[poleman]

Giving us a bad name 

http://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/LocalPages/NewsDetails.aspx?nsid=10972&t=1&lid=6

Andy

[rhys11]

that has hapend  in swindon as well. i got about 10 homes i clean for got done £100 up front never to be seen again.

[Sir Squeaky]

Sorry, I was skint and I don't like Clevedon people.

[Shayne]

Giving us a bad name 

http://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/LocalPages/NewsDetails.aspx?nsid=10972&t=1&lid=6

Andy

This will make it hard everywhere to get new customers - these people create lack of trust   

[M & C Window Cleaning]

I wouldn't have thought it would cause too much of a problem for most of us as the customer expects to pay us after we've done the job not before. It's we who have to trust that that they will pay us.

I can't understand anyone in their right mind giving £100 to a perfect stranger for a years window cleaning. A window cleaner they've come to trust maybe, but not a total stranger. If I'd done that I'd be too embarrassed at myself to go to the Police.

[Helen]

It is wrong and I agree to some point that it does give the industry a bad name.........but who in their right mind pays up front to someone they neither know or can trust?

[HQCS (John Kastrian)]

This was reported in our local paper in Swindon,Wilts in Feb 07.
They were dressed in green t shirts with the name Bennett's Cleaning Company all over it,and were supposedly based in Bristol.
It was very believable and they were professional scammers,a lot of our neighbours fell for it.
My wife parted with 24 squid,and after discussing it I rang them to cancel,and was unable to contact them so just cancelled the cheque.
It's alright saying how can anyone fall for a scam like that but when people are offered "professional" services at a discount a lot of people will accept it as an honest offer,there are still a lot of trusting customers out there who take tradesmen at face value,if this was not the case we would all be out of business.
John.

[Paul Coleman]

At least at the end of the report the police are quoted as saying

"We would always suggest you pay for window cleaning on a job, by job basis, and not give large amounts of money up front.

"Legitimate cleaners are likely to be happier with this arrangement".

That did give some balance to it rather than suggesting that window cleaners in general are crooks.

[windowwashers]

Giving us a bad name 

http://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/LocalPages/NewsDetails.aspx?nsid=10972&t=1&lid=6

Andy

This will make it hard everywhere to get new customers - these people create lack of trust   

This will only affect dodgy window cleaners.

It does not worry me at all.

Ian

[M & C Window Cleaning]

I've had new custies pay me up front for that days clean when the've been going out. I've had regular custies pay one or two cleans up front. I've even had one who used to pay me up to five months up front, but only after he'd known me for several years. But I still can't understand anyone paying a complete stranger, even in a uniform (that would have made me even more suspicious) for a whole years services.
I just can't imagine a professional window cleaning service even making such an offer to a new customer unless there was a good reason for it. ie:. that the propety concerned was the custies second home and they didn't live there all the time, or some such thing.

I stand to be corrected of course.

[Paul Coleman]

I've been paid 6 months in front before by a customer where I had only been 3 or 4 times.  I suppose the big difference is that it was offered and I didn't ask for it.  The reason was that they were going to live in the USA for a few months and didn't want the people who were house sitting to be asked for payment.

[Sir Squeaky]

That did give some balance to it rather than suggesting that window cleaners in general are crooks.

Read some of the prices on here and you'd beg to differ. :

[Wayne Thomas]

I have a customer who's a top banker abroad who  pays me 12 months in advance every year. I've only seen her in person 3 times in 4 years

[Davie T]

Like Wayne, I have a customer who pays me 1 year's cleaning up front. She did this on the second clean. I must look honest! ?

[windowwashers]

That did give some balance to it rather than suggesting that window cleaners in general are crooks.

Read some of the prices on here and you'd beg to differ. :

whateva 

[Sir Squeaky]

That did give some balance to it rather than suggesting that window cleaners in general are crooks.

Read some of the prices on here and you'd beg to differ. :

whateva 

That sounds like an admittance.