# Window Cleaning (tenerife)



## Deancaz

Hi all
My wife and i are thinking of relocating to tenerife. does anyone have any information on if there are many window cleaners in tenerife, or if you think there may be a big demand for a company to set up, 
Many thanks
Dean


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## dunmovin

no.


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## jojo

I'm sure there are many window cleaners already there, but you perhaps should go over and take a look. 

Jo xxx


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## Stravinsky

Ive only seen window cleaners in Spain at commercial property, never at private homes. Just remembver that you will have to become autonomo (self employed) and will then need to pay the monthly "NI" charges, upwards from €240ish a month even if you do no business.


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## jojo

Its also worth remembering that you maybe competing against and taking work away from locals and existing expats on the Island and they'll be none too pleased in this economic climate. There is very high unemployment

Jo xxx


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## mrypg9

Deancaz said:


> Hi all
> My wife and i are thinking of relocating to tenerife. does anyone have any information on if there are many window cleaners in tenerife, or if you think there may be a big demand for a company to set up,
> Many thanks
> Dean


I'm sure there are very many window cleaners in Tenerife. Judging by the number of fliers stuck on lampposts around here I would venture to guess that there are tens of thousands of would-be window cleaners, gardeners, pool cleaners etc. all over Spain, each undercutting the other.
I would also guess that as times are hard and people are cutting back on unnecessary expenses those windowcleaners already in business here are feeling the pinch.
We've had a lot of similar posts asking about work in Spain in the last few weeks and I can understand why: post-New Year blues, bad economic situation in the UK, memories of holidays in the sun and so on. 
But unemployment is over 20% nationwide, over 40% in some areas and to cap it all it's been cold, wet and windy here and it's even been snowing in some parts of Spain.
Best to stay put. The economic outlook in the UK, however gloomy, is more positive than in Spain.


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## VFR

As a side note to this thread.
I recently spoke to someone in my local council about an idea I have of starting up a free labour group for pensioners on low income & indeed anyone who is struggling to make repairs on low income.
I explained that I have a good number of skills & tools that I could put to good use and would work for nothing as it is unlikely that the local job center would come up trumps in the near future. Once started I guess other unemployed people in the village would join my charity group & maybe the council could assist with some materials.
Surprisingly although they liked my idea they said most Spanish family's would not be keen to accept the help & indeed not have strangers come into the house.

This being the case ?, then maybe a window cleaner will not be as welcome as they are in the UK.


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## Deancaz

Stravinsky said:


> Ive only seen window cleaners in Spain at commercial property, never at private homes. Just remembver that you will have to become autonomo (self employed) and will then need to pay the monthly "NI" charges, upwards from €240ish a month even if you do no business.


wow,,, thats sounds a little harsh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Deancaz

mrypg9 said:


> I'm sure there are very many window cleaners in Tenerife. Judging by the number of fliers stuck on lampposts around here I would venture to guess that there are tens of thousands of would-be window cleaners, gardeners, pool cleaners etc. all over Spain, each undercutting the other.
> I would also guess that as times are hard and people are cutting back on unnecessary expenses those windowcleaners already in business here are feeling the pinch.
> We've had a lot of similar posts asking about work in Spain in the last few weeks and I can understand why: post-New Year blues, bad economic situation in the UK, memories of holidays in the sun and so on.
> But unemployment is over 20% nationwide, over 40% in some areas and to cap it all it's been cold, wet and windy here and it's even been snowing in some parts of Spain.
> Best to stay put. The economic outlook in the UK, however gloomy, is more positive than in Spain.


Doom & Gloom.... but thanks for the reply


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## xabiaxica

playamonte said:


> As a side note to this thread.
> I recently spoke to someone in my local council about an idea I have of starting up a free labour group for pensioners on low income & indeed anyone who is struggling to make repairs on low income.
> I explained that I have a good number of skills & tools that I could put to good use and would work for nothing as it is unlikely that the local job center would come up trumps in the near future. Once started I guess other unemployed people in the village would join my charity group & maybe the council could assist with some materials.
> Surprisingly although they liked my idea they said most Spanish family's would not be keen to accept the help & indeed not have strangers come into the house.
> 
> This being the case ?, then maybe a window cleaner will not be as welcome as they are in the UK.


add to that the fact that windows generally open inwards here, so even upstairs ones are easy enough to clean yourself, so there really is no need for a domestic window cleaner

the only ones I have ever seen are cleaning shop windows, but more often than not the shop staff do them themselves


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## Alcalaina

playamonte said:


> As a side note to this thread.
> I recently spoke to someone in my local council about an idea I have of starting up a free labour group for pensioners on low income & indeed anyone who is struggling to make repairs on low income.
> I explained that I have a good number of skills & tools that I could put to good use and would work for nothing as it is unlikely that the local job center would come up trumps in the near future. Once started I guess other unemployed people in the village would join my charity group & maybe the council could assist with some materials.
> Surprisingly although they liked my idea they said most Spanish family's would not be keen to accept the help & indeed not have strangers come into the house.
> 
> This being the case ?, then maybe a window cleaner will not be as welcome as they are in the UK.


