[gaza]

Ive just beem informed that a new window cleaner has appeared on my patch and is 1.50p cheaper than my lowest price. Im wfp and its taking me ages to get round my round,cus havent got a trolly yet and the houses I do have long gardens so its all long hose work.

MY PROBLEM IS should I (This first option is removed by moderator as it's WRONG (it involved violence and there's no place for that on this forum)).
report him to h/s/e for working of ladders only
tell the tax office
tell social
tell anybody who will listen
(Moderator:  This one also hints at violence; therefore removed)
or should I shake his hand {throat} (Moderator:  dodgy - but will leave it for the humour content) for taking the food of my plate.

Im complying with all h/s issues so why should a cowboy cleaner come and steal my legal work. and dissapear in winter

Ive never grassed anyone for anything in my life but this is war or starvation.
my question is with the Goverment bringing in these new guide lines is anyone policing them cowboys.
Im sorry to say that ladder workers[ladder against the wall no safety devices guys] are beging to get up my nose.
MOST OF THEM iVE SPOKEN TO MAKING THEM AWERE OF THE NEW GUIDE LINES ,are arrogant know it alls who dont give a monkeys behind to the regs.that leaves me in the position Im facing now.

What would you do.[back to ladders v wfp again] execpt wfpolers have more clout now.

NO OFFENCE MEANT TO GENUINE LADDER USERS{COMPLYING WITH REGS.

 GAZA

[Northern_Cleaning]

no such thing as "your patch" business is business

[easycleanwindows]

sorry have to agree with northern some of my rounds have three window cleaners on at any one time we all get on good as gold

ps there are more windows than there are window cleaners

[gaza]

okay you two : tell me where your round is ILL be up tommorrow to take your work off you okay.
 
I had a lad start on my area a few months ago,welcomed him
all bright and shiney ladders ,and stepladder?

Gave him tips,now dogged his squeezy for him,told him to get rid of stepladders as they are very dangerous.we get on like a house on fire. told him my lowest price to give him an idea,
CARNT BE NO FAIRER THAN THAT CAN ONE?

GAZA

[Paul Coleman]

Ive just beem informed that a new window cleaner has appeared on my patch and is 1.50p cheaper than my lowest price. Im wfp and its taking me ages to get round my round,cus havent got a trolly yet and the houses I do have long gardens so its all long hose work.

MY PROBLEM IS should I knock him out.
report him to h/s/e for working of ladders only
tell the tax office
tell social
tell anybody who will listen
stand at the bottom of his ladder when Ifind him and give it a shake

or should I shake his hand {throat} for taking the food of my plate.

Im complying with all h/s issues so why should a cowboy cleaner come and steal my legal work. and dissapear in winter

Ive never grassed anyone for anything in my life but this is war or starvation.
my question is with the Goverment bringing in these new guide lines is anyone policing them cowboys.
Im sorry to say that ladder workers[ladder against the wall no safety devices guys] are beging to get up my nose.
MOST OF THEM iVE SPOKEN TO MAKING THEM AWERE OF THE NEW GUIDE LINES ,are arrogant know it alls who dont give a monkeys behind to the regs.that leaves me in the position Im facing now.

What would you do.[back to ladders v wfp again] execpt wfpolers have more clout now.

NO OFFENCE MEANT TO GENUINE LADDER USERS{COMPLYING WITH REGS.

 GAZA

Well for starters I don't regard any area as my "patch" but I wouldn't be tooimpressed if someone started targetting my customers.  Having said that, if you supply a good service and are reliable, it's unlikely that you will lose many if at all.  If you do lose any, you're better off without them.
I lost a lot of work last year through being unreliable.  Not my fault but I had a bad illness that went on a long time.  Some of the customers I lost are drifting back to me now.  I charge them more.  In the long term, this poacher might end up doing you a favour.  When he becomes ancient history (usually a few weeks after the weather turns cold) and the customers swallow their pride and ask you to return, put the price up.

[williamx]

Gaza

Don't let it worry you and carry on how you are.

Just keep on trying to get more work which is paying more than this estate is, so when the other cleaner has either fallen off his ladder or done a bunk and you past customers beg for you to take them back on.

Thats when revenge is sweet.

[marc al]

  Everyone is free to look for work where ever, if he is actually asking your prices and then offering to do it for less then he isn't actually under cutting intentionaly, if that is the case I would have a word with him, otherwise just tell him he is under cutting himself.
   As for using ladders, I am still under the impression that there is no law against using a ladder on domestic properties, I use both ladder and pole, whichever is the quicker method for the individual job.

[gaza]

Shinner and William : YEAH KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SAYIG IS QUITE CORRECT, but trying to play by the rules isnt getting me anywhere,so many around here are either working illegal or not complying is it the same throughout the UK I ask myself ?
 GAZA

[s.hughes]

HI gaza
When this happens to me which dosnt happen often I always tell the customer that there is always somebody who will do the job cheaper. However I'm reliable and have to pay insurance to protect your property while I work on it and if I loose any customers down to a cheaper price then I never take them on again.
Tell them that if somebody is doing it cheaper than your cheapest then they wouldnt last long.
All of this I am sure you would know.

Some years ago I turn up on one of my roads and was told by most of my customers that they had a new w/c and was shocked to see me. It turns out that a w/c company had been round and told everyone that I had given up and would they like this new company to carry on. Of course when me customers found out that this had been a lie they came straight back to me.
Now how do you think that made me feel?

