[JJay]

I Haven't written of 400. It was my friend. This year I would have to probably write it of around 50£. I'm usually charging twice for the first clean but this time her windows was in really good conditon and job was pretty easy and fast. I'm just looking for good solution.

[nathankaye]

Just send her a text asking for payment within next 7 days or as much as you dont want to, you will have to forward it onto a debt collecting agency who will add a fee of £60 on top and collect yours and their fees.

This is all ive done in the past (if i didnt choose to ignore) and ones have moaned and called names but they pay up.

[Richard Groves]

When you say you've asked her 3 times, how.?.... Text, phone call, face to face ?  Has she replied, refused to pay, given a reason or just ignored you ?   Could she have been renting, sold or moved out of the property ?  She could have just pulled a fast one on you and done a runner.

[TomCrowther]

I know a guy who did a large job {IT installation} for a firm of Solicitors in Manchester. £120,000.00
The client just refused to pay. No reason, just said we aren't paying. It took him a good while to find another legal firm to take on the job as they all seem to know each other. On the steps outside the courts, he was offered 25p in the pound and he was advised to take it which he did.
Some people are just bar stewards.

[JJay]

When you say you've asked her 3 times, how.?.... Text, phone call, face to face ?  Has she replied, refused to pay, given a reason or just ignored you ?   Could she have been renting, sold or moved out of the property ?  She could have just pulled a fast one on you and done a runner.

Twice in face and now twice by text. Sending message about debit agency seems to reasonable thing. Thanks Nathan.

She's just playing some game. She always got the same answer. "Sorry I will do right now". First time she said "Sorry I thought it went through" I never in my life had probelm with transferring money to some else.

[KS Cleaning]

This is where a card reader comes in handy. Had a now  ex customer owe me £16 from July. I clean the house next door so I twice put in a slip requesting payment whilst I was there, but the requests were ignored. Yesterday I noticed someone was at home so I chapped the door, young lady answered and went for her purse, showed me she had no money in it ( she probably took the money out of it before returning to the front door ) no problem I said, I can take card payment.......the look on her face as she reluctantly made the payment 😆

[Spotfree]

If I don't get paid by someone I become a debt collector.

I turned up at one woman's house at 9 am on Sunday morning and explained to her son and his girlfriend that she owed me money and was getting her secretary to fob me off every time I called.

She came to the door mortified but had no cash, her son also looking embarrassed put his hand in his pocket and paid me.

I also did to a woman who kept ignoring me, I turned up at 7 00 pm and her ex-husband was there, he paid me as he was self-employed himself and understood my annoyance.

I dont go right out of my way but I take every opportunity to remind them that they owe me money and I wont let it go until its settled. A bit sad I know but if it ain't right then it ain't right.

I heard this one the other day and it stuck with me "it's the squeaking wheel that gets the oil".

[Slash]

What I do is put a reminder through  the door,if no payment within a month I go round on a Saturday morning about 7 when they are lying in bed,knock and when they answer all foggy eyed I simply ask for payment.
I quarentee they pay up before the following Saturday.
I know its sad but works a treat

[Bungle]

I've got from time to time people who think can messing around saying "oh I thought it went through" "oh sorry I don't want to have them clean anymore" I'm pretty sure you know what I'm talking about  = messers, liers, just bad pepole in general but this is time I think I've got enough and I want to give a lesson and collect money which she owe. There is one lady.
I've asked to pay 3 times already and it's been more than 2 months. She owes me 12£. I've get address, first name and phone number how I can make her to pay? Tell me Please how you dealing with such people even with the small amounts which is usually small amounts.

For example Darran from green pro sending letters about small claims court and 9 of 10 after first letter getting money.

First tip: Always get your customers full name.



...And DOB if you think you'll have to drag 'em through Court in the future.

DOB 😂 A bit weird!

[Spruce]

What I do is put a reminder through  the door,if no payment within a month I go round on a Saturday morning about 7 when they are lying in bed,knock and when they answer all foggy eyed I simply ask for payment.
I quarentee they pay up before the following Saturday.
I know its sad but works a treat

Reminds me of the story of a debt collector who was employed to do commercial collections. He rocked into the offices wearing the clothes that only a tramp would wear and stank like anything.
"Sorry, there's no one in to sign a cheque." "No worries, I will make myself comfortable and wait here until they become available." 
He says he never had to wait long. 

