What to look for in a cleaning contractor
Not all commercial cleaning companies operate in the same way. Some are large national firms with regional depots; others are smaller, locally based operations. Neither is automatically better, but the structure affects how your contract is managed day to day.
The most important qualities to look for are:
- A clear, written scope of work. Any contractor worth engaging will produce a written specification before you sign anything. This should list rooms, tasks, frequencies, products and exclusions. If a contractor cannot or will not produce this, that tells you something important about how the contract will be managed.
- Proper insurance. Public liability and employers' liability insurance are non-negotiable. Ask for certificates before work starts and check they are current. A contractor without adequate cover exposes you to risk if something goes wrong on your premises.
- A named point of contact. You should know exactly who to call if you have a concern, a request to change a task, or a problem that needs resolving. Contracts that route everything through a generic inbox or a central call centre often result in slow responses and unresolved issues.
- Experience with your type of premises. Cleaning an office is different from cleaning a healthcare facility, a school or an industrial unit. Ask about their experience with similar buildings and whether they have handled the specific requirements your premises have.
- A site walkthrough before quoting. A contractor who quotes without visiting your premises cannot give you an accurate price or a realistic service plan. The walkthrough is how a good contractor understands your building, identifies risks and asks the right questions before committing to anything.
Questions to ask before signing a contract
A formal tender process is not always necessary, but before committing to any cleaning contract it is worth getting clear answers to these questions:
- Who specifically will be cleaning my premises, and what training do they receive?
- What happens if the regular cleaner is off sick or on annual leave — is cover arranged automatically?
- Will the same person clean my premises each time, or will there be regular staff changes?
- How are standards checked? Is there supervisory oversight, and how often?
- What documentation can you provide — RAMS, COSHH sheets, insurance certificates?
- What is the notice period in the contract if either party wants to end the arrangement?
- What is the process if I am not happy with a visit? How quickly will issues be addressed?
- Are you able to accommodate changes to the scope or frequency as my needs change?
A contractor confident in their service will answer these questions directly. Vague or evasive answers at the inquiry stage tend to reflect how issues will be handled once the contract is running.
Red flags to watch out for
Most cleaning contractors are straightforward businesses, but there are patterns that suggest a contract is likely to underperform:
- Quotes without a site visit. A price produced from a brief phone call or web form is a guess. It will almost certainly need revising once the contractor sees the premises, which means either a price increase or cutting corners to make the original price work.
- No written specification. A verbal agreement about what will be cleaned is not a contract. Without a written task list, you have no basis for holding the contractor to account when something is not done.
- Inability to produce insurance certificates promptly. Any reputable business can produce current insurance documentation on request. Delays or excuses about this should be taken seriously.
- No clarity on cover arrangements. If a contractor cannot explain what happens when your regular cleaner is unavailable, that means your cleaning will simply not happen on those days.
- Lock-in contracts with no review process. Long-term contracts are not inherently a problem, but contracts that lock you in for an extended period with no mechanism for reviewing standards or addressing persistent problems are weighted heavily in the contractor's favour.
- Prices significantly below other quotes. It is worth understanding why a quote is substantially cheaper than others. It may reflect a different scope assumption, lower staff costs, or a lack of management overhead — all of which affect what you actually receive.
The importance of a site walkthrough
A site walkthrough before any contract is agreed is the single most important step in choosing a commercial cleaning company. It gives the contractor the information they need to produce an accurate specification and a realistic price, and it gives you the opportunity to assess how they approach the job.
During a walkthrough, a good contractor will want to understand:
- The layout and size of the premises, including any areas that are off-limits or require special access
- Floor types and the appropriate cleaning methods for each
- Washroom and kitchen facilities and the standard expected
- Access, alarm and key arrangements
- Any security, safeguarding or compliance requirements specific to your premises
- The cleaning frequency and preferred timing of visits
If a contractor shows up to a walkthrough without asking these questions, or rushes through without taking the time to understand your building properly, that is a reasonable indicator of how the contract itself will be managed.
Insurance, documentation and compliance
Commercial cleaning involves working in your premises, using chemicals and handling building access. That creates obligations for both parties, and it is worth being clear about these before a contract starts.
At a minimum, your cleaning contractor should be able to provide:
- Current public liability insurance certificate
- Employers' liability insurance certificate
- COSHH data sheets for any products used on your premises, particularly if your site has health, food or regulatory requirements
- A RAMS document for your site if your premises requires it — common in industrial, healthcare or construction-adjacent settings
If your premises has specific compliance obligations — for example if you operate in healthcare, food production or education — confirm that the contractor is familiar with those requirements and can meet them before the contract starts.