[jeff1]

I do a couple of council estates and I must admit after getting rid of the bad apples (non payers) I have a decent few days takings from them, most of them are very nice people, always pleased to see you and always tip at christmas, more than I can say for some of the big and huge places I have on my books.

Don't tar everone with the same brush, and treat them as you would like to be treated.

[frames to panes]

Really can't see why this post was created, we had one before that ended in one member being threatened. Why provoke more trouble?

[elite mike]

I do a couple of council estates and I must admit after getting rid of the bad apples (non payers) I have a decent few days takings from them, most of them are very nice people, always pleased to see you and always tip at christmas, more than I can say for some of the big and huge places I have on my books.

Don't tar everone with the same brush, and treat them as you would like to be treated.

got to agree there  ,jeff

[groundhog]

Really can't see why this post was created, we had one before that ended in one member being threatened. Why provoke more trouble?

Because its fun!!!! 

[Tosh]

I don't think we've got any council estates left in Chepstow; I think they've all been bought up with this 'Right to buy' malarky.

But I clean a wadge of ex-council terraced houses and they're great customers, 99% of them are elderly and pay for each other's neighbors if they're not in.  I really look forward to cleaning these houses; they're a nice bunch of people.

However, I used to do a housing association area where there were many rough families; dodgy low-life people; many of whom would try to get out of paying us.  After a few years of cleaning in this area I must've had about 20 customers (from about 40) who were good people and good customers; and I refused to take any more on, unless my perception of them was positive.

I eventually sold them all on, and personally I rather put the effort into targetting more affluent areas than go through all that rigmarole again.

[simon knight]

I do a couple of council estates and I must admit after getting rid of the bad apples (non payers) I have a decent few days takings from them, most of them are very nice people, always pleased to see you and always tip at christmas, more than I can say for some of the big and huge places I have on my books.

Don't tar everone with the same brush, and treat them as you would like to be treated.

got to agree there  ,jeff

I'd add that the CE custys realize that you're trying to earn a living and are reluctant to "not today" you off.

Whereas the affluent posh customers sometimes think that messing around a "mere window cleaner" is their God given right.

Example: Tuesday, turn up at customers house to do ins and out...£50er (and it's well underpriced at that!)

When I arrive she says: Oh Simon do you mind if we leave it today the baby had me up all night and I need to catch up on my sleep.

Me: Well actually I do mind, Ive driven here, parked up and put £4 in the meter.

Her: Here's the £4, really, please come back next week.

What a diabolical liberty!...and guess what?

D U M P E D !!!

[Londoner]

I don't think we've got any council estates left in Chepstow; I think they've all been bought up with this 'Right to buy' malarky.

But I clean a wadge of ex-council terraced houses and they're great customers, 99% of them are elderly and pay for each other's neighbors if they're not in.  I really look forward to cleaning these houses; they're a nice bunch of people.

However, I used to do a housing association area where there were many rough families; dodgy low-life people; many of whom would try to get out of paying us.  After a few years of cleaning in this area I must've had about 20 customers (from about 40) who were good people and good customers; and I refused to take any more on, unless my perception of them was positive.

I eventually sold them all on, and personally I rather put the effort into targetting more affluent areas than go through all that rigmarole again.

A lot of the council houses around here were sold under right to buy but are now rented back to the council. Some of my best customers are on council estates but you do see some dodgy types while you are there.

[windowwashers]

Really can't see why this post was created, we had one before that ended in one member being threatened. Why provoke more trouble?

I started this post because I am interested in peoples opinion on this, the last post was nothing like this, and a certain person said some pretty bad stuff, the person that got threatened now that is a little sad, but maybe they had there reasons who knows.

This is not provoking trouble it is interesting reading on others thoughts on this topic.

Cheers all for replying so far.


Ian

[RPCCS]

I think it depends on the estate, I did have a couple of really rough estates alot of years ago, where it was "I've got no money" when I knocked to get paid. "I'll collect at the end of the week" was my reply, Friday night  same thing no money.
  This happened about 4 months on the trot, I said "look this can't continue I need paying for the work I've done", "got no money m8 sorry nowt we can do" was their reply.
      They've no money but can still afford to buy tabs ,run a car and pay for sky tv(which was just becoming popular at the time. )I just said there would be no more cleaning until I got paid, still waiting.  Do 3 c/e s  now all prompt payers and nice estates. I too live in an ex council property

[Sanity]

65% of mine are council. No bad payers. No messers. Most are working people. Some retired, some ex-council. All priced at £7.50 and up.

thats why you have no bad payers or messers because you are cheap!! you are welcome to them my friend if £7.50 is all your demanding for any house!!

3 windows + front door at front, 3 windows + back door at the back.  £7.50 minimum charge.  Read my post.  £7.50 AND UP!
I do not negotiate on my price with them either.  I tell them £7.50 (or more, dependant on the house)and they pay it.

