Give every bidder the same brief
Issue a premises schedule, tasks and frequencies, access window, target start date and known constraints. Invite a site survey so suppliers can inspect floors, storage, parking, security and welfare facilities.
Require bidders to mark assumptions, exclusions and alternatives. A provider should not have to guess whether consumables, windows, waste removal or periodic work are included.
Compare quote structure
| Evidence to request | What it tells you | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaner-hours and visit plan | Whether the labour can cover the scope | A total price with no delivery plan |
| Supervision and absence cover | How consistency will be maintained | Reliance on one person with no cover |
| Insurance certificates | Relevant and current cover | Unverifiable or unsuitable policy limits |
| Risk assessments and COSHH process | How hazards and chemicals are controlled | Generic documents unrelated to the site |
| Comparable references | Experience with similar premises | Only unrelated domestic or one-off work |
| Inspection and escalation method | How faults become measurable actions | No named account owner or response times |
Interview the proposed account team
Meet the person responsible after the sale, not only the salesperson. Ask who recruits and trains cleaners, who holds keys, how attendance is verified, how holiday and sickness cover works and who may subcontract work.
Test an ordinary failure scenario: a cleaner is absent, a washroom complaint arrives at 9am or an alarm code changes. The response should identify people, communication and timing.
Check safety and employment basics
The supplier should explain site-specific risk assessment, COSHH, manual handling, slips and trips, work at height and lone-working arrangements where relevant. If it employs people, ask for evidence of employers’ liability insurance.
Do not assume that a badge or trade-association logo proves every claim. Verify certificates, dates, issuing bodies and the legal entity named in the contract.
Score quality and value
Use a weighted scorecard that reflects your risks. Price might carry a substantial weight, but workforce plan, mobilisation, quality control, safety and relevant references should remain visible.
Record why the selected bid offers value. This makes internal approval clearer and creates a baseline for contract reviews.
- Comparable annual cost and price-review terms
- Credible hours and staffing plan
- Site-specific safety approach
- Named management and escalation
- Relevant references and mobilisation evidence
- Contract flexibility and exit readiness
Frequently asked questions
What should I ask a commercial cleaning company?
Ask for the cleaner-hours, supervision, absence cover, training, insurance, COSHH process, equipment, inspections, complaint response, subcontracting, references, exclusions, price reviews and termination terms behind the offer.
Should cleaning companies carry insurance?
A provider should hold insurance appropriate to its work, commonly including public liability. An employer generally needs employers’ liability insurance of at least £5 million from an authorised insurer, subject to limited exemptions.
Verify the entity, dates, activities and limits.
Is the cheapest cleaning quote best?
Not necessarily. Compare the hours, scope, supervision, supplies, VAT and extras.
A cheaper bid can be false economy if it allocates too little time, excludes periodic work or lacks reliable absence cover.