I think that´s right, certainly where I live all the Spanish have extended families and neighbours who do odd jobs for each other, they have no need for help from strangers. 

I bet your DIY skills are in demand from other expats though!?

There aren´t any window cleaners here, we all do our own!


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## Stravinsky

playamonte said:


> Surprisingly although they liked my idea they said most Spanish family's would not be keen to accept the help
> .


That's an interesting point. Our neighbour is Spanish and over the years they have always gone out of their way to help us in various situations. However when it is reversed, and we have offered to help them they have always been evasive and very backward in accepting any help at all. Not just from us, but other neighbours experienced the same with them as well.

It's not


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## mrypg9

Deancaz said:


> Doom & Gloom.... but thanks for the reply


It is, alas, the truth. 
To be honest, I'm surprised that people in the UK don't know how bad things are in Spain.
If you think things are bad in the UK, which they are ...they are much worse here.
I think that people see Spain through memories of a pleasant summer holiday.
The reality is far removed from that, I'm afraid.


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## VFR

Stravinsky said:


> That's an interesting point. Our neighbour is Spanish and over the years they have always gone out of their way to help us in various situations. However when it is reversed, and we have offered to help them they have always been evasive and very backward in accepting any help at all. Not just from us, but other neighbours experienced the same with them as well.
> 
> It's not


Yes we Brits find it odd.
In the summer I had just spent a few days checking out the roof tiles to make sure that all was sound for the coming winter & while walking past a neighbours house that clearly needed some attention and knowing that Pepe was poorly I just turned up with my ladder & tools and said I will pop up and rectify the matter FOC.
They were clearly not to keen on the idea even though they know I would do a good job, but appreciated the offer mind.


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## 90199

I live on another Canary Island, in all my years visiting and living on the islands, I cannot recall ever having seen a window cleaner for domestic properties, commercial properties yes.

Perhaps you have found a niche in the market and should investigate this further. I would be willing to pay a window cleaner with some long ladders to clean the windows on a ist floor apartment that I own. At the moment I do them from the inside and they are a pig to clean.

Go to your selected destination and have a look, you might be on to a winner,

Hepa


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## jojo

Hepa said:


> I live on another Canary Island, in all my years visiting and living on the islands, I cannot recall ever having seen a window cleaner for domestic properties, commercial properties yes.
> 
> Perhaps you have found a niche in the market and should investigate this further. I would be willing to pay a window cleaner with some long ladders to clean the windows on a ist floor apartment that I own. At the moment I do them from the inside and they are a pig to clean.
> 
> Go to your selected destination and have a look, you might be on to a winner,
> 
> Hepa


I'd say the same here, I cant say I've ever seen a domestic window cleaner, but the windows (on the mainland anyway) mostly have "rejas" (Iron bars) across them so are difficult to get at and as xabiachica pointed out most windows either open inside or slide out and they take a few minutes to clean.

I find it hard to believe that there are any niches in the marketplace when considering the number of unemployed of all nationalities in Spain and the islands. But its always worth investigating, as long as you're not taking much needed jobs from locals!

Jo xxx


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## mrypg9

Well, you could come and clean my windows!! They are in urgent need of a good clean.
But I don't think I'd pay you enough to keep you and your family for one day even.
We are in need of a window cleaner but we are in Spain and will employ a Spanish person.


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## 90199

jojo said:


> I'd say the same here, I cant say I've ever seen a domestic window cleaner, but the windows (on the mainland anyway) mostly have "rejas" (Iron bars) across them so are difficult to get at and as xabiachica pointed out most windows either open inside or slide out and they take a few minutes to clean.
> 
> I find it hard to believe that there are any niches in the marketplace when considering the number of unemployed of all nationalities in Spain and the islands. But its always worth investigating, as long as you're not taking much needed jobs from locals!
> 
> Jo xxx


Rejas, I wondered what they were called, believe they are used to deter the burglars we don't have many of either here.

My windows on the house are all on ground level so I clean them from the out side with a small step ladder and I clean the shutters at the same time, they do get filthy damned dust from the Sahara.

I think the man has got to go and have a shufty, ask a few questions, should be plenty of cheap flights available, and even if it is a big no he will have had some sunshine,

Hepa


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## mrypg9

Everyone contemplating a move to Spain should come here and get a job first, especially if intending to move a family over.
As so many people have said. Common sense.
Some of us can live on very little, some need more.
But none of us can live on hopes and promises.
As I said a couple of weeks ago, it's that time of the year again when we get loads of posts from would-be immigrants.
I used to feel the same when I was in the UK working and contemplated another day of teaching unwilling adolescents and looked out of the window to see a gloomy panorama of fog and towerblocks.......
Or looked through OH's office window at a load of oily mechanics and huge filthy trucks..
Memories of escape to sandy beaches and holidays in the sun came flooding into my mind.
But I waited until I had the means to start a new life with reasonable means to enjoy it without worry.


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