts of grit would NOT scratch the glass otherwise we would all be getting complaints..wouldn't we?
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I did not totally admit liability because I told her that I could not see how I could have caused the damage but that my insurance would be in touch, she does not care about my insurance she will only accept the quote off the people she purchased the windows off in April 2012, I have told her that this will probably not happen and that she will have to go with what my insurance wants, I am covered by liability insurance but the premium is more than the quote she has had and some of the quotes I have had are a lot cheaper than hers, so she is not going to get her way unless she pays, fortunately she does not know many of our other customers so if we walk away it will not cause to much damage to our reputation.
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I'd take Alex up on his kind offer and drop him an e-mail.
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Tosh is right and do not have any further contact with her what so ever.
Ignore her phone calls, don't get any more quotes, don't phone her, and don't do anything about what she wants and all that and forget your reputation, that is a load of wally stuff as how many people does she know who have you either as a window cleaner or are likely to?
She cannot prove you scratched the window and you have just assumed you did based on what she said. That's hardly 'proof' is it?
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Check your insurance public liability insurance will not cover the window worked upon.
Check all clauses in your policy.
And I do not think for 1 min you have scratched it as Alex has said water fed pole cleaning will have cleaned the scratches completely out of any dirt hence them showing.
How long you done this job for.
Is it ground or top floor
Is there any trees bushes etc near window.
What's the situation near the window any work been carried out near by any kids that could of done this with a foot ball etc as I have seen this a foot ball can cause on e hell of a lot of scratches on glass.
Hope this helps
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how much is it ?
youve now learnt a lesson not to admit. its best to hum n haw but say nothing of any importance when anybody complains about anything. this then gives the complainer extra voice and often they will trip themselves up,if only you will let them do the talking
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we had a couple of customers say we had scratched their glass in one week last month. on inspection i just couldn't see how we could have made those scratches and i explained this to this customers.
one of them was fine with this and one of them was very very unhappy!
if you want to put it through your insurance then let her know this is what you are doing and they are delaing with it now. give her your insurances telephone number and they will handle her. she'll get practically nowhere as the insurance will want evidence that it was you who did it. there is no evidence! other than that say it is out of your hands as your insurance deal with all claims such as hers. she is free to negotiate with them about who replaces the glass as much as she likes... but as i said, without evidence that you did it, they wont pay out.
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now because youve already mentioned insurance,if she keeps banging on about wanting a payout ,id give her the phone number of a different insurance firm to your own. it will take a while for her to find out that you arent insured with them (but you have no worry cos you do have insurance ) you can then get hoitey toity on the phone to her, tell her look love im paying a bloody fortune for insurance and youve got the nerve to accuse me of not having any
after much tooing and frooing, which might well make her give up, you can say you muddled up a stash of insurance pamplets that were laying on your van dashboard and gave her the wrong ones number ,its a bloomin nuisance all these insurance folk each sending their stash isnt it , all on coloured paper must be costing Them a fortune ,my mum used to mop the steps on the big Edofis downtown ,no no Head Office dyou know its name i forget now blah blah
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You can read item 8 on this companys website. It's very informative and handy to know in case this ever happens to you
http://www.crystalcleanwindows.com/window_washing_FAQ.htm#top
Steve
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You can read item 8 on this companys website. It's very informative and handy to know in case this ever happens to you
http://www.crystalcleanwindows.com/window_washing_FAQ.htm#top
Steve
That is a really helpful piece!
Is that fella on here? Well done him
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You can read item 8 on this companys website. It's very informative and handy to know in case this ever happens to you
http://www.crystalcleanwindows.com/window_washing_FAQ.htm#top
Steve
That is a really helpful piece!
Is that fella on here? Well done him
+1
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I don't know if he is on here. I was researching other window cleaning websites to get some ideas as I am building my own. Something I'd never have got around to if I hadn't spent a month on the sofa with syatic nerve damage (due to lifting a paving slab to lay pipes to deliver water to the van). I'm nearly better now and will have to see soon if I have any customers left. It helps my round is bi-monthly though.
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Thanks all of you
you have all given some really good advise and we have taken it all on board and are just waiting to see what happens next,
but I must admit you are all great and I really mean thank you ;D ;D ;D
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it is virtually impossible to scratch glass using waterfed poles if jets aren't protruding through other side of stock> I tried it once on a spare small window I had lying in the back garden to prove a point to customer after covering it with sand and washing it. chances are it was scratched by an earlier trad cleaner or customer herself or someone doing a builders clean and bullsing it up with old scrapers, etc. Near on impossible to scratch glass otherwise all our insurance premiums would be sky high and we'd all be charging a fortune to clean windows to cover our risks.
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You can read item 8 on this companys website. It's very informative and handy to know in case this ever happens to you
http://www.crystalcleanwindows.com/window_washing_FAQ.htm#top
Steve
I'm gutted but this site has gone down! Anybody know where I can find it now?
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You can read item 8 on this companys website. It's very informative and handy to know in case this ever happens to you
http://www.crystalcleanwindows.com/window_washing_FAQ.htm#top
Steve
I'm gutted but this site has gone down! Anybody know where I can find it now?
CLICK (http://web.archive.org/web/20090914053754/http://www.crystalcleanwindows.com/window_washing_FAQ.htm)
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i take the attitude now that it was not us that scratched the windows. it would have to be something very obvious, that made sense with how we clean the windows for it to be us.
if they have had recent building work, or if there had been building work next door that caused it (from concrete splashes or cladding) then we take the attitude that the glass is damaged when the concrete hits it. it is not us cleaning any of the concrete off that has damaged it.
we had one last year which was like this, the most likely explanation was that there was concrete on the windows from an extension next door, and when we cleaned did our regular clean and cleaned the splashes off the glass was scratched. i paid for the glass to be replaced (about £200) the customer emailed me to say how i had restored her faith in companies and how impressed she was with our service, and then within 3 months had cancelled because she had decided to clean the windows herself :P
if you're confident when you visit them and tell them that you just can't see how you could have possibly scratched glass with your equipment then you'll be fine. explain how you clean 100s of windows every week and how this is the first time you have had anyone suggest you scratched the glass.
good luck!