[007 or what]

Hi all what do you do, (if its ever happened to you) when one of your costomers die's i've just had one last week, lovely bloke had cancer. Do i do the windows or not? He lived alone so no one to ask, but i know he has kids cause they used to visit him........

[Sir Squeaky]

Leave it.
Even if they owe you money, just forget it.

It's the right thing to do.

Anyway, if he lived alone it's empty now anyway....

[007 or what]

thanks, thats what i thought just nedded to check

[windows_chepstow]

I've about three customers who still owe me money because they've died!

But I always 'get my man'.  It might take a while, who knows, but I'll nab them in the 'next place' and demand payment with interest.

Fancy dying and leaving your window cleaner unpaid.

The cheek of it!

[reah]

Hey
if a partner in the house hold has died and it has happend to me a few times i skip a couple of months.
The last thing on their mind is having a window cleaner coming around.
They both paid what was owed when i went back to clean.
I feel it was the descent thing to do.
Reah

[Jon T.C.]

I have a customer who's 2 year old died suddenly a couple of weeks ago ( not cot death). I will leave theres till next month and ring first to express my condolences. 

What the hell do you you say to them when something like this happens ?

[Paul Coleman]

Hi all what do you do, (if its ever happened to you) when one of your costomers die's i've just had one last week, lovely bloke had cancer. Do i do the windows or not? He lived alone so no one to ask, but i know he has kids cause they used to visit him........

I would leave it as he lived alone.

[Paul Coleman]

I have a customer who's 2 year old died suddenly a couple of weeks ago ( not cot death). I will leave theres till next month and ring first to express my condolences. 

What the hell do you you say to them when something like this happens ?

I tend to not mention it unless the customer brings the subject up.  I've had a number of customers die over the years where there is a surviving partner.  I carry on as normal unless asked not to.  Surprising though it may sound, I find that most people are glad of something "normal" happening in their routines in preference to people treading on eggshells around them.

I did send a condolences card once to a customer whose husband died suddenly and very publicly in an accident and I turned up a few weeks later to clean as normal.  This isn't as heartless as it sounds.  Someone who is bereaved can be feeling very abandoned so it's often nice for them to see a familiar face.  I even asked a customer once if she wanted me to clean and she was so glad that I had made the effort to overcome my awkwardness.

[wash and go]

thanks, thats what i thought just nedded to check

Needed to check?

[Sir Squeaky]

Cheque?

[JM123]

I think Shiner is right, a couple of years back a friend lost his sister (only 16) and although it was hard to try and bring back some normality into his life he really appreciated it when people would even just talk about 'normal' things.

Its a dificult situation to deal with, especially Jon T.C's scenario where it is someones young child, honestly I think its best to send your condolences in a card but not to bring it up in conversation unless they do.

seriously, where's all the women gone to? - they're the best people to ask about things like this.

[dai]

Having lost my first wife to cancer at the age of 47, I can tell you people need to talk about their lost loved ones. It's part of the grieving process.
I had a customer die on me. I was looking at her laying on the settee with her hand propping up her chin. I thought how much younger she looked without her glasses.
I didn't knock as I didn't want to wake her. It was only later that I found out she was dead. She was the mother of one of the countries largest house builders.
Never did get paid. Dai

[stuart howes]

hi all
i had one couple they where so nice then i went round one day and the lady was in a right state are you ok i said   no my husband has gone to AnE as he had such a bad head  anyway did the windows and she paid no probs  but when i went round 6 weeks later she came to the door as normal  hi i said how is he?    oh she said all ok he is in the back fixing my washing machine  great i said only a head ache then    no she replyed he has got  brain cancer
well i did not know what to say    i felt so bad   she was ok   she just said i wasnt to know  well i finished the frond and went round the back all the time thinking what am i going to see let alone say
well round the back i went       oh sh**  he was in a right state no hair about 4 stone in weight   just bad  she made me a tea and both of them normaly had a chat with me       it was just him this  time
he just got up shook my hand said thanks for cleaning his windows thanks for all the chats and stuff and to look after myself well with that i had to choke back my tears well when i was about to go i said to the lady shall i call again    oh yes dont be silly       the next time i called sadly the man had died 3 days before so still very raw    but she did say he was happy that i had called when i did as he wanted to say his goodbyes to people even the window cleaner   yes i still do the windows and we still talk about him    i have had about 8 people die over the years just part of it   still not nice  as well all get to know our customers very well             just makes you think how lucky we really are
ps hope you dont think this is to morbid    stu

[Pole2pole]

When my brother worked with me(Trad,about 8 years ago) he asked the wife if he could get some clean water. Anyways, he's gone through the house, bucket in hand to see 3 or 4 people moping around looking sorry for themselves in the kitchen. So he's it said hasn't he. He's said it.
"What's up? Somebody died?
The hubby........in the night.  :  :  :
She's still a customer and thankfully, we laugh about it now.  :

[steveaqua]

I had an old lady pass away she owed me for a couple of cleans. when i went rond to clean  her house again and her son told me i didn't have the heart to say she owed me a few quid so i just walked away. I'm sure i'll catch up with her again someday!

[D.Salkeld_Ltd]

Only certain thing in life................You're gonna Die!!!!!!!!!!!

I called at a customers Monday this week.  Done the job.  Knocked on the door.  There son came to the door, he's 17 went to school with my daughter.
"Is your mum in?" I asked.
"Didn't you know?!" He said, calmly "She died last month, that's why she didn't pay you last time".  He then handed me a fiver (2 cleans upstairs @£2.50).

Sometimes you know the old lady or old chap has died, this one was a complete shock!

David

[neil100]

Its not a nice felling when someone dies on your round.

If someone passes away and they have not paid I just cross the amount oweing off my list. I know I would rather be owed money then in there shoes.

The worst deaths are when its customers you get on really well with and they die suddenly. You find out as you work and it knocks you for six.

I have come home early on a couple of occasions because a customers death as upset me deeply. I hate that sinking feeling in your stomach and the mind finding it very hard to come to terms with. the only word that goes through your head is. No No No No Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Nel.