[Suffolkcleaners]

Quick question to you guys. I saw a round for sale in my area and they want 6k for £1800 of monthly work. Sounds reasonable but when I try to get answers to questions he is quite vague. Has had round for 2 years apparently but moving away. Anyway to cut to the chase what questions would u guys ask before buying a round? Would you defo try to work round first? I did suggest that but he didn't sound keen. Says customers wouldn't know or mind if a new cleaner came as they wouldn't notice. Plus has no accounts and is quite edgy when I ask questions like: what is size of houses? What areas etc? Surely reasonable questions? Maybe some people are edgy cos they are worried we will nick work? No idea. Just gut feeling telling me not to buy it. Maybe just look at canvassing instead to boost income. LEast you can see work firsthand and price to how you would price. Any comments or advice would be great. Thanks. 

[Rayleigh Window Cleaning Services]

Just walk away

[hasti]

Just walk away

i 2nd that.

[windymiller]

Walk away,  read the topic on here about round being sold to three windies.  Always make sure you work it and introduced to crusties before parting with cash.

[bobplum]

Just walk away

i 2nd that.

+3, dont touch it

[Ian101]

listen to your instincts ..........

have sold several rounds to guys on here and ive always worked the round and split days takings would never dream of just selling a list of names without working it.

[Tom-01]

You're totally entitled to ask those questions.

What you want to know straight away is:

How many houses?
What is the frequency?
How many house at 4/8 weeks and what's their average price?
Same as above but for 6/12 weeks?
Can I see your accounts?

If he's vague/cagey already mate just walk away.

Tom

[Ian101]

. Says customers wouldn't know or mind if a new cleaner came as they wouldn't notice.

what has that got to do with it ............... u want to see if it exists at all ........... dodgy chancer perhaps ?

[PurefectWindowCleaning]

Most def walk away.

[Suffolkcleaners]

Cheers for advice guys :-) Will defo walk away and wait until a genuine round comes for sale or maybe look into hiring a canvasser. Cheers everyone.

[mgba_78]

Yeah sounds odd, if it seems odd in anyway walk away dont bother as it will prob end up going south!!

Last lot of work we sold we had a list of 30 odd names addresses phone numbers on a spreadsheet and last date cleaned and access notes etc etc

Drove him round in our van and showed the guy where the houses were and ticked them off sheet, then we got him to select a customer off the list who we phoned, did the usual politeness chit chat then explained about about change over, kept going till guy was happy.

If you/they have nothing to hide they should be willing to help in a smooth transaction rather than avoid questions or change track.

On the other hand we have spoke to other windies about buying work weve had no end of trouble getting simple details, like names, contact numbers, full address, last clean etc etc Its amazing that such simple details are not asked for or kept by some window cleaners!!

[Suffolkcleaners]

Thanks mgba...... good advice there. It's so frustrating trying to get simple answers to simple questions. It happened when I tried to buy a car recently and took 4 emails before actually answering the question: when was it last serviced?

I think if they are being vague then avoid like the plague(haha sounds like a poem)

I'm so surprised also as to how stupid some people are and the terrible lack of communication skills. If I was selling a round I would easily let them work the round with me and introduce to customers..... or in your case pick random ones on the list..... Do darn hard to find genuine sellers whether a round,car or whatever...... but always listen to instinct. Defo walking away.

[Suffolkcleaners]

Ps..... I couldn't resist(I was never going to buy round after advice on here)but I asked him if he had proper accounts and names and telephone numbers of customers....... he confirmed NONE of the above........ A joke. I knew my instinct was right.

[robertphil]

whose that then selling?

[dave0123]

If its been up for sale for  two years and hasn't sold its probably crap, good rounds are i imagine snapped up certainly within 2 years lol.

[robertphil]

if theyv been goin 2 yrs u should have seen them out n about .   i dont say who i am on here so i get no grief /late night hasslers on the phone