[garyj]

I could always write to the customer saying that I won't clean them for £9 either............

Maybe everyone on the forum should write and say that we won't clean him for £9

Yep, that would help wouldn't it, great idea :

Its not this issue that is the problem.

You have admitted you clean that area by quoting for it, that is your one and only concern here. Forget all the other rubbish that has been written.

But now the word Typical has been added, all this is meaningless.

[busydaffodil]

Just a few comments.  I see you have your Leaflet also advertised in the Yellow Pages.  I clicked on your link and it said this was your yellow pages advert.  Your advert states you have been serving the Ponteland & Darras Hall areas since 2000.  It does not say your work is just confined to those areas.   

Also, when you initally spoke to them, did you say you could fit them in??

Personally, I would now refrain from contacting them until such time that they do persue.  I would then agree to quote,  attend their house and on inspection remark on how many nice valuable things they have, and say you can do the job for £9 but that the work they ask for would take a minimum of 8 hours a week.  They probably will not employ you but if they do,   I would take great pleasure in then doing the 8 hour day myself, relax in their home, iron like a snail & enjoy wasting their money. They'll soon send you on your way.

I really would consider adding "FROM" to your ads & leaflets or dropping the hourly rate.  Also, when you have phone enquiries, and only when asked, you need to state that hourly rates depend solely on distance & hours but that they start from £10  per hour.  The average being £12 though.

Just my opinion.
Lizzy

[andrew chrysler]

If Andrew had advertised a caravan for £9,000 and when they came to view and buy he told them it is actually £15,000 he would be in trouble.

I have had occasions where people have looked at the price of an advertised caravan, who have also seen the prices of the other items such as siting, connecting to services, steps, gas, site fees etc, who have threatened trading standards action.

On the one occasion to my knowledge that the client did pursue the matter, trading standards told her that she had no cause for complaint "just as you need to buy a tin-opener when you buy a tin of baked beans"

Yes, if I deliberately advertised a caravan for £9000 knowing that that was the wrong price, I could be in trouble.

If I accidentally put £90.00 instead of £9,000 that's a different matter.

It's only wrong if there is a DELIBERATE ATTEMPT TO DECIEVE.

You have admitted you clean that area by quoting for it, that is your one and only concern here

No. Arthur has, by quoting, merely "admitted" that he would clean in that area at a higher rate because of the distance involved.

I sold a caravan last month to a client in New Zealand. It does NOT follow that I will deliver it there. (the purchaser wishes to visit relatives in the UK regularly, but wants to stay in her own caravan rather than impose on relatives' hospitality)

Unless Arthur has refused to do the job for reasons of racial or religious discrimination, there is no concern to address.

[andrew chrysler]

Your advert states you have been serving the Ponteland & Darras Hall areas since 2000. It does not say your work is just confined to those areas.

Arthur's advert says

"Serving Ponteland and Darras Hall areas"

"Above rate applies if at least 2 hours of service is taken on weekly basis"

Both these statements appear on the same document, in the same size typeface. It is clear that they are to be read together.

No reasonable person would expect Arthur to travel to Land's End, John o' Groats or Timbuctoo for £9 per hour.

Any reasonable person......... but Arthur's enquirer is far from reasonable, or even necessarily sane!

Saying "Typical Rate", as Arthur says in his advert, is much better than "From". Most customers think that they will pay more than the "from" price, but most customers expect to pay the typical price.

As a licensed credit broker, licensed by the Office of Fair Trading, I am required by legislation to state a "Typical" APR and not allowed to say APR "From". The test is that 80% of customers IN NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES get a rate that AVERAGES the typical rate.

Arthur, you have done nothing wrong, you need to change nothing. It's just that some customers seem to exist just to test our patience and understanding.

[busydaffodil]

Your advert states you have been serving the Ponteland & Darras Hall areas since 2000. It does not say your work is just confined to those areas.

Arthur's advert says

"Serving Ponteland and Darras Hall areas"

"Above rate applies if at least 2 hours of service is taken on weekly basis"

You have seen a different advert perhaps???

This is the one AJ pointed out... http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=17841.0


It actually says on line 2  "Serving Ponteland and Darras Hall areas since 2000"

Then on line 10/11 is says "Above rate applies if at least 2 hours of service is taken on weekly basis"

To me, line 2 is informing the customer that they have been serving two areas since 2000.  It does not imply that it is the ONLY area they cover.

I think we have to be careful of what advice we give AJ here.     The letter he received has "Legal dept" in it and some people here have gone on to say "Bloke down the pub wearing a suit".
Are we not the same?   How does AJ know 100% that the advice we give him is 100% accurate??

