These days, there are more ways than ever for customers to make payments — and more ways than ever for customers to avoid payments. Setting payment terms in your terms and conditions agreement helps maintain healthy customer relationships and steady cash flow.

Unfortunately, in the home service industry, there’s always going to be the chance of a non-paying customer or someone who disputes the credit card charge up to 6 months down the road. The ones who have done it before will typically try to paint a picture of an incomplete project or service that they are unsatisfied with. Whether they just refuse to pay or dispute the card charge, if you are 100% confident that you provided the service outlined in your proposal, you have every right to get what is owed to you plus a collections fee. In some cases, it can even be considered criminal theft of services and/or wire fraud.

If a customer refuses to pay within your outlines payment terms or disputes the transaction, you have the following options:

You can place them in collections with a collections agency that will send them a certified letter, call, and email them making them aware of their outstanding debt being placed in collections. They will be given 30 days to pay before the debt will be reported to the credit bureaus.

You can file a police report and potentially have them arrested for theft of services or wire fraud. It’s typically a good idea to do a report just to obtain a case number for reference.

A lien can be placed on the property assuming it’s in their name. While this process varies in each jurisdiction, it can certainly be done and some collection agencies even offer this as a service. Familiarize yourself with your state’s specific lien laws so you can confidentially explain this process in your service agreement.

The non-paying customer can be taken to court. To sue someone in civil court for non-payment of services, first send a demand letter, then file a statement of claim form in your local small claims court clerk’s office, serving the defendant and attending the hearing to present your case.You'll need to pay a filing fee, complete the form with a clear explanation of your case and the amount owed, and provide proof of the debt to the court.If you win, you may need to request a writ of execution to enforce the judgment and collect the funds.


Make sure that your collection fee is clearly outlined in your service agreement along with your payment terms and make sure to never speak in a threatening demeanor to your customer when trying to collect the debt.

Allowing pets to roam in the yard while you’re working or having other contractors in your work area is a HUGE liability.

Pets could easily escape through an open gate, cause you or your employees to trip, get your cleaning solutions on them, consume your cleaning solutions, or even worse, attack you or your crew. Ask that your customers keep their pets inside and make you aware if they need to let them out to potty while your company is on site.

Beware that some customers want to play “Extreme Home Make Over” and schedule multiple service providers for the same day. It’s a terrible idea to wash with any other service providers in or around your work area. Allowing this opens your company up to be liable for contractors tripping on your hoses, breathing in cleaning solutions, or getting cleaning solutions on them. It’s very important that you have your customer agree to not schedule any service providers for the same day unless they are working inside and will not be accessing any area that you are working in.

Make the customer aware that any gates leading to your service area will need to be unlocked, vehicles moved out the way, furniture and other items moved (unless moving furniture is part of the service they are paying for) and a functioning water spigot. If there is no running water on site, you will need to know ahead of time so you can charge for bringing water and/or tapping into a hydrant, which often involves getting a temporary key and permit from the city or county in which the hydrant is located.

** If you are moving furniture, make sure to take pictures ahead of time not only to remember where everything goes, but to document any pre-existing damages **

A 1 - 3 hour arrival window is standard for the exterior cleaning industry. Especially if most of your business is in and out house and driveway washes for previous customers scheduled in routes. You never know when a job may take you longer than expected due to an unforeseen circumstance or even an additional service your company sold while on site.

It’s crucial to make your customers aware that you may be forced to reschedule if there is extreme weather on THEIR day of service. If this happens, it makes the most sense to give them your next available date rather than reworking your entire schedule and inconveniencing multiple customers. This is why it’s nice to reserve maintenance days or be prepared to work on a weekend (assuming their HOA allows it).

Make your customer aware that unless specifically stated in your proposal, that roof debris removal is not part of a standard roof wash. If you drive out for the quote, you can certainly add this to your proposal, but if not, you can ask them when scheduling but also need to make them aware that this service will be extra in your service agreement.

