[Davew]

Had one a couple of weeks back she's always been a messer. Anyway she says to come back in um two weeks time. I left it three and pulled up outside today to be greeted with a for sale sign. Needless to say I drove off again.

[johnny_h]

oh i never touch em once that sign goes up not since i did one who asked me to call back for payment only to find they had moved the next day

[windowwashers]

oh i never touch em once that sign goes up not since i did one who asked me to call back for payment only to find they had moved the next day

if they move in the same town go to there new house, there face is a true picture I can tell you 

[M & C Window Cleaning]

Kids are great too. They let all their parents secrets out the bag.

Had a woman who I felt was leading us on. Putting off the payments by pretending she wasn't in. Then I goes there one day and as I'm walking up the garden path she peeks at me through a gap in the curtains.
"Good she's in" me thinks.
Kid comes to the door and tells me, "Mum's not in!"
"That's funny," says I. "Your mum's just looked at me through the curtains."
Then the kid shouts at the top of his voice: "Muuum! What's the point of telling me to tell him your not in then lookin' at him through the window?"

It was one of those priceless moments and thanks to the young lad I got paid.

Needless to say I didn't do them anymore after that. I did notice a couple of months later, that the family had moved, so I'm sure she was trying to string me along and get away without paying.

[Count Phil]

If the sign goes up, bring it up with them. They often say "I'm only moving to..... will you clean my new house?"

So don't just stop.

[windowwashers]

Kids are great too. They let all their parents secrets out the bag.

Had a woman who I felt was leading us on. Putting off the payments by pretending she wasn't in. Then I goes there one day and as I'm walking up the garden path she peeks at me through a gap in the curtains.
"Good she's in" me thinks.
Kid comes to the door and tells me, "Mum's not in!"
"That's funny," says I. "Your mum's just looked at me through the curtains."
Then the kid shouts at the top of his voice: "Muuum! What's the point of telling me to tell him your not in then lookin' at him through the window?"

It was one of those priceless moments and thanks to the young lad I got paid.

Needless to say I didn't do them anymore after that. I did notice a couple of months later, that the family had moved, so I'm sure she was trying to string me along and get away without paying.

Kids don't ya just love'em 

[Alex Gardiner]

I always mention the fact that their house is on the market as most people are decent and are not trying to rip you off.

With many customers I have mentioned this and they have introduced me to the new owners and some have even said to me that they have not told the new owners how much I charge in case I want to put the price up! Which of course I do. A couple of customers upon discussion of their forthcoming move have paid me in advance until the completion date and some have even paid for the first clean for the new owners.

On the flip-side I did have one £4 ground floor flat do a runner and moved without paying for the last 2 cleans however the new resident told me her exact address (about 10 miles away), but I couldn't be bothered with the hassle so let it go.

If you do have a problem with someone having moved owing money, it is always a good idea to write to them with an invoice to their old address as most people will have set up a forward to their new house. For most people it will be an honest mistake and as soon as the invoice comes through the post they will pay.

[gmcs]

Guess what I would say ( soory can't put it on a public post)

[Tosh]

oh i never touch em once that sign goes up not since i did one who asked me to call back for payment only to find they had moved the next day

Nooooo!

If a someone has been a faithfull customer for a number of months or years, the time when they come to sell their property is when they WANT you the most.  They want their property looking smart for the potential buyers to view and it would be unfair to let them down at this point.

Okay, so you've been ripped off once in the past; so what?  Don't think that everyone's as devious; they're not; and to be honest, maybe that customer who moved and didn't pay was just too wrapped up in the move to think about 'trivial' stuff like window cleaning.

Mind you, I've been caught out a couple of times where someone has asked for a quote from me, accepted, then I've cleaned 10 years worth of filfth from their windows, only to find a 'for sale' sign there on my next visit.  That winds me up.

Houses with 'for sale' signs already up that want me to quote; I just ask a high price!  I don't think one has been accepted yet, but I don't really care.