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AIBU?

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Original poster

Who's unreasonable - me or window cleaner?

738 replies

HugATwat · 13/03/2023 10:51

My dog is petrified of the window cleaner.

The reason I started using my current window cleaner is because he always texts so I know in advance when he's coming.

On Friday evening, WC text to say he was coming on Saturday morning. But I was going to be out Saturday morning so I texted him back and said to leave it for this month because the dog would be home alone and wouldn't cope. I said I'd still be happy to pay but please don't clean the windows.

No reply.

I texted again first thing on Saturday morning. No reply.

I called him on Saturday morning. He didn't answer. I left a message. No reply.

I texted him again before we went out saying please don't clean my windows today.

I went out because I couldn't avoid it. I'd asked a couple of friends if they could sit with the dog but they couldn't, far too short notice. When I came back, the windows had been cleaned. The dog was in a right state and had pissed and shit all over the floor.

So I spent an hour or so calming the dog down. Then another couple of hours cleaning everything up. And the living room carpet will need a professional because the piddle has stained quite badly.

I texted the WC to tell him I wouldn't be paying because I'd specifically asked him not to clean the windows.
This time, he texted back. Quelle fucking surprise.

I'm holding firm and not paying. Needless to say I've told him to take me off his books for the future.

It's a weird situation because I was actually willing to pay him for NOT doing the work. But I'm not willing to pay for work that he's done that I specifically asked him not to do.

Am I being unreasonable here? I'm still so pissed off.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
HaggisBurger · 14/03/2023 18:08

HugATwat · 14/03/2023 16:16

Just confirming that I have received no further correspondence from WC 😳

Mine just texted me. Felt a bit funny - like I’d been talking about me.

He always states that he will be round next between 11-1 - I’m sure to not actively invite people saying they don’t need a clean or can’t give access. But responds promptly when I say can I skip.

It’s never a problem.

HaggisBurger · 14/03/2023 18:08

*about him ffs.

NotQuiteHere · 14/03/2023 18:12

A window cleaner that comes when it suits him not the client?

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 14/03/2023 18:12

It's not the WC you have a problem with; it's your dog.

Rosula · 14/03/2023 18:13

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 14/03/2023 18:12

It's not the WC you have a problem with; it's your dog.

So should she boot out the dog in order to keep the window cleaner happy?

Rosula · 14/03/2023 18:15

This thread really should go into Classics as an example of knee-jerk anti-OP batshittery at its most bizarre.

Pemba · 14/03/2023 18:17

The dog is a red herring though (well it's a dog but you know what I mean). The OP could have cancelled for any reason, the proposed clean was inconvenient to her.

She is not a nuisance customer, bloody hell, she paid on time every time and asked to cancel once in THREE years. This is not some outlandish request, and it should have been accommodated by the WC. She told him numerous times not to come and a poster further back says this means in contract law she is not obliged to pay.

LoisLane66 · 14/03/2023 18:19

What sort of person gives a dog fish and chips? That's ridiculous and isn't what a dog should be eating. Animals don't eat fish and chips and it's highly irresponsible to feed them anything but food which is recognised as suitable for their breed and age.

Viviennemary · 14/03/2023 18:20

No. The batshittery is somebody owning such an out of control dog that leads to problems like this. I agree the dog is the problem not a window cleaner going about his business.

hedgehoglurker · 14/03/2023 18:20

I've just seen this on Google from a tabloid... 🙄

HarrietPoole · 14/03/2023 18:22

Jesus, there are some utter nobs on this thread.

You can't argue with stupid OP. And you are definitely not BU.

Richhandcream · 14/03/2023 18:23

Mandyjack · 14/03/2023 18:07

Couldn't you have just closed curtains or blinds?

FFS! 😂
Don't you think Op would have done that if it would have worked?

Pemba · 14/03/2023 18:24

No. The problem is a tradesman that apparently can't/won't communicate with his customers.

And the dog is a rescue, as the OP has explained, and is extremely nervous due to its previous owners, who knows what they did to the poor thing.

BadNomad · 14/03/2023 18:27

Does he have a cancellation policy? I'm thinking he probably sends a mass text to all his clients as a courtesy, but he requires more than 24-hours notice for cancellations.

