[Carl2009]

I think this will make you laugh.

I took on 2 x old ladies back in April. A guy wanders across as I'm cleaning and asks if I could do his. Not one to turn down work I said sure, even though I had a feeling he wouldn't last - first floor maisonette - 5 windows and a PVC door. £25 first clean - his windows and frames were terrible, £15 thereafter, 8 weekly. Fine he says, pay via BACS he asks? Sure.

So I got out the trolley with the TFR in it and clean them up a treat. He's gone out so I leave a slip and bank details. I have to give him a reminder and he sends me £20. I remind him it's £25 and ask him to pay the rest. Didn't hear back.

Anyway, went for next clean. He's out. Do the job and leave a slip. A week later I get a text asking how much it is, £5 + £15 I says, even though it's on the slip. That's too much he says. Anyway I explain it's what I charge for an 8 weekly clean for the number of windows and doors, and it's what we agreed. It takes me as long as a 3 bed semi to be honest as it's awkward.

He comes back with they weren't clean. I ask him why he's waited a week to tell me. He had no reply. He then sent me a photo. Have a look lads. He's trying to tell me that this is the state I left them in after a good WFP clean and rinse!

I've explained that this is not consistent with a bad WFP clean and looks more like the dirty insides have been smeared. I've also explained that we've parted company. Frankly I don't know why I take on people I have a bad feeling about. He's promised to pay but if he doesn't I'm not bothered.

[Clever Forum Name]

Looks like it's on the inside? Lol.

It's a 100% on the inside.

At the top, on the outside. It does look like some spotting. In 3 places. Nothing major at all.

[Bungle]

FIFTEEN QUID for a maisonette!? No wonder you lost that one kidda 

[Carl2009]

I have a business model that is successful and serves me well. I am full. I don't work on rainy days. I give exceptional service and deliver a top class clean. I'm not the cheapest and don't aim to be. I priced this one higher as I had a feeling. I binned him, not the other way round, as he is clearly not the sort of customer I need if he is deliberately lying by saying I left the windows like this.

[no way Jose]

the  great thing about being  busy is that you can be more choosy  and  don't have to compromise so much !  I got rid of bad payers  and whenever I canvass  I give my prices :take it or leave it . My business is thriving!!!

[lal]

I have a business model that is successful and serves me well. I am full. I don't work on rainy days. I give exceptional service and deliver a top class clean. I'm not the cheapest and don't aim to be. I priced this one higher as I had a feeling. I binned him, not the other way round, as he is clearly not the sort of customer I need if he is deliberately lying by saying I left the windows like this.

 Good post Carl, i like your business model.
 Lal

[Spruce]

I think this will make you laugh.

I took on 2 x old ladies back in April. A guy wanders across as I'm cleaning and asks if I could do his. Not one to turn down work I said sure, even though I had a feeling he wouldn't last - first floor maisonette - 5 windows and a PVC door. £25 first clean - his windows and frames were terrible, £15 thereafter, 8 weekly. Fine he says, pay via BACS he asks? Sure.

So I got out the trolley with the TFR in it and clean them up a treat. He's gone out so I leave a slip and bank details. I have to give him a reminder and he sends me £20. I remind him it's £25 and ask him to pay the rest. Didn't hear back.

Anyway, went for next clean. He's out. Do the job and leave a slip. A week later I get a text asking how much it is, £5 + £15 I says, even though it's on the slip. That's too much he says. Anyway I explain it's what I charge for an 8 weekly clean for the number of windows and doors, and it's what we agreed. It takes me as long as a 3 bed semi to be honest as it's awkward.

He comes back with they weren't clean. I ask him why he's waited a week to tell me. He had no reply. He then sent me a photo. Have a look lads. He's trying to tell me that this is the state I left them in after a good WFP clean and rinse!

I've explained that this is not consistent with a bad WFP clean and looks more like the dirty insides have been smeared. I've also explained that we've parted company. Frankly I don't know why I take on people I have a bad feeling about. He's promised to pay but if he doesn't I'm not bothered.