AJ......my advice would be to get proper legal advice & not rely totally on what well intentioned people say.   Afterall, the buck stops with you.   We could all be wrong & be leading you into trouble.   Forums like this are excellent, but when it comes to legal threats.......take legal advice yourself.  At least you will know for definite for any future problems.

Regards

[marts - Martin Reed]

dafo's right arthur.... make sure u cover yourself

[Chris_Thomas]

Hi Arthur
Long time since I was involved but "price of service" was exempt under Trade Descriptions, ie it only applied to sale of goods.
Might be worth checking with your local TSO to see if it's still true.
Dontyajustlove the public!
Cheers
Chris

[andrew chrysler]

busydaffodil

You are the calm voice of reason.

Andrew

[busydaffodil]

busydaffodil

You are the calm voice of reason.

Andrew

I know Andrew   

I so want to be a raging hormonal woman who gets her own way even when being unreasonable!!     Alas, I am not.  lol

[PHILC]

I agree with busydaffodil agree to go round and price the job at £9 per hour but tell the person to do a proffesional job to the highest standards it will take however long to cover your costs

at the end of the day its your business

[AJCleaningServices]

busydaffodil,
No offence, but... what does your avatar says...

exactly…you may change it tomorrow, never mind just kidding,

I agree with Andrew 100%, not because he supports me, but because I see common sense in his words.  I will not go there to start work with bad intentions, I am not like that, I am an honest person.  

Gary,
Thank you for your input and congratulations with your 1000 posts.
I do not understand why you would speak about miss-selling.  As I have already mentioned here (please read above) I have never advertised in that area, I have never called them, so have never tried to sell them my service.  

Where did they see my leaflet?  They saw it in “a very local parish magazine”, which is not distributed in that little village.  Or they might saw my advert on a shop window, the shop is also not located in their little village.

So I believe that what I have said in my e-mail was right:

We do charge in Ponteland and Darras Hall areas £9-00 per hour.  It is for us to decide how far from there we are prepared to travel without adjusting our charges accordingly.

That is our position and if they would like to challenge it I look forward to it.

I will not discuss anything any more with the sender of the e-mail, because I have said to them what they should be doing (please read my e-mail to them :).

As far as race issue is concerned their name suggests that they are white, but I do not know for sure whether they are white or not as I have never seen them and hope not to…

Regards,
Arthur

[AJCleaningServices]

... "price of service" was exempt under Trade Descriptions, ie it only applied to sale of goods...

Chris, what does it mean  :, please?
Regards
Arthur

[busydaffodil]

busydaffodil,
No offence, but... what does your avatar says...exactly…you may change it tomorrow, never mind just kidding,

Thanks for that AJ.    No need to thank me for taking time out of my schedule to attempt to assist you.  I will refrain in future.  

 "No truer words are said than when spoken in jest".  


Andrew - I'm sorry hun....even though I know you said I was the calm voice of reason, I'll leave you & the others to help these people.  Offence has been taken......I'll withdraw.

[AJCleaningServices]

...Offence has been taken......I'll withdraw...

NO NO NO do not leave pleeeeease, let me take care of your wounds first...

[busydaffodil]

...Offence has been taken......I'll withdraw...

NO NO NO do not leave pleeeeease, let me take care of your wounds first...

Your sarcasm is not funny...it belittles you.     Your reply to me was very unnecessary....I was trying to steer you into finding out the 100% legal way of resolving your problem.   
I have had no dealing with you prior to this.  Please let it remain that way in future.

[AJCleaningServices]

...I have had no dealing with you prior to this.  Please let it remain that way in future...

You are speaking to me  :  like if I slap your bum...  I did not even think of that… 

Are you going to change your avatar or not?

[andrew chrysler]

I have had no dealing with you prior to this.  Please let it remain that way in future.

Is that the proposed text for a letter Arthur could send to his undesired customer?

[andrew chrysler]

You have seen a different advert perhaps???

No. I have seen the same advert.

"Bloke down the pub wearing a suit".
Are we not the same?   How does AJ know 100% that the advice we give him is 100% accurate??

Point taken, I am not a legal professional. My only qualification is 20+ years in business, and experience in dealing with similar matters on several occasions.

I am wearing jeans, no tie, and I'm not down the pub 

[AJCleaningServices]

I have had no dealing with you prior to this.  Please let it remain that way in future.

Is that the proposed text for a letter Arthur could send to his undesired customer?

Thank you.

I will definitely use it in my last e-mail, which I am going to post to that "undesired customer".  I am just waiting for one more written confirmation from a "locally distributed magazine" where I also advertise.

Regards,

Arthur

[AJCleaningServices]

....I am not a legal professional. My only qualification is 20+ years in business, and experience in dealing with similar matters on several occasions.

I am wearing jeans, no tie, and I'm not down the pub 

Andrew,
I love your sense of humour  and value your opinion  :,
Regards,
Arthur