[Justin Clarke]

this has only happened to once before and it was years ago! i didnt know what to do then either? picked up a new customer about six months ago only wanting the front done so said £4.50 carried on cleaning for three months without seeing them again apart from third time when i saw her son so didnt leave a calling card.my workmate went for the money and she wouldnt pay for three because she only had two cards and prefered to see me personally about it. time went on and before i new it she owed for six cleans now refusing to pay and will only pay for the two cleans that she had cards for and the most recent visit where she happened to be in. If i wanted to ripp someone off surely i would make sure the calling card was left or perhaps her K**bhead son or husband threw them away!any suggestions ?

[The Jester of Wibbly]

There has beeno lots of posts on this before, even just a few days back.  have a look through.  But in a nut shell, stop cleaning, send them a letter with the total cost plus late payment charges.  Add charges for every time you have turned up to collect.  And add it all together.  Expain if they settle within 7 days you will allow the additional charged to be deducted, but after the 7 days, total bill will be owned and let them know you will sell the dept onto Capex Dept Cecoveries Ltd

[formb]

There has beeno lots of posts on this before, even just a few days back.  have a look through.  But in a nut shell, stop cleaning, send them a letter with the total cost plus late payment charges.  Add charges for every time you have turned up to collect.  And add it all together.  Expain if they settle within 7 days you will allow the additional charged to be deducted, but after the 7 days, total bill will be owned and let them know you will sell the dept onto Capex Dept Cecoveries Ltd

For £18.00?

Not me I'd stick that one down to experience I think.

You can argue with her but, even if she pays you in the end, you wont be cleaning her windows again and she will prob go about bad mouthing you to her mates.

I knock on every door as soon as I'm done and if it's her soap dodger son I hand him the bill.

[The Jester of Wibbly]

I chase every payment mate.  Just a big bug bare of mine.  They always usually pay with the site of late payments charges or the though of it being sold on.

I have never had an issue of them bad mouthing me.  They are the ones in the wrong, and joe public dislike dishonest people anyway.  Plus it makes that bad customer think twice before doing it the next window cleaner.  

You are right though, I would never clean them again.

[The Jester of Wibbly]

i like the idea of adding payments for collecting onto the bill. if nothing beta to do tommorrow ill pen a letter. but in the grand scheme of things i suppose it wont break the bank. sometimes its principals that count though

100% the principal  mate.  thats my thinking too

[martinsadie]

never clean more than 2 times till you know and trust the customer

[formb]

I'm a trusting kind of guy and I think that most people dont set out to rip you off, they normally either

A) forget, wait till it builds up and are then forking over a fortune for window cleans

or

B) they have a genuine change of circumstance, husband f***s off or loses job etc, and first you know about it is when you knock on the door for payment and the new owner looks all bemused even though the watched you clean the dam things.

I have written off a sizeable chunk of money over the past 12 years. Only after exhausting every angle.

I send 1 nice letter then 1 not so nice then 1 threatening legal action etc but to be honest if they don't pay after the first chances are you aint gettin it.

I even looked into actually selling on the debt, it's not worth it.

Factoring bad debt is part of any business that offers credit, as most window cleaners do to a certain extent.

[Johnny B]

I have been knocked quite a number of times over the years. Maybe I'm too laid back about it, but I always, and I mean always, walk away when I realize that I am not going to get paid. I never threaten, I choose not to get into a confrontation which could hurt my reputation more than theirs. I would rather be wronged than to do wrong to others.

The way I see it, is that I have done the job I have been asked to do, therefore have kept my side of the agreement. The customer is in the wrong by avoiding paying, so I leave it with them, and their conscience (if they have one).

They will still see me cleaning their neighbour's windows, while they gradually see theirs getting dirtier and dirtier. Therefore any regret will weigh greater with them than with me.

John.