[C & S]

So I have around a dozen bad paying customers on my round some new others newish.
Taking the pee.
I stuck a few notes on the front doors of a few today. They paid online.
I have 2 scumbags who owe me, they are off my round but have not paid yet.
Ive spoke to both in person,
I have one new customer not paid for first clean, 5 weeks overdue. Had a few reminder texts, a letter (nice reminder) and a note on door.
These 5percent are doing my head in tbh
I have a feeling a few are going to be getting a sun am visit. Then dumped after I have been paid.
Rant over.

[dave f]

 dump just get on with it I have the same problem  I have stopped putting up with shyte 3 trikes and your out

[Stoots]

I've got about a dozen owing as well, just sent court letter out a couple of weeks ago. 2 coughed up. The rest nothing. Was going to file claims but I broke my phone recently and I've lost all the texts as proof so I might be stuffed. Sick of writing off debts, that's about 500 quid this year. Almost all of it from 1st cleans.

[AuRavelling79]

Sometimes I don't like the "feel" of a first clean and so I insist on cash up front. (and charge more)

If it is a known "one off" from the start I will nearly always ask for cash up front or at least ask if they have cash to pay me as soon as I have finished. One "walk-up" even went to the cashpoint there and then and came back while I was cleaning his (regular) neighbour, paid me before I started and drove off - so he had to trust me.

[nathankaye]

Ive very recently set up GoCardless....i dont use any software packages like george etc as im old school with pen n notepad.
Ive started getting my customers to sign upto it but more importantly im not taking on any new customers unless they sign up first. For instance ive got a new cust to sign up and hes having a roof clean for 90 and windows at £18......i could have done it when i quoted but ive told him to sign up to direct debit b4 i begin and weve arranged a date to do the work....but thats if hes signed up!!  Regardless how much i might earn on it, no more new work unless they sign up

[dazmond]

I've got about a dozen owing as well, just sent court letter out a couple of weeks ago. 2 coughed up. The rest nothing. Was going to file claims but I broke my phone recently and I've lost all the texts as proof so I might be stuffed. Sick of writing off debts, that's about 500 quid this year. Almost all of it from 1st cleans.

thats a lot to write off mate.mines usually around £50-£100 a year .its currently at £65  due to customers dying/moving.non through blatant non paying.ive never not been paid for a first clean in 24 years of window cleaning.

where are you cleaning adam?sounds grim.id be annoyed and id be taking things of value out of their garages/sheds to pay for the window cleaning!

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

we go back with a dirty bucket of water , nice mix of dirt and fairy and reaply to the windows , done 8 this year so far , doesn't get you your money back but you get one hell of a kick out of doing it

[Johnny B]

I don't handle stress very well so in cases of non payers I put them on the back burner until the ex customer wants their windows cleaned again (which most do eventually ) when I agree to do them when the debt owed plus money up front for current clean is in my hand.

No arguments, no stress, everyone happy!

John.

[C & S]

@adam thompson.

Thats a fair wack to be letting off mate 500 a year... thats a nice long weekend in spain with the missus think of it like that.

On a horrendous weather day. Where you cannot work. Pick a few go round.

And work through them.

It doesnt matter if its 3 month late mate go get it.

They wont like you knocking at their front door who cares they have robbed you.

They will think twice about doing it again to some other windy too.

[duncan h]

I've got about a dozen owing as well, just sent court letter out a couple of weeks ago. 2 coughed up. The rest nothing. Was going to file claims but I broke my phone recently and I've lost all the texts as proof so I might be stuffed. Sick of writing off debts, that's about 500 quid this year. Almost all of it from 1st cleans.

I get about £200 with new customers. Get sick of chasing them up. Was going to take one to court but couldn't be bothered. They will all get a Christmas present.

Your phone may back its self up. My Galaxy did automatically

[Stoots]

Got one just now saying his windows were not cleaned.

double checked his address on google maps and im convinced they were.

note not posted he said and windows not done.

First clean on a new custy, going to call in morning when passing and double check i got the right house, really hope hes not trying it on and ive made a mistake..

Got another 5 first cleans done 2 weeks ago not paid and unresponsive to messages. thats on top of the outstanding ive already got.

Trouble is if customer denies it was done im sure i wouldnt have a leg to stand on it no claims court?

[Stoots]

I've got about a dozen owing as well, just sent court letter out a couple of weeks ago. 2 coughed up. The rest nothing. Was going to file claims but I broke my phone recently and I've lost all the texts as proof so I might be stuffed. Sick of writing off debts, that's about 500 quid this year. Almost all of it from 1st cleans.

thats a lot to write off mate.mines usually around £50-£100 a year .its currently at £65  due to customers dying/moving.non through blatant non paying.ive never not been paid for a first clean in 24 years of window cleaning.

where are you cleaning adam?sounds grim.id be annoyed and id be taking things of value out of their garages/sheds to pay for the window cleaning!

