Window Cleaning Poles

[cyberknight]

£8 a month for standard 3 bed house
I tried using those poles but it was such a faff and i didnt get a decent clean as the squugie part to get the water off just smeared as you couldn't get enough pressure on the head to get the water off properly and looked terrible

 

[Accy cyclist]

so we stopped using them.

I'm glad you said "stopped using them" and not 'fired them'. I hate it when folk moan about their window cleaner and say "we fired him" when they decide to stop using their service. You can't fire someone unless you're their actual employer. That involves paying them sick pay,holiday pay and other employer duties. Just because you've been paying someone a fiver a
month doesn't mean that you are their employer,nor are they your employee either!

 

[Accy cyclist]

I think he only wants to do the middle class houses across the road...

I don't know why. In my 14 years of window cleaning I found that 'well off people' were the hardest to get your money off. They were never in the house,so you kept having to go back for your money and then when the payments mounted up they'd quibble,saying for example that they only owed you 15 quid when it was 20 they owed you. The most reliable honest customers I had were on part of a council estate I cleaned.

 

[Slick]

I'm glad you said "stopped using them" and not 'fired them'. I hate it when folk moan about their window cleaner and say "we fired him" when they decide to stop using their service. You can't fire someone unless you're their actual employer. That involves paying them sick pay,holiday pay and other employer duties. Just because you've been paying someone a fiver a
month doesn't mean that you are their employer,nor are they your employee either!

Amazing how some people think they own your ass just because they've asked you to do a small job for them. No class.

 

[Slick]

I don't know why. In my 14 years of window cleaning I found that 'well off people' were the hardest to get your money off. They were never in the house,so you kept having to go back for your money and then when the payments mounted up they'd quibble,saying for example that they only owed you 15 quid when it was 20 they owed you. The most reliable honest customers I had were on part of a council estate I cleaned.

That was also my experience in all my years of trading and I still see it when I go out now and again to help a mate out.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Amazing how some people think they own your ass just because they've asked you to do a small job for them. No class.

Some seemed to take delight in 'firing me' and I presume other window cleaners. They'd say stuff like "don't come round again,i don't want you cleaning my windows anymore"(this was usually the 'better off' types after me and them had disagreed over how much they owed me). The got narked when they realised I was right and not them about how much they owed me. Imagine that,'firing' someone just because they asked for what they were owed! Anyway,when they told me I was 'fired' they always waited for me to plea with them to keep me on. I never did. I just said stuff like "oh that's ok, I have a list of folk wanting me to clean their windows as long as my arm, I'll just take one of them on to replace you". I left with a smirk on my face while they stood there so disappointed that I didn't give a toss!

 

[MontyVeda]

I don't know why. In my 14 years of window cleaning I found that 'well off people' were the hardest to get your money off. They were never in the house,so you kept having to go back for your money and then when the payments mounted up they'd quibble,saying for example that they only owed you 15 quid when it was 20 they owed you. The most reliable honest customers I had were on part of a council estate I cleaned.

I kept trying to pay mine in advance... just to make he'd boomin' do them!

You don't fancy a bi-monthly job in Lancaster do you?

 

[screenman]

Odd in that I find the better off people very quick to pay and I charge about 10x more per job than my window cleaner.

 

[Slick]

Some seemed to take delight in 'firing me' and I presume other window cleaners. They'd say stuff like "don't come round again,i don't want you cleaning my windows anymore"(this was usually the 'better off' types after me and them had disagreed over how much they owed me). The got narked when they realised I was right and not them about how much they owed me. Imagine that,'firing' someone just because they asked for what they were owed! Anyway,when they told me I was 'fired' they always waited for me to plea with them to keep me on. I never did. I just said stuff like "oh that's ok, I have a list of folk wanting me to clean their windows as long as my arm, I'll just take one of them on to replace you". I left with a smirk on my face while they stood there so disappointed that I didn't give a toss!

It's always a disagreement about money, even when they say it isn't.

Good to hear you stuck to your guns though, so did I.

 

[Slick]

Odd in that I find the better off people very quick to pay and I charge about 10x more per job than my window cleaner.

My invoices were very rarely below 4 figures and whilst some would make sure they had the cash to hand before ordering the work, there were plenty more that had were moving money around, or more than likely robbing Peter to pay Paul and only those that shouted the loudest got paid. Probably one of the biggest reasons I tried to avoid the domestic market.

 

[oldwheels]

There was mention of cleaning windows from inside. Mine are like that and easy to do but the various catches tend to get a bit “ sticky”. I have had a few awkward times trying to get the things to shut and lock in place again. There seems to be potential problems all round and it took ages with WD40 to get the things to lock shut. Gave up and now do them from outside. Fortunately ground floor.

 

[DaveReading]

I have a list of folk wanting me to clean their windows as long as my arm

You didn't clean full-length windows, then ?

 

[Accy cyclist]

I'm having to come out of retirement! The effing lazy get window cleaner who finally turned up yesterday after 3 months since his last appearance decided to bin my custom as he seems to have taken on two ground floor flats near to me which are obviously easier to do than my upstairs flat. I saw him loading his water pole and stuff back into his van, so I shouted from my bathroom window, asking if he's forgotten me. He mumbled something about having a five minute break in his van, then a minute later he drove off! He is one big lazy dolloper who leaves streaks and misses the bottom of the window pane and even misses some windows! I thought about posting on the local Facebook page asking if any window cleaners were available to do my windows, but it seems there are more customers than available window cleaners, due to new built houses needing window cleaners, so why bother. Instead I've got my squeegee and blade out from under my kitchen sink, some scrim cloth which I saved from my window round days and I'm going to use an extendable pole I bought a few years ago when I first moved in this flat. Wish me luck!!

 

[Accy cyclist]

It took me 35 minutes to clean my 6 windows. I'm much slower these days and I had a few wobbles as I couldn't use my walking stick, with both hands being used to do the job, but I did it and looking at the windows from inside, they look quite shiny, possibly even better than when done by those crappy water fed pole systems!!

 

[dicko]

I bought a Draper pole £30 and a De Ioniser filter £60 I had plenty of hosepipe spare and knocked up our own window cleaning kit. This works fine lovely clean windows in 30 minutes.