How You Can Reduce Your Window Cleaning Cost?

By Marcus P. Weeks

During the current economic climate, businesses are looking for ways to reduce costs.

The best way to do this is to put your window cleaning out to tender. If you select three or four other companies to quote, you can ensure that youre paying no more than market rate for the work done.

This process can however be very time consuming and you may be happy with your existing window cleaner. If this is the case, what other options are there? Here are some suggestions.

How often do you need your windows cleaning? Do they need cleaning every month? It is worth reconsidering whether the overall frequency can be adjusted. Missing out a couple of months, for example during major holiday periods such as during the summer and around Christmas, could reduce your bill by 15%. If youre looking for larger savings, consider stretching the interval to every six weeks rather than monthly and you could be saving 30%.

Of course, this depends on the nature of your property and its usage. It may not be appropriate to reduce the frequency, because you cannot afford to damage the impression you create for visitors or customers, or those that use the building. In this case, look carefully at which parts of the building are most important. Some windows/glass areas will be important from a stakeholder perspective and others less so. Consider reducing the frequency of the less significant areas.

In some contracts, internal windows are cleaned at the same frequency as external windows. Since they are exposed much less to the elements, this may not be required. Internal windows can be cleaned half as often as external windows. In some office environments, even less frequently can be appropriate. And remember the option of prioritising.

Some window cleaners charge different rates for using different types of access equipment. It is worth getting your window cleaning contractor to break down their quote as much as possible for different parts of the building. If your contractor is charging different rates, then consider carefully whether the more expensive methods are necessary. If they are, then look at whether it is possible to reduce the frequency of cleaning of the most expensive areas.

It is much harder to have a dialogue with your existing contractor about cost reductions without detailed knowledge of how their prices have been calculated. Ask them to give you a detailed breakdown showing: each section of the property; internal vs external windows; difficult to access windows. Armed with this information you can walk around the premises looking at cost reduction opportunities. - 30244

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How To Get A Successful Seo Company With Experts From London And Australia For Higher Rankings

By Taylor Reaume

Making your website SEO friendly is one of the most important things you need to do when you start out your online company. If your company is based in the UK or Australia perhaps, then you will want to get your SEO done correctly by an affordable Seo company with experts from Austrailia and London.

The better the SEO you have, or search engine optimization, the better your chances are of being listed high enough on the search engines. To get your website listed correctly you will need to use the appropriate UK spelling and grammar which is where these companies will come in handy.

Once you have checked that everything is correct as far as this is concerned, you can then look for your rankings to improve. These experts will ensure that you relax and focus on running your company while they do all the hard work for you. You can get very good value for your money by using these agencies to get your SEO done properly as they have excellent methods to make it work.

One of the best methods that most companies use is keyword rich articles and website content. You will have to make sure your website uses easy to read content that has keywords strategically placed within the text. Aside from this, on each page you must also use the same main keywords in the Meta tag and description. This will allow the search engines to see what you place more value on and rank you accordingly.

Keyword rich articles can also be used to send to submission sites. This will have the affect of getting your company website address out there for people to see. They will be able to target your article through keywords and you will probably find that the articles comes up in the search results before your website even does - until you get better SEO that is. This will show the search engines that you are getting traffic from other websites which helps your page ranking.

The SEO agency can also create forum posts and make blogs for you to get more traffic. These people will have a direct relation to your services or products and the SEO Company will also make sure that certain keywords and phrases are used in these posts for added benefit. These posts can contain a link to your website which people will follow if they enjoy reading your posts, and they will also use it if they are looking for a specific thing you have.

The SEO agency you use will understand exactly how to create these blog and forum posts so that they are natural and are not flagged for being too promotional. They will add helpful comments to get people to follow their threads and they will also create threads to attract potential buyers.

When you start looking into SEO companies to use you will find that most are located on website portals and directories aimed at website promotion. You can also look in the online business directories and use website designers as a resource for top SEO companies. - 30244

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Window Cleaning Negotiations

By Marcus P Weeks

When you are negotiating with your window cleaning contractor, as the purchaser, you are already in a strong position. Having said that, there may be elements of their offer that you would like to improve.

There are many elements of the contract that will be particularly important for your contractor. If you can be flexible on some of these, you may find they will be happier to agree to the elements you would like to improve.

Payment terms Since the amounts involved may be relatively small to a large corporate client, paying promptly can be a powerful tool. For most small companies cashflow is king. So if you can agree to pay in 15 days, or at least pay on time, this will be a major incentive for your contractor to agree to your requirements.

Stability: Having a regular job and not having to re-quote for it each year can be very valuable to a contractor. Fixing a longer contract (subject to performance of course) can help to keep the cost down. Even another six months might be enough to shave a percentage point or two off the cost.

Timing for special work: If you have special, one-off jobs that need doing, but are not time critical, see when there is a time when your window cleaning contractor is less busy. These periods occur less frequently these days, but each contractor may have, because of their particular mix of clients, a time of year that is less busy than others. It stands to reason that they might be more flexible over pricing during this period.

Time is the key factor: Since labour cost is the most significant part of your window cleaning contractor's costs, the time taken is a critical factor when it comes to pricing. Anything you can do to help them reduce the time taken to carry out the work will reduce the cost.

Here are some examples: Access to some areas may be difficult because of cars being parked in the car park. If those cars can be moved to another part of the site on the days the window cleaner is due, this might reduce the cost. Get the windows cleaned at a time of day when the car park is empty. Ensure that internal window sills are cleared. Provide pre-arranged access for secured areas of the building. A lot of time can be wasted trying to locate someone to unlock a door or gate! Provide the mobile telephone number of the person responsible for signing off work (or opening secured areas) and ensure they can make themselves available promptly. - 30244

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Could You Find A Cheap Hotel In London

By David Anderson

London is one of the most fashionable city break locations on the planet and each year hundreds of thousands of tourists visit UK's capital city. The city of London has hundreds of years of history and culture, stunning historical buildings and of course lots of entertaining attractions, even the queen lives there.