A huge mistake that many cleaners make is not letting the customer know that specialty stain removal and surface restoration services are not a part of the standard soft washing or pressure washing service. Let them know that organic stain removal is what’s included for a standard wash and that certain stains may need to be quoted upon arrival after doing a test spot. If you drive out for quotes with your rig, you may opt to do a test spot before quoting, however, it’s usually best to go ahead and charge for a standard wash and then quote any surface restoration services once you have done a test spot for the customer to see. This allows you to gauge the time and chemicals needed to complete the project and gives the customer realistic expectations of the final result.

Here are some surface restoration services that need to be quoted in person:

- Rust, Irrigation, & Clay Stain Removal

- Dirt Dauber Nest Stain Removal

- Oxidation Removal (Failed Paint & Coatings)

- Efflorescence Removal

- Graffiti & Paint Spill Removal

- Loose Paint Removal

- Vine & Artillery Spore Removal

- Roof or Gutter Debris Removal

- Thick Dirt or Debris Removed From Driveway Or Patio

- Tape Residue Removal

- Stain Or Sealer Stripping

- Chewing Gum Removal

The longer an oil or grease stain has set on a surface, the deeper the stain has penetrated into that surface. Set realistic expectations by making your customers aware that these stains may not be completely removed even with the use of hot water. Explain your thorough cleaning process to them and let them know you will do your absolute best to remove stubborn oil and grease stains.

Sometimes you will not be able to completely remove deep mold stains from caulk around trim and windows and rubber garage door seals. While you can try to strengthen your soft washing solution and carefully rag clean really stubborn stains on caulking and seals, sometimes you just won’t be able to make them look brand new. Explain this to your customer in your service agreement so that they don’t think you neglected these areas of their home during your service.

Let your customer know that you are assuming the home or building is water tight and able to handle a low pressure soft wash service. Regardless of how new the windows and doors are, have them place towels on each window sill and door threshold inside. Make it clear to them that you are 100% not responsible for any damages caused by water or solution inside the home or building.

While it’s crucial to document any pre-existing damages that you notice, you won’t always catch everything. Let your customer know that you’re not responsible for any damages present before your service but in the rare case your company does cause accidental damage to their home or building, that you will do the right thing and make them aware. You may even set a time frame for any reported damages and have a policy in place in your service agreement to resolve these matters.

Explain to your customer that cleaning solutions have to be mixed strong enough to remove stubborn stains. The deeper the stains (longer in between cleanings), the stronger you have to mix the cleaning solutions. In rare circumstances, plants or grass directly underneath or beside a deeply soiled surface being washed could be burned. This is typically a temporary issue that resolves itself by recovering within 90 days.

To minimize the risk of landscape damage, encourage your customers to water their landscaping thoroughly before and after service to ensure proper hydration. Let them know that during the service, you will also take precautions to protect their landscaping and reduce the stress effects from your cleaning solutions. Make them aware that sometimes plant and grass damage is unavoidable due to variables outside of your control such as post service watering, pre-existing health of landscaping, species of plants, etc.

Painted or coated surfaces will become oxidized over time from the sun and other outdoor elements. A dull, chalky paint finish comes off when touched when a surface is severely oxidized. Chalking due to oxidation is the paint's natural response to sunlight. Ultraviolet light triggers a chemical reaction that breaks down paint binders and pigments. Typically, oil-based paints oxidize faster than latex. Oxidized painted or coated surfaces may streak or spot when you wash them. In some extreme cases the entire coating will come off in spots. Some coated surfaces oxidize in less than a year while others may look great for many years. It really depends on exposure to UV rays and the pigments in the coating on the surface.

Let your customers know that surfaces that are just mildly oxidized, can typically be restored with an oxidation removal service (that costs extra). But also make them aware that you are NOT responsible for disturbed oxidized coatings during a standard wash due to that being out of your control.

Tell your customers that you may use photos or videos of your work performed at their property on your websites, social media, flyers, and any other publications. Let them know that if they do not want you to use before and after photos or videos of their property, to please let you know BEFORE you schedule their project. Make them aware that you will still take photos and videos regardless (company policy) but will not publish them in any way if they request for you not to PRIOR to scheduling.