To ask how I politely ask for this money?

[Ohpleasenotnow]

I started a small cleaning business a few months ago. I've built a really good group of clients up and pleased with how it is going. However, I had a new customer last week - lovely lady, will be a regular from now on and has asked me to clean again tomorrow, however I have not received a bank transfer payment for last week's clean yet.

When I invoice her for tomorrow's clean, I want to pop a little note in that I haven't received last week's payment yet but how?

I don't want to embarrass her or anything, she is lovely and has probably forgotten. Any advice much appreciated

I wouldn’t be cleaning for her again until she’d paid me.

I wouldn’t be cleaning for her again until she’d paid me

This.

But don’t ask for the money as a threat. Ie “if you don’t pay, I’m not coming tomorrow” word it factually and politely, not argumentatively

Text and confirm tomorrow and chase the payment all in one. Add in a question so they have to reply and acknowledge. Something along the lines of...

Hi Non-payer, just wanted to confirm tomorrow's clean with you. I will be along a 10am if that is still convenient? Unfortunately I haven't received payment for the last clean as yet. Please let me know if you need any further information from me to facilitate that. Per our agreement payment is due by the end of the week. Best wishes LadyM.

*delete as applicable

Tomorrow’s invoice should include last time’s outstanding payment and when you give it to her say exactly what it is. She might pay you cash in which case you amend the invoice to show payment received.
Number your invoices and make sure you show a clear Due By Date and a note along the lines Payment Terms within X days of invoice date or x days of job date.
Be very clear about it, never be embarrassed to ask for what is owed to you.
This is a business not a favour. You are offering a service at an agreed price. You must be clear about all payment terms including due by date.
I sometimes have to chase up some clients for very large invoices so with some persistent offenders I chase up before due date and in some cases it is appropriate to eventually change payment terms but increase the price. Some pay in advance, some are late, most pay on the due date. It’s all about cashflow, if you have to pay someone on x date and are short the 50K allocated from particular client and that client hasn’t paid you then you will struggle as a business and loose credibility. I never ever pay my own bills late and in turn this helps with better pricing for me.
Congratulations on starting your business and good luck for the future!

A childminder in my old village had two kids whose parents never paid at all. I knew one of the assistants she had (she had a lot of kids, in a large house) who told me. Apparently the cm took the attitude that these parents were so awful she would rather have the kids, for free, and be sure that they were well cared for most of the week, by her and by the school,. and only had the weekends with parents. She'd got really fond of them and was uneasy by how they'd arrive scruffy, without breakfast. She was worried that if she pushed the money side, they'd pull the kids and then they would suffer. Her assistant was frustrated because she knew that they'd pay up sharpish if she refused to have them - they got tax credits to pay her, and she was cheaper and more convenient than any alternative! But the cm is famously too nice for her own good, and so she ended up providing free childcare for two kids for years.

Don't be her.

Charm and being a good person are different. Good people pay their bills, and especially when they're paying small traders. I was once late to pay a ballet school invoice - once - and I was mortified. This is her first ever clean, and she remembered to book in another, but not to pay you. No.

Sorry, the 'they' and them' use there is clear as mud!

Are you seriously planning on cleaning her house tomorrow when she hasn’t even paid you for the last time you did it??

You need to be assertive and to the point! You’re running a business here, not asking for the fiver back that you lent to your mate last week!

There’s no reason requesting payment for a service you have already provided is in any way impolite. Don’t let this paying a week late become a habit.

I'd send an email to say that payment for last week's clean is still outstanding, and once that has been paid, you'll confirm your attendance tomorrow.

I have a similar situation at the moment with an invoice which has been outstanding since the end of August. The rest of my clients are really good at paying on time. Tomorrow I am sending a (second) reminder, and an invoice for some other work, with a note to say I will start work on the next things on our schedule once the first invoice has been paid. So I am not saying "I'm not doing any more work until you cough up" but I kind of am!

Are your payment terms immediate payment? I would certainly make them 7 days at most (mine are 14, my non-paying client say they pay within 30 days but they're later than that now, too).

She could have genuinely forgotten, I have sat on my window cleaner's bill before now. But he only comes every 8 weeks so I've always paid before he's been due to come again!

