[cybersye]

I know its been talked about on here  but has never happened to me before.

Had a call fom a custie this afternoon telling me that a dodgy looking bloke had canvassed her house, and when she said she'd already got a good window cleaner, he promptly replied that he was taking over / had bought the round from me. 
unfortunately, i was on the otherside of town and too busy to go track him down today 

has this ever happened to you ?
and what did you do about it ?

[GWCS]

No, but i had one WC do one of my houses the day before i went to do it..

Because the husband was at home he just paid him..  : His wife went berserk at him, and said dont pay anyone.. 

The WC turned up the following month were she told him he wasn't required. I missed out on one clean but at least she is loyal!

Id just make sure you tell all your customers the deal, a letter or phone call to advise that there is a dodgy guy going round telling lies to get the job, so unless they hear from you saying otherwise you are fully committed to ensuring they have a reliable window cleaner.

[Window Washers]

I would get the customers to call the police if this happens again, I had some idiot try doing this to me for 2 cleans, he went inside a vunerable old ladies house she was moved into a nursing home as she was then to scared to open the door if I was a vet I would have put him down. I had to letter every customer and passed on the details to the police. not happened since.

[jonnyald]

exactly same thing happened to me .   he canvassed  about 2 weeks after id cleaned and told folk  he was my friend and  he had taken over it all. he had quite a fancy flier and was also offering gardening work.   luckily for me , only one old couple  let him do their windows .i only found out when i returned a few weeks later . i was mad as hell , but i decided to sleep onit first.   

  in the end i did nowt, mainly as i worried what he might say/do to the old couple  . 

 he never returned to do his follow up clean.  if he had ,the only answer would have been  the fist . theres no nice way to do it

[Kwackers]

Glad I saw this post, I think i'll give every customer an introduction letter with some details including not accepting a new cleaner has took over unless i inform them

Thanks for the heads up and hope you get it sorted. Do what Iain said and get a letter together as soon as possible.

[cybersye]

thanks for replies, have just called another customer in that street, she'd not been approached buts she's spreading the word ! also she's now prepared to get a card or number from him if she is approached.
Any individual who tries to gain work from me this way is probably dishonest in most aspects of their life and wont get away with it if i can help it.

Kwackers makes a very good suggestion, my bill slips are due for a reprint, I may ammend them to include a note about not accepting other cleaners or collections without me having informed them first. 

[Kwackers]

Takes alot of effort to build a good round. Get a letter knocked together and send it out.

If you struggle writing a decent letter give me a shout as i'm a Freelance Content Writer anyway and don't mind helpiing you out.

Get it out there ASAP if i were you.

[johnny_h]

get yourself a letter knocked up and go around to all your customers tomorrow you might lose a days money but youll warn your customers and i have told all mine if someone come around on my behalf they will have a letter from me with my BWCA id on it and if they use someone else and if i keep them on i will expect payment  for the clean i would of done or take it they would prefer keeping a chancer doing their windows and  being on their property from now on