The initial enquiry
Most people get in touch with a cleaning company by phone, email, or through a website form. At this stage, it's helpful to have a rough idea of what you're looking for — the type of property, its approximate size, what kind of clean you need (regular maintenance, one-off, deep clean), and any specific requirements or preferences.
You don't need to have all the answers at this point. A good cleaning company will ask you the right questions. What's usually needed is enough information to give you a reasonably accurate estimate and check whether there's availability.
Be honest about the current state of the property. This isn't a judgement — it's practical information. A property that hasn't been cleaned for several months will take longer than one that has a regular cleaner. Giving accurate information upfront avoids surprises on both sides.
How pricing works
Cleaning services are typically priced in one of two ways: by the hour, or as a fixed price per visit based on the property and scope of work. Both approaches have merits, and different companies use different models.
Hourly pricing is transparent in one sense — you pay for exactly the time spent — but it can make it hard to budget accurately, and there's an inherent tension in that the longer a job takes, the more it costs, even if slow progress is the cleaner's doing rather than the property's.
Fixed pricing per visit gives you a known cost, which most clients find easier to work with. The fixed price is usually set based on a conversation about the property and the expected scope of work. If the scope changes significantly — for example, if you want additional rooms included — the price can be reviewed.
What's typically included in a price:
- The cleaner's time and labour
- Cleaning products and equipment (in most cases — check this)
- Travel to and from the property
What's typically not included: consumables like bin liners, toilet roll, or hand soap; laundry; specialist services like window cleaning or carpet shampooing; and anything outside the agreed scope.
Access and security
For regular cleaning arrangements, many clients prefer not to be home during the visit — they leave a key or provide an access code, and the cleaning is done while they're at work. This arrangement is very common and works well provided there's clear communication and trust on both sides.
Any reputable cleaning company will have arrangements for handling access securely: keys logged, alarm codes stored responsibly, clear procedures for what happens if something goes wrong. If you're uncertain, it's reasonable to ask how they handle this before agreeing to anything.
If you'd prefer to be home during the first few visits while trust is established, that's entirely reasonable and most cleaners are used to it. Once you're comfortable with the arrangement, you can decide whether to continue that way or give access for visits you're not present for.
What happens during the first visit
The first visit to a new property almost always takes longer than subsequent visits. There's more to assess, more to establish, and more to work through if the property hasn't been cleaned for a while. This is normal and should be factored into expectations on both sides.
Most cleaners will work through the property systematically — typically starting with the areas that take most effort (kitchen and bathrooms) before moving to bedrooms, living areas and hallways. The order can be adjusted based on your preferences.
After the first visit, it's worth giving feedback — what was done well, what you'd like done differently, whether there are areas that need more attention. This initial calibration period is important and most cleaners actively welcome it. The aim on both sides is to get to a point where the visits run smoothly and consistently without needing a lot of active management.
Ongoing arrangements
For regular clients, the cleaning eventually becomes routine — the cleaner knows the property, knows your preferences, and gets on with it efficiently. This is the ideal state to reach, and it usually happens within the first three or four visits.
Things that help maintain a good ongoing arrangement:
- Communicate changes early. If you're going away, if you'd like extra attention on a particular area, if something has changed in the property — let the cleaner know in advance rather than leaving a note.
- Give feedback when things aren't right. Most cleaners would far rather be told directly that something wasn't up to standard than have a client quietly unhappy. If you're not comfortable raising it yourself, a well-run company will have a clear feedback channel.
- Keep to the agreed access arrangements. If there have been changes — new alarm code, different key arrangement — let the cleaner know before the visit, not during it.
- Pay promptly. This is easy to overlook, but it matters in the relationship between client and service provider just as it does in any other context.
Insurance and checks
Any professional cleaning company working in people's homes should carry public liability insurance. This covers damage caused accidentally during cleaning — a broken ornament, a surface damaged by the wrong product. Ask for confirmation of insurance if you're considering a new service and it isn't mentioned upfront.
DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks are standard practice for staff entering private homes. These checks confirm that an individual doesn't have a criminal record that would be relevant to their work. Reputable companies carry out these checks for all staff before they start work and can confirm this if asked.
Neither of these things should be awkward to ask about. A company confident in its standards will answer the question without hesitation.
"Any professional cleaning company working in people's homes should carry public liability insurance. Ask for confirmation if it isn't mentioned upfront."
When things go wrong
Mistakes happen. A surface gets scratched, something gets broken, a room gets missed. How a company handles problems is often more revealing than how they perform when everything goes smoothly.
A straightforward cleaning error — missing a room, for example — should result in a return visit to correct it or a credit towards the next visit. An accidental breakage should be addressed through the company's insurance or, for minor items, by the company covering the cost directly.
What to avoid: cleaning companies that are difficult to reach when there's a problem, that dispute reasonable complaints, or that offer repeated apologies without any concrete resolution. The relationship between a client and their cleaning company should be based on accountability on both sides.
Specialist and one-off services
Beyond regular maintenance cleaning, many companies also offer deeper or more specialist services. These are worth understanding separately from regular cleans:
- Deep cleaning — a thorough clean of the whole property, including areas not covered in regular visits (inside appliances, behind furniture, inside cupboards). Usually takes a full day and is appropriate when a property hasn't had a thorough clean recently, or as preparation for moving, letting, or selling.
- End-of-tenancy cleaning — a specific type of deep clean carried out when vacating a rented property. Letting agents often have specific standards; a professional service familiar with these requirements is likely to be more effective than a general deep clean.
- Post-construction or post-renovation cleaning — building work generates significant dust and debris that settles throughout a property. Specialist products and more intensive work are needed to address this properly.
These are distinct from regular cleaning in both scope and cost, and should be booked and quoted separately.
Questions worth asking before booking
Before committing to any cleaning arrangement, it's reasonable to ask:
- Is the company insured, and can they confirm it?
- Are staff employed directly or self-employed? (This affects how issues are managed and who is responsible for various obligations.)
- Are DBS checks carried out on all staff?
- How are access arrangements handled and keys kept?
- What happens if a scheduled visit needs to be cancelled at short notice?
- What's the process if I'm not happy with a visit?
None of these questions should be controversial, and the answers should give you a reasonably clear sense of how the company is run and how seriously they take their responsibilities to clients.