Should I beat my window cleaner with a large stick?
Should I beat my window cleaner with a large stick?
Author
Discussion

Nick P

Original Poster:

29,977 posts

282 months

Wednesday 25th January 2006
quotequote all
We have (had) a window cleaner who carried out his duties about once a month....until recently we were happy, but owing to new Government legislation , window cleaners are now NOT allowed up ladders !!!!!!
So he started using a new system where they wash the windows with 'special' purified water. No elbow grease is involved.....
Well, the trouble is that we are not happy with the windows and often they are left with bird poo and others marks......so today when he came round to collect his money i refused politely, told him why and said we didn't want him to do the windows anymore....at this he got very defensive claiming that the new technology had cost him £20,000 for the filters etc and that it was much better than the old way......I said "well i do not agree, sorry".....at this he glared at me menacingly and walked over to my kitchen window to polish it by hand. I shut the door, went inside and had my lunch. After lunch i noticed a strange 'liquid' on the window...at closer examination it was spit....the dirty turd had flobbed on my window!!!!! This is obviously not acceptable, but do i put it down to experience or go all out for blood?

Jaglover

46,833 posts

266 months

Wednesday 25th January 2006
quotequote all
Thought the window cleaner was beating off there for a minute, sorry carry on.

chilli

17,320 posts

267 months

Wednesday 25th January 2006
quotequote all
Na, just let it go...Was all done in the heat of the moment. However, should he ever step foot on your property again......Give him both barrells!!

Nick P

Original Poster:

29,977 posts

282 months

Wednesday 25th January 2006
quotequote all
Jaglover said:
Thought the window cleaner was beating off there for a minute, sorry carry on.


no, no , no....you misunderstood....i didn't say i should 'beat my cleaner who has a large.........oh forget it

chilli

17,320 posts

267 months

Wednesday 25th January 2006
quotequote all
Jaglover said:
Thought the window cleaner was beating off there for a minute, sorry carry on.


pdV6

16,442 posts

292 months

Wednesday 25th January 2006
quotequote all
I didn't realise it was new legislation

Looked for a window cleaner a while back and could only find one that used the sort of equipment you describe.
The results were, lets say, less than perfect so he hasn't been invited back.

I'll be a bit annoyed if I can't get hold of a "traditional" ladder & bucket chap any more.

neil.b

6,546 posts

278 months

Wednesday 25th January 2006
quotequote all
I thought this was Carrera2 : The Sequel

maxf

8,444 posts

272 months

Wednesday 25th January 2006
quotequote all
Why the hell aren't window cleaners allowed up ladders anymore?

Do roofers now have to tile with giant robotic arms? If your guttering needs clearing do you need to shower the house with powerful acid? What if a first floor window needs replacing - will the glazier have to borrow the roofer's robot arm?

Madness. Utter madness.

NikB

1,835 posts

296 months

Wednesday 25th January 2006
quotequote all
This would explain why I haven't seen my window cleaner for a while then. Or could it be bacause my windows are dirty?

dazren

22,612 posts

292 months

Wednesday 25th January 2006
quotequote all
Didn't know window cleaners were banned from using ladders. Although I have heard that vastly increased costs of liabilty insurance had made some give window cleaning.

DAZ

slikk

2,135 posts

274 months

Wednesday 25th January 2006
quotequote all
My window cleaner has also adopted this method, and to be honest he does as good a job as he did in the "old school" stylee. Maybe it is a case of application rather than method?

kim

staceyb

7,107 posts

255 months

Wednesday 25th January 2006
quotequote all
Nick P said:
We have (had) a window cleaner who carried out his duties about once a month....until recently we were happy, but owing to new Government legislation , window cleaners are now NOT allowed up ladders !!!!!!
So he started using a new system where they wash the windows with 'special' purified water. No elbow grease is involved.....
Well, the trouble is that we are not happy with the windows and often they are left with bird poo and others marks......so today when he came round to collect his money i refused politely, told him why and said we didn't want him to do the windows anymore....at this he got very defensive claiming that the new technology had cost him £20,000 for the filters etc and that it was much better than the old way......I said "well i do not agree, sorry".....at this he glared at me menacingly and walked over to my kitchen window to polish it by hand. I shut the door, went inside and had my lunch. After lunch i noticed a strange 'liquid' on the window...at closer examination it was spit....the dirty turd had flobbed on my window!!!!! This is obviously not acceptable, but do i put it down to experience or go all out for blood?


Nope you need to concentrate on flicking your missus' bean.

tuscan_thunder

1,763 posts

277 months

Wednesday 25th January 2006
quotequote all
Na, window cleaners CAN still go up ladders but it's generally just self-employed one man bands that do it as the liability for employees up ladders is too much for most to bother with.

(Spoke to window cleaner about this very subject recently)

jacobyte

4,768 posts

273 months

Wednesday 25th January 2006
quotequote all
Nick P said:
i noticed a strange 'liquid' on the window...at closer examination it was spit....

Are you sure that's what it was?

Carrera2's cleaner may have another half

Nick P

Original Poster:

29,977 posts

282 months

Wednesday 25th January 2006
quotequote all
staceyb said:
Nick P said:
We have (had) a window cleaner who carried out his duties about once a month....until recently we were happy, but owing to new Government legislation , window cleaners are now NOT allowed up ladders !!!!!!
So he started using a new system where they wash the windows with 'special' purified water. No elbow grease is involved.....
Well, the trouble is that we are not happy with the windows and often they are left with bird poo and others marks......so today when he came round to collect his money i refused politely, told him why and said we didn't want him to do the windows anymore....at this he got very defensive claiming that the new technology had cost him £20,000 for the filters etc and that it was much better than the old way......I said "well i do not agree, sorry".....at this he glared at me menacingly and walked over to my kitchen window to polish it by hand. I shut the door, went inside and had my lunch. After lunch i noticed a strange 'liquid' on the window...at closer examination it was spit....the dirty turd had flobbed on my window!!!!! This is obviously not acceptable, but do i put it down to experience or go all out for blood?


Nope you need to concentrate on flicking your missus' bean.


stop following me and concentrate on your own beans

GRL

252 posts

255 months

Wednesday 25th January 2006
quotequote all
I spoke to my decorator about the ban on ladders. He told me that he can opt to use a ladder but cannot allow his employees to use one - what the hell is happening to our country?

Our window cleaner is a one-man-band and still uses ladder, soapy water and elbow grease

themaskedavenger

676 posts

279 months

Wednesday 25th January 2006
quotequote all
the legislation states that you should think about using soemthing other than a ladder for jobs over 30 mins. Thats 30 mins at one spot not several windows.

Lots of misunderstanding and many people buying things that they dont need.

Still got my bloke going up his ladder doing mine so far but I wait to see how long for!

Muncher

12,235 posts

280 months

Wednesday 25th January 2006
quotequote all
Our window cleaner recently refused to do our top windows anymore as our pattern nimprinted concrete is apparently too slippery to put a ladder on. The don't seem to have gotten too bad though, just not being cleaned for some reason.

Don

28,378 posts

315 months

Wednesday 25th January 2006
quotequote all
We've got a chap comes round with the "purified water" business. Works quite well, actually. He does our Conservatory too - which comes out very nicely. Is it as good as getting up close and personal? Dunno. But it only costs £20 every six weeks or so and I don't have to do it. Result.

Pigeon

18,535 posts

277 months

Wednesday 25th January 2006
quotequote all
Nick P said:
SHOULD I BEAT MY WINDOW CLEANER WITH A LARGE STICK?

Sounds like it's the HSE who need beating with a large stick (no change there then).