Are you thinking of starting a cleaning company or a small business? Then, you need to learn how to properly write a contract for office cleaning which makes the deal between you and client legally binding. Not to have a contract is not reasonable these days because it might lead to disadvantages for your cleaning business. You could write the contract yourself and provide it to your clients for signing. Offering a contract immediately puts you among those professional business people who don't bail on the legal side of the business and who can't be easily deceived. Here are a few tips which will help you create the contract:

1) Buy a form for a contract from an office supply shop or make your own from scratch. The line 'Service Agreement' should be typed in bold on the first page. After that, write the names of the involved parties, i.e. you and the client. Always state the date the cleaning will be done. If you are creating a long-term contract, mention the beginning and the end of the contract.

2) Next, you need to mention the services that your company will provide. You should make the description as detailed as possible to avoid any confusion later about the offered services. How often the cleaning service will be done should be mentioned: on a daily basis or less frequently. If any of the cleaning works will be more regular than others, write that down too. For instance, you might need to polish the floors once every two days but do the sweeping every day.

3) Another part of the commercial cleaning contract should have the details about the cleaning supplies. State the cleaning materials which you provide during the job. Generally, you would have to provide most of the cleaning tools and supplies such as vacuum, rags, floor wax, mops, cleaning solutions and so on. If the client wants to supply with additional cleaning supplies, mention this in the contract as well.

4) Make sure you state your fees in the commercial cleaning contract. The costs you need to consider include: cleaning supplies, the labor of the staff, travel expenses and last, but not least, your profit. It's best to provide the client with a list of items, so that they are able to see the basis for your fee and how much each service costs.

5) Towards the very end of the contract, state your terms of payment under the section called COMPENSATION. Write down the required fee and the period of payment. If you wish to receive the payment after each work done, or weekly/monthly, state that clearly to avoid any misunderstanding. Moreover, specify the ways of payment you accept: cash, by card or check. In addition, you can put a clause regarding the consequences if the client fails to pay on time.

6) At the lower end of the contract, leave space for signatures. If it's required where you live, a lawyer should notarize the contract. It's advisable to put a clause which states the conditions and reasons for terminating the contract.

When you are providing office cleaning services, not having a contract puts your business at risk. This way, other companies may easily steal your client from you. It also gives the client the freedom to look for a different cleaning business and compare prices. A legally binding contract is always preferable, no matter the kind of service one provides. Make sure the contract is well-formulated and the clauses are clear enough - have the contract checked, before signing, by a lawyer or legal adviser if possible.