One of the hardest things to discover in London is a good quality hotel at a low-cost price. If you want to be in the center of all the action then you would usually have to pay a lot more for than you would if you were staying five miles away. The secret is to try and find a hotel that strikes the right balance between the price and location.

There are many high-priced four and 5 star hotels all over the center of London that could cost you a fortune unless you shop around and take a few easy steps.

First thing to do is to make sure that your visit does not take place during any major events in London as the cheaper hotels will in all likelihood be reserved for these dates well beforehand. So do not pick any dates where there is a cup final on at wembley stadium or any other large event. A quick look on the official London council web site will give you a list of monthly events.

It could be that you are going to London for a major event and are having trouble getting lodgings at any hotel. There is a potential solution by using the internet site Hotel Breaks as they have additional rooms to sell by umpteen of the London hotels. Even when the hotel itself is full Hotel Breaks could still have rooms left.

If you have any friends or relatives in or near London as it may be a good idea to ask if they have any localized knowledge of a suitable hotel that you could stay at. The important thing is to look around and make sure you get accommodation that is not miles away. You do not want to be using your holiday time and money traveling to where you genuinely preferred to be in the first place. - 30244

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I Saw The Queen From My Cheap Hotel Room

By David Anderson

London is one of the hottest hotel break destinations in the world and annually many thousands of tourists visit the British capital city. The city of London has many years of history, stunning historical buildings and of course lots of interesting attractions, even the queen stays there.

One of the hardest things to discover in London is a good quality hotel at a low-cost price. If you want to be in the center of all the action then you would usually have to pay a lot more for than you would if you were staying five miles away. The secret is to try and find a hotel that strikes the right balance between the price and location.

There are numerous costly 4 and five star hotels throughout central London that may cost you a lot of money unless you shop around and take a few easy measures.

First thing to do is to make sure that your visit does not take place during any major events in London as the cheaper hotels will in all likelihood be reserved for these dates well beforehand. So do not pick any dates where there is a cup final on at wembley stadium or any other large event. A quick look on the official London council web site will give you a list of monthly events.

It could be that you are going to London for a major event and are having trouble getting lodgings at any hotel. There is a potential solution by using the internet site Hotel Breaks as they have additional rooms to sell by umpteen of the London hotels. Even when the hotel itself is full Hotel Breaks could still have rooms left.

If you have any friends or relatives in or near London as it may be a good idea to ask if they have any localized knowledge of a suitable hotel that you could stay at. The important thing is to look around and make sure you get accommodation that is not miles away. You do not want to be using your holiday time and money traveling to where you genuinely preferred to be in the first place. - 30244

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Could You Find A Cheap Hotel In London

By David Anderson

London is one of the most fashionable city break locations on the planet and each year hundreds of thousands of tourists visit UK's capital city. The city of London has hundreds of years of history and culture, stunning historical buildings and of course lots of entertaining attractions, even the queen lives there.

One of the toughest things to locate in London is a good standard of accommodation at a cheap price. If you want to be in the center of all the action then you would ordinarily have to pay a lot more for than you would if you were staying five kilometers away. The secret is to try and find a property that strikes the correct balance between the price and location.

There are many high-priced four and 5 star hotels all over the center of London that could cost you a fortune unless you shop around and take a few easy steps.

First thing to do is to make sure that your visit does not take place in the middle of any large events in London as the low cost hotels will probably be booked up for these dates well in advance. So do not pick any dates where there is a cup final on at wembley stadium or any other large event. A quick look on the official London council web site will give you a list of yearly events.

It could be that you are going to London for a major event and are having trouble getting lodgings at any hotel. There is a potential solution by using the internet site Hotel Breaks as they have additional rooms to sell by umpteen of the London hotels. Even when the hotel itself is full Hotel Breaks could still have rooms left.

If you have any acquaintances or relatives in or near London as it could be a good thought to ask if they have any local knowledge of a good quality hotel that you could stay at. The important thing is to look around and make sure you get lodgings that are not miles away. You do not want to be spending your holiday time and money traveling to where you really wanted to be in the first place. - 30244

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Selection Of Commercial Window Cleaners

By Marcus P Weeks

I have written a book to help those involved with selecting and managing commercial window cleaning contractors.

I have been in the business of window cleaning for more than 30 years and have run my own successful business for more than 25 of those years. We have cleaned windows in almost every type of commercial premises including high rise office blocks, factories, warehouses, supermarkets, hotels, universities, historic buildings, schools, hospitals and residential units.

During that time I have learnt a huge amount about the business. I have come across some extremely professional people and, in truth, some rogues.

I have worked closely with a wide range of people who have been responsible for managing window cleaning on their sites. Some have been more experienced and knowledgeable than others, but they have all shared many of the same objectives, keeping windows clean, preserving the safety of their people and protecting their property, keeping personal input to a minimum, keeping costs reasonably low.

If, like me, you expect a good job for a fair price, then this booklet will help you to achieve all of these objectives.

So what should you expect from your window cleaning contractor? Much will depend of course on the nature of your building and the constraints you are under financially. The usage of the building can also play a large part in the extent to which you need your contractor to perform.

Communication. Are all aspects of their business geared to providing you with any information you may need, when you need it? Is that communication at the standard you would hope for?