Did you give her a contract? Mine says I have to pay my cleaner within 48 hours. Every time I get an invoice from them and I do a bank transfer, or leave cash. If I forget then I get a text
In the t&c's it says new clients pay for first clean up front, and late payments mean no more cleans.

Add last week’s charge in the invoice and attach a note stating that the invoice is for both last week and this week’s clean. If she doesn’t pay it within 48 hours, sack her off.

'Hi Helen, can you let me know when last week's payment is likely to clear? Thanks'.

Definitely do not go a second time without being paid.

You are setting yourself up for this treatment.

@reet
Good message 👍

Please could this be cleared in 7 days

7 days? Why on earth should she wait 7 days. Anyone I know who has a cleaner, myself included. pays on the day of the clean. Noone needs 7 days to pay a cleaner

Thank you for your request for cleaning on X date. I am available and will confirm this booking when I have received payment for X dates

Perfect

Whatever you do, don't include a confirmation of the next clean in your message; if she's trying it on she'll think you've been reeled in, and if it's a genuine mistake you can always confirm after she's paid

And if you do visit again, make sure you also get an agreement to pay on the day

Text her before you do another job for her.

Be very clear and factual. I would want paying before I did more work for her.

I forgot to my pay my cleaners: they didn't come next time till I'd paid it.

Imagine you're a man. Then ask for the money.

Or imagine you're NOT British and ask for it.

Do not clean for her again until she pays you.

Credit control is normal op. A quick text saying "hi - can you pop my my money in for last week's clean please?"

Is all you need. No need to be overly formal. I sometimes forget and that's what my cleaner/dog sitter do and it's fine. I have a busy life too and occasionally it slips my mind. Not taking the piss.

If she doesn't respond or pay then you need to decide what you want to do next.

Cleaning is hard work. You've already spent the time on one job for her. If she doesn't respond at least with an 'oh shit yes sorry, on it now' kind of message then I think you'd be better off cutting your losses because she'll cause you grief long term.

"Hello again Jane. I would be very happy to clean again for you tomorrow but I haven't received your payment for last week yet."

That's perfectly polite.

On the other hand my cleaner has bailed on me twice recently (yes she's been paid on time) so I need a new one.

I think @reetgood message along with @Branster invoice information is EXCELLENT information. Clear, concise and in no way she is able to misunderstand.

Does your invoice state how many days they have to pay?

Maybe ensure that it says payment within 7 days.

I would take another copy with you and just leave a note saying please find this weeks bill for cleaning and I have also included a copy of last weeks just incase you have mislaid it.

Or my other tactic is to message and say Hiya just confirming our appointment for this week and just wanted to check that you have the right account details as I couldn’t see the payment for last week.

Then it gives her the option to say oh I thought I had sent it I’ll check now

For the love of god STOP making minimising and making excuses for someone who is taking the piss!

You are running a BUSINESS not a charity.

You provided a service for a previously agreed fee and she has breached the agreed terms. Until she pays you'd be mad to continue providing the service.

It's easier than ever to do a bank transfer, takes less than 3 mins on most apps/sites. She has NO excuses!

Contact her tonight by a method she cannot claim ignorance of - frankly I'd be phoning.

"I'm calling because unfortunately I see from my own banking that you are yet to pay for last weeks cleaning. Can you please transfer the fee ASAP? Until you do I will not provide additional cleaning"

Or something similar you REALLY need to toughen up.

"And if she doesn’t, she’s not a client worth having." Exactly! Any client that doesn't pay as agreed AND gets arsey when chased is generally more trouble than any potential business they'd give you.

I used to do this for a living (chasing outstanding payments for a non essential service). We (as a company) had a TWO strikes policy, because experience has taught my bosses that clients that are cf taking piss are NEVER profitable.

Reetgoods suggestion also good.

In future include non payment = no service the following week clearly in your contract with clients (PLEASE say you have contracts?!)

Firstly you dont need to feel embarrassed about asking for money that is owed to you. You have earned the money and deserve to be paid. As others have suggested I would add the balance owed to the amount for tomorrow with a calm polite comment that you have added last weeks.

The most likely thing is that she has forgotten. Still she needs to be reminded. I dont think it is in your interests to rip the head off new customers just because they have made a mistake though if she keeps forgetting to pay you you need to decide whether she is worth the hassle or whether you should only work for her if you are paid cash on the day.