Cleaning upstairs flat.

[Derek1971]

Hi Everyone, 

Some advice please. I clean the windows on a upstairs flat. Every time I do it, the lady in the downstairs flat comes out and says that she's just had here cleaned and we made them dirty again with all the splashes from upstairs. I honestly don't think she has a cleaner and is just after a free clean, but she always threatens to give us a bad review etc.

What would the best course of action be?

Thank you in advance.

 

[Part Timer]

You'll get various answers to this, we do a couple and initially the ground floor complained so we wiped them down when they came out. We also said that it doesn't make any difference, gave them a card for them to ring us if there was a problem. We've never had to wipe them down in years and never had a complaint.  

 

[Den]

I have never had that problem, but if that was the case I would drop the flat not worth the hassle. 

 

[Pjj]

I always ask who they complain to when it rains ? It’s up to you either drop the job or just carry on  and say you cannot alter gravity sorry 

 

[Cleanteam South west]

We have a company policy of not doing flats, the only way that we may consider it is if downstairs will be having it done at the same time. 

 

[wezza13]

I always ask who they complain to when it rains ? It’s up to you either drop the job or just carry on  and say you cannot alter gravity sorry 

Same as you, I ask that too lol. Same as the odd person that moans about water remaining on the sill, I ask them if, every time it rains, they go out and wipe the excess water off...

 

[dazmond]

id dump the job if i kept getting hassle......i do around 30 granny flats on one section of my work but no ground floor tenants i dont clean complain......i think their all to old to complain or are just reasonable people......?

 

[chris clean]

I've only had this a couple of times and I do a few flats each month. But my response is same as @Pjj it's no different to when it rains so nothing I can do I'm afraid. I actually said to one guy if you love in a multi occupancy type place like a block of flats it's just something tondeal with. The ones I've had have just gone back inside no issues. I wouldn't pack up any job cos of this

 

[NoName]

I have couple upstairs flat's...since I've cleaned off dust/dirt from the windows and 'rinse' it onto the flat below - I accept it will likely make downstairs dirter (once it's dried) than before - hence I just rinse (not clean) the downstairs only takes a few mins more and  everyone's a happy...peace and harmony rule.

 

[Rickadoo]

Resuscitating this thread, I know but I was asked to do a flat the other day. Windows were literally furry. Hadn’t been done in a decade by the looks of them. It was one of those ones that you do them then go around them again just to be sure, they were that bad. Anyway after I’d done them once, was doing the flat next door when the old woman below the flat in question came out and said “you’ve made a right mess here mind!” I said, “it’s just water, you know it’ll be fine.” She said she pays someone to do her windows and she’s not happy I’ve got water all over them. She was also unhappy about me getting her plants wet. I said that it’s actually cleaner than rain. She wasn’t having it. “Well can you not use a ladder like a proper window cleaner. ? “ I had to stop myself from asking her what she did last month when it rained for 4 days. Anyway I even offered to do her flat for free this time and she said no it’s ok I have had em done. I said ok well I’ll just have to explain to your neighbour upstairs why I can’t do them.  I couldn’t go back in to finish the job so I ended up giving the customer a refund and telling her the deal is off. ?

 

[Davy G]

Resuscitating this thread, I know but I was asked to do a flat the other day. Windows were literally furry. Hadn’t been done in a decade by the looks of them. It was one of those ones that you do them then go around them again just to be sure, they were that bad. Anyway after I’d done them once, was doing the flat next door when the old woman below the flat in question came out and said “you’ve made a right mess here mind!” I said, “it’s just water, you know it’ll be fine.” She said she pays someone to do her windows and she’s not happy I’ve got water all over them. She was also unhappy about me getting her plants wet. I said that it’s actually cleaner than rain. She wasn’t having it. “Well can you not use a ladder like a proper window cleaner. ? “ I had to stop myself from asking her what she did last month when it rained for 4 days. Anyway I even offered to do her flat for free this time and she said no it’s ok I have had em done. I said ok well I’ll just have to explain to your neighbour upstairs why I can’t do them.  I couldn’t go back in to finish the job so I ended up giving the customer a refund and telling her the deal is off. ?

There's always a chance of hassle in that situation. We only do one flat now and it's on the ground floor. We won't take on upstairs work unless we have the ones beneath as well. I couldn't be doing with explaining and arguing. I did it for a while but not anymore.

 

[Marko067]

I haven't had many difficult neighbours of customers to deal with over the years but have had a few.  It's always a challenge to deal with especially when an agreeable neighbour moves out and a disagreeable one moves in.  The two most memorable confrontations I've had were where this had happened.  

My current approach when asked to do an upstairs flat is to tell them what is going to happen to the neighbour's windows as a result and then get them to explain it to their neighbour to feel them out.  If the potential new customer is reluctant to do that then I don't take the job on.  Sometimes they don't come back to me and sometimes they do with permission from their neighbour.

I don't think they should need permission; everyone has a right to have their windows cleaned. However, I don't see why I should have to deal with unreasonable and irate neighbours. I just want to go quietly about my days work.

 

[NewGuy]

Personally I will only do ground floor flats, unless the occupants below sign up. 

 

[Part Timer]

We do 2, 2nd floor, flats in the same block and don't do the flats below. Had a running argument with one "lady" on the ground floor who complained even though her windows had never been cleaned. She now acknowledges us when we clean the windows above.

Now I'd give them a card and say if they're dirty after they've dried give me a call and I'll sort it out. I very much doubt I'd get a call. 

 

[Master Jedi Alejandro]

We will rinse windows below if they say anything and find this keeps most of them happy. Or another trick is to offer to clean their windows but at a vastly reduced price. Not to the point your losing money, but to keep them happy.   

 

[scottish cleaning service]

I just put a plywood board up on their sill if I get any complaints. No way will I rinse their windows for free.

 

[J and S]

I had 4 x 3rd floor flats on two adjoining blocks that were well priced........packed them all in when 2 guys from the ground floor flats came out and complained......they told me I would not be able to see my van when doing the backs and also it would be a shame if my hose snagged on a knife whilst I was dragging it round there.

 

[Pjj]

I had 4 x 3rd floor flats on two adjoining blocks that were well priced........packed them all in when 2 guys from the ground floor flats came out and complained......they told me I would not be able to see my van when doing the backs and also it would be a shame if my hose snagged on a knife whilst I was dragging it round there.

Lol I would say crack on I have very good cctv covarage of the whole of the van and will be passing on the footage to the police , don’t let them try and intimidate you , oh and I do have very good cctv on the van by the way ??

 

[Master Jedi Alejandro]

I had 4 x 3rd floor flats on two adjoining blocks that were well priced........packed them all in when 2 guys from the ground floor flats came out and complained......they told me I would not be able to see my van when doing the backs and also it would be a shame if my hose snagged on a knife whilst I was dragging it round there.

To be honest you should have called the police there and then. Bang out threatening you like that!

 

[Part Timer]

To be honest you should have called the police there and then. Bang out threatening you like that!

I'd have smiled and just said but I know where you live.

 

[J and S]

You'd have done none of this......I have no cctv footage....the police wouldn't have bothered.....knowing where they live doesn't mend my van........I would have been looking over my shoulder every time I did them......I'd just solved the problem of having to trail up 3 flights of stairs in 2 blocks to put a card through their doors as well.