Create a cleaning contract — structure, clauses, pitfalls.
A cleaning contract decides whether a job holds its margin over the contract term or becomes a loss maker. This guide shows what structure works in practice, which clauses are often missing and how the contract aligns with operational reality. Not legal advice, but experience from daily cleaning operations.
Structure
The cleaning contract at its core.
A viable cleaning contract has six blocks: parties, service catalogue, prices and payment terms, term and termination, liability and insurance, and other clauses. Anything beyond is decoration, anything less usually falls short.
The most important block is the service catalogue. It describes what is delivered, where, how often and to which quality level. Without a precise catalogue, everything becomes negotiable in dispute and the contractor carries the burden of proof.
- ✓Parties with full details
- ✓Service catalogue with frequencies
- ✓Prices and payment terms
- ✓Term and termination
- ✓Liability and insurance
- ✓Other clauses like keys, data protection, price indexation
Catalogue
The service catalogue as operational foundation.
A service catalogue names rooms or areas, the services per area and their frequencies. For an office building, that means floors, sanitary, desks, bins, kitchen, meeting rooms. Per area, specific tasks with frequency.
The most common mistake: a catalogue too general like 'offices are cleaned on workdays'. What happens with windows, carpets, high shelves? Without clauses, everything becomes a special that needs separate negotiation.
- ✓Areas with square metres
- ✓Services per area
- ✓Frequencies with weekdays or cycles
- ✓Specials like deep cleaning, windows, winter service
- ✓Quality levels where relevant
Prices
Regulate prices and indexation cleanly.
The price is usually stated as a monthly fixed amount for maintenance cleaning plus items for specials. A price indexation clause matters, reflecting wage increases and tariff changes. Without it, the company absorbs rising labour costs.
In practice, a link to the cleaning industry tariff or a consumer price index works. Some contracts use automatic annual adjustment, others require negotiation. Both should be foreseen contractually.
- ✓Monthly price for maintenance cleaning
- ✓Specials priced separately
- ✓Indexation clause for labour cost
- ✓Payment terms with deadline and discount
- ✓Default clause
Pitfalls
The most common pitfalls.
First: no indexation clause. In a three-year contract, wage inflation eats the margin.
Second: unclear key clause. Who is liable and up to what amount on loss, which insurance applies, how return works at contract end. Without regulation, disputes drag out.
Third: no clear specials clause. Deep cleaning, glass and winter service are open to interpretation if not stated separately. The contractor absorbs the cost.
Fourth: unrealistic termination periods. Short termination is comfortable for the client, ruinous for the contractor who built up staff. Six months is common and sensible.
- ✓Include price indexation for wages and tariff
- ✓Clarify key liability
- ✓State specials separately
- ✓Set realistic termination period
- ✓Consider data protection in sensitive areas
Frequently asked
What owners want to know now.
What belongs in a cleaning contract?+
Parties, service catalogue with areas, services and frequencies, prices and payment terms, term and termination, liability and insurance, and other clauses on keys, data protection, price indexation and specials.
How do I regulate price adjustments?+
Best with a clear clause linked to the cleaning industry tariff or a consumer price index. Alternatively an automatic annual adjustment by a defined percentage. Without a clause, the company bears wage increases alone.
How long should the termination period be?+
In cleaning, three to six months is common. Shorter periods are risky for contractors because staff cannot be reduced at short notice. On larger contracts with dedicated crews, six months makes sense.
How do I regulate key liability?+
With a clear liability cap per incident, reference to key insurance and a documented handover process. Without regulation, disputes between client, company and insurance drag out. The key management guide shows details.
What about specials?+
State specials such as deep cleaning, glass or winter service separately in the contract with price and planned frequency. Without listing, they are open to interpretation and the contractor bears the cost.
Is a cleaning contract mandatory?+
Not legally required in every form but essential in practice. Without a written contract, everything is negotiable in dispute. Even small jobs should have at least an offer letter with accepted terms.
Related topics
Keep reading.
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What should sit around the key clause in the contract.
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Target price for contract calculation.
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