[Adam P]

just got a text message this morning from a lady that works in a small office we clean saying as we left the keys in the office over the weekend they don't want to use us any more, can they have the keys back (in same sentence she says she has they keys and can she have them back lol).

at first i was like yeah fine i don't like this company, pay is only £230 per month, but then realised they are massively breaking the contract and i want to do something about it.

in the contract they were concerned about going with bad cleaners and being tied in for a year so we allowed them to add that they can give us a warning for any shortfalls, then 1 week to correct that issue, if that issue is not corrected then one week before we must go. the stupid thing is even though they added that bit they still went completly against it and gave us no warning, just a text saying can they have keys back.

wondering what peoples thoughts are what we can do? the contract is actually for £385 pcm but we agreed last month due to them having moved office for now we'll go to 230 pcm for less days cleaning until they get new office ready then we'll do the new one. we have only been working for 3 months for them, though first 2 months were late payment and i can't see us receiving the third now which will be issued on the 13th this month.

Am i legally entitled to the full 12 months pay given the contract was for that length of time and they haven't stuck to the way they can get out of the contract?

also wondering if i can charge them for any stress problems they have given us due to the way they are dealing with this, very informal text messaging us, no warning etc?

also although a little off topic, the same lady set us up with an end of tenancy clean for the owner of the company. after 1.5 months we still haven't recieved any money and never a repsonse when i ask about it. she owes us £200 and carpet cleaner £170. i'm told i can send a 7 days letter of intent (is that correct?) asking for payment which if not paid i'll take further action. trouble is i only know first name of the guy we cleaned for, and noly the property he owns and rents, not his house address. is the lady liable for any problems we are having being the lady he set this all up? i really want to kick this lady's butt as she really is a horrible person

[Joe H]

re you talking here about verbal contract or written contract.
Verbal still holds I understand but that could turn into one person saying this and another saying that.
Hopefully its a written contract then you have more strength.

Although you left the keys in a safe place (their office) they could be seeing it as you are very careless and could have left the keys elsewhere and jepodised the security of their offices.
Really you need to get in the place for a meeting - could be a different reason for their stance. You need to address quickly.

The bosses let house clean - havnt a clue where you stand.

[APPLEMAIDCLEANING]

I agree, and you want a written notice not a text.

[APPLEMAIDCLEANING]

On your payment statement warnings always put FINAL REMINDER this makes most people shift

[Adam P]

it's a written contract just got a new text and as i suspected they are in process of closing down so they say i can pursue but i'll just be added to the long list of creditors

[APPLEMAIDCLEANING]

it's a written contract just got a new text and as i suspected they are in process of closing down so they say i can pursue but i'll just be added to the long list of creditors

you still require it written to back up your books ect ect.. 

[Adam P]

any chance i'll be seeing the money owed?

[lesterM]

make sure that they are liquidating by asing who the liquidator is., in case its just a ploy. Make sure you are on the list of creditors so that you get your say ( and tax writeoffs) you may get something.

[Adam P]

well we are owed only £230 for unpaid work, but the contract says we are entitled to the rest of the year, so nearly £2000. if we get anything i'll be happy.

[Adam P]

also another thing, a few weeks before this happened we saw a business card for another cleaning company on the owners desk, would it be safe to contact them and ask if they have been asked to clean the place and explain the issue we have had? worried about legal issues and if it could be classed as slander?

[vacman]

also another thing, a few weeks before this happened we saw a business card for another cleaning company on the owners desk, would it be safe to contact them and ask if they have been asked to clean the place and explain the issue we have had? worried about legal issues and if it could be classed as slander?

Why would you want to do that? were it me, I'd stick to trying to get what you believe you are owed rather 2nd guessing what may or may not be happening to another cleaning company. There could be no end of reasons as to why that card was on the desk and for sure you're not supposed to read anything you see (though we all do it), even less try and do something with that information. No, from the sound of it, you have enough on your plate @ the moment.

[Adam P]

update for the house clean:

the guy has emailed his worked who forwarded the email to me.

bascially it said that we hadn't done the oven, grill or fridge (which we had) and that he will be reducing the cost to get that done from our bill.

surely this is not legal to do that? we did the work and 2/5 months later has says we haven't done something)

[Sean Dyer]

update for the house clean:

the guy has emailed his worked who forwarded the email to me.

bascially it said that we hadn't done the oven, grill or fridge (which we had) and that he will be reducing the cost to get that done from our bill.

surely this is not legal to do that? we did the work and 2/5 months later has says we haven't done something)

should have a note signed on completion of stuff like that, and attatch to invoice with their signature

SOunds a pain thought mate, obviously this woman and all her friends are a holes

we all get them , just dont get too concerned over it, look for new work, try get some money back but for a couple of hundred i wouldnt get hung up too much

it is gutting though

[Adam P]

trouble was he wast in country at the time and he was supposbly giving us another office to clean so didn't want to fuss about getting it officially signed etc.

i'm thinking of joining the federdation of small businesses, anyone done this? will be £200 for the first year but will give us legal advice needed.

[Sean Dyer]

thats 400 gone then though and if they go into adminastration and line you up with creditors its gonna be a long time seeing money if any

If they owe banks etc they will get most after they seize any assets etc

id put your name , cross your fingers and move on

If they were still in business id feel different but not in this scenario

Its a tough one mate

[Adam P]

but we have proof we cleaned the place surely froom the communication that has taken place since. the fact that something wasn't to the agencys standard is surely irrevant and also not our problem given it was 2.5 months later i would have thought.

i called the agents and they say the person they deal with that property doesn't go by the same name we have  but as they have real name any way i can get them to tell me as he owes me money as at the moment they say they can't reveal that information? if they do i can do small claims online and go from there.