Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Bungle on September 13, 2025, 08:02:36 pm
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Here's the background on this job. Big house, common people done good, 6 weekly, need electric gate left open, £40, done in half an hour, 3 sets of windows out of reach by ladder, rear patio skating rink when wet, has cancelled the last 2 cleans, has cancelled in the past, been cleaning for 4 years, sacked last window cleaners.
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1757789887_IMG_4292.jpeg)(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1757789887_IMG_4293.jpeg)
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Here's the background on this job. Big house, common people done good, 6 weekly, need electric gate left open, £40, done in half an hour, 3 sets of windows out of reach by ladder, rear patio skating rink when wet, has cancelled the last 2 cleans, has cancelled in the past, been cleaning for 4 years, sacked last window cleaners.
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1757789887_IMG_4292.jpeg)(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1757789887_IMG_4293.jpeg)
We have also had that just recently and a couple of times over the years. Customers have really ever come back to us when the relative/son stopped doing them. Not totally sure this is a great loss for you, although £40 for 1/2 an hour's work in the northeast is good money.
I clean my daughter's windows for nothing. We always have a good chat, and she makes us a lovely cup of coffee.
I'm looking forward to Scottish's comments on your post. ;D
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I would just reply ‘No problem,. All the best’.
Just move on. Everyone’s replaceable.
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I've actually lost 4 jobs due to cancellations in the last month with no reason given. Personally I think it's due to my price rises in April....
Money is getting tighter and tighter for some people and we are usually the first to go. On the plus side im still at least £2k up per year (due to all my other price rises) so I just thank them for their business over the years and wish them well....and move on to my next job.
Remember NO jobs are yours forever! Be grateful for them while they last as inevitably you ll lose them one day when they move or die or just can't afford it anymore.
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I would just reply ‘No problem,. All the best’.
Just move on. Everyone’s replaceable.
Yeah, but I don't like being lied to. I've been doing this long enough to know when that happens.
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I'm looking forward to Scottish's comments on your post. ;D
I think he's stopped coming on here, too much waffle i think he said ;D
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I would just reply ‘No problem,. All the best’.
Just move on. Everyone’s replaceable.
Yeah, but I don't like being lied to. I've been doing this long enough to know when that happens.
What is the lie? I can't see it in the posts.
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I would just reply ‘No problem,. All the best’.
Just move on. Everyone’s replaceable.
Yeah, but I don't like being lied to. I've been doing this long enough to know when that happens.
Don’t know what lies this particular customer told you but I take what they all say with a pinch of salt. Customers & people in general will say anything that suits them to get what they want. Whatever works for them. They don’t care about you. They’re not your friends. That’s why I don’t go the extra mile these days. It gets you nowhere. They don’t care about you or me. They just want what they want. Let it go. Not worth wasting your energy.
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I had a customer cancel on me two weeks ago as she thought the text I sent her about paying for the last window clean was rude. The text had two please's in it and a thank you. You cant win with some people. Just got to move on. Replaced already.
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I would just reply ‘No problem,. All the best’.
Just move on. Everyone’s replaceable.
Yeah, but I don't like being lied to. I've been doing this long enough to know when that happens.
Don’t know what lies this particular customer told you but I take what they all say with a pinch of salt. Customers & people in general will say anything that suits them to get what they want. Whatever works for them. They don’t care about you. They’re not your friends. That’s why I don’t go the extra mile these days. It gets you nowhere. They don’t care about you or me. They just want what they want. Let it go. Not worth wasting your energy.
This is a little harsh, but 💯% true . We have had some very loyal customers over the past 22 years we have been window cleaning, but we have also been dumped by some we went into bat for who we thought were loyal.
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Yeh I’m pretty black or white Spruce i know. But I just try & distance myself from them all these days. Prefer it when they’re all out. Saves the small talk before they tend to ask for something lol.
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Yeh I’m pretty black or white Spruce i know. But I just try & distance myself from them all these days. Prefer it when they’re all out. Saves the small talk before they tend to ask for something lol.
I also prefer it when customers are out, because I talk too much. ;D
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Ive had a customer for 8 years.
I do his offices as well.
