About House Cleaning Contracts

Many professional cleaning companies will want you to agree to the terms of their service, so the answer is probably yes. It’s in your best interest to have a written agreement about what they are obliged to provide and what your responsibilities are. Because it’s all in writing, there are no surprises. A cleaning contract details the relationship between you and the cleaning service provider and lays out exactly what the service will cover.

Some cleaning companies only require you to sign an “unfair solicitation agreement” (also known as a “non-compete agreement”). This contract prevents you from directly hiring your cleaning person on an individual basis, thereby cutting out the middleman of the cleaning company that employs them. Since most companies spend a lot of time and money to find and train employees, they will seek damages from clients who poach their best employees.

What’s usually in a cleaning company’s agreement or contract?

Normally they will list out all of their rules and regulations in addition to stipulating what they will and will not do, how they get paid and what happens when they’re not paid on time. It also may detail what happens when a cleaner is sick or has an emergency, or list out any planned blackout dates due to pre-arranged vacations.

With this document, you don’t have to wonder when or how to pay your cleaning service or how you can cancel the service when you no longer need it.

Here is a list of a few basic items that you can expect to see in your agreement:

  • Detail of services offered
  • How much they cost
  • How payment is rendered
  • Cancellation fees, or late payment fees
  • Insurance requirements
  • Responsibilities of parties
  • Non-compete or non-solicitation clause

The agreement lays out the details of the relationship between you and the cleaning business. It outlines how you can end the professional relationship, such as how much notice to give and by what format (email, phone call).

Contact information and hours of operation for your cleaning company are normally at the top of this contract. The agreement also usually includes:

  • Schedule of cleaning (weekly, bi-weekly, one-time)
  • Location of cleaning service
  • Date and time of cleaning
  • Your contact information
  • Payment details, dates, and whether or not a deposit is required
  • Who will provide equipment and supplies
  • Details of the services to be provided
  • How to cancel the services