To remind you to pay your cleaner…?

[honeyandbutterontoast]

Ive been working for years as a self employed cleaner. I charge a reasonable rate, do an excellent job but am really struggling to get clients to pay on time.

I understand it’s easy to forget to have the cash or not to bank transfer right away, but clients don’t seem to understand that I work because I need the money! If it’s not in my account I can’t pay my bills!

Already this week I have two clients who haven’t paid. Last week it was four in total I had to politely remind on Friday to pay me. Two of those had done the same the previous week.

Is there a nice way I can remind people? I’m wondering if it’s best just to drop those jobs and find new clients for their slots.

If you have a cleaner, how would you like her to broach this with you?

Getting paid is absolutely the hardest part of working for yourself no matter what you do do you have my sympathies op.

I pay my cleaner 4 weeks in advance. The day before it’s my week to pay her, she sends me a text saying “just a reminder that you’re due to pay me tomorrow” and it works well for us.

tbh if I were you I’d be tempted to not clean till you’re paid but I appreciate that might be counter-productive / not helpful for you.

I used to use a repairman fairly regularly for my washing machine. He would present the bill at the end of the visit, then wait while I transferred the money until the money showed in his account. I used to think it was a bit over the top but having seen this thread I can totally see why he did it.

I am angry on your behalf OP that some clients behave so badly.
The day before my lovely cleaner comes I do 5-10 minutes prep. In the utility room I check the cleaning products and cloths etc are ready and alongside them an envelope with the cash in. So she never has to ask - the same as I don’t have to ask my boss every month for my money.
I also nip round, flush loos, rinse hair out of bath etc, check there are no nasty bins or underwear on the floor as a courtesy to her.

@SmileyClare you have nothing to be embarrassed about. You earned that money. It’s yours. What is embarrassing is not paying people money you owe so it should be your customers that are embarrassed.

what always amazes me is how people treat cleaners in ways they would treat other people who provide personal services. No one goes to the hairdresser then wanders out vaguely promising to pay later.

OP agree with everyone else. I'd prepare a generic text message or email or printed note that you leave/send to every single client in which you clearly state your terms and the consequences for non or late payment (interest/late fees/no more cleaning etc). Provide your bank details (of course they have them but it makes it more official and longer-lived as a notice) etc.

It's totally not okay.

Send a message that you are updating your policies and that due to a number of people paying late you will now expect payment a week in advance to give you time to fill the time slot if payment is not made. That way they will have to pay you double next week and then if they forget to leave the money out or transfer the next week then you have a whole week to remind them without being out of pocket.

If they're home then I would ask for payment up front before you start cleaning. Explain that it's due to non payers.
Or go cash only, a bit backwards but it would ensure you had the money in your hand before you start the job or leave their house.

We pays ours by weekly standing order, I can't imagine paying any other way. I also think you need to send an e mail saying that you're changing your billing process due to collection issues and will require people to set up weekly/monthly standing orders. It's not at all unreasonable to expect to be paid in a timely manner.

I always leave money under a box of dozen eggs from our chickens. She then very kindly sometimes comes back with a cake for us. She's an amazing cook and is a great cleaner too. I can't imagine not remembering to pay. I look forward to her coming on a Friday so do a quick tidy up on a Thursday so she can concentrate on cleaning and not tidying up after perfectly capable DP and children.

Our window cleaner has recently set up direct debits. Presumably he was fed up with payments. Could you do the same for regular clients then have automated late fees for anyone who doesn't set up the DD or pay on time?

My cleaner gradually dropped her unreliable clients who messed her around (e.g. cancelled at last minute and then didn’t want to pay). If you have better clients or think you can get them, that might be an option. But also a polite reminder is fine. You could make it a thing you do after each clean - ‘great to see you today, have a good rest of your week, here’s a reminder of my bank details’.

I agree with this. Good cleaners are worth their weight in gold!

I don't think I've once forgotten to pay mine. This really shouldn't be happening

Op I’m a self employed cleaner and I feel your pain. I carry a invoice book around with me and if there is no payment I write out a invoice and leave it. If payment hasn’t been received by next visit then no clean.
I swear sometimes people think I’m cleaning for the love of cleaning ! I used to feel humiliated asking for my payment for a service I provide at clients request but that’s bonkers ! They wouldn’t go to supermarket and not pay so it’s the same with you.

Yes, me too. Pay Day = Pay the Bills Day.

I had a similar problem in my old business, not cleaning. I told my clients all late payments will have an extra charge. That soon stopped it, fuck politely asking or apologising. They should be apologising surely? Other businesses wouldn't stand for that. You provide a service which they agree to pay you for, on time.

I have forgotten a couple of times, but if I haven't paid on the day I am happy to be reminded and my cleaner knows late. But 98% of the time I have paid as she leaves.

I would ask for payment the day before by bank transfer from anyone who messes you about or for the month in advance.

I'm self employed and my terms are payment 24 hours in advance by bank transfer. I do the same for my cleaner.

You need a policy, eg. Late fees or cancel after a certain number of payments. Another option a lot of self employed people often use is to have your own WiFi card machine. This usually costs a small amount, so would need to factor this in to the cost.

I don’t do cash because we never have cash. If I’m here and she is here, I make the payment when she turns up. If I’m at work, I often forget to make the payment as she comes once a fortnight and I can lose track. I usually do it when I get home, but when I was working away it can be missed. I’ve said to her to drop me a text when she leaves if I’m not there but she often forgets that too. I’ve made it very clear that she should never be embarrassed to remind me to pay.

It's you that should be embarrassed to be honest. Presumably you've gone to the effort of trying to find and book a cleaner because it benefits you. But you can't put the same amount of effort into remembering to pay them? Actually I'm
Embarrassed for you.

I don't have a cleaner but I do have a trainer. Whenever we meet he brings a little card machine like iZettle so I can pay using my card. Or alternatively a mobile pay app where I can just swipe the money through my phone. This makes it easier.

Obviously they should pay you in whatever way you've decided works for you

Same with the dog walker. I have one client who is consistently two months behind. I have a 16 mile round trip twice a week to do to care for their dog. Petrol is free of course 🙄

Can you use "GoCardless"? Our window cleaner uses it and its so much easier than having to remember to bank transfer - money goes out automatically