Next time, if you know you will have to leave your dog alone at any point, you should contact the WC and tell him you will need to cancel if it's going to be on that day. Don't wait for him to text the day before.

ChilliBandit · 14/03/2023 18:30

BadNomad · 14/03/2023 18:27

Does he have a cancellation policy? I'm thinking he probably sends a mass text to all his clients as a courtesy, but he requires more than 24-hours notice for cancellations.

Next time, if you know you will have to leave your dog alone at any point, you should contact the WC and tell him you will need to cancel if it's going to be on that day. Don't wait for him to text the day before.

If he is anything like my window cleaner you have no way of knowing when he is coming until you get the text the day before. It’s meant to be roughly every 6 weeks but weather/holidays etc mean it’s not really predictable. You can’t really cancel the next one with any notice unless you have something ongoing that will stop the cleaning for a while.

Anotherturnipforthebooks · 14/03/2023 18:30

I'm thinking he probably sends a mass text to all his clients as a courtesy, but he requires more than 24-hours notice for cancellations.

How is it possible to give 24 hours notice for cancellations if you are given less than 24 hours notice of when he intends to visit?

NeedToChangeName · 14/03/2023 18:30

For future reference, I like to use WhatsApp for messages like that. Two blue ticks means the message has been read

Rosula · 14/03/2023 18:32

Viviennemary · 14/03/2023 18:20

No. The batshittery is somebody owning such an out of control dog that leads to problems like this. I agree the dog is the problem not a window cleaner going about his business.

Why on earth does the reason for cancelling matter? Suppose she had cancelled due to, say, illness, would that have been acceptable to you? The issue is that she did cancel but the window cleaner ignored it.

BadNomad · 14/03/2023 18:33

Anotherturnipforthebooks · 14/03/2023 18:30

I'm thinking he probably sends a mass text to all his clients as a courtesy, but he requires more than 24-hours notice for cancellations.

How is it possible to give 24 hours notice for cancellations if you are given less than 24 hours notice of when he intends to visit?

She has known a lot longer than 24-hours that she was leaving the dog alone that day and so a clean that day wouldn't be required. She could have told him at any point before this.

The reason for the text is so people know to leave their gates unlocked so the WC can gain entry. It's not so people can decide they don't want a clean.

Rosula · 14/03/2023 18:34

Anotherturnipforthebooks · 14/03/2023 18:30

I'm thinking he probably sends a mass text to all his clients as a courtesy, but he requires more than 24-hours notice for cancellations.

How is it possible to give 24 hours notice for cancellations if you are given less than 24 hours notice of when he intends to visit?

He can hardly have a 24 hours' notice for cancellation policy when he himself only gave OP around 12 hours' notice that he was coming.

Matildalamp · 14/03/2023 18:35

No more fish and chips for you OP, while you sit in your windowless house 😂😂 This thread is crazy, your poor dog sounds lovely, and so do you!

Rosula · 14/03/2023 18:36

BadNomad · 14/03/2023 18:33

She has known a lot longer than 24-hours that she was leaving the dog alone that day and so a clean that day wouldn't be required. She could have told him at any point before this.

The reason for the text is so people know to leave their gates unlocked so the WC can gain entry. It's not so people can decide they don't want a clean.

Show quote history

But she didn't know until the evening before that he was planning to come, so why on earth would she have told him? It's not like he can demand to have notice of his customers' full engagement diary in advance.

Colourfingers2 · 14/03/2023 18:36

You should get rid of the dog because frankly that is ridiculous whoever heard of a dog dictating whether or not you get your windows cleaned. Did you get him as a guard dog?

Anotherturnipforthebooks · 14/03/2023 18:36

She has known a lot longer than 24-hours that she was leaving the dog alone that day and so a clean that day wouldn't be required.

She knew she was leaving the dog that day but not that the window cleaner was intending to come that day.

NattyNatashia · 14/03/2023 18:37

Unless you know for sure you he read the texts / got the voicemail then your original request still stood, he was doing what you asked as far as I can see.

It would seem more likely he didn't see the messages if you said you'd pay for 'not' having it done IMO.

I'm set employed and get many texts/messages/calls from people, I don't always read them all the minute they arrive, Friday night I'd have been out and wouldn't have taken my work phone with me.

The consequences are a pain but not really his fault as far as can see.