Signing a commercial cleaning contract for a multi-tenant building can feel like a formality, but the details in those pages determine what your tenants actually experience -- and what recourse you have when something's missed. Before you sign, here's what property managers should look for.
The Scope of Work Section Is Everything
The most important part of any commercial cleaning contract is the scope of work. It should detail every task the crew performs, how often, and in which areas of the building -- lobby, corridors, elevator cabs, stairwells, shared restrooms. Vague language like "general cleaning" is a red flag. Look for an itemized task list broken down by zone.
Common Line Items to Expect
- Common area and lobby floor care, specified by surface type
- Shared restroom sanitation and restocking (paper, soap, liners)
- Trash and recycling removal from common areas
- Elevator cab and stairwell cleaning
- Glass and entry door cleaning
- Floor buffing or waxing, and how often
What's Usually NOT Included
Most standard commercial cleaning contracts exclude tenant-suite interior cleaning (unless separately contracted), biohazard cleanup, post-construction cleaning, exterior pressure washing, and deep carpet extraction. If your building needs any of these occasionally, ask for a supplemental rate schedule up front rather than discovering the gap later.
Watch for These Clauses
- Auto-renewal clauses: many contracts renew automatically for another term unless you give written notice within a defined window.
- Price escalation clauses: some contracts allow annual increases tied to a published index.
- Termination fees: leaving early may cost you the value of the remaining term.
- Complaint and remedy procedures: how do you report a missed clean, and what's the response window?
Short-Term vs. Long-Term Terms
Month-to-month arrangements offer flexibility but typically cost more than a longer commitment. Annual terms lock in pricing and are easier to budget against in a CAM reconciliation. A shorter trial period is a reasonable ask if you're testing a new vendor before committing to a full term.
Everything Is Negotiable
Ask about performance guarantees, a trial period, and what it would take to add or remove a service line without renegotiating the whole contract. A vendor unwilling to put any of this in writing is telling you something.
We provide a written scope of work with every quote -- no verbal-only agreements.
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