A few weeks ago he @ with conformation of payment then followed with, we will not be requiring your services anymore.
We always chatted and I always did any other requests he asked me to do.
It was £122 every 8 weeks.
I just sucked it up and moved on.
Over the years you find if you take things to heart it will eat you up.
Nowt as queen as folk, they say ;D
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i have a customer follow me from window to window with his CCTV which he controls to move around. i just keep moving back & forward now watching him try to keep up . i just laugh at it now.
Just take his money and go
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First thing you have got to get into your bones in this job, there is No Loyalty. The sooner you understand this the easier it is to be a window cleaner.
I received 3 cancelations last month and picked up half a dozen and one was a score a month on a semi bungalow with conny but can clean it in 10mins and the neighbours are asking how much I charge.
I do other work so the windies are only 2 solid weeks a month but I am getting busier and may soon be all window cleaning. I still have customers who mess me about with payment so going to cancel them and not go collecting the money.
If it was a good clean then all I would text back is this:- okidoki, you have my number if your circumstances change in future, thanks m
I am in a different financial position due to the monthly pension and little debt.
Here's a bit of info for everyone to consider. Friday I had to get my mate to clear a customer's toilet soil pipe blockage. 30mins it took and she paid £222 for the pleasure. His PW is 3000 psi but its the small hose that he attaches that does the magic. I was thinking, my PW is 3625 psi and if I had that small hose to connect to my 25mm hose then I could have cleared it. Will be looking to see where I can buy it, handy to have in the future. 🤔 The customer's insurance excess was £250 so no point losing her no claim discount.
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First thing you have got to get into your bones in this job, there is No Loyalty. The sooner you understand this the easier it is to be a window cleaner.
I received 3 cancelations last month and picked up half a dozen and one was a score a month on a semi bungalow with conny but can clean it in 10mins and the neighbours are asking how much I charge.
I do other work so the windies are only 2 solid weeks a month but I am getting busier and may soon be all window cleaning. I still have customers who mess me about with payment so going to cancel them and not go collecting the money.
If it was a good clean then all I would text back is this:- okidoki, you have my number if your circumstances change in future, thanks m
I am in a different financial position due to the monthly pension and little debt.
Here's a bit of info for everyone to consider. Friday I had to get my mate to clear a customer's toilet soil pipe blockage. 30mins it took and she paid £222 for the pleasure. His PW is 3000 psi but its the small hose that he attaches that does the magic. I was thinking, my PW is 3625 psi and if I had that small hose to connect to my 25mm hose then I could have cleared it. Will be looking to see where I can buy it, handy to have in the future. 🤔 The customer's insurance excess was £250 so no point losing her no claim discount.
Are you a window cleaner or an odd job man?
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First thing you have got to get into your bones in this job, there is No Loyalty. The sooner you understand this the easier it is to be a window cleaner.
I received 3 cancelations last month and picked up half a dozen and one was a score a month on a semi bungalow with conny but can clean it in 10mins and the neighbours are asking how much I charge.
I do other work so the windies are only 2 solid weeks a month but I am getting busier and may soon be all window cleaning. I still have customers who mess me about with payment so going to cancel them and not go collecting the money.
If it was a good clean then all I would text back is this:- okidoki, you have my number if your circumstances change in future, thanks m
I am in a different financial position due to the monthly pension and little debt.
Here's a bit of info for everyone to consider. Friday I had to get my mate to clear a customer's toilet soil pipe blockage. 30mins it took and she paid £222 for the pleasure. His PW is 3000 psi but its the small hose that he attaches that does the magic. I was thinking, my PW is 3625 psi and if I had that small hose to connect to my 25mm hose then I could have cleared it. Will be looking to see where I can buy it, handy to have in the future. 🤔 The customer's insurance excess was £250 so no point losing her no claim discount.
Are you a window cleaner or an odd job man?
Both.
I own my own Cleaning Company so I undertake all outside cleaning. After I get my new small PW hose and nozzle delivered then I will be cleaning soil pipes as well. The more one undertakes then the busier we get. It has a positive side to it and it means if a windy customer cancels then it has no effect on my business because I'm so busy.
