[dg-cleaning]

Xxx

[Sir Squeaky]

Doubtful I'd say.

I never promise a set day, as you can't rely on the weather.
It only needs to be a washout for a couple of days and you're behind.
Let alone if it hammers down on the said day...

When people ask when I'm round next, I often say "When I've done the house before your's"

[Paul Coleman]

I need a new window cleaner in darlington area.can anyone help.Current ones don't do a great job, bit disappointed recently.The side window never gets cleaned its quite high up and is just smeared and looks horrible!I don't know if u may need wfp for this as the side of house is quite narrow next to garage but obviously current cleaners don't do it.Also charge full price despite not doing back windows if I'm not in!I would rather have a window cleaner who came on set day per 2-3 weeks so that I will be able to leave back gate open.Can anyone help?

You may have trouble getting someone if you want to be be the one deciding when it is done.  It is very easy for a window cleaner's schedule to be thrown out of synch.  Obviously I can't help with the window cleaning as I'm 300 miles from you.  However, I may be able to offer you a couple of suggestions to make getting a window cleaner more easily.
Gate bolt.  If your bolt is at the top and padlocked, maybe you would consider either letting the window cleaner having a spare padlock key - or at least have a good hiding place for it where you can leave it for him (in a waterproof container if possible).
Same applies if your gate is key operated.
Of course, if it's bolted too far down, that would be tricky.  Maybe you would consider fitting an additional bolt near the top and only padlocking that?
If you are uneasy about keys, maybe a combination lock with only trusted visitors being given the number?

OK, I realise that the above would require some trust on your part but it may bethe only way you can get and retain a window cleaner.
The problem is that you could state certain days only but as soon as it went wrong once, a lot of window cleaners would stop calling.  I think most people would shy away from a job where they had to knock on the offchance somebody was home.  It's not a good business model.

Although they are far from perfect, I think you maybe ought to keep your current w/cers until you at least get someone to do it regularly.

The trouble is that you might get someone to start doing the job and then they get peed off when they start experiencing thew access problems.
For me to take on work, several things have to be in place.

1) Minimum charge £10 (that might sound high to you as rates are often lower in the northeast).

2) Good access all round the job or without needing to pre-arrange it (I do have a very few exceptions to this but making too many appointments makes it harder to run my business).  Good access may include a gate key or a combi lock code (though I will not accept house keys for my own protection).  I have a small collection of people's gate keys at home.

3) Payment by cash or cheque.  If not made at the time of the clean, a cheque should be sent to me within two weeks.

Once you start going down the road of breaking your normal schedule in order to get access (i.e. find someone in), it can start making the job uneconomical to do.  If you get a w/c recommended to you by a friend, it might make it easier for you to trust regarding access.

[Spursboy1972]

Why dont you just ask your window cleaner to text you the night before he is due. That way you can leave the gate unlocked and he can clean all oyur windows. I have started doing this and it works well.

[Majestic]

Have a look at here

http://www.windowcleanerdirectory.co.uk/html/north_east_find_a.html

[Paul Coleman]

yeh I know I am outnumbered here and u guys are all gonna stick up for the window cleaner but its the fact that they only did 3 windows at front then asked for £5 so I said "but back hasn't been done" then they said "ok £2.50" its the fact they tried to charge for a job they didn't do.I don't know its ruined my trust a little, would u say that it's normal to charge £5 for 3 windows at front?
My father in law was a window cleaner by trade also and my husband says that I may have difficulty getting another wc cos this will be his round but surely I'm the customer so I must be able to decide who cleans my windows??!!

It's not a case of sticking up for anyone.
In fact, because I know how many window cleaners view these things, I did try to offer some helpful suggestions (which may or may not be appropriate depending on your circumstances).
Yes, you do have the right to choose who will clean your windows.  No-one "owns" an area.
However, the window cleaner also has the right (even duty) to his family to decide whether the circumstances on a job affect the viability of a small part of his business.  If you get a few jobs where you have to find people home, the messing about can really knock the income down.

