Management and finance
Condominium cleaning contract: what it should include
Hiring or reviewing cleaning for your building? See what to put in the brief, how to compare quotes and how to check that the service is delivered.
· 3 min read · Condgest
A good condominium cleaning contract states in writing what is cleaned, how often, with which products, and what happens when the service fails. Without it, every owner has a different idea of what is included, and complaints have nothing to stand on.
Start with a written brief
Before asking for prices, write down what the building needs. One page is enough. Include:
- Areas: entrance, stairs, lift, garage, storerooms, roof terrace, windows in common areas.
- Frequency for each area. The entrance may need daily cleaning and the garage only weekly.
- Visit times and how long each visit lasts.
- Products and equipment: who supplies them, and any requirements for rubbish and bins.
- One-off tasks: window washing, floor polishing, cleaning after building work.
When every company gets the same document, the quotes can be compared.
Compare the quotes
Do not compare the monthly price alone. Ask each company:
| What to compare | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Hours per visit and number of staff | Two quotes at the same price may offer half the time |
| Products and equipment included | Avoids extra charges |
| VAT included or not | The difference adds up over a year |
| Cover when someone is absent | Without cover, the service simply does not happen |
| Public liability insurance | Covers damage to the building and to people |
| Notice needed to end the contract | A locked-in contract is bad if the service is weak |
Ask for references from other buildings and, if possible, visit one.
What the contract should cover
- A description of the service, matching the brief.
- Price, payment method and payment deadline.
- Length, renewal and notice to end it.
- What happens when a visit is missed: a discount or a make-up visit.
- Who is liable for damage, and proof of insurance.
- A single contact at the company for complaints.
How to check the service
Signing is half the job. The rest is checking:
- A visit sheet signed or logged at every visit.
- Regular inspections of the areas, with photos, by whoever manages the building.
- A simple way for owners to report problems, and a record of what was reported.
- A short meeting with the company when failures repeat, with what was agreed put in writing.
If the service does not improve, the record of failures lets you renegotiate or change company without an argument.
Review it from time to time
Review the brief at least once a year. Buildings change: building work, more foot traffic, a garage that gets more use. Adjusting frequencies usually saves more than cutting hours blindly. See also how to reduce condominium maintenance costs and how to compare building work quotes, which uses the same method. The cost of cleaning should show clearly in the accounts: see how to read condominium accounts.
How CondGest helps
At CondGest, the administration prepares the brief, asks for comparable quotes, follows the service and records failures. Cleaning, lift, gate and extinguisher contracts are reviewed and monitored. See our maintenance services and how we work. Find out more about our condominium management in Lisbon.
Want to review cleaning in your building? Request a proposal.
This article is for information only and is no substitute for legal advice on a specific case. It is a translation of the Portuguese original; the law referred to is Portuguese law.