Best way to deal with none payers?

[spruce]

Apart from those odd big commercial amounts, we as normal run of the mill window cleaners (me) doing mainly residential don't have many bad debts and most of them are small. We don't let a debt rack up beyond 2 cleans and new customers only once. (They have to prove themselves credit worthy to us as well.)

I had a property owner on the books once - I used to clean his late mothers flat. He has a flat that he rented out to a young lady. Before she moved in he replaced the kitchen for her and completely redecorated. Then she stopped paying the rent and he went through the normal process of eviction and trying to get his money back. When they finally evicted her, he found the kitchen had been 'gutted' - the complete kitchen was removed and gone. She had also done untold damage to the rest of the flat.

Six months later she phones him up asking if he has a flat to rent.

When I think of his experience, we are generally pretty fortunate really.

 

[Wind o kleen]

Cash only , that way I don’t have to pay the tax man,, 

only joking but cash is good when left in a safe place, I do recommend it when jobs need text, but if not gocardless / direct back payment 

have had few say will you call back on the evening, NOPE 

 

[dazmond]

do you guys have a lot of problems with customers not paying??

i usually have to write off £50-£100 every year in bad debt but this is usually because a customer has died owing me money or moved away without telling me NOT because they refuse to pay me.......only £8 this year written off(customer died)up to now....

i let some cheaper  4 weekly cleans go to 2 or 3 cleans,6,8 weekly and longer frequencies one clean before requesting payment.....

 

[ks789]

Im not recommending this particularly, but years ago when I was younger and doing some traditional, I had one that wouldnt pay etc. Anyway, it was local to me, and as was passing just put ladder up and covered a dirty scrim with mud water and plastered it over the upstairs window. Bit impulsive, but I was a little sod in my younger days, and wasn't prepared to let them have a free clean. was a ? back then. Nowdays im a ? and would prob just give up after a while and

 

[BigFoot]

No GoCardless no window clean at all, yes as above people can cancel or dispute but when it's less than 1% out of 100's of clients and 1,000's of payments  it's far less hassle and it's only happened once in over 4 years, typically people won't sign up to a direct debit unless they want a regular service @BigFoot I am guessing in your case they have hit money troubles and instead of been upfront and decent they thought it best to try and rip you off.

Im a fan of GoCardless and hope to transfer my entire round to it as I hope to expand and take on staff I see it as a way to lower my risk to being ripped off by staff etc.

Of all the money collection methods including cash I find it by far the best and easiest to manage. Unfortunately because of the direct debit guarantee anyone fraudulent  can reclaim money you have already earned as happened to Me however this is the first time in over several thousands of transactions. I tend to agree with you though the customer probably hit hard times and riped me off. It feels different to a non payment and more like theft as the money came out of my next scheduled payment from GC. Anyway, I’ll get it back it’s just a pain.

so people reading this don’t be put off by GC because it’s the nutts but don’t be fooled bad people always find an angle to screw you on.

 

[Iron Giant]

Im a fan of GoCardless and hope to transfer my entire round to it as I hope to expand and take on staff I see it as a way to lower my risk to being ripped off by staff etc.

Of all the money collection methods including cash I find it by far the best and easiest to manage. Unfortunately because of the direct debit guarantee anyone fraudulent  can reclaim money you have already earned as happened to Me however this is the first time in over several thousands of transactions. I tend to agree with you though the customer probably hit hard times and riped me off. It feels different to a non payment and more like theft as the money came out of my next scheduled payment from GC. Anyway, I’ll get it back it’s just a pain.

so people reading this don’t be put off by GC because it’s the nutts but don’t be fooled bad people always find an angle to screw you on.

I am not bothered about having my whole round(s) on GC as there will be for quite some time yet be cash payers such as the retired with an age range typically of 70 years old and upwards. 

 

[Chris33]

I am not bothered about having my whole round(s) on GC as there will be for quite some time yet be cash payers such as the retired with an age range typically of 70 years old and upwards. 

Mate the older generation will surprise you. Had 80 year old women sign up, and I highlight this to the younger generation who moan about "giving out bank details" etc. Which ofcourse they are not giving out anyway, cos its encrypted.

 

[Iron Giant]

Mate the older generation will surprise you. Had 80 year old women sign up, and I highlight this to the younger generation who moan about "giving out bank details" etc. Which ofcourse they are not giving out anyway, cos its encrypted.

My oldest is in his 70's but I usually don't have an issue with sign up's other than potential messers who don't sign up after been provided with a quote. 

 

[Rickadoo]

I have just suspended 2 customers for non payment ( 4 cleans unpaid). Spoke to them in person. Called at house. No £. Left envelope for cheque. Bank details. One of them asked  me for bank details 4 times and been given them 4 times. I also do their neighbours so theres no excuse for non payment. One also promised to drop money at my home ( which I don’t like but it’d do). Looked into go cardless. My business is a partnership and they don’t do partnerships. Anyway I did work out that if all my customers were on GC I’d be paying £80+ a month in fees so I probs wouldn’t do that anyway. 

 

[Iron Giant]

I have just suspended 2 customers for non payment ( 4 cleans unpaid). Spoke to them in person. Called at house. No £. Left envelope for cheque. Bank details. One of them asked  me for bank details 4 times and been given them 4 times. I also do their neighbours so theres no excuse for non payment. One also promised to drop money at my home ( which I don’t like but it’d do). Looked into go cardless. My business is a partnership and they don’t do partnerships. Anyway I did work out that if all my customers were on GC I’d be paying £80+ a month in fees so I probs wouldn’t do that anyway. 

I pay around £30 a month in GC fees and when I compare that to what i was paying in in vehicle running costs spending 6 hrs on average every week collecting  plus fuel costs and vehicle wear and tear and depreciation,  I knock off around 4pm and almost get to forget about my business no chasing debt and wondering when my money might be coming in, I am in my 5th year with GC and have never looked back.

 

[Rickadoo]

I pay around £30 a month in GC fees and when I compare that to what i was paying in in vehicle running costs spending 6 hrs on average every week collecting  plus fuel costs and vehicle wear and tear and depreciation,  I knock off around 4pm and almost get to forget about my business no chasing debt and wondering when my money might be coming in, I am in my 5th year with GC and have never looked back.

Fair play. Totally makes sense.