Its all canvassed work, thats obviously the problem.

From now on no more canvassed customers if i can avoid it and only Go Cardless, the amount im writing off is beyond ridiculous. 

[Shrek]

Just insist on cash on the day for 1st time from now on

[paul alan]

I dunno l have canvassed a lot of work and never experienced this?

Mostly they are home on the first one and always get paid on the day, maybe you should operate a cash up front policy? Or atleast a deposit.

Have you thought about starting a round in a better area? Maybe a drive out for 30min/an hour might net better results with regards prices/customers.

Adam...honestly...are you not placing enough value on your services?

 From what lm reading on here your not having much luck with prices and customers which could be just the area your in but then theres good and bad in every area.

I mean why do some seem to find the good and others seem to find the bad? Its not just coincidence surely.

I cant complain maybe lm just living in a "lucky" area but if l couldnt find what l wanted here l would surely look somewhere else for it

[Stoots]

I dont canvass my own work i use companys.

which takes away some of the control like demanding cash upfront, its a case of clean it and hope for the best.

But yes it cant go on like this Paul, going to have to find another way to grow the round.

Theres really not much better areas round here, i would have to travel an hour i reckon to get out of Yorkshire, its all the same round here, working class ex mining towns

[C & S]

Adam thompson.

Just a thought here.. your canvasser is defiently not taking you for a mug is he? Giving you random numbers houses and names etc?.

Do you ring the non payers?

[Crystal-clear]

£500 a year sounds about right if you are doing a mass marketing campaign
you'd be surprised how many canvassed customers don't end up paying (if you are out round building actively cleaning anyone who wants them cleaned)

for example last 12 months worth of rite offs stands at only £78.00  mostly moving customers or the odd one just not responding but i have not sought new business for over 3 years maybe 4 years to be honest that's why its such a little rite off

but over the last 8 years my total rite off is £2850.00 LOL thats alot of money (third to my dream van ford custom black i think!:)
i think at least £2,300 of that is from the first 4 years when i was seeking new business

i would never ever do it that way again i would only hit areas that are literally close to me and ask them whens good for you?
no more credit on first cleans unless its a front id never in my life do a full house on a first clean unless its paid or they are in to pay and sticking to really local areas helps with sorting out a time

With some the problems arise when customers are out  a small part of them may think did he really do them properly or they simply dont like it that they had to pay for something they didn't see this can be on a first clean or the second clean mostly early on
i remember one called me to say she ain't paying as i left a bill demanding payment lol? you mean thx for using us now you do need to pay what you asked for she said i didnt see you do it not happy blah blah i will only pay you when i see you working as i did the first time

[Stoots]

Adam thompson.

Just a thought here.. your canvasser is defiently not taking you for a mug is he? Giving you random numbers houses and names etc?.

Do you ring the non payers?

Yes I've spoke to most of them and they said to go ahead. Just don't answer phone or hear owt back when chasing payment.

[Crystal-clear]

Adam thompson.

Just a thought here.. your canvasser is defiently not taking you for a mug is he? Giving you random numbers houses and names etc?.

Do you ring the non payers?

youd prob find less problems if you canvassed yourself but you may pick up alot less work in theory it kinda balances out maybe

[Stoots]

£500 a year sounds about right if you are doing a mass marketing campaign
you'd be surprised how many canvassed customers don't end up paying (if you are out round building actively cleaning anyone who wants them cleaned)

for example last 12 months worth of rite offs stands at only £78.00  mostly moving customers or the odd one just not responding but i have not sought new business for over 3 years maybe 4 years to be honest that's why its such a little rite off

but over the last 8 years my total rite off is £2850.00 LOL thats alot of money (third to my dream van ford custom black i think!:)
i think at least £2,300 of that is from the first 4 years when i was seeking new business

i would never ever do it that way again i would only hit areas that are literally close to me and ask them whens good for you?
no more credit on first cleans unless its a front id never in my life do a full house on a first clean unless its paid or they are in to pay and sticking to really local areas helps with sorting out a time

With some the problems arise when customers are out  a small part of them may think did he really do them properly or they simply dont like it that they had to pay for something they didn't see this can be on a first clean or the second clean mostly early on
i remember one called me to say she ain't paying as i left a bill demanding payment lol? you mean thx for using us now you do need to pay what you asked for she said i didnt see you do it not happy blah blah i will only pay you when i see you working as i did the first time

Thanks, that's certainly rings true with me

Spend 6k this year on marketing so yes quite a lot of new work cleaned. And a hell of a lot of it dumped/cancelled/written off.

90% of the non payers have come from the first or second cleans. Very rarely do I get a non layer from an established customer so it is going how you say.

Par for the course then...
Thankfully I'm not far off full now for myself so it should get easier from here on in.