How many 6 bed coucil houses do you know?

Each house takes about 10 to 15 mins, so 4 per hour approx, nice and easy £30 an hour...

[windowwashers]

65% of mine are council. No bad payers. No messers. Most are working people. Some retired, some ex-council. All priced at £7.50 and up.

thats why you have no bad payers or messers because you are cheap!! you are welcome to them my friend if £7.50 is all your demanding for any house!!

3 windows + front door at front, 3 windows + back door at the back. £7.50. Read my post. £7.50 AND UP!

How many 6 bed coucil houses do you know?

Each house takes about 10 to 15 mins, so 4 per hour approx, nice and easy £30 an hour...

have to agree with that one.

Ian

[nat]

65% of mine are council. No bad payers. No messers. Most are working people. Some retired, some ex-council. All priced at £7.50 and up.

thats why you have no bad payers or messers because you are cheap!! you are welcome to them my friend if £7.50 is all your demanding for any house!!

3 windows + front door at front, 3 windows + back door at the back.  £7.50.  Read my post.  £7.50 AND UP!

How many 6 bed coucil houses do you know?

Each house takes about 10 to 15 mins, so 4 per hour approx, nice and easy £30 an hour...

i did read your post and yes you are still cheap!!

[Paul Coleman]

I've not had any bad debt problems on council estates any more than anywhere else.  However, I do find that when work is more compact, customers are more prone to messing about.  This may be because they assume you will be back to do their neighbours' so you will surely do their's as well.  I realise that their is compact work on places other than council estates.

[Dave Turley]

when I started 4 years ago, all my work was council estates.

it took me 2 years to realise that while you can earn a living doing them, you can earn a lot more going where the money is.

remember the saying "easy come... easy go"?

we'll their easy earned cash can easy come my way for me.

the more disposable income people have, the less they mind being charged decent rates.

and you may as well get your equipment out of the van for a £30 house as for a £10 house imo.

whilst I have no objections to c/e work, I only target more afluent areas now.

each to their own though

[Clive McDonald]

"I'd have you but i'm only renting." is something we must all have heard, and that's on private estates.

Where my prejudice comes from, and I don't live too far from ww, is that our towns council estates are not full of salt of the earth working class types. They house problem families, they prioritise single mothers, many ethnic groups such as somalis, polish, asylum seekers do not seem to have a pride in the places they are given.

Some of the estates may have been okay twenty years ago.

[RPCCS]

are you saying that people on council estates dont deserve to have a window cleaner.its about time some of you stopped being greedy and offered some value for money to people who work all their lives for less than £6 an hour.i clean a lot of estates for £3 to £5 a house and after getting rid of the bad payers have a loyal customer base and make a decent living.

Same here, my cheapest job is £1.50 for 3 small windows and the dearest is£50

[peter holley]

i take all customers at face value.... i do some houses on council estates,however i have leartn,t  from experience over the years...
i always look  at the appearance of a property..if it is scruffy and the garden is a mess it speaks volumes about the owner.
 

[RPCCS]

i take all customers at face value.... i do some houses on council estates,however i have leartn,t  from experience over the years...
i always look  at the appearance of a property..if it is scruffy and the garden is a mess it speaks volumes about the owner.
 

My garden is a mess @ the mo grass is 2ft high, but that's cause my leg's still in plaster and I can't stand on 1 leg to cut the grass.

[d s windowcleaning]

i take all customers at face value.... i do some houses on council estates,however i have leartn,t from experience over the years...
i always look at the appearance of a property..if it is scruffy and the garden is a mess it speaks volumes about the owner.
 

got to disagree i do 1 house where everything isa mess i dont even no why they have me , but they have more money than most people , i offten wonder why i bother with this house but i cant say no wrong about them , there was a topic started a cople of weeks ago where someone was cleaning i think gutters and asked to be payed so much on doing half the job but he got a shock when the custy was paying it all (bad appearance) i would sooner have a council estate than a stuck up nose get .

[RPCCS]

i take all customers at face value.... i do some houses on council estates,however i have leartn,t from experience over the years...
i always look at the appearance of a property..if it is scruffy and the garden is a mess it speaks volumes about the owner.
 

got to disagree i do 1 house where everything isa mess i dont even no why they have me , but they have more money than most people , i offten wonder why i bother with this house but i cant say no wrong about them , there was a topic started a cople of weeks ago where someone was cleaning i think gutters and asked to be payed so much on doing half the job but he got a shock when the custy was paying it all (bad appearance) i would sooner have a council estate than a stuck up nose get .

I do 1 house where its immpossible to tell if the dirt is on the inside or the outside, they keep threatening to get me to do the inside but I can't stand the smell of cat(@least 6) 1 or 2 I can cope with