A really thorough proposal is a sign of a well organised business that will be more likely to deliver on its promises. The cheapest price does not always mean the lowest cost. - 30244

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Window Cleaning - Health & Safety

By Marcus P Weeks

Do the company have a published Health & Safety policy? What evidence is there that the policy is adhered to? How do management check that it is being adhered to? What action do they take when there are problems? Do they have an accident log? How well kept is it? What is their accident record?

Insurance. Do the company have adequate public and employers' liability insurance policies?

Customer Care. Do they have a written customer care policy? What standards do they expect from their staff? When cleaning your property, you should expect their staff to be trustworthy, be smart in appearance, be conscientious in their work, be non-intrusive, ask before they move anything, remove shoes where appropriate, or wear shoe covers, knock on doors before entering, be respectful, polite and friendly without distracting staff who are working, clean and tidy up when finished.

In general window cleaners need to pay particular attention to customers' internal procedures. That might mean signing in with security on arrival and departure.

In some companies, there are sensitive areas that should only be cleaned at particular times of the day. Window cleaners should be aware of these restrictions and keep to them.

Reliability. It is reasonable for you to expect window cleaners to turn up on time! Inevitably, from time to time, delays do occur, but when they do, a telephone call to the person expecting them is the least that you should expect.

Guarantee. When choosing a window cleaning company, you want someone you can rely on. In order to give you the confidence you need, the window cleaners should be prepared to offer you guarantees.

If their internal systems are effective, you should only receive an invoice when they are completely satisfied that the job has been completed to the standards agreed. If you are not happy with any part of the work carried out, they should revisit the site and put it right within 48 hours of being advised.

Pricing. You should, of course, expect to pay a reasonable price for the work carried out. It is worth seeing if prices are fixed for any length of time. Some companies will fix prices for three years to give you stability.

Staffing. What is their staffing like and how much information can they give you about their team? Each member of staff should have been trained and certificated to the relevant standards. There should be a training record available for you to see. You should establish whether staff undergo any security checks and the length of service of their staff . The longer they have been employed, it normally follows that the more secure and well-run the company is. How many of the staff are full time and how many are on contract or are subcontractors? - 30244

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The Story of Box Sash Windows

By Robert Wood

Sliding windows have existed throughout Europe for Many years, dating back to the thirteenth century as very simple timber sliding shutters.

It was not until around the sixteenth century that glazed sash windows came on to the scene, sliding side ways unlike today's vertical sliding sash windows, that only actually started to appear mid seventeenth century in France.

When the nobility came to England (in asylum from the guillotine!) they brought with them new ideas and designs of the more sophisticated vertical sliding sash windows across the Channel.

One of the first glazed sliding sash windows was created and fitted for Henrietta Maria, the Queen Mother, who returning from France with French joiners, encouraged the renovation of Somerset House in London.

The exact history of how the weighted and balanced glazed sash window came about is not clear, although some say that the invention was a British one, many could say it was a french one.

A vertical sash window with glass and heavy thick glazing bars also known as Georgian bars to accommodate the very thin and delicate glass of the time, would have been a heavy beast of a window for the operator.

Doors of past had been counter balanced in a similar way of today's sash windows, exactly who and when the system was applied to the sash window is unknown.

Throughout history the sash window has never been patented, nor has anyone ever claimed to be its inventor.


The number of panes slowly reduced as glass manufacture began to produce higher quality stronger glazing, but it wasn't until the Government of the day stopped demanding window Tax duty in 1845, when the price of the glass dropped, that the panes became larger, with only two panes per sash.

During a period of British history the Crown cleverly started to tax citizens based on how many glass windows they had in their home and thus it was considered a sign of wealth to have one large pane of glass per window. - 30244

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What is Required to Become a Real Estate Broker?

By Adriana Noton

In Canada, there are a number of career avenues in real estate. One such avenue is a Real Estate broker. The job of a real estate broker is to act as a liaison between people who buy and sell real estate. Their role is find buyers and seller who are looking to buy or sell property. A Real Estate Broker help sellers with the marketing of their property and selling for price that is acceptable to all the parties involved. A real estate broker can own and manage a real estate brokerage firm and employ real estate agents. One has to pass a broker's exam to get licensed

In order to become a licensed real estate agent in Canada you must successfully complete a course of study as required under the Real Estate Act of the province of where you live. For specific guidelines on becoming a real estate broker's license, you can check with your province's real estate governing body. The Real Estate Council is the licensing and regulatory agency established by the provincial government to administer the Real Estate Services Act.

Each province in Canada regulates real estate brokers. In general, to become a real estate broker in Canada, one has to be at least 18 years old and a permanent resident of Canada. Before applying to take the real estate broker's exam, you should be registered and have been working a real estate agent for a specified period of time as mandated by the provinces real estate board. It can range anywhere from 6 months to 36 months, depending on where you live. You should have completed with a set of licensing courses and passed the written exams with grades of usually no less than 75%, depending on your province real estate rules. The final examination must have been completed within the one year preceding application.

When applying to take the real estate brokers exam, you must submit supporting documentation as required with the application as well as the required fees. You must submit the exam application usually within one year of the Broker Course examination date. If an application is made after the examination date, the exam must be re-taken. If an application is made after the specified date from the examination date, the Broker Course must be repeated. Each province will have their specific dates regarding the deadline of applications after one has taken and completed the real estate broker's course. Most provinces require that you take a broker's licensing course.

After successful completion of the Broker's Licensing Course and Examination, one must apply to change their real estate license status to real estate broker, either Associate or Managing Broker, with the Real Estate Council of their province. One must also have a past record of financial responsibility and conduct.

