Grrrrr...please may I join the screaming party

[mrsrev]

why am I so pathetic? The complicated story, read on if you have insomnia - we have a window cleaner who is extracting the Michael; he used to come every fortnight and we asked him to come once a month. He did for a bit, then he seemed to be around more often so I kept a note on the calendar. he's coming every two/three weeks again, at £7 a time (we have a lot of windows). The other problem is that he can't get to the back of the house unless either we let him through the garage or he puts his ladder across the garage roof and climbs over; so we asked him to let us know when he's coming so we can (a) let him through and (b) have some money ready, but he just keeps turning up saying he's done them. MrRev says just tell him not to come so often, but he always turns up when I'm alone and either just getting in or out of shower, or on the phone, or some time when I do NOT want to be standing on the doorstep discussing the issue! and he comes right into the porch and rings our inside door bell. (We have two doorbells, one on the original old door and one outside the new double glazed porch bit).

He came on 4 April, I challenged him that it was a bit soon after last time, but he said he was going away for a couple of weeks. Last week I cleaned the inside of some windows so I can see what's going on, and we decided that he wasn't even cleaning the windows, just turning up in the evening saying he'd done them the previous morning and asking for the money; we've also noticed that he tends to come on a rainy evening so if he *had* cleaned them the previous day they'd be dirty again and we have no idea. There is also a large streak of bird poo on the dining room window, which has been there two weeks. So last night I was cooking, expecting Mr home any minute, and the inside doorbell rang. Why oh why did I answer it? Well, occasionally Mr will ring it if he's forgotten his key or has both hands full, and as it was exactly the time he should have been home, I opened the door. To be confronted by Window Man saying hi, done your windows. What I should have said was "Oh, no you haven't. And would you like to come through and do the back ones. And please don't come again until the end of May. Or preferably don't ever come back." What I actually said was "Oh... ummmm .... you've only just been" to which he replied cheerily "yes, I'm going on holiday" and I went into shock and said "aaahh...ummm... I haven't got any money on me" he said that's fine, he'll be back tonight. And then MrRev came home and told me exactly what I should have said (which I KNOW gahhhhhh! I was just too shocked to say it) and what to say tonight when he comes back.

And I told Mr that HE can do it! I'm just not going to be in if anyone rings the bell tonight. I hate confrontation, particularly if I think the person I'm confronting will argue, and it's his word against mine really. I mean, you have no contract with a window cleaner - how can I prove that bird poo has been there for nearly two weeks and didn't just appear after he "cleaned" the windows yesterday, or that he did or didn't clean them just before it rained the other day? I'm going to lock the outside door when I get home tonight so he'll have to ring the outside bell and hopefully will think I'm not in. But that makes me feel awful cos I don't like hiding in my own house and I feel even more pathetic. I want to stand up to him, tell him he is rubbish and taking us for a ride, and tell him to go away. What I will probably do if it comes to it is give him the money and tell him not to come any more because we're leaving the country or something!

Whew! that was long! But I feel soooo much better for getting it out of my system!

In other news, I am still lonely and my fingers are cold - I think I might have to resort to chips for lunch again, or maybe a sausage and egg roll. And the sun is shining and the sky is blue.

Comments

[ciorstaidh.livejournal.com]

(((((MrsRev))))))

It's horrible when someone takes advantage like that. Just about the time my Grandda died, we had a "man of the cloth" (window cleaner - sorry, Reverend Jolly moment) doing exactly what yours has been. He was banking on Grandda not noticing and not on there being young and sprightly relatives with good eyesight ;)

Response was to say we're not paying you for a job we haven't requested to you to do. He harrumphed etc. but after trying it on with three of us, obviously decided to cut his losses.

Leave it to Mr Rev ;) s'what our men-folk are there for, isn't it? To be firm etc. to the "bad guys" and then be SLoCs to us!

Here for you :)

[witchy-rachel.livejournal.com]

Stick a note to the inside of one one of your back windows with a message saying "If you have read this, please could you ring the outside bell twice, then rattle the letter box - it makes it easier for me to make sure there genuinely is someone at the door who needs my attention."

Or you could stick a note on the window giving him a code word to use when he rings - and date the note too!

Failing that, I suggest you send him in my direction - I could really do with an out and out screaming slanging match.

[kittykatkins.livejournal.com]

*Hugs Nina*

He deserves poking. Hard.

Definitely get other half to speak to eebil window cleaner; it's what he's there for!!

Hope you can get it sorted soon :)

[b-liz.livejournal.com]

*hugs Nina* Can you write him a letter stating that you do not want him to come and clean on an ad hoc basis, but you will contact him when you would like your windows cleaned. If he cleans the windows when you have not specifically asked him to, you will accept it as a very kind gift, but you are not willing to pay for something you have not required.

It would be like Sainsbury's putting stuff you don't want in your shopping trolley and expecting you to pay for it!

Hope Mr Rev can sort him.

[ciorstaidh.livejournal.com]

I like this muchly -- it's the exact position of the law in any situation like this - if you don't ask for it, it's a "gift" ie. gratis.

*wishs Sainsbury's would put free choccy and alcohol in my trolley*

[carolynp.livejournal.com]

*hugs*
He is taking the proverbial. Let Mr sort it out, it is why we marry them after all! Whichever one of you finally deals with it he should be told not to come back as he is not doing cleaning when you want. I like b_liz's suggestion, say you will accept it as a gift since you haven't asked him to come.

[pim2005.livejournal.com]

*hugs*
What a &$@!

[mrsrev.livejournal.com]

Thank you all, good advice as usual and feeling better with all the hugs. I'll let you know what happens, 'specially as we're now going out tonight!

[allygatorkin.livejournal.com]

*hugs* I really hate such people who try and take advantage of you being out etc...

Hopefully he will soon get the message if he doesnt get paid!! (and I'd like to see him try and prove he's cleaned them!)

Have a good night out :)

[donna-k.livejournal.com]

What all of them ^ said! Have you tried finding out if there is another window cleaner who could do your house, who might actually listen to what you say? I know my neighbour was unhappy with the usual window cleaner and found another one, so they both have houses to do round here now - I'm assuming that means there's not a problem of stepping on someone else's territory.

Enjoy your night out anyway!