Most cleaning contracts get signed on price and a good first meeting. The problems arrive later. Almost all of them show up early if you ask a few questions before you sign.
Who actually performs the work?
Find out who will be on your site and who is accountable for them. If the answer involves other businesses, that isn't automatically a problem. But the accountability should sit in one named place, in writing.
What insurance evidence will you provide before start?
Ask for certificates before the first service, not after the first incident. Note the insured name, the policy dates and the cover type.
How do you handle issues?
Ask for the process in writing. What happens when a task is missed? Who logs it, who fixes it, who checks it was fixed? If the answer is "just call me", you've learned what year two will look like.
How do variations work?
Sites change. Headcount grows, floors get refitted, frequencies need adjusting. Ask how the scope gets changed and how changes get confirmed. The answer should involve a document, not a conversation.
What reporting will you send?
Service reports and audit outcomes are the difference between knowing and hoping. Ask what you'll receive, and how often.
How does the agreement end or renew?
Understand the exit before the entry. Notice periods, what happens at renewal, and what handover looks like if you leave.
Checklist. Before you sign, you should have:
- The name of the accountable party, in writing
- Insurance certificates, sighted
- The issue-handling process, in writing
- The variation process, in writing
- The reporting you'll receive, listed
- The exit and renewal terms, understood
Every Tradevero contract starts with these answers in writing.