[derek west]

got a big big big big big big big house to do on wednesday, all rooms and halls are manky as flock. belgiums cover the stairs and halls, advised that the amount of water needed to clean them will almost definately make them shrink, all though i'm hoping they don't, anyhoo ive informed the lady of this and for me to clean them she will need to sign a waiver. she's fine with it as she is intending to replace them all eventually and so will just replace what shrinks for now.

anyone got the waiver wording needed for this? save me making it up.

cheers if you have, and boohoo if you aint.

send to derek@affordablecleaners.co.uk

[clinton]

Boohoo derek

I dont think a waiver would hold up anyware mate,or that is what i have learnt over the years :

[wynne jones]

I  hear this waivers not holding up a lot. Sort of missing the point.

Remember you have choices, you are not forced into anything.

You can always WALK AWAY.

Secondly of course you will do everything you can to reduce any identified risks.

Thirdly if you explain to a custy HER options and get her to sign a waiver, do you think your chances are far better that she won't pursue you if things go wrong compared to if you didn't?

Some jobs you walk away from, but if you walked away from all of them you would leave a lot of money at the doorstep and never really learn how to deal with things that can be problematic.

[derek west]

don't understand, ive told her the carpets will shrink, she's agreed and wants them cleaning anyway. i put it in writing that the carpets will shrink, she signs it.

if the carpets shrink why on earth would she take me to court for shrinking her carpets. you guys believe far too much on here sometimes.
course it'll stand up in court. jeese. terms and conditions FFS

anyway
cheers Mr shepherd. think i need it a bit more specific than that but certainly worth having.

[Ian Gourlay]

Last week I told a person who booked me that as her mothers carpets were in a bad state to start with it was unlikley I would remove every single mark .

Especially for the money I was being paid.

She said I understand that
#
Finished job at 2.30pm had old ladies grandson on phone at 3.30pm demanding refund carpets still wet and not all stains gone.

So make them sign in blood

[jasonl]

On quote form simply write ,

 I have inspected the carpeting at the above property ,and  using my cleaning methods on this type of carpeting will result in a high risk of shrinkage , I have made mrs Big house -crappy- carpets aware of this  prior to work commencing , you sign then insist she signs.

Alternatively , get a padder in

[Steve. Taylor]

  That will do it j spoken like a true poet

Derek got some bags of  duo p that came in the sebo box you no the stuff that gets in ya trainers when using it

[derek west]

i'll pad some of it J but there some bits that will need a pad a sq meter and i aint doing that.  cheers

its okay ste, just ordered some vanish foam off bid up tv, absolute bargain and the results are "effin amazing", his words not mine

[Steve. Taylor]

You will not go wrong with that mate thats woolsafe 

[clinton]

You caint go wrong with that derek

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

On quote form simply write ,

 I have inspected the carpeting at the above property ,and  using my cleaning methods on this type of carpeting will result in a high risk of shrinkage , I have made mrs Big house -crappy- carpets aware of this  prior to work commencing , you sign then insist she signs.

Alternatively , get a padder in

Hi Jason

Leaving aside your own level of undoubted integrity, I think where you would possibly fall down is that the courts look at something called "undue influence". So even if it's spelt out in black and white the customer who wishes to mess with you would still say they didn't understand and/or say they felt "obliged" to sign or even worse, "put under pressure".

I quite agree with you that what you say should be sufficient, but unfortunately it doesn't work like that.

Like so many other things, 99% of clients are perfectly ok and understand the risks and take it on the chin if it does go pear shaped, but you'll still be left with the 1% who "bite you on the bum" irrespective of how you handle them.

Rog

[wynne jones]

Doctor Carpet

You are right and in reality you have to be good at risk assesment, not for accidents but for your pocket.

Worst case scenerio... you end up replacing the whole lot at what cost?

If you are lucky you settle for the 2nd hand tat value

Or the insurers take it on and you lose your excess.

What's the Client like? Are they picky at everything or perfectly reasonable? This is part of you weighing up.

Get her to sign a disclaimer. It can be worded showing 'informed consent' this means you have layed out the worst case scenerio in layman's terms. Could you still go to court and lose? Yes, but you have improved your percentages she won't pursue it.

The big picture.  I have cleaned literally hundreds of BW with a TM and made thousands upon thousands. I could probably cover the cost of a new replacement from a couple of good days carpet cleaning if not one. So it's all about accessing as accurately as possible the risks based on all these things against the rewards.

Ultimately you can just walk away. I'm much more likely to do this on some pieces of upholstery because some pieces are much more an unknown quantity and of high value.

[ianharper]

what comes in is the, with respect is who is saying it. big difference between expert and experienced cleaner. even experts have their views questioned you only have to watch the news to see how expert witnesses cross get examined in court.

good luck

Respect

Ian Harper

[derek west]

the risk is......

my excess is £250

the job pays £400

case dismissed.

and i don't agree.

ive told her it will shrink, she understands the word "shrink" and she said she still wants it cleaning so why shouldn't i clean it, her exact words were, "i'd rather have a carpet that dint fit than a dirty carpet, and they are going to be replaced, just one at a time"

anyhoo, £150 for a days work is the worst case scenario, i can live with that.

[wynne jones]

Who don't you agree with Derek?

[derek west]

can't remember now wynne but i usually don't agree so its force of habit to add that before a post

[Mike Halliday]

anyhoo, £150 for a days work is the worst case scenario, i can live with that.

Derek the worst case scenario is not you only make £150 but......

you cock it up and;

 they don't pay you anything

they claim on your insurance

 next year your insurance premium goes up

but lets get back to the real world..... nothing bad will happen, and if it does they don't mind because you have explained the risks and they have accepted them

[derek west]

i don't agree mike.

worst case scenario is.....

i start cleaning the carpets and get some water on a plug socket, this sparks and sets fire to the carpet, its really dry and brittle and is roaring in no time, i run and trip down the stairs and bang my head, knocking myself out, the fumes of the smoke completely make me unconscious and then i burn to death.

what are the chances eh!

knowing my luck it'll bloomin happen

ps.... if anyone has any worser (and that is a word, ask mike ) scenario's then please, feel free.

[wynne jones]

There's seeing problems before they happen and there's catastrophising.

To paraphrase Nike       Just Clean It!

In golf there's a thing about focusing on the hole not the bloody big bunker, cos you know what will happen if you do.

[Mike Halliday]

Derek this would be worse.....

 this sparks and sets fire to the carpet, its really dry and brittle and is roaring in no time, i run and trip down the stairs and bang my head, knocking myself out, the fumes of the smoke completely make me unconscious.....

but rather than die the fire service arrive in time and 2 firemen rush into the building, they find you laid unconscious but unfortunately they are a couple of gay firemen who seeing what a good looking bloke you are rip down your trouser and bugger you to death

so you still die.......... but with your trousers round your ankles and a bum full of firefighter man juice