[AuRavelling79]

I clean for special needs home. Every 3 months - private charity. One Victorian large end terrace converted into about 5 bedsits for challenged middle aged and older folk needing a part time warden to wander in to make sure they've taken their meds, got milk in the fridge and haven't burnt the place down.

Across the drive is a similar home owned by a family - a couple in their late 30's early 40's. About six months ago I tapped on their door to ask if they wouldn't mind me doing the upper floor of the special needs home from their drive way as it is easier to reach that way.

"Yes sure" says Mrs J. "Can you do a one of for us please? How much?"

"£35 if I fit it in today right now." Says I. "£45 if I have to come back separately."

"Can you do it now then but I haven't any cash on me?" Says Mrs J.

"No worries I'll leave a slip and you can pay me on line." I offer as she seems "the right sort" to me.

3 months later, not been paid so I tap the door, no reply, and leave a reminder and think "here we go"

Today (6 months after cleaning) I'm cleaning the care home and thinking about writing another reminder and out comes Mrs J. "I'm so sorry!" She gushes. "We lost the first slip and our dog ate the second one. I've been waiting to catch you here's your £35 and gives me the cash."

[Smurf]

Maybe you should have charged he a late payment fee too.
Dog eat the slips my arse 

[simon w]

She probably feels it's time to get the windows cleaned again  :

[Spruce]

Maybe you should have charged he a late payment fee too.
Dog eat the slips my arse 

There is a pretty good chance that you are right. 

The sad thing is how quickly we (me included) find the negative in a situation like this. Maybe that's genuinely what happened.  It may never have dawned on her that the special needs home would have a contact number for Granville.  Maybe she did genuinely think she would see him sooner than she did.

Then when you are younger, your life is so involved and busy that 'little' things like paying the window cleaner are of secondary importance. And as we get older, time flies by so fast that we truly don't realise how much time has elapsed.

Nah, I think you are right. 

When something like this happens I really have to check myself because it is so easy for me to get myself so wound up about a debt like this. Mostly however, it eventually ends well. But if she asks to become a regular customer, then Granville is already prepared and can make a calculated decision based on experience. Of course the other side of the coin is; how much is that easier access actually worth?

Who said being a window cleaner was easy? 

[Smurf]

Maybe you should have charged he a late payment fee too.
Dog eat the slips my arse 

There is a pretty good chance that you are right. 

The sad thing is how quickly we (me included) find the negative in a situation like this. Maybe that's genuinely what happened.  It may never have dawned on her that the special needs home would have a contact number for Granville.  Maybe she did genuinely think she would see him sooner than she did.

Then when you are younger, your life is so involved and busy that 'little' things like paying the window cleaner are of secondary importance. And as we get older, time flies by so fast that we truly don't realise how much time has elapsed.

Nah, I think you are right. 

When something like this happens I really have to check myself because it is so easy for me to get myself so wound up about a debt like this. Mostly however, it eventually ends well. But if she asks to become a regular customer, then Granville is already prepared and can make a calculated decision based on experience. Of course the other side of the coin is; how much is that easier access actually worth?

Who said being a window cleaner was easy? 

 

[AuRavelling79]

She didn't ask for the windows to be cleaned again and I didn't offer.  It was a one off anyway.

[richard groves]

I was once paid £20 for 2 cleans owed that I had written off 2 years earlier.
was in the street cleaning neighbouring properties when she came out to her car ( I hadn't even noticed ) she approached me apologising clutching a £20 note uttering something about bad karma and how she now felt better clearing her debt !
only in Brighton, bloody hippies ! 

[Smurf]

I was once paid £20 for 2 cleans owed that I had written off 2 years earlier.
was in the street cleaning neighbouring properties when she came out to her car ( I hadn't even noticed ) she approached me apologising clutching a £20 note uttering something about bad karma and how she now felt better clearing her debt !
only in Brighton, bloody hippies ! 

Oh well better late than never 

[Katy]

Its terribly draining when people owe you money, been there, stress factor 90 - um we all have to be paid for services provided

[Spruce]

Its terribly draining when people owe you money, been there, stress factor 90 - um we all have to be paid for services provided

You 're right Katy.   There are always going to those those who 'chance their arm', the 'shop lifters' of our society, the ones you can afford to pay but see it as a sport or challenge not to pay for the services they have agreed to.

But its how we deal with it that is what is important.  If we let it eat us up, then its our health (mental and physical) that can suffer; theirs doesn't. 

Taking revenge is a common human trait and one can sometimes feel much better after getting their own back in the short term, but so often these thing then get out of hand with retaliatory responses.

[Katy]

Yes very true, Ive been caught out - its slightly different for me, as I never do any work without payment up front, but obviously you guys cant do that