When considering a career as a real estate broker, you have to be aware that their will be a number of fees associated with obtaining the license. Such fees include: Broker's Licensing Course fee, Supplemental Course fee, real estate broker licensing fee - $1100, and any business expenses. Becoming a real estate broker is a very rewarding and lucrative career. As well, there are a wide range of specialized areas where one can work. - 30244

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Options For Home Gutter Cleaning

By Andrew Buda

There are many parts of a home that must have regular yearly or seasonal maintenance to remain durable and long lasting. This is especially true of gutters which take a brunt of the punishment a house endures during bad weather. Gutter cleaning is often not on the regular maintenance list but should definitely be included.

Gutters that are not cleaned can damage the structure of a home and create leaks and cracks in the siding of a home. The purpose of gutters is not only to protect the home but also to protect the roof of a home. When debris is left in gutters and the water is pooling around the eaves of a home there can be a tremendous amount of damage done to the home.

Employing a gutter cleaning service on a regular basis provides a home owner with the necessary maintenance but they are not required to keep and store all of the tools, equipment, and materials that are part of gutter cleaning maintenance and upkeep.

The technicians will make recommendations if a spout needs to be replaced or repaired and often have the necessary tools and materials to repair or replace any part of the gutter or spout that is damaged.

When cleaning a homeowner chooses to clean their own gutters the process can be a tedious and messy task. It is important to have the tools in place to make the process easier to complete. One will need a ladder that reaches the gutters as well as extra brackets and gutter material to make repairs if there are tears in the gutter. Most gutter brackets are installed with long screws which require the use of an electric drill with an extension screw bit.

The gaskets on vinyl gutters have a tendency to split and leak when gutters become weighed down with debris. This may require one to install extra brackets that have been damaged or pulled away from the eave. In addition, some homeowners will need to replace gaskets that have become split and damaged in order to create a water resistant and free flowing gutter for water.

When a vinyl gutter has been damaged severely in a storm it may be necessary to replace an entire length of the gutter. For some individuals patching a leaking area will hold for a while, but this method does not usually last beyond one season.

When removing debris from a gutter it is important to remove the debris and not try to flush it through the downspout of the gutter. Many times a downspout will become clogged when gutter debris is flushed to the spout. These can be very hard to remove when caught in the spout. For this reason one must physically remove leaves and other items from their gutter and only flush the smallest particles through the downspout. - 30244

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There Are Many Types Of Sash Windows London

By Jason Latham

Are you building a home? Are you shopping for windows and just don't see the right kind for you or are you feeling overwhelmed by all the choices? It makes it difficult to decide which ones that you like. Wooden sash windows are becoming the number one choice because of all their great qualities. Sash windows London are taking the nation by storm.

What is a sash window you may ask yourself? A sash window has been referred to as a hung sash window that it built from one or more removable wooden panels or as they are referred to a sash that holds glass. The glass is then separated into areas by slim wooden bars or left by themselves as one single window pane.

Edwardian, Victorian and Georgian homes are all traditional homes that sash windows can be found on but more and more homes rather modern or traditional is placing them on their homes because they look good and are durable. A sash window is strong and durable as well as made of high quality glass.

Affordable price, durability and security are just a few of the features that sash windows provide us with. Lots of homeowners are finding themselves investing in these types of windows instead of others because of these few features, they attract the homeowners. Sash windows also have a low maintenance standard that many find a great quality.

Many people prefer the wooden sash windows because of the security features that they give; many sash windows provide families with security like no other window does. You can place locks on them or leave them plain with the standard lock that they come with and have safety built in.

In London you will find many companies and businesses that specialize in building and making of sash windows in order to find the best deals or price you need to take the time to shop around and comparison shop so that you find the best deals for you. Many things can be achieved with a sash window like the look of antique wrapped into a package of modern flair. It is up to you to find the right one for your home. - 30244

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Fight Against Accident Benefit Fraud

By Adriana Noton

One type of insurance fraud that has been steadily increasing is accident benefit fraud. Auto accident fraud is when one makes a claim to collect money from insurance companies for motor vehicle collisions they did not receive, or repairs that did not take place. Auto accident fraud costs insurers billions of dollars each year. As well as being illegal and costing insurance providers so much money, consumers also pay a big price when people commit accident benefit fraud.

Reasons that people commit accident insurance fraud can include: some people think that because they paid so much in to their insurance premiums they deserve compensation. Others think accident benefit fraud is a quick way to make a buck, and others feel that because insurance companies are so rich, they can afford to pay a claim.

Criminals who engage in accident benefit fraud are very clever. One way they do this is to fake an accident. For instance, they could wait until someone is tailgating them and then suddenly slam on the breaks. There are even people who hire other people to willfully get in an accident to get a claim. They work the plan out such as getting shady car repairs shops and doctors to be in on the fake accident. Other people who are in an accident may decide to try to get as much compensation as they can so they lie about the extent of their injuries.

The negative consequences of accident insurance fraud can include: some medical workers may increase the costs of treatment that one did not receive or increase the costs regarding the extent of an injury, shady auto repair shops may exaggerate the extent of damage of a vehicle and increase their prices, and insurance companies will raise their premiums across all policies in order to make up for the money they pay out each year for accident benefit fraud claims.

There are many ways that people can fight against accident benefit fraud. When driving, make sure you practice safe driving practices such as: do not speed, look carefully when backing out of parking space, do not tail gate, keep a camera on you at all times to take pictures of an accident, report any car repair shop that practices in accident fraud, report any medical professionals who seem to be inflating costs of treating injuries, and always call the police right after an accident occurs. When reporting accident fraud, contact your state or the federal insurance fraud bureau to report the incident.