[Oliver James]

Ian Lancaster shared this a while back:

Also pasted below is the letter I send with a CCJ N1 form. You can print the N1 forms off the county court website.

…………………

Dear Sir / Madam,
   
Re: Window Cleaning Services at …………………..

Following your original request for window cleaning services at the above address, you accepted our offer of service of a …. weekly clean at a price of £…... I cleaned them on ………………

We must now insist on full payment within 14 days of the date of this letter. The sum required is the total of £…..

If we do not receive a cheque made payable to Oliver James or bacs (to account number xxxxx sort code xxxxx, PLEASE USE THE FIRST LINE OF YOUR ADDRESS AS A REFERENCE) for the sum of £….. by …………. we may take one of the following actions:

1. We may apply to the Small Claims Court, this action will incur additional costs, and we have access to expert legal assistance via the Federation of Small Businesses which could involve further costs to be borne by you.

2. We may sell the debt to a professional debt collection agency. This will involve you in considerable extra expense.

Yours sincerely,

Oliver James Metherell
Founder: Oliver James - Window Cleaner™


Dear Sir / Madam,

I refer to my letter dated …………………. (copy attached to County Court Claim Form N1)

Unless I receive the amount stated in the letter by 1700 on …………………. I will mail this paperwork to Birmingham County Court.

Yours,


Oliver James Metherell

[JJay]

Ian Lancaster shared this a while back:

Also pasted below is the letter I send with a CCJ N1 form. You can print the N1 forms off the county court website.

…………………

Dear Sir / Madam,
   
Re: Window Cleaning Services at …………………..

Following your original request for window cleaning services at the above address, you accepted our offer of service of a …. weekly clean at a price of £…... I cleaned them on ………………

We must now insist on full payment within 14 days of the date of this letter. The sum required is the total of £…..

If we do not receive a cheque made payable to Oliver James or bacs (to account number xxxxx sort code xxxxx, PLEASE USE THE FIRST LINE OF YOUR ADDRESS AS A REFERENCE) for the sum of £….. by …………. we may take one of the following actions:

1. We may apply to the Small Claims Court, this action will incur additional costs, and we have access to expert legal assistance via the Federation of Small Businesses which could involve further costs to be borne by you.

2. We may sell the debt to a professional debt collection agency. This will involve you in considerable extra expense.

Yours sincerely,

Oliver James Metherell
Founder: Oliver James - Window Cleaner™


Dear Sir / Madam,

I refer to my letter dated …………………. (copy attached to County Court Claim Form N1)

Unless I receive the amount stated in the letter by 1700 on …………………. I will mail this paperwork to Birmingham County Court.

Yours,


Oliver James Metherell

Brliiant. I will send a text about selling debt  to debt agency first and then see what happens
Thanks a lot for help.

[dazmond]

i have a customer who owes me £16.....ive found out shes paying nearly a £1000 a month in rent on a small 3 bed semi,shes a single parent and childminder and her house is always full of kids.......im not hounding her for the money....twice shes promised to pay by bank transfer and twice shes let me down,knocking on her  door doesnt help as she says she has no money and no money on her debit/credit cards.....

ive just removed her from my round but she will see me EVERY 4 weeks as i clean virtually every other house on the street.

if she wants me to start cleaning again then i will need the £16 shes owes me and a clean upfront........fat chance!

[AuRavelling79]

i have a customer who owes me £16.....ive found out shes paying nearly a £1000 a month in rent on a small 3 bed semi,shes a single parent and childminder and her house is always full of kids.......im not hounding her for the money....twice shes promised to pay by bank transfer and twice shes let me down,knocking on her  door doesnt help as she says she has no money and no money on her debit/credit cards.....

ive just removed her from my round but she will see me EVERY 4 weeks as i clean virtually every other house on the street.

if she wants me to start cleaning again then i will need the £16 shes owes me and a clean upfront........fat chance!

I just wouldn't start cleaning for her again. Simples.

[Johnny B]

The way I see it is that yes, they owe the money and yes, they should pay. But I don't want the stress of chasing people up once they start to give me the runaround.

