Office cleaning contracts often run for a year, and switching providers mid-contract is disruptive. A little checking at the start saves months of chasing missed tasks.
These are the five warning signs worth taking seriously.
A price far below everyone else
A low quote is tempting, but cleaning cost is mostly labour. If one quote is far below the others for the same scope, something has been cut. Common reasons include:
- fewer hours on site than you assumed;
- one cleaner where the job needs two;
- untrained or frequently changing staff;
- no cover when the cleaner is absent;
- extra charges for supplies, equipment or “additional” tasks later on.
What to do: compare quotes on the same basis. Ask each company how many cleaners, how many hours per visit and which tasks the price covers. A fair quote is one you can check line by line. Our office cleaning cost guide sets out what shapes a quote and how to compare them fairly.
No NEA cleaning business licence
In Singapore, businesses that provide general cleaning at offices and other non-domestic premises must hold a cleaning business licence from NEA. Cleaning of domestic premises is listed as excluded cleaning work, so a company that only cleans homes does not need one, but any company you hire for general cleaning in your office does. The licence comes with requirements on cleaner training and wages under the Progressive Wage Model. A company without one is operating outside the rules, and you have less protection if something goes wrong. NEA also makes it an offence for a service buyer to engage an unlicensed provider for general cleaning, so the check protects your company too.
What to do: ask for the company’s registered name, UEN and NEA licence details, and check them against official records. Look the company up on ACRA’s BizFile to confirm it is a registered business. A legitimate company will share these details without hesitation. KleanSG’s UEN, NEA licence and other proof are listed on its credentials page.
No written agreement or scope
A verbal promise to “clean the whole office” means different things to different people. Without a written scope, disputes about what was included are almost certain.
What to do: insist on a written agreement that sets out:
- the areas and tasks included, and how often each is done;
- the number of cleaners and hours per visit;
- visit days and times;
- who supplies cleaning products and equipment;
- what happens when the cleaner is absent;
- the contract period and notice terms;
- how to raise a complaint and how quickly it will be addressed.
The office cleaning checklist lists daily, weekly and monthly tasks by area, which makes a useful starting point for the scope.
Reviews that do not add up
A company with no reviews, or a cluster of short five-star reviews posted in the same week, deserves a closer look. So does a pattern of complaints about no-shows or poor communication.
What to do: read reviews on an independent platform such as Google, and look for detail: what was cleaned, how problems were handled and whether the company replied. Ask for a reference from a client with a similar office, and ask that client whether they would sign again.
Vague answers about staff
You are letting people into your office, often after hours, with access to equipment and documents. If the company cannot tell you who will clean, how they were trained or what happens when that person is away, that is a problem.
What to do: ask:
- Will the same cleaner come each visit?
- How do you screen and train staff?
- Who supervises the work and checks quality?
- What happens if the cleaner is sick or on leave?
What poor cleaning costs you
Choosing the wrong provider costs more than the contract fee:
- Maintenance: dust and grime wear out carpets, upholstery and equipment faster.
- Health: dirty toilets and pantries help germs spread around the office.
- Pests: food residue and full bins attract cockroaches and ants.
- Reputation: clients and job candidates notice a dirty office.
- Management time: someone in your team ends up checking, chasing and re-briefing.
A quick checklist before you sign
- Licence, UEN and registration checked.
- Written scope with tasks, frequency and hours.
- Supplies and equipment responsibility agreed.
- Replacement and absence policy in writing.
- Contract period and notice terms clear.
- Reviews and at least one reference checked.
KleanSG holds an NEA Class 2 Cleaning Business Licence, and you can read its Google reviews before you decide. If you are comparing providers, see how KleanSG’s office cleaning is scoped and quoted, and use the checklist above for every company on your shortlist.