Victims of accident fraud can suffer such consequences as: an increase in insurance premiums, a lot of time devoted to trying to resolve the accusation, having demerit appoints applied to the driving license, and there is a possibility of even being dropped from their insurance policy. If one feels they have been a victim of accident fraud, not only should they report it, but they should also hire personal injury lawyer to fight on their behalf.

Accident fraud hurts everyone, even other insurance policy holders. It is important to take measures to stop this terrible and devastating criminal activity. - 30244

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Appying For A Uk Council House

By Steve Johnson

Over the last decade there has been a massive increase in people looking for council house or housing association property.

Many 'would be' house buyers have been squeezed out of the expensive private property market. The only other real alternative is to rent a council or housing association property.

To apply for a council house, contact you local council headquarters to fill in the required paperwork. They will want to know your individual circumstances to assess your housing requirements and current situation. All social housing bodies will give more preference to those in the greatest of need.

All councils follow a procedure of reasonable preference. You will receive more priority if you are homeless, living in overcrowded conditions or have medical or welfare needs. People who are encountering hardship in their current living conditions may also be considered with preference.

Financial circumstance, time already on the waiting list, tenancy history and length of time lived in the area may also be considered.

Applying to the councils housing department is not the only option. All areas of the Uk have housing associations that operate on a similar basis. They also use a preferential system and will also generally have waiting lists. The local citizens advice bureau and local council offices should be able to supply a list of all local housing associations.

To get your first council house or housing association property you will probably need patience. Your circumstance will be taken into account and the time it takes to get a house will reflect this. Once you are offered a home you can then enjoy living with lower rental costs. You can also consider swapping your property with other UK tenants in the future. - 30244

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The London Eye And London City Breaks

By Jimmy MacLeod

The capital city of England and the UK, London, has a vast collection of highly interesting tourist attractions, from the incredibly ancient to the very young. The vast majority of the tourist attractions are recognised across the globe (such as, Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London and the Houses of Parliament). Among the most recent are the Millennium Dome, Millennium Bridge, London Aquarium and the London Eye.

The Merlin Entertainments London Eye (it's full title), is more frequently called, just, the London Eye or,occasionally, the Millennium Wheel (because of the fact that it was erected for part of the Millennium celebrations). It was officially opened by the then British P.M., Tony Blair, on the evening of December 31 sadly there was a number of technical safety issues which led to it not opening to the public until March 2000. When it was erected it was the biggest Ferris wheel in the world being 443 feet in height.

The huge wheel is situated in Jubilee Gardens on the South Bank of the River Thames peering over to the Houses of Parliament below. From within one of the thirty two capsules towering above the whole of London you can see an incredibly large number of well known London landmarks, the Houses of Parliament, St Paul's, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and Hampton Court Palace are just a few, what a unique way to see most of London and, more thank likely, the reason it is one of the busiest paid for tourist attraction in London.

The first flight on the London Eye is at 10 'o clock in the morning but the ticket office opens half an hour earlier. The Eye closes at half past nine at night between August and July, 8 'o clock at night between April and October and at nine 'o clock at night for the other months of the year.

Visitors traveling in a car will be pleased to know that there are three close by car parks. For coaches there is parking very close to the Eye (Tel:) +44 (0)870 990 8886) for details.

The easiest way to get to the London Eye is by the underground rail, simply get off at one of the following stations; Charing Cross, Westminster, Embankment, or the closest Waterloo. You can also arrive by boat, get off at Waterloo Millennium Pier.

Finding hotels in London is as simple as going over to Bing, Yahoo or Google (or any other search engine of your choice. Whatever kind you prefer you are certain to find the perfect accommodation in London because the city must have the most hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfasts than any other. huge corporate hotels to the smaller boutique hotels, Luxurious accommodation to the cheap and lots more. - 30244

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Tips To Spotless Window Cleaning

By Nathan Colwell

Window cleaning is not that fun for most people. It is so frustrating sometimes to get streaks out of windows so that they look like a professional cleaned them. There are a lot of different things that professionals do in order to clean windows without streaks so they look beautiful and clean.

To clean like a professional, you need to first learn how they clean. There is a specific process that you can use to create beautiful and spotless windows.

The professionals use a variety of instruments. The number one tool is a squeegee. It really helps to get the windows perfect. A good squeegee can be a window cleaners best friend. The better the squeegee, the more clean the windows will be.

Some professionals use dish washing liquid mixed with water, water spot removers, vinegar solution or commercial cleaning products to make sure that the windows come out clean. You may need to try several different solutions until you decide on the right one to use. If one does not work then move on to another one.

When you actually clean your window, you need to use a washer. You should use your favorite cleaning solution. Then you need to wipe the surface with a squeegee and use a left to right motion to wipe off the cleaning solution. Use a lint free cloth as you clean the rubber blades of the squeegee. You can also use the cloth to wipe off parts of the window that still have cleaner on it.

After you do this process, you need to make sure that there are no streaks. You may need to go over certain spots again if there are streaks or spots. If all of this just seems way to complicated, you can always call a professional window washer or maybe even think about changing your window cleaning solution that you use. This is the main thing that will clean the window well without streaks or spots. - 30244

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London Shopping Vacations

By Karl Fraser

London, as a vacation destination, is very hard to beat. It is the most popular city in England for city breaks and longer vacations. Most people travel there to take in the wonderful sights of the capital city of England and some endeavor to see the British Royal Family (with the Queen being the top of everyone's list). Many people head to London to take advantage of the finest shopping in the land.

