[Brendan (chem2clean)]

I have been doing work for a property management company for 5 years now.In all that time they have hassled about prices.I give them the great deals,always high end properties.I have not upped price in 5 years.
They take months to pay.Any how i got a invoice today for 3 jobs i did for them in July that they had paid in to my bank account.They have now decided to take 10% commission ,which they deducted.Tomorrow morning my prices to them are now 20% higher.Have anyone come across this before?

[Craigp]

Can you afford to dump them?

It sounds like it would give you much pleasure telling them so

Are you going to tell them your increasing your price 20% ? I think telling them that will be fun to! 

[davep]

Did they pre warn you on the 10% commission?

If not get round there and get it back

[Andrew Briscoe]

I do work for almost all letting & estate agents in town. I have just dropped one as they asked me to mark up my invoice 10%, they then deduct it when paying.
It was always a hassle, once they informed me they just had a certain amount left to pay me for cleaning a carpet, so i sent invoice + 10 % as usual.
They got back to me and said they would only pay me the certain amount LESS the 10%.

They are the only ones who quibble about the price, and dictate what they will pay,
last week they wanted me to do a rush job, told them I was booked solid for 2 week,
she then turned nasty saying didnt I want the work,
I replied no.
Main problem is as it is a small town, and my min charge is 50+ vat they are telling custies I am charging 50+ vat, and being well known in town, word gets around, I have since told a few of there tennants and owners what they are doing, 2 have changed agents.
Andrew

[Brendan (chem2clean)]

No warning,cant wait to call them tomorrow.Yep upping price 20%.Thing is i really look after them,but as they say you ll always have work if you work for nothing.

[Griffus]

We get 12% deducted from all invoices to the one we work for. They are a national company so I guess they do this throughout UK.

This was pointed out before we started working with them.

I'd check your contract before going off on one with them. You may have just been lucky up until recently.

[Brendan (chem2clean)]

I would not mind paying if i was getting high volume work with a good price.These want top end work ,cheap prices,treat you like poop when it comes to paying.Sometimes you just have to say feck that.

[garry22]

I have been doing work for a property management company for 5 years now.In all that time they have hassled about prices.I give them the great deals,always high end properties.I have not upped price in 5 years.
They take months to pay.Any how i got a invoice today for 3 jobs i did for them in July that they had paid in to my bank account.They have now decided to take 10% commission ,which they deducted.Tomorrow morning my prices to them are now 20% higher.Have anyone come across this before?

Have a really good read of what you have written above. They have been treating you like an idiot for quite a while now.

If it's not in the contract, you invoice them for the money.

If they don't pay, you put them into the small claims court (just for the hassle).
 
If you have to work for them, put two figures on the invoice, yours and the "Agent's fee". They are already getting a management fee from the landlords for handling the property.

[Brendan (chem2clean)]

Yep Gary, no arguments here.iI have taught about dumping them before,but then you get two chegues in you did months ago and the world is a better place again.But here one that has me fuxking fuming,they have taking 10% of a job that they have not paid for yet.Cant wait to call them tomorrow.lol

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Get the money and run!

You know really that when you put your prices up they will shop around for a new cleaner anyway, by dropping the agent it will focus you on finding new customers and moving your business forward.

Shaun

[Neil Williams]

Another reason why I stay well clear of these parasites.
Their whole ethos of existance is based on just getting as much money out of anyone connected with the property or steps inside it like us.
I even heard a new classic last week. Someone whose 6 month contract is up has to pay the letting agent £95 for an inventory check even though they are renewing the lease to stay at the same property! Not forgetting the £200 fee which kicks in for a new agreement (a standard finders fee if you like even though these people aren't moving).

[wynne jones]

I wouldn't be angry with them, they are only doing what you have let them do for 5 years. Ditch them and you will find new, better clients every time.





  

[Brendan (chem2clean)]

Its a recession,everyone trying to squeeze  margins.

[wynne jones]

Its a recession,everyone trying to squeeze  margins.

It's easy for me to say ditch them I suppose. But I still think it's an opportunity. They are taking the michael and you are deserving of better.

[Steve Chapman]

I think the issue with me would be not the taking 10% as i have a some LA's that do that but whether it was agreed before hand.

If they just deducted it without your agreement then thats not right and needs to be disputed.

Regards
Steve

[Brendan (chem2clean)]

Hi,ok i rang them this morning with the full intent off telling them to stick it.The lady i deal with apologized that i had not been informed off this issue, that a letter had been sent .Told them i was not happy with the 10% commission and would be adding 20% to my prices,expecting them to tell me to go take a jump.Nope,they said thats fine.Actually booked two jobs for next week.

[Elfyn]

Good for you.
I do quite a bit of work for rental agents and I often wonder if it's worth it - but then a couple of payments come in and I forgive them. 

[Steve Gunn]

Had exactly the same used to do all their work but gradually they have been passing less and less leaving me with only one building which is worth about £4500 over the year, payments are taking longer each time but they want their commission paid straight away.

After doing it in June and payment still not forth coming I dropped them an email stating I would no longer be doing any work for them,they replied payment would be made tomorrow and show in the bank on Friday too little too late. Don't need clients like this they want you at their beck and call it's not just worth the hassle bearing in mind they had someone else do it all be it cheaper than me but tenants were complaining about carpets being wet and stinking  so they got me back in.

[Brendan (chem2clean)]

Mad thing is that he might start getting more properties cleaned because he is making off it.

[Garyj]

I was in a similar situation once with a contract worth 10k a month.

I took poop from them for a couple of years until one day I told them to take a hike.

Was it my best move ever?

Probably not! Someone else will be glad for that work and charge a lot less than you.