As for charging for a full clean when only the front was done, my view is that would be wrong unless it was agreed to by you at the outset.  I wouldn't do it myself.  However, having said that, I wouldn't put myself in that position in the first place.  When I quote a job and it looks like there may be an access issue, I do discuss this with the potential customer.  Sometimes I get a gate key (or the promise of one).  Sometimes they will tell me the number of their gate combi lock.  Sometimes we agree on a pre-arranged hiding place for a gate key.  But sometimes, they will not be prepared to do any of the above so I decline to quote.  There may be times when I can put them in touch with another W/C in those circumstances but only if I'm acquainted with a fairly new start-up.  The guys who've been doing it a long time are less likely to take work with access problems.

I may be visiting Darlow in September/October as my nephew lives there.  If so and you need a clean done, maybe we can discuss something purely on a 1 off basis (I have WFP).

[Moderator David@stives]

dg

There are still loads of window cleaners who will phone you the night before.

Dave

[vwm]

i give customers terms and conditions and should they not like them then they need to find another w/c.

as for the full charge one of my conditions is should i not be able to gain access then i will do all i can and still charge the full amount but then again the customer will already know this so not a problem.

i have droped customers who have said only tops today thx and refuse to pay full amount, i look at it like this they contacted me to clean their windows, agreed on the 5 weekly price, and signed to to say that they wish to be part of my round so why should i lose out in aday just because they dont want all the work done ( i go away and dont live in my house for two weeks but i dont get anything knocked of my c/tax for not being there). i have daily figures to meet.

i do have a few customers who have stated that their windows get done every two weeks. should it be tipping down that day the windows will still get done.

[Paul Coleman]

dg

There are still loads of window cleaners who will phone you the night before.

Dave

I'm sure you're right Dave.  But I wonder how many would continue to do so once they have a full round of customers where they don't need to do that.  Also, from what dg wrote, I don't think this is a case of phone the night before so that the gate is left unlocked.  It seems like it's more a case of phone up in advance to arrange a day and possibly a time when dg will be home.  Those two things are quite different to me and I'm sure you will appreciate that difference.

[KarlJones]

yeh I know I am outnumbered here and u guys are all gonna stick up for the window cleaner

It is not that.  There are basically two ends of a spectrum for window cleaners.  Those that need lots more work and those that do not.  At one end they will do anything to get a job and at the other end you need to be the perfect customer.  As the window cleaner goes through his career he moves from the desperate end and gets more and more picky until he is so booked up you have little or no chance.

As you want someone who is not picky, you naturally want someone from the desperate end of the spectrum.  The best bet for you is to post cards in local shop windows and hope that you get some local person who is just starting up and needs the money come rain or snow.  But I promise, if he is any good then he will move up the spectrum and eventually will phase you out.  Not a problem if you do not mind changing window cleaners often.

If you want to keep a good window cleaner, then you have to be a good customer and provide either the access or the cash!

[vwm]

well said karl

[Paul Coleman]

yeh I know I am outnumbered here and u guys are all gonna stick up for the window cleaner

It is not that.  There are basically two ends of a spectrum for window cleaners.  Those that need lots more work and those that do not.  At one end they will do anything to get a job and at the other end you need to be the perfect customer.  As the window cleaner goes through his career he moves from the desperate end and gets more and more picky until he is so booked up you have little or no chance.

As you want someone who is not picky, you naturally want someone from the desperate end of the spectrum.  The best bet for you is to post cards in local shop windows and hope that you get some local person who is just starting up and needs the money come rain or snow.  But I promise, if he is any good then he will move up the spectrum and eventually will phase you out.  Not a problem if you do not mind changing window cleaners often.

If you want to keep a good window cleaner, then you have to be a good customer and provide either the access or the cash!

That is an excellent and accurate summary Karl.
I only take on work which will enhance my business or at least sustain it.
I will not take on work that will start pulling it back to the messing about I had in the first few years.

[dai]

dg

There are still loads of window cleaners who will phone you the night before.

Dave

This is true, but for a job worth a fiver? Dai

[Clive McDonald]

dAI,
She lost faith in them because they didn't do the back, and STILL wanted £5.
But when challanged they did settle for £3.
Some people?

Lets hope she has better luck with her next window cleaner.Unfortunatley I live too far away to quote.