London, Paris, New York, how many times have you seen these three cities mentioned together? It is most likely that you will have seen them together on a bottle of fine perfume or a luxury cosmetic product. The reason is that these three cities are the top three shopping cities of the world. You will be hard pressed to walk through any of London's top shopping districts without seeing the flagship store of at least one huge retail chain.

London is amazing, it has virtually anything for sale all you have to do is go look. Places such as Knightsbridge, New Bond Street and Oxford Street feature extremely well known department stores and the likes. Usually shops selling similar items appear congregated in specific areas so if you are looking for anything in particular you just have to head for the shopping district associated with that product. You can easily spend a whole day looking through the many fashion shops, designer stores, boutiques, music shops, jewelry shops and bookshops.

Oxford Street And Knightsbridge

This is where you will find many of the nations flagship department stores. Oxford street has the likes of Selfridges and Knightsbridge has the famous Harrods and also Harvey Nichols. Oxford Street is said to be the busiest shopping street in Europe.

Bond Street

Gucci and Armani are just a couple of the luxury brands you should expect to see in Bond Street. If it is expensive, luxurious or unique then you will most probably find it here. Bond Street is famous for having the highest number of stores having a Royal Warrant (suppliers to the British Royal Family).

Covent Garden

Bond Street is great if you are rich and famous but for ordinary folk Covent Garden is the best place to go for fashion clothing. Covent Garden is home to a large number of smaller independent fashion stores and boutiques and this is the place to go if you are in search of a decent pair of shoes.

Other Places In London Associated With Shopping

Carnaby Street has a long association with fashion and in recent years the street is once again becoming trendy. If you want an old fashioned British tailor then Savile Row is the most famous place but you will also find tailors in and around Piccadilly. Hatton Garden (near Farringdon) is another place to go for jewelry shops. Shopping for books is best done around the Charing Cross Road although you may find some bookshops in Covent Garden too.

You could write a book on the places to go shopping in London, and I suppose there are many to choose from. If you want to go looking for more places to visit take a look at the many London markets. - 30244

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London Shopping Vacations

By Karl Fraser

The capital city of England, London, it the number one vacation destination in the British Isles and it has some of the most well known visitor attractions in the world. If you can class people as tourist attractions then the British Royal Family and the Queen must rank first. However an often overlooked attraction is the stunning shopping opportunities in the city.

London, Paris, New York, how many times have you seen these three cities mentioned together? It is most likely that you will have seen them together on a bottle of fine perfume or a luxury cosmetic product. The reason is that these three cities are the top three shopping cities of the world. You will be hard pressed to walk through any of London's top shopping districts without seeing the flagship store of at least one huge retail chain.

Whatever you want London will have it. Grouped together in places such as New Bond Street, Knightsbridge, Oxford Street etc., you will find all manner of designer shops, fashion shops and boutiques, department stores, bookshops, music shops, jewellery shops and virtually any type of retail outlet you can imagine.

Oxford Street And Knightsbridge

Harrods is, most probably, the most famous department store in England and you will find it, along with the superb Harvey Nichols and other stores, in Knightsbridge. Another incredibly famous department store is Selfridges department store found on Oxford Street. Oxford Street has lots of department stores and it has the reputation of being the busiest shopping street in Europe.

Old/New Bond Street

Armani, Gucci and virtually any luxury brand can be found on Bond Street. Associated with designer clothing, perfume; art, antiques and other items of luxury Bond Street has the biggest number of suppliers the Royal Family than anywhere else in London.

Covent Garden

Bond Street is great if you are rich and famous but for ordinary folk Covent Garden is the best place to go for fashion clothing. Covent Garden is home to a large number of smaller independent fashion stores and boutiques and this is the place to go if you are in search of a decent pair of shoes.

Other Places In London Associated With Shopping

Carnaby Street has a long association with fashion and in recent years the street is once again becoming trendy. If you want an old fashioned British tailor then Savile Row is the most famous place but you will also find tailors in and around Piccadilly. Hatton Garden (near Farringdon) is another place to go for jewelry shops. Shopping for books is best done around the Charing Cross Road although you may find some bookshops in Covent Garden too.

You could write a book on the places to go shopping in London, and I suppose there are many to choose from. If you want to go looking for more places to visit take a look at the many London markets. - 30244

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Managing Your Window Cleaning Contractor

By Marcus P Weeks

Since you almost certainly already have a window cleaning contractor, well start here. You will probably be in one of three situations.

You are very happy with your current contractor. You work closely together on a regular basis to ensure that all your objectives are met. They are proactive about suggesting ways in which the contract can be improved. You regularly recommend them to others as a model contractor.

You dont have a particularly good relationship with your window cleaner, but everything is working reasonably well. You occasionally get problems, but these are usually resolved quite satisfactorily. You dont talk to them very often, but that means one less thing to think about. You might recommend them if asked.

You are unhappy with your current contractor. You often get complaints about their work. You are not convinced they are doing a thorough job, even when they do arrive. When you complain, it takes ages to get the issue resolved. You would only recommend them to your worst enemy. As soon as you have time you will be finding someone else to do the work.

Which category you are in will determine what you should do next. If you are in the first category, then you might like to read the chapter on What you should expect just to make sure that you are getting the best available service. If you are under pressure to reduce costs, you should read the chapter on How to reduce the cost.

If you are in the second category, then all of Section One will be useful reading for you. If you are in category three, then first read Section One to see what youre missing, then move swiftly onto Section Two!

So in general terms, what can you do to manage your existing contractor successfully? Here are some suggestions.

