Is this message very rude? I think it is

[septemberismyfavouritemonth]

In June we had a new window cleaner clean our windows inside and out and discussed more regular window cleaning every few months.

The window cleaner messaged to say he will come this week, I asked how much for outside only and he sent me the quote - £30. I felt like this was quite alot for outside windows (2 bed terrace house) so asked around and found £20 was about average with some paying less but £20 being an average amount that I'd be ok to pay.

I messaged back to say I thought it was alot and could he do for £20, no worries if not but £30 was too much for us right now so we would leave it.

He messaged back to say we had an agreement on price and frequency and that he thought I would keep my word, he then said 'I work hard to be reliable to all my clients and I expect the same from you'

I was pretty shocked, I appreciate he feels we had a verbal contract but he doesn't know my circumstances and I feel I asked a reasonable question, I do feel that he was over charging. As we had inside and outside last time I didn't recall discussing outside only cost even if I did I wanted to check and confirm so I could have the money ready.

Is his response rude or am I in the wrong here? I felt like I was being reprimanded by someone I've met once. Obviously now worried because he knows where I live and I hate confrontation!

There are a lot of window cleaners out there. £30 is way too much for a house your size, outside only.

I think it is expensive - we pay £15 every six weeks for a detached house with 14 windows, outside only, and we're within a 45 minute commute of London - but if you had set up this arrangement two months ago in June and then started renegotiating the deal the week he's due to come, I can understand why he'd be a bit frustrated. You did make a deal for a bigger job for more money and he has lost out as a result of you changing your mind. If he's decided he wants a minimum amount per job that he's not going to get from you then what's the value to him in keeping your business? So... yes, he is being a bit rude and yes, I do think he is paying over the odds, but I think really you just decide whether you want him to come or whether you want to go with someone cheaper.

Until mine disappeared at the start of lockdown (I assume he's furloughed himself as most of his bigger clients have their staff wfh now), I paid a tenner for the outside in London.

If he had ever been a dick about anything, I'd have told him to sling his hook. He wasn't - he was great --certainly more reliable than DP who

hasn't done it since April--

Don't engage with him anymore. You've decided against it.

Hope my window cleaner is not on here.

I have 3 meter wide bi fold doors, french doors, a 3 meter wide full length window and 9 other windows. £8 Outside only using a reach and wash system.

We don't pay for distilled water, mind you

I pay £7.50 once a month for outside for a 4 bed house with french doors and 13 windows , in Scotland

That's what over-chargers do - try to bully people to feeling they gave to pay over the odds for something.The "agreement" is all in his mind, it's obviously not an agreement because there is no agreement on price

Do people really think its not OK to try to negotiate a price on something like this? I mean, why on earth wouldn't you??

Just make sure you clearly communicate that you are not proceeding with his services - I've heard of people coming back to randomly cleaned winduws and massive invoices out through their doors, and then the heavy handed tactics start.

"purified water" indeed - all tap water is purified in the UK, are we really exiected to believe he's using mineral water??

That's extortionate! We pay £10 for a four-bed detached.

He is neither rude or a bully it’s a clear misunderstanding

Good luck to him with the verbal contract thing. Look, he's just trying to make you feel guilty. It's a business transaction, who needs that?

Wow - for all these posters saying "I pay £6.50" - or anything under about £15 - how long do you expect the window cleaner to take?
Assuming an hour, on top of that he will have a van to run, equipment, insurance, materials - and working on ladders is not an easy or risk free job. Many other threads on MN about how much people pay a domestic cleaner frequently indicate a lot more.
So whether or not £30 is reasonable (it was what the WC was prepared to do it for, OP under no obligation to accept), it sounds like many posters have unreasonable expectations.

We pay £12 for 9 windows on the front of our three storey detached Victorian house (the back windows are more modern and all tilt in for cleaning). The company is called Bambu if you’re in West Yorkshire.

that's a very high price, and he sounds cheeky and stroppy. Just tell him no thank you and then ignore any further communication from him. Cheeky bastard!

That is expensive. We pay £15 - we are a very high 3 story townhouse on the Surrey/Kent border.

Well if he insists on using Evian/Perrier it's no wonder it's so expensive.

That is way overpriced. Costs £15 in London for a 2 bed house.

His reply was blunt, but you were rude. Would you try and barter at the supermarket? If not, don't do it to a small business either. well, given plenty of supermarkets do price-matches and any customer is at liberty to take their business elsewhere at any point in time, even if that customer has, say, a weekly delivery slot from a supermarket, it’s completely fair enough to tell a business owner that they’re over-priced and tell them why you’ll be going somewhere else.

He is free to disagree, but to send out a message like that is not only going to put the OP’s back up, it will lead to her never recommending him to anyone else, and if he’s not careful, a disgruntled customer will put it in a review for anyone who might have considered doing business with him to see.

Being a small business owner doesn’t make him immune from criticism. If he can’t deal with rejection/questioning over his prices then maybe he shouldn’t be in a customer facing role.

Sake. I’m £2.50! 7 windows. I give him a fiver though.

7 pounds for a 3 bedroom semi here. And he does a good job .

www.argos.co.uk/product/8551207?clickSR=slp:term:window%20cleaning:1:183:1

I bought this, best £15 I’ve spent in a while

I think you should send one more message making it absolutely crystal clear that it's a no from you. From the sounds of things you could arrive home to clean windows and him expecting his £30 "as you discussed".

That is way overpriced. Costs £15 in London for a 2 bed house.

I’d like to know who you use. I’m in London, and it is much, much, much more than that. I’ve had several quotes. It’s why I never have my windows cleaned.

I pay £12 for a 4 bed detached and a very large conservatory. He is trying it on, get another window cleaner.

North Yorkshire - outside windows only of a mid terrace, and it's a tenner. Which I think is pretty fair.

Wow - for all these posters saying "I pay £6.50" - or anything under about £15 - how long do you expect the window cleaner to take?

I pay what I was quoted, it's not like I haggled him down.

I was paying £7 for 3 bedroom detached house with extension, prob depends on your area as well though