Cleaning Services Agreement: What to Check Before You Sign

Why reading the contract matters, even if it’s boring

Let’s be honest: most people don’t read contracts. They sign, they trust, they hope for the best. With an office cleaning company, that’s a mistake that can cost you money and a lot of frustration.

Why? Because a cleaning contract isn’t like an internet contract. There are real people walking into your office, handling your property, and working while you’re not there. And there’s money going out every single month. It’s worth 15 minutes of reading to know exactly what you’re getting.

7 clauses you must check before you sign

1. Scope of services: what’s actually included

“General cleaning” is a vague term. What exactly? Floors, restrooms, kitchen, fine. But what about windows? Glass partitions? Chair cleaning? Carpets? Make sure there’s a detailed list of what’s included and what isn’t. If it isn’t written down, it isn’t included.

2. Frequency and hours

How many visits a week? On which days? At what hours? What happens on public holidays? All of it should be spelled out. “3 times a week in the evenings” is good enough. “Ongoing cleaning” is not.

3. Price and indexation

The price should be a clear number. Not “starting from” and not “as needed”. Ask: is the price fixed? Is it linked to the index? If so, which index? Are there annual price increases? All those surprises should be written down upfront.

4. Insurance and liability

Two types of insurance that have to be in place:

• Third-party insurance: covers damage to your property (breakage, scratches, leaks)
• Workers’ insurance: covers workplace accidents involving the cleaning staff on your premises

Ask to see the policy. Not the words “we have insurance”. The actual paperwork.

5. Cancellation terms

How many days’ notice do you need to give to cancel? 30 days? 60? Are there cancellation fees? Is there a “minimum term” you can’t get out of? A contract with 90 days’ notice and penalties isn’t flexibility.

6. Replacing staff

The regular cleaner isn’t a good fit? Unpleasant? Not cleaning properly? What’s the process? How long does a replacement take? Does it cost extra? Make sure there’s a clear clause that lets you request a replacement, no drama.

7. Complaints process

Who do you complain to? How fast do they respond? What’s the SLA (the guaranteed service level)? “Send an email” isn’t enough. “Call the supervisor, answered within 4 hours, follow-up visit within 24 hours” is.

3 warning signs in a contract: when to walk away

1. A long commitment period with cancellation penalties. A good company doesn’t need to “trap” you. If the service is good, you’ll stay. If they need a penalty to keep a client, that’s a problem.
2. “Additional services at extra cost”, with no breakdown. What’s extra? How much does it cost? If it isn’t written down, every surprise that shows up is on your tab.
3. No clause about insurance. A company that doesn’t mention insurance in the contract probably doesn’t have any. And if damage happens, you’re on your own.

The CleanTeam agreement: full transparency

At CleanTeam the agreement is clear and detailed: a full list of services, a fixed price, 30-day cancellation terms, full third-party insurance, and a supervisor with a direct phone line. No fine print. No surprises.

Want to see what a transparent cleaning contract looks like? Call us and we’ll send you a sample.

CleanTeam | Phone: 053-5934745
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