If your customers are willing to take them in your place then there not worth having as customers,any genuine homeowner would see what there all about straight away.If you have insurance,which you will i`m sure then state that on your paperwork or drop it into conversation,word soon gets around.If any customers drop you for 1 of these swines remember the wcs rule,never take em back on your round.

My rule is once you leave for a cowboy window cleaner your crossed off for ever. No exceptions

When I quote new customers I ALWAYS mention insurance and the fact that if a none insured person has an accident on their property then they can be sued. I never knock other wc's but just give the customer some free advice on what to look for, including haveing the right equipment etc. This means the customer will be more inclinded to go for a professional cleaner even if I don't get the work but usually I do even when they have been quoted less because they trust me because I gave them the pointers to look out for.
If a customer cancels I always ask why and the very few occasions they have said someone else has quoted nearly half my price I have said "thats fine, but don't forget to check........" and give the same advice. It has shocked a couple in to cancelling the new cleaner.
I have been stopped by one dodgy WC who had a go at me for taking customers away from him after I told one old dear about insurance and she told the ladies at the bingo and Ethel told the ladies at the home and Gladis told her home help... you get the idea.... anyway he lost nearly 10 customers because they all started asking about seeing his insurance and was he a member of any professional organisations. These things are important to people so just hang in there.

Regards
Mr H

have to agree...it's more than annoying when you put yourself out on a limb, trying to do it all correctly, spending large amounts of dosh on equipment, vehicles, advertising, uniforms, sign writing and education, qualifications....etc , etc....just so some pillock comes round, undercuts you...and nips off with your wages...

I'm all for some kind of proper licence especially with so many cowboys out there. Over 500,000 Polish people came to the Uk last year and thats just one country.

If these people want to do it legitably then thats fine by me. So the sooner we all get a licence the better.

Yeah,I agree,a license should be brought in for window cleaners,if you see these cowboys and how many are insured ect.,not one,I had a chap come around a few weeks ago and knocked on the door at about 8.30 in the evening dispite having my van in the drive with BIG window cleaning sign writing on it he knocked and when I asked him how much he charges he said £4.50 for my house which is a 3 bedroom semi detatched which I would normally quote for £10.00,however I pointed at the van and he just went mmmm....dah,and off he went.I don't do my own road but a few neighbours and some further up and I still have them altough he quoted alot less,maybe he was genuine and wanted to start up a buisness window cleaning but just seemed a lot cheap but I think when you have your van sign writing it looks more profesonal ect,some of these chaps don't stick around as this has happened in the past as people said that they no longer needed their windows done and when your driving past one day you see another guy doing them,all of a sudden you get a phone call.............Can you come and do my windows?..............err...........I don't think so,if people  are loyal to me,I am loyal to them fullstop.Like I say it is very important to be insured ect. and I like to think I am fair pricewise but it does get up my nose when people are trying to under cut me and they know I do certain areas but then again there is alot of houses out there with alot of windows but I like to stay quite local within a 5 mile radius if I can,when I give quotes people say ..........Oh,I did have a chap but he came once or twice and we never seen him again........................and he only charged X amount..............in which I replie politly that I am running a buisness,not a charity and you wonder why he did'nt come back,were you nasty to him or maybe he has stolen something from your garden in which you have not yet noticed!...........................so bring on the license and keep us genuine window cleaners working!

Bullseye60, Do you think all of this 500.000 Poles became window cleaners ?  

Is that because of the work done by the "The Scottish licenced window cleaners network"?

It certainly is sir, and a certain DASERVICES - known on this board - has had the bit between his teeth on that front. Some folk are in for a bit of a shake-up, window-cleaners and council licensing staff, let's say.

you don't need a signed van or even a van or t-shirt with your name on it - they are big expenses when starting out. maybe those guys don't have home numbers but they must surely have an address - where else will people send cheques to!!

insurance is the important one, and that you are safe, that you actually clean the windows throughly, and that you charge well.

never lost a client due to anyone being cheaper, and i don't like they might be sued. i just point out they will receive no compensation if the other guy drops his ladder on their call or wind blows it over.

if people are being really silly about the price, try a different area. you want people that are generous with their money. some people give me really nice tips on top of the price.

ps: got nothing against Polish immigrants - they are polite, hard-working and cause little trouble. i'd sooner employ a Pole than an Anglieski [English]!

with the license up here, it still does not stop the cowboys. i have spent a fortune on a wfp van system due to the new estates in my run. Some unreachable with my traditional method, yet in they come with a quote half my price, climbing on plastic tiled roofs missing out windows, but I suppose if your on the bru what does it matter, your not trying to build a business just get enough money to pi** of to the pub

What an idiot,I bet he will regret it!