It used to Effect me Emotional when a customer cancels but not anymore because my diary is always full. I had a customer who owed me a few hundred so I just texted him this:- If you don't pay the outstanding balance then I can't put you into next month's diary to complete the other work. It worked a treat and he paid right away. I believe I am an asset to my customers and not the other way round. If they mess me about I just text them to find someone else because its not working out for both of us. 😉
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Yeh I understand all that to a degree. Not saying I agree though but personally I stick to window cleaning. Still good money & much less problems overall.
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I know there's no loyalty. I don't mind people telling me the truth like 'we've found someone cheaper.' But saying her dad is going to be cleaning her windows when she is 50+ says to me either she's sending an old man up a ladder to risk his life on a proper dodgy patio or she has found someone else. I think she's found the former. In fact I'd put money on it. So yeah, I reckon I've been lied to and I can't stand liars as splish splosh knows all too well.
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I know there's no loyalty. I don't mind people telling me the truth like 'we've found someone cheaper.' But saying her dad is going to be cleaning her windows when she is 50+ says to me either she's sending an old man up a ladder to risk his life on a proper dodgy patio or she has found someone else. I think she's found the former. In fact I'd put money on it. So yeah, I reckon I've been lied to and I can't stand liars as splish splosh knows all too well.
Sometimes people lie to make things sound better, more palatable.
It also saves any confrontation.
You can't argue when they tell you their father is cleaning the windows for free as we all want things for nothing.
Liars generally get caught out sooner or later.
The thing is to just become teflon coated and not take it personally.
I'll always remember a young couple cancelled us as they were having new windows fitted. Years later their windows were never replaced. I used to smile every time we drove past.
Her mother in law also cancelled us because she was dying of cancer. 15 years on she is still alive and going about her daily business.
I hope she did make a recovery, but I often think back to the time when she told me and how gutted I felt for her at the time.
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Cancellations used to hurt me because I was always thinking I did something wrong. Not anymore because window cleaning seems to be trending up the way. The more customers one has then the more chance you will get more without advertising because they see the van when out cleaning.
I lost 3 in a nearly new estate and think it was to do with their group chat. All it takes is someone saying something negative about wfp method of cleaning and they all jump aboard. One was a hard clean with gate locked so I was happy with that and will never go back if asked. So, sometimes it can work in our favour.
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I know there's no loyalty. I don't mind people telling me the truth like 'we've found someone cheaper.' But saying her dad is going to be cleaning her windows when she is 50+ says to me either she's sending an old man up a ladder to risk his life on a proper dodgy patio or she has found someone else. I think she's found the former. In fact I'd put money on it. So yeah, I reckon I've been lied to and I can't stand liars as splish splosh knows all too well.
Sometimes people lie to make things sound better, more palatable.
It also saves any confrontation.
You can't argue when they tell you their father is cleaning the windows for free as we all want things for nothing.
Liars generally get caught out sooner or later.
The thing is to just become teflon coated and not take it personally.
I'll always remember a young couple cancelled us as they were having new windows fitted. Years later their windows were never replaced. I used to smile every time we drove past.
Her mother in law also cancelled us because she was dying of cancer. 15 years on she is still alive and going about her daily business.
I hope she did make a recovery, but I often think back to the time when she told me and how gutted I felt for her at the time.
That's well low if true.
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Love this thread
How many times over the years have I Been lied to when window cleaning
My dad is doing it she was 50 plus
My son will do it he was 14
My dad is coming over from Denmark to do it
I said Denmark hill London
No Denmark the country idot was the reply
Only one I got we found someone cheaper
They did it once and never came back
The only time a lady was honest was we can’t afford it anymore
All this and many more
Can we do a new thread best reasons to clean windows cheaper ?
I’ll start it now !!
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Maybe she's just unhappy with your work and instead of coming right out and saying that, she's been polite and made up an excuse.
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There's another reason which no one has stumbled on, attitude. Sometimes we get a customer in a bad mood and take it out on us. I have had this a few times, I just smile and say nothing and continue on my merry way. Then next clean they are back to normal again.
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Always send a text asking why. Sometimes you get a reply like this, other times nothing.
I never go back if asked at a later date, I used too.
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1760701138_IMG_1574.jpeg)