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?

Yes that would be ideal Marsha ! I'm not a very assertive person so have let some late payments slide in the past. This week has been particularly expensive for me though with an MOT and 2 new tyres to replace.

I suppose if I was a very confident, money motivated, sharp minded business person I wouldn't be a cleaner haha.

I don't think it's as easy as just ditching late paying customers. It's a pain to chase money but these people aren't arseholes, they just assume I can wait a bit longer. The customer I mentioned above paid me during the first lockdown so I feel he deserves some loyalty.
I'm just mortified that I had to "beg" for £30 yesterday! I'd rather my customers didn't know how poor I am or (worse) start feeling sorry for me

I live in a rural area where everyone knows each other so dumping customers would probably reflect badly on me. I rely on recommendations and excellent references to secure work and gain customer's trust.

That said, I would advise Op to consider withdrawing her services from customers with a really shitty attitude.
There is no guarantee that new clients will be different though!

I know it’s hard

I’m SE and understand how you feel, it’s just so easy to leave it out but I’m more likely to do it as it’s important to me that anyone who provides a service never feels stressed or waiting.

I would never set up a standing order for my cleaner as she is so very unreliable.

Wow really. You poor thing

if I had a cleaner , no way would I leave underwear on the floor etc,

I may have tons of dust but dirty underwear is just rank

@TheDuchess1979 so do you have to text your boss every month to ask to be paid and you're ok to wait for your hard earned money because he's too tired to do it?

Set an alarm or reminder for yourself fgs. I hope reading this thread and the number of people that have quoted your post makes you think again about how rude you are being to your cleaner.

Send a message that sounds like it is not personalised but clearly is.. Dear Client.. As a result of too many non payment and late payments, I have had to change how I ask to be paid. If you have previously failed to make a payment to me on the day that it is due, I will ask for payment in advance to avoid me being out of pocket or having to chase payments. I trust you will understand that if you want me to continue to clean for you, payment needs to be prompt and painless.

And follow with... as you did not pay me last Tuesday, please ensure that payment is in my account by 6pm on Monday at the latest. If I do not receive this payment, I will not come on Tuesday. I appreciate that this may seem extreme to you but I am unable to continue with the current state of play.

To clarify (because I’ve had a lot of replies whilst I’ve been at work):

• I don’t pay my cleaner in advance because sometimes she doesn’t come.
• I have been self-employed which is why I continued to pay her throughout lockdown.
• I have never paid a day late, it’s always within the day she’s been. What I was saying is that I don’t mind a reminder text.

Jeez, just trying to help.

Think of the text, post cleaning completed as an invoice for payment owing. Should take about 2 seconds to copy and paste.

Ask for the money monthly in advance

Slightly off topic but , I'm a cleaner too. I've had used sanitary towels left in bathroom bins unwrapped. I've left the bins unemptied, it carried on so in the end I left a note saying I would empty the bin if the towels were hygienicly wrapped. I had a nice apology and the situation was sorted.

I always leave cash out for our household cleaner. Pay elderly family member’s cleaner by bacs as they do not keep cash and lady runs it as an official business

If you have any sort of written agreement, then rewrite it to say that payment should be made on the day. Until payment is made, no further cleans will be booked or carried out. If payment is not received in XX weeks then the client will be dropped from your books, you’ll be adding a charge of £XX and starting recovery action.

If you don’t have anything written, then certainly do it for the future and for now, text or phone them.

God, I feel your pain, iam in same boat, I've took on a new person,house an absolute tip, unrealistic what she wants doing in 2 hrs, to start with. I finished the job, said I was going, no offer of money, so I said I will send you my bank details, still no money, so I messaged, she said oh I've torn my calf muscle and can't walk, (surely that doesn't prevent you doing a bacs payment) no mention of money, they go on holiday on Monday, iam not letting this linger on till after holidays. I appreciate to her £30 is nothing but it's my wage. I need to text again and ask for it, just don't know what and how to say it 🙃 🙄🤔

I pay a month in advance

I have a verbal agreement with my cleaner, and I always pay here on the day after the event.

If they're in the house, just say you'll start cleaning as soon as they transfer the money. And stand there looking at them.

I pay my cleaner by bank transfer and I don't have a regular payment going out because sometimes she has to cancel (or I do), sometimes she does an extra half hour etc.

There have been a few times I've forgotten to do the transfer, say maybe 3 or 4 times during the year+ she has been cleaning my house on a weekly basis. She's always just dropped me a text a couple of days afterwards saying she hasn't received payment for that week and can I check it's gone out.

I haven't been offended in the slightest by her chasing me, and would much rather she did that than stopped cleaning my house and went to someone on her waiting list instead.

My cleaner invoices every month via email. I would struggle with leaving cash - that just does not work for ADHDers.

Never shy from asking for payment. I use a cleaner who will text me almost as soon as she’s left

“was everything ok with the clean I can’t see that you’ve sent payment” I always pay her by the end of the day. But she cleans whilst I work, then I have the kids so it’s usually of an evening. So I do get a bit annoyed when she chases me.

I wouldn’t ask if everything is ok. I’d just say.

“Hi wanted to check you have received my bank details as I can’t see I have received payment from you. Just to remind it’s £30.”

IF she uses you again, I would agree but ask that payment is made before you leave.

I spent 4 months cleaning at an old bosses house due to his father in law having a stroke and his wife couldn't keep up with the housework. I billed him fortnightly which he said was fine and he had no issues paying. During the last couple of weeks I was there his wife was sat at home feet up on the sofa, (fair enough, she did just do a 4-9am shift). Half way thru my cleans she would walk around constantly criticising my work. After 3 weeks of this I'd had enough. Although they were paying me (not the going rate) I saw it as me doing them a favour and helping them out whilst she went visiting her sick father. I had another job and was cleaning at theirs on my day off. I sent him a txt saying due to my proper job I can no longer clean at his house. I sent him a txt with the final amount (which he questioned but was resolved). Despite me sending several reminder txts I haven't received payment and he's not answering my calls. WHAT DO I DO?

You have my sympathy. I've been a cleaner and had several people not pay me straight away, it's fucking annoying and insulting

Seeing as it's about 3 years ago, I hope the OP has been paid by now.

Find new clients. Give them a final warning . I’ve once forgot to pay mine. And paid up as soon as she reminded me. I haven’t set it up as an automatic payment as she sometimes has to skip a week. Previous cleaners where there was a team do always there I paid by automatically setting up a payment.