How many times have you been ripped off

[Dragbag]

How many times have you been ripped off..I think I'm in line to be...The story, was out canvassing yesterday and a guy wanted me just to clean one end of his house fascia and soffit board,no window cleaning I said I'm not going to just to one end of the house for 20 quid then he grumbled and I left, got a text from him this morning saying please could I have the windows cleaned this well for £30 every 8 weeks as well as the fascia and soffit board that he showed me for an additional £20...as a one off.the wife decided that she wanted a regular window cleaner now. I turn up and introduced myself to a very lovely young wife just like a little kitten, explained that I was going to clean the windows and the soffit board which husband asked me to do, so I get on with the job knock on the door to get paid I've got no money what's not even the cheque-book I say, no she says, I said you can pay me via pay M or PayPal. She said how much is it I showed her the text agreement between myself and her husband for £50 and she turned into A rattlesnake. she now has decided she don't want me to be a regular window cleaner because I'm too expensive I left a voice message for her husband saying that I need to be paid, and also texted him that he can pay me via paym or PayPal and has 24 hours. Just get a feeling I'm not going to see that money. Might be my first small claims court claim but I didn't get his second name so I might be screwed

 

[Marko067]

Fortunately it doesn't happen often but yes I've been caught a few times over the years. It's when the partner says, 'How much? Sorry, I'll give you this much because that's what I think it's worth,' that gets me.

 

[The tattood one]

Lost count....just walk away

 

[steve garwood]

Had a customer earlier this year that owed me £80. When I went round there, they had moved! About a month later, I'm working on the next doors house, and am chatting to the Gardner who I'm quite friendly with. Told him the situation, he then tells me he has his mobile number as he did his gardens and also that the ex customer has a shop in Greenwich, which isn't a million miles from me.

On the blower I get

Me 'can we get this money settled please'

Him 'sure were up to date'

Me 'you know your not'

Him 'well we've moved now, so that's the end of the matter as far as I'm concerned'

Me 'im going to send you my banking details, if the money isn't in within 7 days, I'll be having an interesting visit to your shop in Greenwich'. End the call.

Money paid in the next day /emoticons/smile.png.

So annoying as this geezer is minted

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

If your in the hood just ask the postie the surname. They usually oblige.

You dont actuallt need his last name. you have evidence in the text.

Send him a text invoice for £50. and politely state of not paid as agreed on 7 days you'll file a claim and he will be liable for the £25 cost ontop.

If he dont pay file online. Takes 10 mins and they always pay prior to the court dates.

 

[Poles Apart]

Been done lots of times, the best way of dealing with this is get yourself an old wfp brush, you know the ones you apply mechanical Grease to? It would be inappropriate of me to advocate any possible revenge actions though.

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

It would be inappropriate of me to advocate any possible revenge actions though.

Yes it would as any action that results in the other party incuring expense to make good is an act of criminal damage and you would be liable.

 

[Carlwindy]

Been done lots of times, the best way of dealing with this is get yourself an old wfp brush, you know the ones you apply mechanical Grease to? It would be inappropriate of me to advocate any possible revenge actions though.

I've gone over windows with a soapy applicator a few times and just left them /emoticons/wink.png

 

[CHWS]

If your in the hood just ask the postie the surname. They usually oblige.
You dont actuallt need his last name. you have evidence in the text.

Send him a text invoice for £50. and politely state of not paid as agreed on 7 days you'll file a claim and he will be liable for the £25 cost ontop.

If he dont pay file online. Takes 10 mins and they always pay prior to the court dates.

What happens if you only have a first name or even no name

 

[David K]

Rarely , but once an old guy , good custy , Always handed me a can of beer with the money , stopped paying, and i wondered ... Then one Day at the cemetary i Visited ( a friends kid Got killed on a moped at 17) then i realized a fresh grave a guy , with my custys name on the headstone ... Thats where my money was ! :sad: Nice guy He was ..

 

[C Rose Cleaning Services]

I've only had this twice in 12 years so I guess I'm lucky:

First one said she was disappointed because it had only taken me three hours which is less time than she expected for the price. AKA nothing wrong with it but begrudged paying my fee. I argued and argued with her until her husband came out. They asked me to come back the next day once they had a chat. They didn't answer again so I left it and cancelled them.

I learned my lesson to be more stubborn after that and also better prepared - every new customer I take on I take their name and a contact number so I can text them and chase which is much more efficient anyway.

