Before you tell anyone: read the contract
Find the termination clause. Note the notice period, any cure period, any fee for ending early, and the renewal date. Everything else in the plan is timed from these. If the contract has already renewed, the notice period may run from a different date than you expect.
A plan, week by week
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Now | Read the notice clause. Raise any open problems with your current provider in writing, so there is a record. |
| Week 1 | Walk the space and take dated photos of its present condition. Write down what the current service does, from the scope or from observation. |
| Week 1 to 2 | Write the scope you want: areas, tasks, frequency, hours, access and reporting. Use the same document for every provider you ask. |
| Week 2 to 4 | Ask two or three providers for a proposal on that scope. Ask each for a site walkthrough first. |
| Week 4 to 5 | Compare the proposals on the same scope, frequency and hours. Check what each says about supervision, inspection and reporting. |
| Notice date | Give notice in the form the contract requires, and keep a copy. Confirm the end date in writing. |
| Handover | Overlap the old and new service by a few days if the contract allows, so keys, access and supplies move cleanly. |
| First 30 days | Inspect weekly with the same checklist, and agree what a good result is with the new provider. |
Things people forget
- Keys, access cards and codes held by the old provider, and getting them back or cancelled.
- The building's vendor paperwork for the new provider, which can take time to approve.
- Supplies stored in the cleaning closet and who owns them.
- Any areas the old provider cleaned that were never in the scope.
- A date by which you will review the new service, and what you will do if it falls short.
If you want to try before you commit
A paid 30-day pilot lets you see a provider's service, inspections and reports on your own space before you agree to a longer arrangement. It costs something, which is the point: the provider is accountable for the result during the trial. It is one option among several, and it is not for a one-off clean.