Cleaning Service Agreement Template: The Clauses That Matter

What to put in a cleaning service agreement: scope, access, cancellations, payment, damage and pets. Plain-English clause guide for small cleaning businesses.

Four things are worth settling in writing before the first clean: what's included, late cancellations, broken items, and late payment. A short agreement can cover all four.

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ by province and state. Have a local professional review your agreement if you're unsure.

The clauses

Parties and address. Who is hiring whom, for which property.

Scope. Attach or reference the checklist for the clean type. Name the exclusions: biohazards, mould, heavy lifting, exterior windows above ground level, whatever you won't do.

Schedule and access. Day, time window, how you get in, where keys or codes are kept, and what happens if you can't get in.

Cancellations. A notice period, often 24 or 48 hours, and the fee for a late cancellation or a lockout.

Price and payment. The rate, when it's due, accepted methods, and the late fee if you charge one. If you take deposits for first cleans or move-outs, say so here.

Damage and breakage. How the client reports it, the timeframe, and how it's handled. Ask clients to put away fragile or valuable items.

Pets and safety. Pets secured or disclosed. Your right to stop work in an unsafe situation.

Satisfaction. A short re-clean window for missed items, reported within a set time, instead of refunds.

Changes and ending. How either side changes the schedule or ends recurring service, and the notice needed.

Keep it short

Two pages is plenty for residential work. A long agreement scares off a client who only wanted the bathrooms done. Put the details in a one-page client policy sheet and reference it.

Get it signed before the first clean

An agreement signed after the job is a complaint waiting to happen. Send it with the booking confirmation.

Templates

The Cleaning Business Kit includes an editable service agreement, a change order, and a one-page client policy sheet in Word, labelled as templates to review for your location.

General information for small service businesses. Not legal, tax or financial advice. No particular results are promised. Example numbers are illustrations, not market rates.