To not clean for them again.

[Loobyloo16]

I'm a self employed cleaner with many happy clients & over 8 years experience.

I got a new temporary Job cleaning at a doctors surgery a few weeks back which then led to more work cleaning some flats. Same management.
I went last Monday to clean the flats (3) £15 p hr. Told the woman woman I'd done 5 hours heard nothing.
This morning I texted her to ask when I would be getting paid, she rang me and gave a list of things I hadn't done and would have to put right before I got paid.
She said the floor wasn't mopped, I said I'd done it, she said she had photo evidence that I hadnt then offered to send it to me. She said the ovens weren't cleaned properly (I'll hold my hands up to that one) I did my best but didn't have proper oven cleaning stuff.
I hadn't vacuumed one of the room (I had, the vac was rubbish) so she had to spend an hour doing it (it's a 10 foot sq room)

I said I'd meet her Wednesday morning to put right what wasn't done (under her supervision) I then asked her if I'd then get paid, she said she had some more work for me after the 18th and she may as well pay me for it all together.

I also wasn't paid for the doctor's surgery last Friday which was the agreement. I've asked today but still no payment.

Wibu to just not turn up to do the cleaning (I supposedly) didn't do right and just write the money off.

I'm scared I'll do another three hours cleaning and not get paid.

Crikey they haven’t paid you and yet expect you to go back. She’s chancing her arm. Perhaps this was the plan from the start. It’s far more difficult to recover money from two businesses than one.

As for the oven cleaning. Do you have anything in writing about the clean before you did it? I agree oven cleaning is specialised and charged as a separate job. Many domestic cleaning companies don’t offer it.

I wouldn’t have taken the hoover. It they expect you to bring a ton of equipment they need to provide you with parking beside the property. I’d say logistically it’s pretty impossible to bring everything needed and walk across down.

I’d definitely be taking them to small claims. No cleaning until you receive payment. That’s a basic rule, surely.

Hmm, if the woman who usually does the flats is so good, how come the ovens were so dirty?

@waitrose. No they didn't. I texted (tried ringing) the girl who'd employed me and said I'm not coming back until I'm paid. (I did tell her previously there was no rush) which she pointed out. Fair enough.
She rang me straight back and said her boss had been on a course all day and he'd do it last night.
I explained to her I was concerned about payment, she said 'of course you'll get paid were happy with your work and the other cleaning is a different company'
So I went and did a very speedy clean.

Still no money this morning.

The thing is I stand firm then my family talk me into going. I'll see what today brings.

Your family shouldn’t be talking you into doing more cleaning for free.

She made me feel like I was being rediculous for thinking I wouldn't be paid. Maybe the boss has been very busy?

Or maybe that’s how scammers get away with it. Perhaps they have a long list of cleaners they’ve ripped off.

Why should the OP contact HMRC?

Seeing as she is self-employed, I don't understand what interest HMRC would have here.

I'd threaten to stand outside the doctor's all week with a placard explaining their scam.

Why would you ever say "no rush" on payment? You're being a fool to yourself, and not being professional - you will get pisstakers that way by not acting like your own time and effort matters. Maybe you find it difficult to be assertive, but this is your business, so you need to establish payment dates and rates with every client, as a client, not as someone you're being matey with.

@mummy it's my mum she's always likes to see the good in people. She always interfering and making me feel bad then when I'm out of pocket I point out to her and she's sorry, until next time!

@persian my thoughts exactly.

@category I know I'm so rubbish at being assertive. I hate asking from money!
I've never had to ask my domestic clients to be honest, they're all really good.

I've never been in this situation before I wish I'd never bloody agreed to it!

You poor bugger OP.

The woman with the flats is having your pants down. An exit clean including an oven clean is expensive, she knows this.

The doctors surgery is a seperate issue. Chase it up today, by email. Cc it into whoever organised the work and also the person who is paying you.

If you want to keep working for them point out that you expect your invoice paid either immediately with cash or bank transfer within 24 hours.

The woman with the flats I would do as a pp has suggested and deduct £15 for the hoover issue. And absolutely nothing for the oven. Get a couple of local quotes for oven cleaning, should be able to get them online. Point out you were paid £15 per hour for a domestic clean and oven cleaning to a professional standard is a seperate, professional service that carries a professional, seperate fee other than wiping the hob with warm soapy water and maybe the exterior door.

If she pays up and wants you to do more work for her, or for any new clients want work clarify by email or in writing what you will and won't do and what your payment terms are.

It's difficult being self employed and negotiating monies and terms, probably the most difficult part.

Then your mother has encouraged you to be a doormat. Time to start getting your own opinions now. You’re a business woman. Businesses don’t accept late payment or non payment an they don’t do extra things they aren’t equipped to do. £15 an hour for an end of tenancy is peanuts and the woman must know that.

Btw if you put the @ sign you need to write the whole name correctly then the relevant poster gets an email notification. As is someone with the username mummy (if anyone does) will receive one, not me. Otherwise drop the @ and write our names the same as a above. We all know you’re referring to our posts.

If you intend to do commercial cleaning, you need to put your terms and conditions in writing and give/send it to them at the start. For the future, draft yourself up a sheet and then you have it ready. Saves embarrassment - they read, and sign and done. (You should probably have the same for the domestic cleaning too.)

Calm down and be a little bit patient

Businesses constantly go up to the 30 day invoice period and many go over this time until they get chased.

Have you put an invoice in?
Have you put the time frame on the invoice you expect it to be paid?

I can see why they are a bit frustrated if you've told them there is no rush and then you want paying immediately. You need clear and consistent communication. It's OK, it's just inexperience, that has happened to pretty much everyone and it's easy to fix, you just learn from it.

You know you have trouble being assertive so you're probably best served by putting things down on paper, at least at first. If you have access to a computer and a printer, making up an invoice and delivering it stating the amount owed and that it is due immediately is a good start (alternatively you can get an invoice pad really inexpensively).

While many businesses expect invoices to be paid within 30 days, that is by no means the default and you don't have to pretend that's what your terms were. 30 day terms are something a business can offer, it's not something that they necessarily do, especially without some form of advanced application or credit check. At the same time, most businesses whom you are invoicing won't allow staff to just put their hand into the till or petty cash or whatever to pay you. It will need to go through whatever process they have to ensure money is properly accounted for, so give them a little time. But many businesses try to delay paying for as long as they can get away with because that helps them with their cash flow (and so makes their business more stable). You don't have to just put up with it though, you want to make your business more stable so want invoices paying quickly.

Don't abandon any idea of commercial cleaning just because this one was a little tricky. It's all just a learning curve. Adjust your approach a little, understand how other businesses work, put some methods for contracting and invoicing etc. together and you'll swim along.

Then your mother has encouraged you to be a doormat.

Sorry, OP, but I agree with this. This is your business, follow your gut.

Don't go back to that woman. Don't do any more cleaning until you get paid. Don't feel like an asshole for sticking up for yourself.

@ivykaty44 - There are no standard payment terms for any business, you decide on how likely you think that customer is likely to pay.

As a business I ask for payment within 7 to 60 days, while I've dealt with businesses, both as a business and a consumer, of different sizes who have it in their contracts that payment is due immediately after the goods/services have been provided. Depending on the goods/service this can mean anything from immediately to 7 days.