Sometimes you just got to see the funny side, have a laugh and move on. Its the occasional people like this that make this job interesting. Every time you clean next door look up and smile.

This guy can think and say what he likes, but it doesn't make it true. He is desperately trying to justify cancelling you and not paying the agreed price. I doubt anything he says to the neighbours that is derogatory about you will be taken seriously by them as their experience of your work will say otherwise.   

We all get these types from time to time; love reading Granville Gold's stories. Some of us could write a book.

I usually expect to be paid in full at the point of first clean, but there have been situations where we have done it as they didn't have money. Where we occasionally get 'caught' is at the second clean when a head pops out the door cancelling when we arrive as he/she only wanted a one off despite us clearly setting the terms out at the first clean.
Again we take it on the chin, don't get upset; smile as nothing good will come of the situation if we create a scene, but we will never clean that house again unless it's for new tenants/owners.

[SB Cleaning]

FIFTEEN QUID for a maisonette!? No wonder you lost that one kidda 

I Agree that's taking the p for that amount of windows!!

No wonder he's messing you about...

[SeanK]

Carl I know what you mean, you tend to get a gut feeling about people when your at this game a while but at the end
of the day its only a feeling  so you have to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Like Spruce has said there's no point in letting it ruin you day and you did get a few quid from it which I suppose is better than
nothing.
We have all been there.

[Spruce]

Carl I know what you mean, you tend to get a gut feeling about people when your at this game a while but at the end
of the day its only a feeling  so you have to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Like Spruce has said there's no point in letting it ruin you day and you did get a few quid from it which I suppose is better than
nothing.
We have all been there.

I like the way you have expressed that. If there is to be trust between you, the window cleaner and his customer, mostly that trust has to start with us as the window cleaner. We give them a reason to trust us by doing a good job and we trust them to pay us for doing that job as agreed.
If the customer breaks that trust, then its a reflection on him and not you.

The agreed pricing doesn't come into it. That's a totally different issue.

FIFTEEN QUID for a maisonette!? No wonder you lost that one kidda 

I Agree that's taking the p for that amount of windows!!

No wonder he's messing you about...

But I would agree that this is probably the reason for him 'changing his tune.'

[Carl2009]

It's funny that some see my point and agree with how I handled it. Others focus on the price I charged him.

For those that are interested I priced the job as was because - it was an 8 weekly clean - not 4 weekly - that takes the same amount of time as the neighbouring little-old-lady bungalows at £15 a pop, the clean was awkward because of raised beds and other stuff, I last changed my prices in Jan 2013 and just did them again in April this year so in line with everyone else on my round I wouldn't have changed my prices for another 2, maybe even 3 years, my minimum is usually £10. Mainly though I priced like this because I had an inkling he was going to be a messer. I thought he'd be a "leave it this time" type. I priced so I would feel that he'd paid for the right to take that approach.

I do tend to be on the high price and round here that takes some carrying off. It weeds the wheat from the chaff quickly, leaving you with respectable people who appreciate a top job. If someone cancels on me  on the day for some reason (and I don't get many) I take it on the chin. I do little extras for free - garage doors in spring, bits of cladding above a reveal etc. People appreciate it.

Last Monday I had a meeting with my accountant; yet again I am the window cleaner with the greatest turnover and the greatest gross margin he has ever had. He's trying to get me to go limited,  but I'm resisting.

I'll leave it for others to decide who is right vis a vis my pricing. I'm happy for others to work harder for less as it leaves me the best custies. Think about it. 

[dazmond]

That's the great thing about having your own window cleaning business!

You can charge what YOU think is a fair price for the job! (Not what others think is fair!)

[8weekly]

FIFTEEN QUID for a maisonette!? No wonder you lost that one kidda 

That's what I charge. They're not worth it for anything less.

[Rich Wilts]

Never done a maisonette but I would imagine theyre a real ball-ache and would want to charge that myself.

[Walter Mitty]

FIFTEEN QUID for a maisonette!? No wonder you lost that one kidda 

I Agree that's taking the p for that amount of windows!!

No wonder he's messing you about...

