[simon knight]

I have one custie (given to me by my brother) who insists on keeping the gate locked even though he knows when I'm coming. (He used to do it to my brother as well). He hasn't worked out yet how I still clean the rears .
He has a wrought iron gate that he padlocks with a chain, he doesn't realise that I just lift the gate off its hinges

Subloodyperb 

[suds window service]

i never climb gates either, i call the night before for them to unlock the gate if there padlocked, or if there only bolted at the bottom i have a 4ft trad pole with a ring spanner attatched to the end, and i stand on my steps reach over with the pole and pull the bolt undone.

now that's a good idea ,don't mind if i borrow that one do you?

[Gaby P.]

Well if you just consider the money and not the in connivance to yourself, just a dozen monthly customers on your books who keep there gate locked will eventually cost you a day in time lost over a year, assuming you are quick over the gates.

It’s up to you if you want to climb over your customer’s gates, but it’s not necessary.

We work in two's. Blimey, we must have lost at least 8 weeks this year from drinking tea, talking to customers and climbing over fences
What about all the biccies we've scoffed, doesn't bare thinking about. We could have had a new vehicle for all the time lost.

[Frankybadboy]

Well if you just consider the money and not the in connivance to yourself, just a dozen monthly customers on your books who keep there gate locked will eventually cost you a day in time lost over a year, assuming you are quick over the gates.

It’s up to you if you want to climb over your customer’s gates, but it’s not necessary.

We work in two's. Blimey, we must have lost at least 8 weeks this year from drinking tea, talking to customers and climbing over fences
What about all the biccies we've scoffed, doesn't bare thinking about. We could have had a new vehicle for all the time lost.

and thas why we do the job isnt it,just for that extra biscuit.

[cozy]

To put my humble opinion to this: If I had a window cleaner, and he is a decent standard, cleans well, gets the job done with no great drama, then I'm happy.
If however, I forget to leave my back gate open and only got my front windows cleaned, then got a call or note to say "Sorry you weren't in when I called and I couldn't do the back windows as you forgot to open your gate. You will still be charged the full price though". I may be tempted to drop my WC and get the next guy from down the road or in the Yellow Pages etc, and think "Goodbye" to my EX window cleaner.  Food for thought? What would you guys do?

[Gaby P.]

We work in two's. Blimey, we must have lost at least 8 weeks this year from drinking tea, talking to customers and climbing over fences
What about all the biccies we've scoffed, doesn't bare thinking about. We could have had a new vehicle for all the time lost.

and thas why we do the job isnt it,just for that extra biscuit.

Exactly