Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Other subjects
Original poster

How do you veiw your Window Cleaner

32 replies

Widowertomumsnet · 11/04/2006 17:10

Hi, Just want your thoughts on how you perceive
Window Cleaners as being one myself.

What do you rate as priority.

Who would you choose Joe Bloggs who looks as if
he needs a clean that charges £3, or smart
dressed guy who produces a license to show
that he is Police checked, insured and
charges £8.

Price or appearance.

Your thoughts please ladies, any other comments
most welcome.

Thanks

OP posts:
twokids · 11/04/2006 17:12

depends if he is comming into your house in which case I would choose second option also if I wasn;t going to be there

FrayedKnot · 11/04/2006 17:14

I went with the first one who asked.

brimfull · 11/04/2006 17:17

I'd probably chose the more professional one.
My window cleaner is a nice chap,but one thing he does that pisses me off a bit is that if he cleans the windows when I'm out he leaves and addressed envelope for me to put a stamp on and send him the cheque.I think he should collect the money as it's a pita for me to post things.

Riddo · 11/04/2006 17:18

My window cleaner is v scruffy and charges 8.50 but all the neighbours use him and he is friendly without being creepy. It had never occurred to me that he might be police checked.

sixtwosix · 11/04/2006 17:22

i think personal reccomendation, and reputation are far more important than appearance.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 11/04/2006 17:24

Through the window usually.......

Seriously, i just nabbed the man that was doing my neighbours windows. They were charging £4.75 for doing 11 windows which i thought was pretty good. No thought or research involved im afraid.

CountessDracula · 11/04/2006 17:24

I would go for the cheap one
They are only cleaning your windows, not being your best man or something!

PS if you only charge £3 can you come and do mine! Ours charges £20!

zippitippitoes · 11/04/2006 17:27

I don't have one now and have never seen one in this street, but previously had a husband and wife team Polish I think and they were excellent and good valu

then had a guy who sort of came with the house who was great until he decided to stop coming because he wanted more commercial work

had one for shop who was expensive with livery van and polo shirt very clean and well groomed but again I inherited him

have never actually looked for a window cleaner..I thought they usually had territories/rounds like ice cream vans and milk rounds and you just got beaten up if you tried to take away customers

brimfull · 11/04/2006 17:29

mine charges 12quid and he doesn't do my bathroom window at the side....wtf!Keep meaning to nab him about that.

NomDePlume · 11/04/2006 17:43

My window cleaner is a nice enough guy, runs his own little outfit (about 3 other blokes). Charges £7 for ..... (outside only)....

A pair of patio doors
5 x large 4 pane windows
3 x smaller ones
Glass on front door
Glass on back door.

Never dresses in rags, but I wouldn't expect someone who does a mucky, manual job to be 'smartly' dressed, tbh.

He's a bit of a sleaze though

Original poster
Widowertomumsnet · 11/04/2006 17:43

Cheers for the comments so far, very interesting as in fact I charge more than some do.

Reason being up in Scotland all window cleaners need to be Insured and licensed to protect the customer. You are only refused a license if you have a serious crime, for example on the sex register. Other cleaners don't pocess one because
they are on the dole, so hence why you pay more than Joe Bloggs.

Another reason I changed from ladders to WFP as the houses I was cleaning often had young children around. The thought of the ladder slipping ( which has done in the past ) or one of the tools I use falling on a kids head pricked my consceince as I have kids.

There are a lot of good cleaners out there and bad ones who will do it for beer money.

Thanks for your replies to date, useful info.

OP posts:
NomDePlume · 11/04/2006 17:45

Mine uses ladders. I think he has some sort of widget to do conservatories, but never seen it (don't have one).

VeniVidiVickiQV · 11/04/2006 17:45

Hmmm, am thinking i had a right bargain here - and i live in London lol!

flashingnose · 11/04/2006 17:46

Good grief I'm being ripped off Shock

NomDePlume · 11/04/2006 17:47

I live in a reasonably affluent area in the Midlands (only just though Wink)

thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat · 11/04/2006 17:50

never really had a choice. someone knocked on the door and I said ok. I think he does it for beer money and I doubt he's legit. bad ay?

KBear · 11/04/2006 17:53

I have a semi with a large porch and french doors - pay £7 every month. That's in SE London BTW.

He is fab - cleans the sills too and does a really good job.

He just knocked on the door and quoted the price, didn't go looking for one. He also does lots of our neighbours so I trust him!!!!???

roisin · 11/04/2006 18:31

One thing I liked about my previous window cleaner was that when he had cleaned the windows when we weren't in, he popped a little card through the door. This meant we could go round and notice that he'd been, and feel we were getting value for money. If we were out several times in a row, he would then call on a Saturday for the dosh.

We've since moved house and our window cleaner doesn't leave a card, but just calls at the door and grunts a bit, whilst I stand there thinking "who the hell are you?" Eventually I work out that he's the w/c, must have been recently, and wants some money!

Piffle · 11/04/2006 18:34

I pay £7.50 to a an often slightly tipsy disheveled old chap to wash mine. He only does the outside, he is very friendly and pulls faces at my dd who follows him throughout the house from the inside :)
He 95% of the time does a great job.

DumbledoresGirl · 11/04/2006 18:39

As a bored SAHM, I liked the window cleaner I had in my last home as he was friendly and always had a bit of a chat with me each time he came. He charged £8 for ages then it went up to £9, which I was quite prepared to pay. £3 doesn't sound like much to charge - it would suggest to me the man wasn't going to do a very good job.

ggirl, my window cleaner did the same thing if I wasn't there - left an envelope for me to send a cheque in. I should think that is standard practice.

7up · 11/04/2006 18:52

im too poor to pay someone to clean my windowsGrin my mothers window cleaners are dead cute, if i could afford it id have them clean the inside and outside of mineGrin

Goldfish · 11/04/2006 19:03

I have had the same window cleaner for years. We live in a detached house, and although he only does downstairs we have loads of windows , including a sun lounge and he only charges £4.
Also I leave the garage unlocked for him if I am out so he can get round the back as I totally trust him. We got a leaflet through the door the other day saying someone could do it for £3. Can't understand why they are both so cheap as other people in our village pay a lot more with other window cleaners. I wouldn't swap my window cleaner though as he is so trustworthy. Also the dog knows him so she doesn't attack him Smile.

octavia · 11/04/2006 20:34

I'm just grateful he cleans them to be honest.He charges £7, very friendly and always asked how the family is.

hulababy · 11/04/2006 20:37

We just went with the only window cleaner we knew of, who did our friend's windows. The window cleaner lives on the estate too. Didn't think to check details at all. But he doesn't come inside the house. We rarely see him. Costs us £6 for the house - 3 floors

philippat · 11/04/2006 20:40

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.