Ask your colleagues for feedback on the window cleaners. Get your contractor in and go through the contract with them. Ask them to give you an update on whats happening and what the issues are. Discuss any problems with them and ask what they are going to do to rectify them in future. Ask them to suggest ways of reducing the cost. Ask them to provide a short report on a regular basis, eg Quarterly. This ensures that they pay attention to your contract. Give them feedback on a regular basis. Ensure they are being paid on time. It will help them to keep their costs down. Look ahead at possible changes to your requirements, so they have as much notice as possible - 30244

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How To Find A Contractor

By Marcus P Weeks

If youve never had to select a window cleaning contractor, what are the steps that you should take? In many organisations there are formal procedures already in place for this type of contract. If there are no procedures in place already, then heres a checklist you can use:

At this stage it is worth creating a list of around 10 companies. Where should you go to find a list of possible companies? Speak to any contacts you have who are in similar roles in other similar buildings and ask them for recommendations. Do a search on Google for Commercial Window Cleaners. Visit the Federation for Window Cleaners website Find a Window Cleaner section at www.nfmwgc.com/find_wndowcleaner.htm. Check your files for details of any companies that have contacted you (they have shown their interest and have made the effort to provide you with some information)

You will need to reduce this list to 5 or 6 companies, so start by checking them out on the internet. Use the checklist from section one " What should you expect? and rate each company. Think carefully about what your most important criteria are in your ultimate choice.

Once you have a shortlist of 5 or 6, you need to further reduce that to a shortlist of 3. Since their website is only an indicator, you may want to telephone each company as well. At this stage, just say youre interested in selecting a window cleaning company and ask them to explain their way of working. You will get a sense of how professional they are and will be able to answer any specific questions you have. Dont forget your checklist referred to above.

Once reduced down to 3 companies you can set up site visits. Take note ofhow they are handling your enquiry. All points of contact with you are an indication of the way they do business and how good their customer care is. Take notes about how they handle the site visit. What questions do they ask? How thorough is there inspection of the site? These are important indicators of their professionalism.

Give them a deadline for submitting their proposals. 7-10 working days should be sufficient. Make sure you ask for detailed costings. They should break down the quote by different parts of the site and types of access equipment being used. Get them to include a window plan, so that you can be sure that all windows are included in the proposals.

Look at each proposal and check each one off against your checklist. Look carefully at the differences between the proposals. If it is not clear where the differences are, then contact the company and ask them to explain in more detail.

Once you have decided which company you prefer, it is useful to invite them to meet with you to finalise the contract before you make the final decision. This way you can retain control and ensure that there are no nasty surprises. - 30244

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Pure Water Window Cleaning, What Are The Benefits?

By Nathan Colwell

In the UK and other Countries around the globe more and more window cleaning companies are turning to reach and wash methods to wash windows at heights considered too dangerous to be cleaned by tradditional ladder access.

Contrary to what some window cleaners believe, it is not against the law in the UK to use ladders for short periods of time.

A lot of window cleaners misunderstand Health and Safety laws this is partly due to the way it has been comunicated from the powers that may be.

But what are the benefits of pure water and the reach and wash sytem and can I be sure that it works?

H2O, Aqua or Water is constructed from one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms existing as two ions charged in water.

Water purification will remove all impurities in the water this includes all minerals and as a result when the pure water evaporates from a glass surface it leaves non of the trace mineral deposits that common tap water would, but this is not the only benefit of using pure water to clean windows.

A fact that is not widely known about pure water is that it performs in the same way as a solvent, as the water is in an unaturally pure state it will aggressively fight to return to its more natural "impure" state, absorbing dirt on contact.

In Layman's terms when purified H2O runs over a glass surface it breaks down the dirt by dissolving it and absorbing it into the water itself and as the glass is washed and rinsed with more pure water the surface will dry to a sparkling clean smear free surface.

Water fed poles will reach to heights of over 60 feet and after practice an experienced window cleaner can acheive perfect results minus the potential risks of ladder use.

Rain repellents are now entering the UK market place with one of London's leading window cleaners using a product called Hydrostom that is added to the pure water cleaning system. These hydrophobic polymers keep the glass surface cleaner for far longer periods of time, reducing the yearly costs of window cleaning for their clients. - 30244

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Dubious Contractors

By Marcus P Weeks

As in any business, there are some companies that are not as ethical as we would all like. Being aware of the potential dangers is at least some defence against these type of companies. Here are some examples of unscrupulous behaviour you need to watch out for.

Overcharging for difficult access. Since some areas can be hard to reach and not all companies have people with the necessary training or experience to carry out the work, some companies take advantage by overcharging for these areas. Within the overall job, this may seem relatively small, but it can make a few percentage points difference in the overall price. Make sure you get several quotes and have them broken down so you can see where the overcharging is taking place.

Using unnecessary access equipment. Some companies will specify that special access equipment is required, when the job doesnt really require it. Rope access is a typical example, when in many cases Reach and Wash can be used instead.

Unjustifiable price increases. It is easy for a company to be awarded a contract by bidding at a particularly low price. Once in, they find reasons to increase the price. They can be accompanied by very plausible sounding reasons that are rarely in fact, valid.

Pricing low and cutting corners. This is probably the most common form of SCAM among window cleaning companies. They price the job up and then submit a much lower price to win the work, in the knowledge that they will not do the job thoroughly every time. They do this by deliberately leaving some windows out each time and rotating the missed windows in the hope that it isnt picked up. The best defence against this is to require them to estimate the time on site as part of the contract and then make sure that they spend that time each visit, by getting them to sign in and out.

Hiring untrained people. Some window cleaning companies accept more work than they can really handle, usually by pricing low to win the work, and then have to hire inexperienced workers to do the work. Not only does this result in poor quality, but is likely to lead to a higher rate of damage to property. There is also a higher risk of theft. More importantly, the risk of accidents, to both window cleaners and employees is also greater.

