[dai]

I an seriously thinking of dropping all younger customers in rented accommodation. Most of the problems I have are with this section of the community. They are by far the worst payers and are really so hard faced about it.
I had  a customer cancel today by leaving a note stuck on my trolley, whilst I was round the back of another house across the road. As she had not paid for last time I went and knocked her door, no answer.
Later I noticed her light was on so went back. She didn't want to pay, she said that she wanted to cancel last time but had not seen me. She was trying to justify not paying because she couldn't find me last time to cancel before I did them.
Can you believe that? We had an agreement to clean the windows monthly. How could she possibly justify that to herself. Give me a round full of honest O,A,Ps anytime.
Buy to let landlords are ruining some really good estates. Dai
PS, I got my money.

[windowwashers]

I an seriously thinking of dropping all younger customers in rented accommodation. Most of the problems I have are with this section of the community. They are by far the worst payers and are really so hard faced about it.
I had  a customer cancel today by leaving a note stuck on my trolley, whilst I was round the back of another house across the road. As she had not paid for last time I went and knocked her door, no answer.
Later I noticed her light was on so went back. She didn't want to pay, she said that she wanted to cancel last time but had not seen me. She was trying to justify not paying because she couldn't find me last time to cancel before I did them.
Can you believe that? We had an agreement to clean the windows monthly. How could she possibly justify that to herself. Give me a round full of honest O,A,Ps anytime.
Buy to let landlords are ruining some really good estates. Dai
PS, I got my money.

good on you Dai, I would have charged her more for late payment aswell some people are just plain cheeky.

[johnny_h]

i never never clean the windows of a rented property

[Tosh]

Dai,

I agree.

I used to clean a lot of houses at our local army married quarter estate which comprised of mostly young couples living in rented accommodation.

They were a ruddy nightmare and in the end I dropped the lot and now refuse to work there.

I'm not exactly anti-squaddie; I used to be a squaddie living in that very estate.

Older customers are generally far better; but there's always the exception to the rule.

[Blackbushe Windows]

Glad you got your money Dai,


Peter

[Tosh]

i never never clean the windows of a rented property

Do you ask to see the deeds of the house?  How would you know if it was rented or not?  There's some posh houses round here that're rented; one of my customers pays £1200 a month in rent (though he has a house in London and work makes him live here), and it's a nice £25 monthly clean for me.  Good customer too.

[Wayne Thomas]

I avoid new starter homes and where there are new-ish (5-10 year old) estates with 3 bed semi's with all the for sale signs plastered in the street. Just not worth the hassle. Prefer established homes where the gardens have matured.

[HIGH LEVEL WINDOW CLEANERS (scrimmy)]

I avoid new starter homes and where there are new-ish (5-10 year old) estates with 3 bed semi's with all the for sale signs plastered in the street. Just not worth the hassle. Prefer established homes where the gardens have matured.

i actively seek the new estates out......90 percent of my work infact........although i agree if there are estates reputed for bad elements in the area i would give it a wide berth..........but i concentrate on them as you are guaranteed 90 percent of the cash....and if you are doing 150 houses in one estate at 6 quid each then you get a decent return....and there is less driving around the place for 10 or 20 quid jobs......if you are good you can do ten 6 quiders an hour..if you are average you can do 7 an hour.......if you are brilliant you can do 12.....if you have guys working for you, you can...you get the picture.....compact work pays better.

[johnny_h]

i never never clean the windows of a rented property

Do you ask to see the deeds of the house?  How would you know if it was rented or not?  There's some posh houses round here that're rented; one of my customers pays £1200 a month in rent (though he has a house in London and work makes him live here), and it's a nice £25 monthly clean for me.  Good customer too.

tosh there is usually for rent sign outside the property on the estates i work on or if asked to do a clean i ask if they have bought the property 99% of the time they tell you they have rented

[Wayne Thomas]

I avoid new starter homes and where there are new-ish (5-10 year old) estates with 3 bed semi's with all the for sale signs plastered in the street. Just not worth the hassle. Prefer established homes where the gardens have matured.

i actively seek the new estates out......90 percent of my work infact........although i agree if there are estates reputed for bad elements in the area i would give it a wide berth..........but i concentrate on them as you are guaranteed 90 percent of the cash....and if you are doing 150 houses in one estate at 6 quid each then you get a decent return....and there is less driving around the place for 10 or 20 quid jobs......if you are good you can do ten 6 quiders an hour..if you are average you can do 7 an hour.......if you are brilliant you can do 12.....if you have guys working for you, you can...you get the picture.....compact work pays better.

I get the picture. Been there and done it, but too many customers are tenants who move out without paying, too much hassle trying to get the money in from them. Not reliable. I'd rather have a lower average price per hour that's full of prompt paying, honest customers than a very high hourly rate with terrible payers. A very good price on paper for a job is a naff job if you don't get paid

[Tim Rose]

Heads up.

I have a custy who I have grown to dislike quite a lot for a few reasons - I wouldn't put it any stronger than that.

But today, I gave them too much change - like £10 too much, but I didn't notice... until he called me back and corrected me!

My confidence in him has been restored, and I see the whole thing in a different light.

I'm much more likely to do a bit more than expected on future visits because of ths honesty. As they say, what goes around comes around.

[dave0123]

I clean a house thats a rented property! and in there contract it says they have to have a window cleaner! they also pay too!

I was told by the owner if theres any problems or them trying to stop you give her a ring shel sort em out 

[Blackbushe Windows]

It's definatelt true that older custy's tend to be more reliable - less affected by interest rates too!

Peter

[Londoner]

Rented properties round our way, even quite big houses in posh roads, are often rented by Housing Assns, Social Services or the Council.
A lot of the council houses were sold off in the 80s under the right to buy scheme.

People made fortunes, my good friend Bob bought his Mum and Dads house for £15,000  even then it was worth over £100,000. When they died he sold it for over £300,000.

As a result the councils rent a lot of  the houses they use from private landlords. So called Housing Associations, who just exist on public money but are less accountable do the same.
Because we are only ten miles from Heathrow Airport we get all the Assylum Seekers who come in through there and they all have to be housed at the expense of the local council. (me! in other words)
Rented accomodation is really changing the charachter of the area. I only have one customer who I know is renting and he's an RAF officer.

[supernova77]

It's definatelt true that older custy's tend to be more reliable - less affected by interest rates too!

Peter

I agree!

A lot (not all) of my "younger" customers you can tell are living on credit. They have normal run of the mill jobs, but have a flash car each and a larger house than they really need (and can really afford)... When a financial crunch comes they are the first to drop you!

Andy

[Londoner]

I was dropped with no explaination before christmas by a woman I had been cleaning for some time. In that time she had had three new Honda CRVs each one traded in when the new registration came out. She only drove about 5 miles to work so they were doing no miles and they weren't company cars.
They went to Florida on holiday about twice a year. Then suddenly she doesn't want her windows cleaned any more.  Sounds to me like she was living way beyond her means.