Facilities management

Questions to Ask a Cleaning Contractor Before Appointing Them

A structured set of questions about scope, standards, communication, documentation and operational cover.

Practical operating guidance · reviewed 5 September 2026

The useful starting point is to make the required outcome visible, assign the right checks to the right stage of the work, and record anything that needs a decision rather than relying on an informal handover.

What to focus on

  • Ask what information the contractor needs before a quote is finalised.
  • Clarify the reporting and escalation process for defects, changes and emergencies.
  • Understand what evidence or site records will be supplied at completion.

Put the process into practice

Start with the actual property, site or job you are managing. Confirm the scope, access, person responsible for decisions and any evidence that needs to be captured. The aim is not to create paperwork for its own sake; it is to make the next step clear for the person doing the work and the person reviewing it.

Where the work involves a client site, guest property or handover deadline, keep changes and exceptions visible. A small, well-run record is usually more useful than a lengthy document nobody returns to.

COMMON QUESTION

Should I ask for a site survey?

Where scope, access or specialist requirements are unclear, a survey can make the proposal more useful and more comparable.

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