Whether you’re about to start a cleaning or housekeeping business, or already have one up and running, it’s important to have legal terms and conditions for your clients. They build your credibility, set clear expectations, and minimise risk. So, let’s dive in and look at what they are.
What important provisions should be in my Terms and Conditions for my cleaning or housekeeping business?
Cleaning and Housekeeping Terms and Conditions are a legal document between your business and your client. They will set out important terms such as:
- Payment: the right to be paid within a certain timeframe; the right to suspend services if you are not paid; and a right to charge interest on overdue amounts.
- Scope: includingthe right to revise your fee estimates if the scope of works changes. For example you have agreed a certain type of clean but then the client wants to add in windows or a deep clean of the oven;
- Access: whether or not the client is required to provide you with parking. This is particularly important if you are cleaning in apartments with limited street parking;
- Photos and Social Media: the right to take photos and videos of the work for use on your social media accounts, website and marketing – e.g. a before and after of a kitchen to show future customers the magic you can create!;
- Cancellation: how many days’ notice clients need to give to cancel your services and any fee you may charge for it. Arguably this is one of the most frustrating parts of a cleaners role – dealing with last minute cancellations;
- Non-solicitation: preventing clients from hiring your employees. If you have spent weeks training one of your contractors or employees, you want to prevent your client from cutting you out and hiring that person directly; and
- Complaints: a clear process in the event of any complaints or issues with your services.
Is There Anything Else I Should Know?
Your Terms and Conditions should be attached to any quotations, or ‘scope of work’ you give to clients. They should also be given to clients before you commence any work. It’s also important that as your business is providing a service, you comply with the consumer guarantees listed in the Australian Consumer Law. That is, if your service is not up to scratch, you provide a refund or you rectify the service to the required standard.