[gary bolton]

Been cleaning carpets for a short time and have been approached by a letting company about end of lease cleans.
any advice? Pricing, Pitfalls etc.
Thanks Gary

[andi wilson]

Can be a ballache... Always last minute!! You normally have to wait ages for the letting agent to pay you, and the most IMPORTANT bit. They want it done as cheap as poss..

Despite this, that's how I started and if you get a good agent you can be VERY busy! Although I try not to work much for them now as I like to charge a higher fee..

Best of luck..

I

[Paul Simpson]

Agree with everything Andi said. But the thing I cannot stand is waiting so long for payment. Two seperates ones took 7 and 10 weeks to pay and that was with chasing and despite having payment terms on my invoice. 

[Craig - CW Window Cleaning]

I find its always last minute jobs i always get paid as it comes out of the tennents deposit money. as for price not too bad as the homes are always empty. go for it business is business.

[Colin Day]

A lot of letting agencies want the moon on a stick, they tend to want the work done for next to nothing. Just don't expect them to be loyal, they will see if the next carpet cleaner will do it cheaper.

I did tell one letting agency last year to get someone else in future, she questioned my cleaning method, in that the carpets never seemed to feel wet, yet their last carpet cleaner left them soaking. She actually thought that I was somehow using less chems/water than the last guy,thus ripping her off

Having said all that, the letting agencies I work for now are spot on, they send job sheets so I know exactly what's happening and they pay within the week. If you get a good letting agency, they are worth their weight in gold....

[Colin Day]

I find its always last minute jobs i always get paid as it comes out of the tennents deposit money. as for price not too bad as the homes are always empty. go for it business is business.

How you doing over there in St Ives

[gary bolton]

thanks guys, I was wondering about a fixed price because I can imagine some properties
will be minging, are you expected to clean up the general garbage that will sometimes be left
behind or will this have been done for you.
regards Gary.

[M.Acorn]

I work for 4 letting agents,one of them did try to get me to set fixed prices on stuff,but I point blank refused.
One take a % of what I charge,so are happy with my pricing.
The others get a small discount and are also happy.
Most of them pay up on time,only have to chase one,and they sort it.
A lot of my work comes from them

[Matt Steele]

good source of income, as above may have to wait a while for payment, dont be shy tho in my experience its best to price the first few jobs on site, go in high as you'l be kicking yourself forever if they expect it cheap, they are a fickle bunch and will often opt for cheaper cleaners but keep your cleaning standards high, be as flexible as poss (short notice) and when domestic work drys up with bad weather etc you'l be glad of it, i work for several companys in my area, they send me a works order, i do the job, i decide the price, and they pay it what could be better ?

[Craig - CW Window Cleaning]

Hi colin, been a very busy july
how is helston?
 

[Colin Day]

Getting busier after a quiet couple of weeks, but as one carpet cleaner falls by the way side, another two new ones pop up One of them is an under-cutter, obviously a bob-a-job with a Rug Doctor at the prices he's quoting

[Steve Rothwell]

  how did my leaflets get down there ??

I work in the Wiltshire area     

[Colin Day]

how did my leaflets get down there ??

I work in the Wiltshire area     

 

[tomsy]

Actually Colin, our prices seem to be identical on carpets but i did undercut the sofa - but that's only 'cos i went to visit and saw it. (PVC body, quick wipe down, and all cushions sewn to it so only have to do the tops and fronts of 5 cushions)

trev

[Colin Day]

Actually Colin, our prices seem to be identical on carpets but i did undercut the sofa - but that's only 'cos i went to visit and saw it. (PVC body, quick wipe down, and all cushions sewn to it so only have to do the tops and fronts of 5 cushions)

trev

It's not you mate. Was that the £170 job? Carpets as well? I thought I'd under-quoted by a lot TBH.... But they weren't that bothered because they were moving out, weren't they?

[Neil Williams]

One of them is an under-cutter, obviously a bob-a-job with a Rug Doctor at the prices he's quoting

I've had a dabble with a few letting agents but it didn't last because all they are interested in is PRICE, quality doesn't enter the equation.
I had an enquiry yesterday from someone who had moved into a property but the carpets had a bad smell of dog. Strangely enough the previous outgoing tenant had PAID the letting agent for the carpets to be cleaned Just makes you think how many times has this stunt been done before and they get away with it until a 'minger' catches them out.

[Colin Day]

When someone rings up to say they "Have" to have their carpets cleaned, there's no point in carrying on the conversation really.They don't care about the quality of the clean. All they are interested in is the receipt, and the lower the price is, the better they feel. Sometimes I feel like saying "3 bed house?  £50...." Then turn up, vac it, give them a receipt, then sod off!

[Neil Williams]

£50...." Then turn up, vac it, give them a receipt, then sod off!

I've literally had phonecalls asking for just that but I'm not putting my name to that sort of thing.
I don't blaim the tenant, afterall they are just trying to maximise the spend against the deposit money.

[Carpet Dawg]

I got a £20 tip from a tenant today! That happens once in a blue moon to me.

Was for a sofa and four carpets, And i priced it well. Nice straight forward job too.

[Colin Day]

£50...." Then turn up, vac it, give them a receipt, then sod off!

I've literally had phonecalls asking for just that but I'm not putting my name to that sort of thing.
I don't blaim the tenant, afterall they are just trying to maximise the spend against the deposit money.

I have been asked in the past to produce a receipt for £25 before, no work at all involved... I turned them down saying it could be detrimental to my business.