[Tom White]

We have a large domestic (£350 every other month) and it could be a great job except for the following:

1.  It includes the insides and it's all leaded windows.  It's a hard day's graft. 
2.  I don't like the customer; there's regularly a problem why I can't get in to clean.  The last time it was because her grandaughter had broken her leg and she had family flying in from the US.  And for some reason that stopped us from cleaning the windows.
3.  Today, the 'gate' wasn't answered; I just kept on pressing the intercom button and there was no answer.  I had previously arraged to clean today.  So I phoned the lady and it eventually went to answer machine, so I left a snotty message.

But by the time I arrived home (it's Friday) I had three missed calls and a text saying "I was on my way to open the gates!" (Which are electronic and can be opened remotely).

And I just don't have a good feeling about the job; I think it's personal; I don't like the owner and find her opinionated and arrogant.

Other than that, they're very quick to pay.

I think I'll just drop them, but what would you do?

[Arnold Palmer]

We have a large domestic (£350 every other month) and it could be a great job except for the following:

1.  It includes the insides and it's all leaded windows.  It's a hard day's graft. 
2.  I don't like the customer; there's regularly a problem why I can't get in to clean.  The last time it was because her grandaughter had broken her leg and she had family flying in from the US.  And for some reason that stopped us from cleaning the windows.
3.  Today, the 'gate' wasn't answered; I just kept on pressing the intercom button and there was no answer.  I had previously arraged to clean today.  So I phoned the lady and it eventually went to answer machine, so I left a snotty message.

But by the time I arrived home (it's Friday) I had three missed calls and a text saying "I was on my way to open the gates!" (Which are electronic and can be opened remotely).

And I just don't have a good feeling about the job; I think it's personal; I don't like the owner and find her opinionated and arrogant.

Other than that, they're very quick to pay.

I think I'll just drop them, but what would you do?

Have a cup of man up and get on with it. She's not paying you to be her chum. If you're happy with the money just get on with it, if not increase the charge.

[sunshine windows]

Pointless wasting your time on a job like this. Find some other work where you know it's guaranteed you'll be cleaning without the hassle.

Even if you only find £50 worth to replace it for the time being. It's £50 more than you've earned today

[Tom White]

Pointless wasting your time on a job like this. Find some other work where you know it's guaranteed you'll be cleaning without the hassle.

Even if you only find £50 worth to replace it for the time being. It's £50 more than you've earned today

I've that much work I can't get around it all in a timely manner.  I've been a month late for some of my good accounts (some of that is down to laziness too mind).

I had other work I could've done, but it's raining and it's Poet's day.

I really need to have a 'weed'.  I guess this job's weeded itself.

[Lee Pryor]

We have lots of houses of this size/price. If they dont let us have the electric gate code on record we wont take them on. At least you could get the outside done in that case.

[Tosh]

Explain to her you're running a business. You need to move the goal posts. Get the gate code or its adios.

[Tom White]

We have lots of houses of this size/price. If they dont let us have the electric gate code on record we wont take them on. At least you could get the outside done in that case.

I'll bear that in mind for future jobs with 'leccy gates, but I'm sure this gate just has a telecom system and is opened by a fob.  I.E there's no gate code key to input.

I'm not 100% sure about that though; but I can't recall seeing something of this nature.

[Positivity]

Just got back from a electric gates job. Waste of time. No one there.
Last time same thing but she claimed the gate had  been left open for us but it wasn't I'm sure,  we had never operated them before so gave her the benefit of the doubt.
I've lost track of the many jobs we've dropped.
Beauty of being self-employed we only work for people we like!

[Scrimble]

Jump the gate! for £350 unless its the gate to a castle with a moat you need to go over

[Tom White]

Jump the gate! for £350 unless its the gate to a castle with a moat you need to go over

The drive is about 100m long and there'd be no way my hose would get around the house after that.

I've had the daughter texting me now; I've asked if the gate has a code and could I have it. 

No reply yet.

[dazmond]

electronic gate customers either give me the code or i text them the night before and they leave them open.

as for inside window cleaning i wouldnt do it as i dont offer this service (apart from one  job ).i always tell them to ask their domestic cleaner to do them.i cant be bothered. id rather just turn up and clean most window cleaning jobs.less hassle.

id go with your gut instinct tosh and drop the job as your bound to get more faffing in the future as they have to be in when you clean.PITA.

like you say if your already  busy most of the time you dont need jobs like this IMO.

[Arnold Palmer]

Charge them a 'pain in the arse tax'

Works for me.

[Tom White]

as for inside window cleaning i wouldnt do it as i dont offer this service (apart from one  job ).i always tell them to ask their domestic cleaner to do them.i cant be bothered. id rather just turn up and clean most window cleaning jobs.less hassle.

Their housekeeper wouldn't be to clean the inside of these windows; I doubt, there's loads of them; and the housekeeper is an elderly sort:




But usually, the majority of any inside work we do is for commercial work (offices mostly).

[Tom White]

id go with your gut instinct tosh and drop the job as your bound to get more faffing in the future as they have to be in when you clean.PITA.

like you say if your already  busy most of the time you dont need jobs like this IMO.

You're probably right, but the daughter (who is nice) sweet talked me into coming back.  I didn't get the code (if there is one); she says to phone her if there's ever any problems.

This clean is outside only; it takes two of us two hours and I send a bill to some management company for £150 and I get paid within a week.

So I'll do this one; not sure about the next which will be inside and out. 

[Arnold Palmer]

This clean is outside only; it takes two of us two hours and I send a bill to some management company for £150 and I get paid within a week.

£37.50 p/h

Yeah bin it mate.

[Tosh]

This clean is outside only; it takes two of us two hours and I send a bill to some management company for £150 and I get paid within a week.

£37.50 p/h

Yeah bin it mate.

Yea, you're not getting any younger.

[8weekly]

Willy waving. 

[Tom White]

Willy waving. 

If anyone wants the job after the next clean we do, you're welcome to it. 

It's a ruddy nightmare on the inside.  Highly polished oak floors and very high windows all round aren't a great combination for steps or A frames.

And the customer isn't great either.

I've better accounts than that with which to 'willy wave' with.

[AuRavelling79]

If I read this right they've messed you about twice and this last clean you eventually did the outsides only.  Also you are stacked out with work. And it's 4 person hours (Helen might read this  ) for £150.00?

You also dread doing the insides which is proportionately more time consuming (£200?) and you dislike the owner.

I wouldn't go back. End of.

[Tom White]

If I read this right they've messed you about twice and this last clean you eventually did the outsides only.  Also you are stacked out with work. And it's 4 person hours (Helen might read this  ) for £150.00?

You also dread doing the insides which is proportionately more time consuming (£200?) and you dislike the owner.

I wouldn't go back. End of.

That's about the sum of it.  Apart from the fact if all the cleans were outside only, I'd probably keep it.