By the way Marc. If this new w/c asks what the price is of the current w/c and then offers it for less is undercutting. I dont know how you can see it any other way.
I am with you on the ladders though. I am going over to wfp but only on some jobs, most my work is not suitable for wfp and I am still very safe on a ladder(as safe as can be)


Steveyboy

[williamx]

When money is involved and its quite easy to get then you do get the mingers who try to suckup as much of it as possible.

If they are on benefits I believe the goverment pay £100 (someone told me this was the figure though not to sure) for every reliable tip off.

You could end up making a living off this, say when its raining

[Paul Coleman]

Shinner and William : YEAH KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SAYIG IS QUITE CORRECT, but trying to play by the rules isnt getting me anywhere,so many around here are either working illegal or not complying is it the same throughout the UK I ask myself ?
 GAZA

I suppose it could be said that I'm not complying either - though I'm not totally clear on what the law is as I've seen a few interpretations.  I think that so long as I'm ensuring that the ladder is safe, then I am complying.  I use ladder mitts for the top of the ladder and, if I judge that there may be some risk from slippage at the bottom of the ladder, then I use damp heavy duty oven cloth under it.  I find that on damp patios, it works better than a ladder stopper.  On certain jobs I use a 4 metre double point ladder as there is no safe way to use an ordinary ladder on certain windows.
I have experienced a couple of near-misses and I don't take safety lightly.  Sometimes I will use a pole (not water-fed) on certain windows if conditions make it unsafe to use a ladder.
Because you have asked (and ONLY because you have asked) I would say DON'T grass him up.  I do believe in what goes around comes around.  If you grassed on him, it would probably make you feel bad at some level.

[gaza]

  Everyone is free to look for work where ever, if he is actually asking your prices and then offering to do it for less then he isn't actually under cutting intentionaly, if that is the case I would have a word with him, otherwise just tell him he is under cutting himself.
   As for using ladders, I am still under the impression that there is no law against using a ladder on domestic properties, I use both ladder and pole, whichever is the quicker method for the individual job.

yes hes been asking my prices, 5 squid for 6 windows and 2 doors isnt a bad price up here but for3,50p for the same work is not livable on unless your on the dole as well
EVERYONE IS ABLE TO LOOK FOR WORK IN THE EEC.its because of them that Im now finding myself in this position,me using wfp them using ladders against regs.
RE domestic ladder use, the regs apply to them as well.OR ELSE THE TRADE MAGS AVE GOT IT WRONG
 GAZA

[Davindo Cleana]

If you are providing a good service - good timekeeping - good rapport with customers and doing a decent job of cleaning, how many customers do you seriously think you are going to lose - I think you ought to give yourself a bit more credit and don't even think about the new guy

[gaza]

Davindo : GOT ALL OF THOSE : execpt time keeping, along way behind for first time in 4 yrs on this estate change over period.TO WFP, MAYBE DOING TO GOOD A JOB,I feel as though the rug has been pulled from under my feet,cus hes also telling them hes taken over the round customer just informed me.THE HELL HE IS.
 GAZA

[Mike_G]

If he is only charging £3.50 a house, he might not do them for long then charge extra when they next ask you.

[easycleanwindows]

okay you two : tell me where your round is ILL be up tommorrow to take your work off you okay.

if your customers are going with the other guy then they arnt worth having.

i clean for a company and i do it for £150.oo per month.

Another wfp user went there last week and said hed do it for £50.00 they told him where to go as "me" goes back on time,reliable,polite? so he didnt get them.

Also i clean a house for a well know media person £200.00 per month and they had the same thing happen they were told where to go by the estate manager didnt cate they said they would do it cheaper .They aint worth having if they defect to someone else and when they call you back in a few months then tripple your orriginal price.

[*strawman69]

as long as he isnt poaching your work and undercutting you ide let him get on with it but if he steals any of your customers then 'speak to him strongly about it' (Mod changed advice slightly - you lot have been on the Carling!).
good luck

[Davindo Cleana]

Gaza, if he's making out that he has taken over the round, that's totally devious - makes it seem less likely that he is legit - don't think I would be too happy either

[Ian_Giles]

If he is actively poaching your work, and even saying that he is taking over your round, then write (or get someone to do it for you) a very profesional looking letter thats spells out what is happening. Deliver this to all of your customers, but don't name him! And be careful with the wording.
Don't let any anger show in what you put on paper, be factual, point out the pitfalls of this type of unprofesional conduct.
Point out your prices are competitive and fair, that you are regular and have been going for a long time (however long that may be)
You are highly unlikely to lose more than a handful of accounts.

Also; Don't have any qualms about informing the DHSS, if he's a dole cheat he deserves to be shopped.

If you actually catch him working then have a word with him, point out that you don't mind competition and tell in no uncertain fashion that you will be an unhappy bunny if he aproaches your customers again and tells them that he is taking over your round

Leave out the violence, that can backfire on you, a brawling window cleaner is not going to enamour to any customers you have who get to hear of it


Regards,

Ian
 

[gaza]

IAN; I now know why they call this forum cleanitup,the mods cleanup everything put on here  aving a lauff

IAN something wrong with you font everything is in red 

IT MUST BE NICE TO BE AT PEACE WITH ONES SELF ALL THE TIME
WATCH OUT:a guy like this could be coming to a place near you shortly.

Ive not sacrificed 4 yrs of not aving a holiday for some clampit to bounce of me.

will you send a food parcel to the needy and  desperate?
GAZA