The second one asked me to do a clear and clean gutter job or £90. Prior to agreeing we had discussed just a basic clear (chuck the gutter mess in one of their bushes and be done). That was priced at £40. Agreed to the more expensive clean, let me do it but went out for a few hours. Left her a note saying to transfer £107 (gutters+windows) and she phoned me in a huff saying she hadn't asked for that service etc etc and I should 'accept I misunderstood and discount it'. I just spoke to her politely and said, "I don't make mistakes with peoples money - for their benefit and the sake of my reputation. I'm sorry you didn't understand what you had asked for but the time I spent at your house could've been spent earning money elsewhere and I have bills to pay". She paid, begrudgingly though, but I stood my ground on that occasion. She has been fine ever since.

My two experiences change my mentality though and I always always confirm a price and a payment arrangement (will it be cash on completion, BACS etc) and specify that payment is expected within 3 days. Every 3 days after that I send a text to chase or an email reminder until they pay. Some people are slower than others but I usually get all my cash by the middle of the next week at the latest unless they're away.

I guess the lesson is to make sure people know what they're asking and that you aren't a free service. Go straight to small claims if they don't pay - as Green said you have the text acknowledging the cost and agreeing to the work so you'll get your money in the end.

Still though doesn't stop these kinds of people being complete and utter w******

Good luck pal

 

[C Rose Cleaning Services]

Rarely , but once an old guy , good custy , Always handed me a can of beer with the money , stopped paying, and i wondered ... Then one Day at the cemetary i Visited ( a friends kid Got killed on a moped at 17) then i realized a fresh grave a guy , with my custys name on the headstone ... Thats where my money was ! :sad: Nice guy He was ..

Did you rob the grave to see if he had been buried with any jewels for your fee? hehe

 

[Patrick Flaherty]

Shame them....

Type a letter out, photocopy and put one through their door and one through the door of every property in their road with their name and house number on.....you might NOT get your money but you will feel better !!!

 

[Dragbag]

UPDATE !! got payed:thumbsup: didnt have use small claims as a threat:whew: so all"s well.

 

[Daz]

I've gone over windows with a soapy applicator a few times and just left them /emoticons/wink.png

Hi I've been robbed a few times, and I thought about applicating the top windows of non payers, but Mrs said I will get a bad name, so didn't bother. What I do now is when I get. New custy I always charge at least three times the price. Then when they don't pay I don't care because I've charged before hand

 

[dredge3]

I didn't get any problems for a few years. Then had loads do it to me. One off cleans, then no pay. Some say "O have you cleaned them " I sent you a text etc. Some pay first clean then nothing second. never reply to texts. I cant be driving all over town trying to get money. I never let it go more than 1 clean with new customers.

Thought about an egg hitting top windows, but cctv is all over. One of my customers cameras vanished. He said he has new hidden ones. I have looked and looked, cant see squat. It puts me off doing a ride by on my bike /emoticons/smile.png

 

[jason1965]

Easiest way to get someones details is to take the car reg, i have a couple of customers who are coppers, i had a problem with a customer who moved, i rang the copper gave him the car reg, 10 mins later had all the details. SORTED

 

[adamangler]

George show me that I've lost over 200 quid in the last two years. mostly a tenner or so here and there.

I just cut my loses and send out a threatening small clamims letter and hope.

Never actually gone thru with small claim because in many cases there is no proof I don't know if it would stick.

 

[Daz]

I've lost over £160 over 7years. what I do now when a potential customer comes up to me, I ask them how long it's been since they were last cleaned. they tell you a couple of months, when in there area I take a look, and it's more six months since been cleaned. I tell them £20 first clean, with payment upfront. You find out the genuine ones will pay

 

[Chris33]

@Dragbag fire that mobile number into the fb search bar, if he is on fb with that phone number..hay presto you'll have his full name

 

[Daz]

I didn't get any problems for a few years. Then had loads do it to me. One off cleans, then no pay. Some say "O have you cleaned them " I sent you a text etc. Some pay first clean then nothing second. never reply to texts. I cant be driving all over town trying to get money. I never let it go more than 1 clean with new customers.Thought about an egg hitting top windows, but cctv is all over. One of my customers cameras vanished. He said he has new hidden ones. I have looked and looked, cant see squat. It puts me off doing a ride by on my bike /emoticons/smile.png

I had a woman come up to me who wanted a one off clean and offers me £10, like that would cover it. I told here I don't do one offs, cheeky ***** I wanted £20 the windows were minging. She couldn't believe I turned down £10 for a three bed semi.