[Clean Cloth]

I am sure the situation will effect all of us to some extent but those of you who have been business for a number of years and in a densely populated area will hopefully survive and grow your business again.

With my half a day of commercial work gone for the foreseeable future I am relying on my 1 day a week of residential customers to pay the bills.
No more work this week.

I live in a rural area and it is competitive, loads of other window cleaners competing for the same work.
Today I had 17 customers scheduled (2 empty properties) and telephoned them all a couple of days in advance to let them know I was due and that I am practising social distancing, please pay by bank transfer or leave the cash outside, do not open your door. I gave them the choice if they would rather I did not work there.
2 asked me to skip them, 2 cancelled my services due to cashflow problems (1 was a messer).
The 13 customers all stayed inside.

But I can see more customers dropping off the longer this goes on, I can see many more start ups looking for easy cash, undercutting and even stealing work.
I had 3 of my customers tell me on the phone that someone had been knocking and told them that I was not coming anymore and he was their new window cleaner, thankfully they did not fall for it.

I am not even sure I will go out to work next Monday and thereafter as I felt a bit uncomfortable.

I hopefully will qualify for the grant as I did submit a tax return for 2018\19 but as I started in January 2018 I only have 3 months earnings for the 2017/18 tax year.
For those in the know, would HMRC just use the profits from 2018/19 which were 6508 x 80% = 5206 divide by 12 = 433 x 3.

Or would HMRC add 2017/18 profits of 1512 to 6508 =8020 x 80% =6416 and divide by 24 =267 x 3 801.

[Paul-kent]

This is why I’m working while I can plus I’m also going to keep a log  of all work lost or postponed.

As much as people are bickering on her I don’t want to see any of us lose our businesses that we have all worked hard to get.

[dazmond]

I am sure the situation will effect all of us to some extent but those of you who have been business for a number of years and in a densely populated area will hopefully survive and grow your business again.

With my half a day of commercial work gone for the foreseeable future I am relying on my 1 day a week of residential customers to pay the bills.
No more work this week.

I live in a rural area and it is competitive, loads of other window cleaners competing for the same work.
Today I had 17 customers scheduled (2 empty properties) and telephoned them all a couple of days in advance to let them know I was due and that I am practising social distancing, please pay by bank transfer or leave the cash outside, do not open your door. I gave them the choice if they would rather I did not work there.
2 asked me to skip them, 2 cancelled my services due to cashflow problems (1 was a messer).
The 13 customers all stayed inside.

But I can see more customers dropping off the longer this goes on, I can see many more start ups looking for easy cash, undercutting and even stealing work.
I had 3 of my customers tell me on the phone that someone had been knocking and told them that I was not coming anymore and he was their new window cleaner, thankfully they did not fall for it.

I am not even sure I will go out to work next Monday and thereafter as I felt a bit uncomfortable.

I hopefully will qualify for the grant as I did submit a tax return for 2018\19 but as I started in January 2018 I only have 3 months earnings for the 2017/18 tax year.
For those in the know, would HMRC just use the profits from 2018/19 which were 6508 x 80% = 5206 divide by 12 = 433 x 3.

Or would HMRC add 2017/18 profits of 1512 to 6508 =8020 x 80% =6416 and divide by 24 =267 x 3 801.

i dont see what choice you have mate........if i was in your situation id go out every day and try and drum up new business whether it was upselling existing jobs(conny roofs,f/s/g jobs,gutter clearing or solar panel cleaning)or try to get new window cleaning customers by leafleting and canvassing.....ok not easy at the present time but i picked up 5 new jobs last week without even trying so theres work still out there.....

also if i were you id stop phoning your customers...its bad practice IMO.....text the odd customer if you have to for access reasons or courtesy text but dont phone them up and ask them can your clean their windows.....you tell them by text......good luck and NEVER GIVE UP!

[The Jester of Wibbly]

Retaining your business is so much more important than worrying about the grant. 

[Stoots]

Doesn't sound like you have many customers.

If there's not much work local then you will have to go further afield.

Do what you need to get by, grants, benefits etc then come up with a business plan for when all this is over which allows you to build a large profitable round.

[Crystal-clear]

Ok I feel for you buddy..
The commercial is a right pain actually Commercials probably the best sort of work you can get if priced right and if pay reasonably in time.
Unfortunately we've all lost probably quite a lot commercial work but obviously in your case it made up up most of your week.
Make a note of every bit of income that you've lost
And if you go down the government help route
Perhaps that could be useful anyhow....

First of all decide if you're going to work or not
And if you are You're going to have to rise from the Ashes.
Stop over complicating things. So no more messages keep it simple. If you're deciding to work keep your distance and do not work if you're ill moving on you're going to have to up sell your services
Insides is a big one unfortunately not doable now.. If you have any fronts ask them if they want their back cleaned. Any flat roofs any conservatory roofs pressure washing ask away.
Make your leaflet start handing it out talking to neighbours obviously you left it a bit late in the middle of a pandemic but it is what it is for now.

And yes HMRC should definitely help you as it seems right now you are defo in need.
I'm not sure if you should just bank on it though
Sad to hear that you dwindled all the way down to a day but just need to try and stay positive that's all you can do  chin up

[Shrek]

How have you been surviving of 1 & 1/2 days work a week all this time?

[deeege]

Wouldn’t getting a temporary job be better for the time being? Window cleaning isn’t the be all and end all.

Maybe look for work as a multi drop driver or in a supermarket until things pass. Then hopefully your campsite work will start up again.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[swanson]

Your over reacting and worrying
Never phone your customers and ask to clean there windows. A simple text to let them no you are coming.
Good luck