[Steve Weatherley]

Does anyone know if such a thing exists and the legalities involves? It might stop those who think it's easy to just not pay and move on to the next cleaner.

[steve rix]

I think you are on VERY thin ice with that one

[EandM]

I've often thought of this as an anti-parasite device.

Sadly I very much doubt that it's legal.
 

[LT carpet cleaning]

I think you are on VERY thin ice with that one

Rubbish. Would be just a smaller version of what Experian etc do when taking into account for credit.

[Spruce]

I think you are on VERY thin ice with that one

Rubbish. Would be just a smaller version of what Experian etc do when taking into account for credit.

If everyone could do it then how does the Data Protection Act fit in? Who monitors and updates the data base? Who ensures that the information is correct? 

Experian are a credit reference agency and as such as controlled by rules and regulations. We aren't.

The only thing you can do is mention a non payer to another cleaner by word of mouth. The moment you start distributing written records then you are on dodgy ground.

.

[Phil J]

I just go back, spray the windows with virosol and walk away.

[Tosh]

What's to stop a window cleaner with a grudge posting someone's details in this database without fair justification. Someone would be up on a slander charge if that were the case.

[Michael H Jones]

You can't sue if it's true 

[Steve Weatherley]

Interesting reading the replies. I doubt that putting customer details onto a database is legal without the bad payer giving consent. I hardly think the bad payer would give consent to such a thing unless you were to have pre-contractual consent before commencement of work for the customer.
I have given some thought to this and do think that it's a decent idea but floored legally - add to this the fact that some of the information may not be true and I cannot see anything like it getting off the ground. HOW UNFORTUNATE

[Tosh]

You can't sue if it's true 

You can.

[Steve Weatherley]

http://www.accountingweb.co.uk/tech/tech-pulse/online-database-shames-late-payers

Seems there is something like this in operation

[Rory Edwards]

Even if this was allowed whats to stop a window cleaner putting some of there best work on it so other window cleaners avoid canvassing it and possibly getting it?

[Cookie]

If you get a new customer are you really going to check whether they exist on a bad payers database or not? Even if you do the chances are that they will have moved from their previous address for non-payment of rent etc ...

Last financial year I wrote off about £50 worth of debt, this year it looks like just £12.

[duncan h]

I just go back, spray the windows with virosol and walk away.

Does it work? That's a quick way

[johnny bravo]

ive just joined Go cardless,   they sign up to a direct debit set up by you through go cardless,     and you then  request the payment, after window clean, this will come direct to your account from there bank, G C  then send them an email letting them  know that payment has been requested by you,   
if they stop it , Bin them.  They dont want to pay you

[johnny bravo]

i used to have a 2 strike policy,     unless i know they are a loyal regular customer  its 1 strike untill i get paid.

usually if they owe double or even treble its too much to give to a window cleaner ,  they would rather not give it to you,

we know our loyal customers , not worth the hassle chasing it,     but just keep knocking to annoy them

[Michael H Jones]

Go Cardless is great, and I use it in conjunction with Quickbooks. You can set it up to auto generate invoices and automatically take DD payments. It's a really good system for regular payments.

[Tom White]

Does anyone know if such a thing exists and the legalities involves? It might stop those who think it's easy to just not pay and move on to the next cleaner.

You could easily set up a private facebook group with the other local window cleaners in your area; a place to whine about bad customers, and share info on who is not a good customer.

[johnny bravo]

most of my new customers who phone me up will usually pay upfront.   You an usually tell when you meet them what type of customer they will be