Hi I just want some other opinions on a dispute I have with one of my clients .
I've been doing the garden for a Year March 2020 . Its a large garden so I was unsure how how much to charge and they were quite insistent on a hourly rate , I try and avoid hourly rate for the reasons mentioned on here . So I've charge them the minium I require to earn in a hour £20 which seems more than reasonable to me . Sometimes I work there on my own but majoirty of the time its two people working . When I write the bill out I put hours worked so if they are two people working the time is double for example so if we are there for 2hours its = 4hours
Example of a bill.
Date etc
Hours worked 4 hours
£80
that all I put on , yes I probably should of put on two people but this is how I've done it for the past year no qualms. All of a sudden they been questioning whether I've put my prices up ' same as last year ' I replied. They seem to think I was previously was working for £10 hour X 2 for two people = £20 , I've told them its not fianically viable to run the business on £10 hour per person . I've showed them a bill from last year same thing as before hours worked etc which seem to of gone other there head. If I were working £10 hour as they claim I'd have to put 8 hours worked to make £80 up so I am a bit mystified
I not sure what to do now I don't know if I am in the wrong or what ,I've never had this problem with any of my other clients . I didn't mind the job difficul to fit in at times but a bit different than my normaly grass cutting it were pottering around weeding / pruning and yesterday trimming the conifers but I am not sure if its tenable to go back now.
Thanks Andrew
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Replies
I'd just simply say the rate you've paid was £20 per hour per man and if they have been happy with the work done for £80 then they've got a good deal irrelevant of how they understood it. State there's no way you would work for £1 more than minimum wage£9 and your professional rate reflects that at £20 inc tools van insurances etc. If they don't respect that move on as they will query your breaks and the relationship won't last. Peak season starts now you will soon forget them and move on at a higher rate. I'm putting my rates up in April now the winter is over
Sounds like an untenable situation now. Are you owed much? I'd be tempted to ask them to pay up to date with the current/old rate, as you've explained why it is that much, and then you can 'work out' a new rate for them. Upon payment, you can then decide that you no longer have the time available. Make your own excuses why. Not entirely professional, but saves getting into a bitter dispute.
Thanks
£260 owed I'd rather not lose but I don't know . I think they must be penny pinching after buying the brand new top model Range rover and BMW.
I haven't spoken much to them but for morning / hello etc more due to covid . Yesterday was the most they spoke ( not about the bill ) more asking why this plant so ugly and brown can you not cut to the floor ,I said its a weiglea its doesn't have leaves yet and cutting down will remove all the flowers and ruin its shape, I did end up having to cut a Virginia creeper down becasue according to them it brown and tangled and looks a mess . just seemed really hard work .
Sounds very similar to an ex-customer of mine! I had to leave as she refused to pay her monthly bill (usually about £1000 worth) within the 7 days I offered. She claimed that she had 30 to pay and was within her rights. No problem with the work, just this. I just stopped turning up, I went past one day and the grass was about 2' high! She paid her final bill in total as I mentioned small claims court to her. Some people live on a different planet.
Didn't realise you were owed money. Get paid in full and rebook at the £20 ph per man rate.
If you prefer not to return after payment is received just say you've taken on work more local snd are unable to commit and leave amicably
I bet they've leased those cars and over stretch themselves. Hense not pay your bill, threaten small claims, it's only £35.
Walk away and charge the next customer £30 per hr. If your good at your job and have excellent plant knowledge they will pay.
For me the customer has broken an element of trust. I've one last week, worked for them for 10 years and last said I owe him half hour from September!!!! And that was 30 seconds after I'd just given him four brand new ton bags for free!!! He was off my books and replaced the next morning.
Never let a customer doubt your integrity , Try and bring some closure to the situation before moving on .
With Two people i find its best to invoice the customer seperately , never had a problem doing it this way , only problem is when they dont think the job justifies Two people , Many dont understand that a job that would take one person 4 hours to do can be done by two people in two hours and works out the same price .
I would run a mile. Really you should never be dictated to as to how you charge. The alarm bells should ring right there. You can’t have your car serviced or shop in Tesco’s and then dictate how you want to be charged. They set the terms and conditions. You also are a business and the way you charge clients is down to you. So if someone asks for an hourly rate you say no, that is not how the work is charged out. [You have been under charging them in any case].
People like this will never understand and will only give your more trouble further down the line. As I have said many times on here and it is an irrefutable truth – If you work too cheaply for people they will see you as a cheap commodity and ultimately have no respect for you.
I was talking to the window cleaner who does a few near me. He told me that he had done one job for fifteen years, the price was £15 and he had never put the price up. He said it was under-priced to start with. So after fifteen years he put the price up to £17 and the client spit their dummy out and sacked him. They said they thought that £15 was plenty enough to clean their windows. What a scumbag.
[I use the Bank of England inflation calculator to tell me how much to increase prices. I just put in £15, selected 2005 as the start and 2020 as the finish and after fifteen years of inflation £15 becomes £22.91. See how easy it is to let things slide when it comes to price increases]
There are plenty of people out there like this. Avoid them. But there are also plenty of really nice people who will pay you the proper rates whilst being grateful for what you do.
Agreed. This sounds all too familiar. They don't respect you or any other gardener probably. Get your money and get out is my advice, and don't be one bit afraid to get your money.
Best of luck with it!!!
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