I just stop calling to them, but keep a record of what they owe, and leave it with them to contact me. Most don't of course, but I would rather channel my time and effort into decent customers who want the job done and will pay me for it, than to waste my time trying to get blood out of a stone.

John

[KS Cleaning]

i have a customer who owes me £16.....ive found out shes paying nearly a £1000 a month in rent on a small 3 bed semi,shes a single parent and childminder and her house is always full of kids.......im not hounding her for the money....twice shes promised to pay by bank transfer and twice shes let me down,knocking on her  door doesnt help as she says she has no money and no money on her debit/credit cards.....

ive just removed her from my round but she will see me EVERY 4 weeks as i clean virtually every other house on the street.

if she wants me to start cleaning again then i will need the £16 shes owes me and a clean upfront........fat chance!

If she’s a childminder and her house is full of kids she’ll be coining it in....I would be chapping her door for the dosh, preferably when some parents were picking up their children...two birds killed with 1 stone, embarrass the childminder and get a perv at the yummy mummies😂

[JJay]

The way I see it is that yes, they owe the money and yes, they should pay. But I don't want the stress of chasing people up once they start to give me the runaround.

John

Sending a text will take 30 seconds  always worth of try if don't succeed, I've just lost a few quid. Asking for your money should be embarasing for those who not pay not for those who trying to get what is already theirs.  Just in general opinion.

[Johnny B]

The way I see it is that yes, they owe the money and yes, they should pay. But I don't want the stress of chasing people up once they start to give me the runaround.

John

Sending a text will take 30 seconds  always worth of try if don't succeed, I've just lost a few quid. Asking for your money should be embarasing for those who not pay not for those who trying to get what is already theirs.  Just in general opinion.

Very good point about texting them. I actually feel embarrassed for them not having the integrity to do the right thing rather than being embarrassed to ask for what is mine.

John

[Tomboler]

I've got from time to time people who think can messing around saying "oh I thought it went through" "oh sorry I don't want to have them clean anymore" I'm pretty sure you know what I'm talking about  = messers, liers, just bad pepole in general but this is time I think I've got enough and I want to give a lesson and collect money which she owe. There is one lady.
I've asked to pay 3 times already and it's been more than 2 months. She owes me 12£. I've get address, first name and phone number how I can make her to pay? Tell me Please how you dealing with such people even with the small amounts which is usually small amounts.

For example Darran from green pro sending letters about small claims court and 9 of 10 after first letter getting money.

Just knock on her door and ask for it. If you keep going back and asking for it she'll pay eventually. Ringing, texting, sending letters is easy for them to ignore, pretend to themselves that it doesn't really matter, after all it's 'such a small amount'     Park your van around the corner and go and knock the door. Have a clip board with her and others debts on it if it makes you feel better. When you've got your money remember not to go back and clean again + warn off any other cleaners that you're friendly with locally.

[rosskesava]

Just knock on her door and ask for it. If you keep going back and asking for it she'll pay eventually. Ringing, texting, sending letters is easy for them to ignore, pretend to themselves that it doesn't really matter, after all it's 'such a small amount'     Park your van around the corner and go and knock the door. Have a clip board with her and others debts on it if it makes you feel better. When you've got your money remember not to go back and clean again + warn off any other cleaners that you're friendly with locally.

£12? You'd go through all that for £12? I've had odd 'customers' not pay me a few times over the years but to worry over £12? I'd have written it off after the first request for payment or second at the latest. After a good few years, you tend to get a weird insight or instinct for those who won't pay. Now if I get that feeling about a potential customer that something isn't quite right I tend to go with it and decline to clean their windows. Of course, there's no way to prove if I'm right or wrong but it's been years since I havn't been paid.

The last time I felt something wasn't quite right was for a builders clean earlier this year. I quoted high and the foreman accepted the price too quickly. I just had a feeling about the job. I only want work I'm happy to do. I may have missed out on a well priced job but I now follow my gut instinct, rightly or wrongly.

£12 though. I cannot believe you or the OP is serious and warn other window cleaners? For £12?

£12? Is this some type of a wind up posting?  £12 is not worth the bother.

Just forget it and carry on working. All that hassle and upset for £12. Unbelievable.