It's morethan I would probably charge but the point is that this is the agreed price.  If he wants to change it then he should pay up and discuss it after.
Personally, I wouldn't take on such a job as I've had too much hassle from neighbours below on such work.

[lee_dewing]

If you have a £10 minimum and charge 50% more for 8 weekly then yep £15

I dodge flats now just can't be bothered usually always inquiries are first floor flats so water drips down on the underneath non customers windows.

I have quite a few emails and texts from my website but now ask to speak to custies try to sound them out on the phone.
a lot of messer`s out there!

[LT carpet cleaning]

It's funny that some see my point and agree with how I handled it. Others focus on the price I charged him.

For those that are interested I priced the job as was because - it was an 8 weekly clean - not 4 weekly - that takes the same amount of time as the neighbouring little-old-lady bungalows at £15 a pop, the clean was awkward because of raised beds and other stuff, I last changed my prices in Jan 2013 and just did them again in April this year so in line with everyone else on my round I wouldn't have changed my prices for another 2, maybe even 3 years, my minimum is usually £10. Mainly though I priced like this because I had an inkling he was going to be a messer. I thought he'd be a "leave it this time" type. I priced so I would feel that he'd paid for the right to take that approach.

I do tend to be on the high price and round here that takes some carrying off. It weeds the wheat from the chaff quickly, leaving you with respectable people who appreciate a top job. If someone cancels on me  on the day for some reason (and I don't get many) I take it on the chin. I do little extras for free - garage doors in spring, bits of cladding above a reveal etc. People appreciate it.

Last Monday I had a meeting with my accountant; yet again I am the window cleaner with the greatest turnover and the greatest gross margin he has ever had. He's trying to get me to go limited,  but I'm resisting.

I'll leave it for others to decide who is right vis a vis my pricing. I'm happy for others to work harder for less as it leaves me the best custies. Think about it. 

If your that great and that expensive, with a huge turnover surely you have no choice but to go limited? 

[Carl2009]

It's funny that some see my point and agree with how I handled it. Others focus on the price I charged him.

For those that are interested I priced the job as was because - it was an 8 weekly clean - not 4 weekly - that takes the same amount of time as the neighbouring little-old-lady bungalows at £15 a pop, the clean was awkward because of raised beds and other stuff, I last changed my prices in Jan 2013 and just did them again in April this year so in line with everyone else on my round I wouldn't have changed my prices for another 2, maybe even 3 years, my minimum is usually £10. Mainly though I priced like this because I had an inkling he was going to be a messer. I thought he'd be a "leave it this time" type. I priced so I would feel that he'd paid for the right to take that approach.

I do tend to be on the high price and round here that takes some carrying off. It weeds the wheat from the chaff quickly, leaving you with respectable people who appreciate a top job. If someone cancels on me  on the day for some reason (and I don't get many) I take it on the chin. I do little extras for free - garage doors in spring, bits of cladding above a reveal etc. People appreciate it.

Last Monday I had a meeting with my accountant; yet again I am the window cleaner with the greatest turnover and the greatest gross margin he has ever had. He's trying to get me to go limited,  but I'm resisting.

I'll leave it for others to decide who is right vis a vis my pricing. I'm happy for others to work harder for less as it leaves me the best custies. Think about it. 

If your that great and that expensive, with a huge turnover surely you have no choice but to go limited? 

Would a better comment have been to ask why I am resisting going limited...? The answer my friend is because it would only just be worthwhile from a financial point of view. When my wife stops work it will be much more appealing. For now it's not worth the marginal gain.

Just an aside, the correct grammar you were grasping for is "you're", not "your". 

[Don Kee]

You don't CHOOSE to go vat registered, if you turn over that much, or know you surely will, you HAVE to go registered.

Jeez, do some research before spouting off and talking bs.

It's as clear as day on the hmrc website.

I assume it's your wife whose your accountant. 

In fairness, he never mentioned VAT...
Limited and VAT are two totally different things genius...

[LT carpet cleaning]

Apologies carl2009. It was limited not vat you said. I got wires crossed!!

I deleted the previous comment but but I see don the [moderated] has quoted it.