Not been paid for cleaning work

[CleaningAngel]

I've just taken on a new cleaning client, she requested a 2hr clean, fine that's what most are. Her list of what she wanted to do was unrealistic in 2hrs .more a 5-6hr clean. 4 bedroom,3 bathrooms, dressing rooms, house was a tip,and not really clean.she wanted rooms tidying before cleaning!! Cleaning inside drawers!!All just ridiculous, I did say it wasn't doable in the time!
Anyway I said I will do what I can and how I do all my other clients houses, got to the kitchen, she had just fed the baby, there was food all over the floor, all over worktops and she just left it and walked away, anyway I did my best in the time,made it all clean and tidy sparkling, decided at this point I didn't really like her snooty attitude and tip of a house and didn't want to return! So I finished the job, and said iam going, she never offered payment, so I said I will send you my bank details ok, (everyone else pays on commencement of job) 3 days later no money has arrived, I messaged her, a day later she said she's torn a ligament in her leg and can't walk. (Not sure that stops u doing bacs payment) and they go on holiday Monday, yes its only £30 but I earned that money. I want to message again and basically say can u please pay me before u go away. But how do I say it in a none aggressive way?? Any advice greatly appreciated. Obviously if she doesn't pay I never go back which is great. But I do deserve paying for work I did. All my other people are lovely and pay me straight away.

Ask her again! Provide an invoice?

Charges for x hours cleaning, @ £x per hour.

£xx

Please send by return to

Bank details.

I've already sent bank details, nothing no reply. Then sent a message saying 'hope u received my bank details its £30, no reply, then a day later, yes I did, I torn my calk muscle and can't walk or carry the baby, still no payment. They go on holiday tomorrow so don't want to ask while they're away so need to do something today really. Short of saying can I have my money please. Maybe she thinks I wasn't earth paying

You should send invoices really. Then if your invoice doesn't get paid you resend the same invoice with "REMINDER" on it.

Why aren't you sending proper invoices? Maybe she thinks you're not declaring the money and as such, you won't do anything about it if she refuses to pay. However, I'd send one more reminder then name and shame her on my local facebook page to warn off other potential cleaners.

Or I'd wait till she was on holiday then send what looked like an "automated reminder" every day of her holiday so as to spoil it for her.

You have done everything the correct way,sending bank details etc so now I would be direct and call at her house with a hand held invoice and ask directly for payment go early evening when her OH will probably be at home maybe he doesn't know she has employed someone and would question the payment from her bank.
If no luck I would certainly name and shame her on your website locally £30 is £30 and she should not be allowed to get away with it, put your big girl pants on and go and collect it from her best of luck sweetie

Tell her that you accept online bank transfers and telephone bank transfers, she could also get her partner to withdraw the cash or you could meet her before she leaves for the airport and drive her to the cashpoint.

She's taking the piss! I would just double check that it still hasn't come through and then respond something like "Sorry to hear about your leg. The payment still has not come through. Please can you make it now so that I can receive my money before you go away as I don't want to have to bother you on holiday. Thanks!"

Don't be afraid to keep nagging. She knows she's in the wrong.

This is a good way of wording it.

Iam completely above board hence not a cash only cleaner, I take bacs, nothing to hide. I thought a cleaner sending invoice is a bit out maybe ?

She's far less likely to deny your money if you turn up in person. Be smiley, you can accept bank transfer so she do it on the door step.
If she gets shorty tell her you really don't want to name and Shame but you wouldn't want her to scam anyone else. If she's off on holiday she has spending money so she can pay you.

The guy who does my garden for me sends me an invoice, and my window cleaner sends both an SMS and an email that says 'this is an invoice for .. ' (so no attachment but still something formal and automated). So don't feel that your business is too small to be doing the same.

I really hope you get this money from her, what a bloody cheek.

What does it say in your terms and conditions... How many days notice to pay? If you charge afterwards normally you give 7, 14 or 21 days.

I used to charge at end of month 21 days... I found this did not worked as people are like oh I have loads of time, they forget and then by time they've paid the next month's invoice has arrived and they get confused.

I would do invoices via QuickBook (for self employed not that much per month)... And terms of 7 days.

Now I charge upfront for work and payment is to be cleared otherwise work doesn't go ahead.

I’m a cleaner too. You don’t have to protect her at all. She knows she owes you.
’Hi xxx please can you send the payment for last week asap as I have my business insurance to pay for, thank you’
if she responds with an excuse, ask when it would be best to nip round to grab the cash from her instead lol.

What happened op?

She's dreadful. Clearly extremely disorganized. I would knock on the door when you're back in the area!
Did you get her via one of her friends?

Perhaps say 2nd reminder pay by this date
3rd reminder a few days later.

If no payment say small claims court will begin and she will be pursued for the costs AND time involved in this too.

From now on, take payment then and there. Such a piss take when people do this.

I would say:

Reminder payment of £30 is significantly overdue. If you do not want to incur late payment fees please ensure it is paid today.

I finally got the money with a snotty message about how she hurt her leg snd couldn't carry the baby, will not be going back there she wasn't even nice and her expectations of what you can achieve in 2 hrs was absolutely ridiculous 😒

So tempting to reply 'good job 3 tenners is lighter than a baby'. Very glad you got the dosh, now to warn other cleaners in the area to avoid!

Bank transfer doesn't require any lifting!!

I love people like this... usually you get the response that they can't afford to pay at the moment, followed by an out of office note that they're on holiday.

I finally got the money, with sorry you had to chase me but I hurt my leg. I have never gone back. She told someone in the village, she told me she didn't want my services anymore!!

Not in the slightest did she say anything like that, I had already decided the minute she gave me the extensive list of jobs to complete in 2hrs, it wasn't for me. It was more like a deep clean, which I told her was 5+ hrs it was a big house!!