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Window cleaner payment

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2

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  • bluenoseam
    bluenoseam Posts: 4,612 Forumite
    Not all of them are like that - sorry to rub it in but ours are brilliant, the guys are genuine and most of the time will stand and have a bit of a natter on their rounds, always wash the windows properly with the proper tools & weather prevailing you can honestly mark the calendar by them, every other Monday usually sometime between 12-2pm (depending on who they've been gassing with!). £3.50 a time.

    makes me feel very lucky indeed!
    Retired member - fed up with the general tone of the place.
  • glossgal
    glossgal Posts: 438 Forumite
    I'd just say 'I noticed you didn't go round the back last time you were here so I've just paid you for the front if that's ok..' keep it quite casual to avoid a 'scene' but he'll get the message. I'd then make sure I was out when they came for the next lot of cash-they'll soon get bored and move on so I really wouldn't stew over it. My window cleaner stopped coming about three years ago-he kept getting the hump when you didn't have money on you even though he never called at regular times. Like I care, I can honestly say my windows don't look any different and I've not cleaned the upstairs ones since!
    "I always pass on good advice. It is the only thing to do with it. It is never of any use to oneself" -Oscar Wilde
  • tessie_bear
    tessie_bear Posts: 4,898 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Mortgage-free Glee!
    similar happened to us...when he knocked for his money i paid and told him i was cleaning my own windows in future due to the credit crunch...my oh was in the front room hiding
    onwards and upwards
  • kat74
    kat74 Posts: 84 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 8 April 2011 at 3:33PM
    Ah well - it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one who has had problems then!

    Thanks for the replies - I think I will 'man-up' and tell them what the problem is. And I'll stick to doing my own windows (or just leave them mucky!) from now on :o)
  • puppypants
    puppypants Posts: 1,033 Forumite
    When he calls for the money, ask him out of interest how much they would charge to clean just the top two panes of the front window, then pay him accordingly and explain that they were the only ones the cleaners did!!
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 12,492 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Dh does ours, my neighbour in an identical house has a window cleaner. The WC takes 8 minutes and charges £10!! Nice earner
  • ukjoel
    ukjoel Posts: 1,468 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    When we moved in our current place the OH got them in once but said it was for a one off.

    3 weeks later they are back - no knock on the door just start on the windows so I went out and said we didnt want them done.

    They said they had started so I had to pay them so I told them to get off the property.

    Cant think of many business models which work this way.

    Only the squeegee merchants at traffic lights and they are not exactly seen as valued professionals.
  • zzzLazyDaisy
    zzzLazyDaisy Posts: 12,497 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Gosh, I didn't realise how fortunate I am! Mine comes once a month - but if its raining he puts it back a week. I live in a bungalow and he just does the front and side, but he does the UPVC frames and sills while he's at it, and charges me £3. Once in a blue moon I'll ask him to do the back, which is up a ladder as the house is on a hill, and he charges another £3 for that. He always has time for a chat, and if I'm not in he'll happily call back.
    I'm a retired employment solicitor. Hopefully some of my comments might be useful, but they are only my opinion and not intended as legal advice.
  • sassyblue
    sassyblue Posts: 3,793 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    puppypants wrote: »
    When he calls for the money, ask him out of interest how much they would charge to clean just the top two panes of the front window, then pay him accordingly and explain that they were the only ones the cleaners did!!

    That made me LOL!! :rotfl:


    Happy moneysaving all.
  • SkintGypsy
    SkintGypsy Posts: 580 Forumite
    Debt-free and Proud!
    I cancelled ours after they came twice in two weeks, usually coming every month. At £10 a time, does anyone need their outside windows cleaned that often in winter? Haven't had them done in a couple of years, and you can really tell! Might have to start with a new one. Will watch them like a hawk now I know if their dirty tricks. Swines.
    Debt free as of July 2010 :j
    £147,174.00/£175,000
    Eating an elephant, one bite at a time
    £147,000 in 100 months!
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