1. Find who's behind
The customers paying least are rarely the newest. They're the ones who signed up years ago and never moved, while new customers pay today's rate. Owners on r/sweatystartup describe exactly this: long-standing recurring customers left on old rates because nobody wanted to have the conversation (thread ↗).
Get every recurring customer into one list with what they pay and when that last changed. Paste it into the free price-rise audit: it shows which lines are below your target, an estimated yearly uplift and notice dates. Nothing is stored.
2. Decide how much
There's no right percentage for everyone, and we won't pretend there is. Work it out from your own numbers:
- Your costs. What did labour, fuel, chemicals or parts cost a year ago and now? The labor rate calculator shows what an hour needs to cost to cover wages, overheads and margin.
- Inflation since the last change. The inflation calculator uses the US Consumer Price Index from the Bureau of Labor Statistics; outside the US, type in your official figure.
- The account itself. A customer three rate-cards behind may need a bigger step, or two steps a few months apart. A customer already near today's rate may need a small one.
Owners often say small, regular rises are easier for customers than rare big ones. One owner on Jobber's forum reported raising 400 recurring clients by 4% and losing two (thread ↗). That's one business's experience, not a benchmark, but it's a useful reminder that most good customers expect prices to move.
3. Pick the date and give enough notice
Pick a date that suits the work: the start of a season for lawn care, a renewal date for HVAC and plumbing plans, the start of a billing month for pool and pest. Then work back from the notice the customer is owed. Some places set rules for ongoing service and auto-renewing contracts; a few set a maximum as well as a minimum, so a notice sent too early can be a problem too.
| Where the customer lives | Price-change rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| California (US) | Price change notice 7 to 30 days before it takes effect, with how to cancel, in a form the customer can keep. | California Bus. & Prof. Code §17602 ↗ |
| New York (US) | Price change notice at least 5 business days and at most 30 days before, by the channel the customer chose; then get consent, or let them cancel within 14 days of the charge with a pro-rata refund. | New York Gen. Bus. Law §527-a ↗New York Gen. Oblig. Law §5-903 ↗ |
| Other states (US) | No federal notice period; check your state and your agreement. | FTC: negative option marketing guidance ↗ |
| Quebec (Canada) | Only if the contract allows it: written notice at least 30 days before, and the customer may cancel free within 30 days after. | Quebec Consumer Protection Act (CQLR c P-40.1), s.11.2 ↗ |
| British Columbia (Canada) | From 1 August 2026, subscription contracts: unilateral changes need 30 to 60 days' notice and must be allowed by the contract; the customer can cancel without penalty if it costs them more. | Consumer Protection BC: subscription contracts ↗BC Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act ↗ |
| Other provinces (Canada) | Rules differ by province; check locally. | Ontario Consumer Protection Act, 2023 (not yet in force) ↗ |
Your own agreement may promise more notice than the law. For every US state and Canadian province we cover, use the notice checker.
4. Write the notice
Short and plain beats long and apologetic. Include:
- The service and the current price.
- The new price and the exact date it starts.
- One honest line on why (for example: fuel, chemical and wage costs have gone up since we last changed prices).
- What stays the same: the schedule, the crew, the quality.
- How to cancel or change the service, and who to contact.
Templates by trade, with an email and a text version: lawn care, cleaning, pest control, pool service, HVAC, plumbing, electrical and garage door.
5. Decide what you'll say to pushback
Most replies are questions, not cancellations. Decide your answers before the letters go, so you don't negotiate from scratch on the phone:
| They say | An honest reply |
|---|---|
| “That's a big jump.” | “It is, because we've held your price since [year]. New customers pay [today's rate]; you're still a little under that.” |
| “Someone else is cheaper.” | “They may be. We'd rather be clear about what our price covers than cut corners. If you do switch, we'll make the handover easy.” |
| “Can you keep me at the old rate?” | If you've decided to: “We can phase it, half now and half in [month].” If not: “We can't, but we can change the frequency to fit your budget.” |
| “I want to cancel.” | Thank them, cancel it the way your agreement says, and confirm in writing. Don't make cancelling hard. |
Offering a smaller service (every other week instead of weekly, fewer treatments) keeps the customer without cutting your rate.
6. Update your software, then check
Change prices only after the notice has gone and before the first invoice at the new price. In most job software, changing your price list doesn't change existing recurring jobs: in Jobber you edit each job, and our Jobber recurring jobs guide walks through it. If customers pay automatically, check for failed charges after the first new invoice.
7. Look back after 60 days
Count who left, who downgraded and what you actually gained. If you run plans, the revenue forecast shows how a change in cancellations moves where your plan levels off. Then put next year's review date in the calendar now.
General information, not legal advice. Wrenchpost is not a law firm and doesn't give legal advice. Rules change and depend on your contract and your customer's location, so check with a qualified lawyer before relying on it.
Common questions
How much notice should I give before a price increase?+
It depends where the customer lives and what your agreement says. California requires 7 to 30 days for automatic-renewal and continuous-service consumer contracts, New York 5 business days to 30 days, Quebec at least 30 days where the contract allows changes, and BC 30 to 60 days for subscription contracts from 1 August 2026. Elsewhere, at least one billing cycle is a sensible floor. General information, not legal advice.
How often should I raise prices for recurring customers?+
Many owners review once a year at a set time, such as the start of the season or each customer's renewal. A fixed review date stops old customers drifting years behind.
Should I explain why prices are going up?+
Briefly and honestly: one line on real cost changes is enough. Don't invent reasons or claim a rise is forced on you when it isn't.
Should I keep long-standing customers on their old rate?+
That's your call. Some owners keep loyal customers slightly below the new-customer rate, but leaving them years behind means your best customers are often your least profitable. A phased rise is a middle path.
What if a customer cancels because of the increase?+
Cancel it the way your agreement says, confirm in writing, and part on good terms. Leave the door open: a customer who left over price may come back after trying someone cheaper.