To object to being paid like this

[carparker]

I need a sense check really, I'm so annoyed and I'm not sure why. I'm a cleaner, work in people's homes, they usually pay me cash. Most leave it out for me and I take it when I'm done,

This one client though, I have to find him and ask for the money every time, I say ok I'm finished, he says oh are you, then I say yes can I have my money please, then he gets out his wallet and takes it out note by note, so one fiver, holds it out till I take it, rinse and repeat. Always £5 or £10 short so he says oh I'll transfer the rest. 24 hours later I text to ask, he pays a few hours after.

It's driving me nuts, how hard is it to just have £30 ready? Why does he do it? I need the work so i don't want to complain but I'm living on my nerves waiting for the last £5 or whatever, and the note by note thing is just weird. Should I say something or am I being a princess?

Ick.
Bank transfer and up your fee.

I’d be upping my fee just for him - an added wanker tax

Then trying to find another client. I pay my cleaner by bank transfer easier for her and me.

This. He's lording it over you in some gross power play. You don't need a client this bad. Get rid and tell him why, it'll strip him of his power trip.

He’s a cunt. Please find a new client to replace him asap. (if you can)

And yes, absolutely tell he needs to have the right money ready on time.

That is weird OP, the cleaner I know is really in demand, so she doesn’t put up with clients she doesn’t want to work for. Have you said clients usually leave the money waiting for you? That might give him a hint. But if you don’t feel comfortable then replace him as a client tbh.

Could you use Revolute? Don't leave the house until you see money in. Remind him with 15 mins to go so you are not delayed. But l would dump him as soon as possible

Tell him at the beginning, that all of your other clients leave the cash out on the side for you and you would appreciate it if he did this. If he stands there counting it again at the end, say that because your time has finished, you will be adding on an extra £5 to cover the time standing there!

Find another client OP , that's not a respectful way to treat you

“Fred - you always seem a bit nervous about paying and never have enough money. Are you sure you can afford a cleaner. It is ok if you can’t - just let me know.”

Find another client. There’s huge demand for good cleaners.

I leave an envelope out with cleaner’s name on it, the amount, and the weeks I’m paying for (I pay monthly in advance as it’s a faff to get cash out).

If he’s continually short, I really think you should consider terminating your agreement with him. He’s trying to pay you less than your known prices.

if you don’t want to lose him say
“I can do x, y and z with £30 but if you pay £20 then I can only manage x and y, moving forward”

it’s not easy OP.

Give him written terms and conditions. Payment due on the day of the work. Interest per day on any late payment. One reminder only will be sent but the per day interest will continue to accrue. Offer payment by bank transfer/standing order.

When it comes to payment time, could you hand him an envelope and then fiddle with your phone? If he tries to hand you note by pain staking note, just gesture to the envelope and go back to your phone.

Then pick it up and count it. ‘You’re short, again, Mr Douche’ or ‘well done, you’ve managed to count correctly this week’

I realise with new cleaner as I am here I always pay her (notes and coins) when she says she is going.
I do have it ready to go.

It does annoy me to have to keep finding £1 -they charge £34/2 hours. I do wonder if they do it so most people give them £35 and they keep the change.

It's a weird relationship where I contacted one lady about a cleaner who has a team so not even got my actual cleaners number.

Implement a late payment fee and a 2% bank transfer charge. I’ll bet he has the cash then.

Very annoying

I'm sure you can replace him but understand £30 is a lot to lose each week

Text him and say you are getting all clients to pay by bacs and needs to be paid before you start

If nonpayment you won't be turning up

And the £34 one why don't you pay bacs

So many cleaners want cash now - not sure if this is a tax fiddle (not saying you are op) but surely easier for bacs into account then going to get cash every week and being short - which is pathetic as he knows it's £30 every week

A firm text to him 'please in future have the money ready for me, rather than expect me to go to you, cap in hand. Otherwise I will not be comfortable continuing with this arrangement.'

What have you to lose? He'd be no great loss as a client anyway.

I feel for you. Hate it when people pull shit like this.

Change that to 'money in full'.

Firstly, just to check - is he elderly? Some older people do struggle with money.

If no issue there, I would tell him that he needs to start paying me as I arrive, rather than when I leave as he is taking too much time to give me the money and I am therefore late to my next client. Then if he takes an age you have less time to clean so it's impacting him. If he objects threaten to leave.

@Blondeshavemorefun I don't pay by bacs my £34 as I was told to pay cash each week by the lady I charge.

I did pay a past cleaner by faster payments during Covid when she didn't come to house.

After ages of poor cleaners I am am just happy to have one that cleans well.

What will you do, OP?
Let us know what happens, however you handle the situation.

ps; he sounds like a creep

Text him today "hi bob, could you please ensure that you have my payment ready in full when I finish the clean each week. I can't continue to accept part payment and then chase the overdue remainder. Please have the cash ready in an envelope for me, or do a bank transfer before I arrive. Thank you."

Then if he messes you around again: "hi Bob, your payment wasn't ready again this week and I had to chase the overdue money again. Please have the money ready for me in full next week or I will have to terminate our agreement."

And then ditch him when he does it again. And if he doesn't pay in full, take him to small claims court for it.

Or, just ditch him now and get on Facebook to say you have a vacancy. You'll have filled it five times over within a few hours.

Well if we are generalising about age, most older people are usually the ones that keep cash in the house, so won't be troubled about having cash available to pay the OP.

I'd drop him as a client too. He's messing with your head, and this is not a respectful business relationship. Offer his slot on your local fb noticeboard and move on. Next client, make sure you agree before you start what they're going to pay you, HOW they're going to pay you and what happens if they deviate from the agreement. You're running a business.

I'd be inclined to want to say 'you're very good at counting money, yet you never ever seem to have enough to pay me. Interesting.
Next time please have the full amount on the day like all my other clients always manage to do.'

Seriously though, I'd be trying to fill his slot with someone else then dump him. How pathetic he is. I bet no woman wants to date or be married to him, lol.