[king marko]

Picked up a customer last night who said that she'd had a quote last month from a local window cleaner who insisted she sign a contract committing to a 4wkly cycle.
Speaking to another custy today in a completely different area and happened to mention it, when she said her last cleaner asked her to sign one too

Is this common practice amongst window cleaning?
It's something I've never come across in 2yrs

[mlscontractcleaner]

No no no no no and no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Totally pointless and a waste of paper.

Some will say that it simply states their own T+C's, etc but that's pointless too.

The bottom line is that if the customer doesn't want / can't afford to have their windows cleaned when you visit you wont clean them, end of story.

If you annoy them they'll cancel you and likewise if they annoy you you'll cancel them.

It's a simple life being a window cleaner, stop thinking up ways to complicate it

[king marko]

I've never contemplated this method and never will mate!
It just struck as once was strange but twice in one day 

Can't believe company's try and bully folk into parting with their hard earned - it's gotta be sure fire way to lose any potential business ??

[rosskesava]

Previously, I'd only ever heard any mention of contracts on this forum untill last September.

A lady saw me window cleaning and asked me to give her and her neighbour a quote which I did. They were happy with the price etc etc for a 4 weekly clean and I was more than happy because they were right near where I have other jobs.

These ladies told me about a window cleaner who'd given them a quote a few weeks before. After agreeing the price, he produced a 'contract' that he expected them to sign which included a charge if either cancel one month for any reason and a charge of 3 months money if they cancel the 'contract' with him any time in the first year plus other bits that I can't remember.

One of these ladies told him to stick it where the sun don't shine and they both said that by the time he left with his 'tail between his legs', he looked like he was about to cry.

The reason he'd called round was one of these ladies had replied to a very shiney proffessional looking leaflet that had been put through her door. She said that when the window cleaner called round, at first she thought a BT van was pulling up onto her drive but then realised it was in fact a window cleaners van. After a bit of discussion, to me it sounded like a brand new 'reach and wash' van.

Anyway, I told these ladies that I also have a contract and failure to follow the said terms and conditions has dire consequences. The terms of my contract with them is that it is compulsory to provide me with a cup of tea.  

Since then I've cleaned thier windows 7 or 8 times with no problems at £20 a bash each. What an idiot that other window cleaner was.

[king marko]

Makes me smile ^^^ I've picked up this customer for the same reason - she lives in a village and googled for a cleaner - this local bloke pitches up, quotes, then produces this 'contract' like a rabbit from a hat 
She then moans in the village, randomly to one of my customers, who in turn gives her my number - happy days

[NJWindowCleaning]

Most residential/domestic customers is verbally as like a contract that they except your price and how to pay you e.g. cash, cheques or standard order,
and you say to them how often you will be cleaning there windows and your frequency within the area 4,6 or 8 weekly.
That in extreme weathers you dont clean etc, as all this by verbal and before you know it you have cover there terms and conditions without signing anything, simples 

[king marko]

Think I'll reiterate - who out there knows/uses a contract?

I've yet to meet a cleaner in my town who practices this but as stated above ^^ I've recently heard of this method being touted about

Just thought of it unusual that's all 

[Richard iSparkle]

we use a very simple contract yes.  it only covers a couple of things like price, frequency, spotting after first cleans... etc.  then we give them a welcome booklet that explains our service more.

our contract doesnt really look like a contract and we dont call it a contract, but they sign it and it covers basic T&Cs

[tom cronin]

We get new customers to sign, just to agree to price/frequency ect, i coe across 1 person every few days that doesnt want to sign it, in my eyes there the ones who ll have you believe they want a regular service, and infact just want to get there windows cleaned on the cheap once.