What Belongs In A Cleaning Service Agreement

You need two documents, and confusing them causes problems. A client service agreement, and an independent contractor agreement. This is about the first one.

The clauses that prevent disputes

• Scope. What is included, by room, and what is explicitly excluded. Exclusions matter more than inclusions
• Labor hours definition. Six labor hours means six hours of one cleaner or three of two. Include an example
• Access. How the cleaner gets in, and what happens if they cannot
• Payment. Card on file, with the timing stated: for example, a hold before the visit and the charge when the cleaning is done
• Cancellation and lockout fees. With the notice window stated in hours
• Fee changes on site. Any change requires documented client approval of a specific dollar amount before work continues
• Satisfaction process. A stated window for reporting a problem with specifics (mine is 24 hours), then a redo or a different professional
• Damage and breakage. How it is reported and how fast it is addressed, and that the professional carries their own liability insurance
• Non-solicitation. A defined period and a buyout figure if a client hires a cleaner directly

The clauses that protect classification

State plainly that cleaning services are performed by independent professionals, not employees of the agency, and that the agency provides referral, coordination and billing. Clients should understand the structure before an incident, not during one. See contractor vs employee.

The honest caveat

Templates get you a structure, not enforceability. Contract law, non-solicitation limits and consumer protection rules vary by state, and some non-solicitation clauses are unenforceable as written in certain states. Have an attorney in your state review both agreements once.

The non-solicitation clause, realistically

Clients will occasionally try to hire a cleaner directly. It is the most predictable friction point in the referral model, and the clause exists to make the alternative explicit rather than to litigate.

A workable structure: for a defined period after the last agency-arranged visit, the client agrees not to engage the professional directly, or may do so by paying a stated buyout. Naming a number converts a confrontation into a transaction.

Enforceability varies by state and some clauses are unenforceable as written. The practical value is deterrence and clarity, which you get regardless.

What to put in the schedule of fees

• Base pricing by home size and service type
• Each extra, priced individually
• Cancellation fees by notice window
• Lockout fee
• Late payment terms
• The buyout figure for direct hire
• Any travel surcharge for outlying areas

Keeping this separate from the agreement means you update prices without reissuing contracts to everyone.

How clients actually accept it

A checkbox at booking referencing linked terms is standard and adequate for most residential work. Keep a timestamped record of acceptance. For commercial accounts, a signed document is normal and expected.

The contractor agreement, separately

Different document, different purpose. It should state the independent relationship explicitly, that jobs are offers which may be declined, that the professional supplies their own equipment and insurance, that they may work for others and keep private clients, the payment percentage and settlement timing, and that no benefits or withholding apply.

Do not merge the two documents. Doing so muddles the relationships and reads badly to anyone examining your structure later.

Review it annually

Set a calendar reminder. Prices drift, services change, and state law moves. An agreement that has not been looked at in three years is usually describing a business you no longer run.

From my experience

At Patriot Maids the cancellation policy is in our terms before anyone books, and every reminder text and email repeats it. Because of that, I rarely get pushback on fees. A lot of people cancel the booking themselves and just pay it.

Our rule: changes are free until 12pm the day before. After that, Patriot Maids charges a flat late-change fee, and part of it goes to the team because they held the slot. At Blank Canvas Cleaning, my newer brand, it's 50% of the booked price. Both work. Keep it simple.

We're up front about our 24-hour make-it-right policy in every quote and follow-up. If a clean isn't right, we come back and fix it or pair the customer with someone else.

Prep tasks get set at booking too: pet toys put away, shoes in a row, clothes on the bed, the fridge emptied if it's being cleaned.

On the contractor side, my independent cleaning professional contract has a non-solicitation addendum. Honestly, it's hard to enforce. Good pay, steady jobs and treating people well do more.

This isn't legal advice. Check your state's rules.

Common questions

Do I need clients to sign anything?

A checkbox at booking referencing linked terms is adequate for most residential work, provided you keep a timestamped record. Commercial accounts expect a signed document.

Is a non-solicitation clause enforceable?

It varies by state and some are unenforceable as written. The practical value is deterrence and clarity: naming a buyout figure converts a confrontation into a transaction.

Should the client agreement and contractor agreement be one document?

No. Different parties, different purposes, and merging them muddles the structure you are relying on.