Poor communication skills. What starts off well at the beginning can turn badly wrong through poor communication. Speak to existing clients to check that you will be able to get through to people who help sort things out when your requirements change or when there is a problem. Upfront payments. Some companies ask for an upfront payment and arrange to do the work the following week. Then, if they do not appear you will find it hard to contact them. - 30244

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Negotiating From Strength

By Marcus P Weeks

When you are in negotiations with any window cleaning contractor you will be in a strong position anyway. However, there may be elements of their offer that you would like to improve.

If you could be more flexible on some issues, which are the ones that really make a difference to your contractor to help you get what you want?

Payment terms. Since the amounts involved may be relatively small to a large corporate, paying promptly can be a powerful tool. As for most small companies, cashflow is king. That means that if you can agree to pay in say 15 days, or at the very least pay on time, this will be a major incentive for your contractor to agree to your requirements.

Stability. Having a regular job rather than having to re-quote for it each year can be very valuable to a contractor. Fixing a longer contract (subject to performance of course) can help to keep the cost down. Even another six months might be enough to reduce a percentage point or two off the cost.

Timing for special work. If you have special, one-off type jobs that need doing, but that are not time critical, ask if there is a time when your window cleaning contractor is less busy. These periods occur less frequently these days, but each contractor may have, because of their particular mix of clients, a time of year that is less busy than others. It stands to reason that they might be more flexible over pricing during this period.

Time is the key factor. Since labour cost is the most significant part of your window cleaning contractors costs, the time taken is the critical factor when it comes to pricing. Anything you can do to help them reduce the time taken to carry out the work, will reduce the cost. For example, access to some areas may be difficult because of cars being parked in the car park. If those cars can be moved to another part of the site on the days the window cleaner is due, this might reduce the cost. Alternatively, get the windows cleaned at a time of day when the car park is empty. Even relatively small actions, like ensuring that internal window sills are cleared can make a difference. - 30244

About the Author:

Dubious Contractors

By Marcus P Weeks

As in any business, there are some companies that are not as ethical as we would all like. Being aware of the potential dangers is at least some defence against these type of companies. Here are some examples of unscrupulous behaviour you need to watch out for.

Overcharging for difficult access. Since some areas can be hard to reach and not all companies have people with the necessary training or experience to carry out the work, some companies take advantage by overcharging for these areas. Within the overall job, this may seem relatively small, but it can make a few percentage points difference in the overall price. Make sure you get several quotes and have them broken down so you can see where the overcharging is taking place.

Using unnecessary access equipment. Some companies will specify that special access equipment is required, when the job doesnt really require it. Rope access is a typical example, when in many cases Reach and Wash can be used instead.

Unjustifiable price increases. It is easy for a company to get in on a contract by bidding at a particularly low price. Once in, they find reasons to increase the price. These usually are accompanied by very plausible sounding reasons that are rarely in fact, valid.

Pricing low and cutting corners. This is probably the most common form of SCAM among window cleaning companies. They price the job up and then submit a much lower price to win the work, in the knowledge that they will not do the job thoroughly every time. They do this by deliberately leaving some windows out each time and rotating the missed windows in the hope that it isnt picked up. The best defence against this is to require them to estimate the time on site as part of the contract and then make sure that they spend that time each visit, by getting them to sign in and out.

Hiring untrained people. Some companies take on more work than they can really handle, usually by pricing low to win the work, and then have to hire inexperienced workers to do the work. Not only does this result in poor quality, but is likely to lead to a higher rate of damage to property. There is also a higher risk of theft. More importantly, the risk of accidents, to both window cleaners and employees is also greater.

Poor communication skills. What starts off well at the beginning can very often go badly wrong through poor communication. Speak to existing clients to check that you will be able to get through to people who help sort things out when your requirements change or when there is a problem. Upfront payments. Some companies ask for an upfront payment and arrange to do the work the following week. Of course, if they do not appear you will find it hard to contact them. - 30244

About the Author:

Things That Can Go Wrong?

By Marcus P Weeks

If you are relatively new to the role of buying or managing window cleaning services then it might be useful for you to know in advance the sort of problems that might arise. Read further to find out some of the problems.

Being aware of the potential problems listed below might enable you to think in advance about how you will handle them when they occur, or better still to have a dialogue with your window cleaning contractor to identify how they will handle them.

Window cleaners do not turn up on the agreed dates or times.

Equipment failures (often but not always caused by poor maintenance).

Weather conditions preventing cleaning. This applies especially to windy conditions where rope access is involved, but snow and ice can also be problematic.

Staff sickness. Illness can hit any business, but the smaller the company, the more susceptible they are to having problems meeting schedules if members of staff are off sick.

Quality problems. For lots of reasons, some windows may not be cleaned, or only part cleaned. Streaking and squeegy marks. Bird lime. Initial cleans with the Reach & Wash system. The first time Reach & Wash is used on buildings they usually come up streaky, but are fine after subsequent cleans.

Damage to property. This could include: Window sills/ledges (caused by heavy use of ladders or careless use of cherry pickers), Breeze Soleil, Cladding (UpVC), Guttering, TV aerials/satellite dishes/airconditioning, Latchway systems, Roof tiles/slates, Glass/windows (yes, they sometimes get broken rather than cleaned!), Cars/vehicles in car parks, Flower beds (and other landscaping), Lawns/gardens. Internal damage including: Desks, Computers, Water stains on carpets, Items being moved and not returned properly, Theft, Accidents to window cleaners and/or employees or members of the public/visitors - 30244

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